Page 66 of Tantalizing Kings

“You sure are causing some issues, you know.” She crosses her arms. “You're giving the Host Club a bad name. Preston shouldn’t have to defend the club because you're nothing but a dirty whore.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” My eyes narrow.

“I’m not sure why the guys took you on as a client. We both know you can’t afford their prices. What are you doing, paying it off in sex?” she snorts out a laugh. “No, can’t be that. There's no way they would touch you. They would much rather have the money.”

“Fuck off, Tina. I don’t want to hear your crap tonight.” I’ve become numb to her nasty words by now. I move to step around her, but she blocks my path.

“It’s only the truth. You know, you can offer your body up all you want, but the guys are only ever going to see you as a warm hole. Why would they want you for anything more than that? You're poor, ugly, and well...” she trails off, eyeing me up and down while giving me a look of pity. “You still haven’t lost that weight from back in high school, have you?”

Tears sting the back of my eyes as I’m brought back to some of the worst times of my life. How can years of working on my self-esteem and mental health come crashing down by some words from a spiteful bitch.

“It’s why Raymond came to me. He only dated you because he felt bad for you. And you weren’t even a convenient fuck because he took one look at your body and came hunting for mine. Guess he isn’t into fat chicks.” She shrugs. “I’m sure there’s someone out there who will want your body, but it’s not going to be anyone in the host club. If they do end up sleeping with you, it’ll be because of whatever arrangement you made, it’ll be out of obligation. If anything, you should do them the favor and just break off your deal. Save them from the trouble of having to sleep with you.” She cringes and turns around, leaving me there, ready to break.

My heart races, my belly in knots and it’s taking everything in me not to cry. Feelings of self-doubt and hatred for my body hit me.

I need something to drink.

“Hey,” a guy mutters as I push him out of my way. I grab the half bottle of vodka from the drink table and take it outside.

Taking a seat on one of the deck chairs, I tip the bottle back and start chugging. I’m only a few mouthfuls in before I’m coughing and gagging, but once I stop, I do it again and again, drowning the nasty thoughts my mind is coming up with about myself.

Tina never missed an opportunity to remind me how pathetic, poor, or ugly I was in high school.

It’s been a while since she said anything like that. I’m not sure what brought it on tonight. I shouldn’t let her words get to me.They’re just words.

Only, they never were for me. My mind has always betrayed me, and she held a power over me that I’ve always hated.

I’m not sure how long I sit here drinking, but soon I feel nothing, my mind blank and body at ease.

“Come on, Sweetheart,” an angel’s voice encourages as I’m being scooped up.

My eyes blink open, and I see a very blurry Declan. I groan and snuggle into him. “You smell nice,” I slur as I inhale deeply through my nose. He smells familiar.

He chuckles. “Really? Like what?”

“What?” I have no idea what we're talking about or where we’re going.

“Nothing, sweets.” He laughs again and then sighs.

“Thanks for looking after me,” I murmur, closing my eyes and relaxing into his hold.

“I always will,” he whispers, kissing the top of my head. That feels nice. He feels nice. Safe.

I don’t wake up again until I’m inside my house. My eyes fly open and my hand slams against my mouth. I struggle to get out of Declan’s hold, and as soon as he puts me down on my feet, I’m over at the kitchen sink, bringing back up everything I drank.

“Shhh,” he soothes, rubbing my back as he holds my hair away from my face. “It’s okay.”

“No, it's not,” I sob as I puke again. Coughing a little, I take a few deep breaths. “She’s right. She’s always right.”

“Who's right?”

I don’t get to answer him as I start to get sick again. “I feel like death,” I groan as I lie my cheek against the side of the sink, waiting to see if anything else is going to come up.

“Let’s get you to bed, okay?”

“Why are you being so nice to me?” I ask, taking the glass of water from his hand. I take a mouthful and spit it out.

“Because it’s easy to be nice to you.” He smiles. “You're a likeable person.”

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