Prologue

PROLOGUE

“Everyone is being laid off as the company has been bought out and they’re not keeping staff. We are closing our doors as of now to guarantee that we give everyone six months’ severance pay, in addition to their regular salary this Friday.”

All I can hear are murmurs of disbelief and some of my coworkers even start to cry. This news has blindsided us all.

This is just fucking great. What the hell am I to do now?

After we are dismissed, I make my way to my desk and pack up my belongings. As I place the final item in my box, the clock on the wall reads 11:30am. With a final glance at my office, my second home for four years, I grab the box and head to the elevator. While making my way to the car, a thought comes to me to surprise my boyfriend Toby with lunch.

After a trafficless drive, I pick up our order from his favorite sandwich shop and head over to his place.

Toby’s definitely home because his car is in the driveway, but when I knock, there is no answer.

Huh, that’s weird. Could he be in the bathroom or on a work call?

Having to use my spare key to open the door in case he’s busy, I immediately hear a squeaking noise coming from down the hall.

This isn’t going to be good.

Taking my time to walk down the hall towards his bedroom, I hear a manly moan which causes me to go still as a steel rod.

Maybe it’s the TV?

Getting my feet to move again, that’s when a second moan followed by a giggle that’s very much not the tv, reaches my ears.

What the fuck?! Oh hell no!

Slamming his bedroom door open, what I see before me is actually worse than anything my brain could have imagined.

“WHAT THE FUCK?!” I scream at Toby and the two women lying half naked in bed with him.

“Adriana! What are you doing here? Why aren’t you at work?” Toby jumps up and at least has the decency to try to cover himself up; though he’s unsuccessful.

“Well, I brought lunch for you since I had time, but obviously I didn’t bring enough,” I say, holding up the bag of sandwiches in my hand. “You know what, Toby? I hope you have fun with your floozies! I can’t believe it takes two of them to replace one of me to get you hard. You really do have small dick energy, ASSHOLE!”

With a glance down at his now flaccid cock, I laugh.

The women share a dumbfounded look between them, and it seems they don’t know what to do.

Fucking floozies!

I turn back the way I came.

“Adriana, wait. Let’s talk this out.” Toby spouts out. He follows behind me and grabs my arm.

“DO NOT FUCKING TOUCH ME!” whirling around to face him. I yank my arm free from his grasp. “How fucking dare you think you can touch me, let alone talk your way out of this after what I just fucking walked in on!”

My chest tightens and the need to get all of my thoughts out overcomes me.

“What could you possibly say to make this okay? We’ve been together for three years! THREE FUCKING YEARS TOBY! And this is how it ends? This is what my love is worth to you?” I scream at him, feeling like I’m ready to break down, but he doesn’t deserve my tears.

“Adriana, I’m so sorry. I love you, I do. I should have told you I wanted to explore more in the bedroom. But what we have just hasn’t been fulfilling all of my needs.” Toby explains. “You’re a lady in the streets and the sheets, but I want a freak behind closed doors.”

I’m a deer in headlights at Toby’s confession.

What in the actual fuck? Is he for real? There’s no way he is serious.

“No shit Sherlock. You could have just said something when you started feeling that way. Instead, I get to walk in on your freaks in the sheets.” Throwing his words back at him. “If you couldn’t have the conversation with me, you should have broken things off because I wasn’t the one for you. Don’t worry, I’ll do it for you. We’re done.”

Taking a breath, there is just one thing left to say.

“Here’s a little tidbit for you. BE FUCKING HONEST YOU DAMN SMALL-DICKED COWARD! Have a great life or don’t. I don’t give a fuck. Me, I’m not your problem anymore.” I take the bag of sandwiches in my hand, throw it at his face and slam the door as I leave.

Climbing into my car, all I can think about is what a shittastic day it’s been, and it’s only one pm. I drive home on autopilot in shock at what had just happened.

Unlocking the door to my apartment, my first order of business is to throw out the picture of Toby and me that’s on my nightstand in the trash. The glass breaks as it hits the basin. Good! Broken, just like our relationship. Second order of business is to grab my pajamas off my bed and change.

Once comfy and cozy, I make myself a much needed tall glass of Jack and Coke. As the bubbles tickle my nose and the whiskey burns my throat, I notice there are only a few personal items around my apartment. Realization hits me square in the face that this has never really been home for me. With this knowledge and the events of today, the dam holding back my tears breaks.

Let it all out now, Adriana. Today is hard, but you’ve been through worse. Get knocked down but get up again.

When the tears cease, I decide that today will not consume me completely.

Tomorrow I’ll start looking for a job that’s anywhere but here in Colorado. Hell, maybe even in a new field. Job hunting is stressful and filled with the anxiety of not being good enough. But at least I have six months to change my life before I have to settle.

I open my laptop and get to work updating my resume. One step at a time. Hopefully, it won’t take too long to create a new life for myself.