Chapter 16

It was the middle of the night when I first stirred, and as I tried to stretch my sore limbs, I couldn't help but grimace. The bed was comfortable enough, but I knew it wasn't my own. Panicking, I scrambled upright then realized I was at Syn. The events of the night came rushing back to me as my gaze lasered in on the whip sitting atop the counter. I then looked toward the center of the room where I'd been restrained and my traitorous body ached to return there.

I turned my focus from it to the rest of the room. There was a coldness to it now, and I realized it was because he'd left me alone. After flaying me wide open, Easton had walked away. There was no sign of him having even left anything behind, so he hadn't simply ventured down to the bar for a drink or something else. He'd fucked me like he'd hated me, then left me here.

Anger filled me at that, but I managed to keep it restrained. I did not plan to just lay around here. I managed to swing my legs to the edge of the bed, then I forced myself to stand up. My clothes were nearby, and of course I'd had to wear fucking jeans to the club tonight. Getting them on was literal torture, but I did so without doing more than letting out a few anguished cries. My silk sheets at home would feel like heaven.

Thinking about my place, I remembered that I had not driven to the club tonight. In fact, I'd pretended that I was going to meet a friend, so I couldn't call her from here. I also didn't want to wake up Carley, so I did the only other thing I could do. After booking myself an Uber, I sat back down as gingerly as possible, then waited until a driver was in the area.

Once I did the walk of shame out of the building, I made it over to the car. Thankfully, the driver was a woman which made me feel somewhat better. A few years ago, there'd been a serial killer on the loose targeting women leaving places such as Syn, and it'd turned out to be a police detective all along. Ever since that maniac had been caught, I always remembered to pay attention to my surroundings.

"It's a late night," she told me.

"Yeah," I responded. "I'll be glad to get home. That's for sure."

"Traffic is very light this evening, so you should be there soon."

After that, the conversation ended. Along the way, she would once or twice speak, to which I would politely respond. The driver was not overly talkative which I appreciated. My mind was still spinning from everything that had happened tonight, so I wasn't up for random chit chat. Shortly after, we reached my condo building.

I made it up to my unit, then quietly entered my place. There was no sound anywhere in it, or lights other than the one I'd left on in the living room. I crept down the hallway, then peeked into the guest room where Carley was staying. Surprisingly it was not only cleaner than when she first got here, but it was empty which meant my cousin wasn't home.

"Where could you be at this time of night?"

My mind began racing, and hoping she had just lost track of time, I went to take a shower. It was difficult enough due to the various welts, so I ended up patting myself dry with the towel before slipping into a silk robe. I did vigorously dry my hair before letting the now barely damp strands hang down my back.

When back in my bedroom, I stopped to listen for any sounds of Carley's return, but there were none. I glanced at the time on my alarm clock which made me worry even more. Grabbing my cell phone, I left my room and went into the living room so I could call her. I'd no sooner sat down when the front door opened.

"Oh my God, you scared the hell out of me, Shelbs," she said the moment she noticed me sitting in the corner.

"Where have you been?" I asked her, inwardly flinching at how parental I sounded.

"Did I have a curfew?" she asked, obviously irritated by my earlier tone.

Softening mine, I sighed before responding. "No, but I was just worried."

"It's okay," she told me as she moved closer. She then dropped her duffel bag next to the chair as she sat down.

I pointed to it. "Are you leaving town or something?"

Carley looked down at her feet, then smiled at me. "No, I was at the gym working out. I was just trying to blow off a little steam." She very well could've been telling the truth because she was in a pair of dark yoga pants and a hoodie. Coincidentally, it matched the same one I had on earlier when going to Syn. "Have you been waiting long for me?"

"No," I assured her. "I'd actually just gotten in myself a little while ago. After showering, I was concerned when you still weren't home but you are now so..." I stood up to go back to my room.

"Home. You know, this place is starting to feel like it to me. I think it's being here with you after all of this time."

"I like having you here," I told her, then sat back down when she motioned for me to do so.

"I think Denver might be the wake up call I needed."

"How so?"

She shifted in her seat, then quickly removed her sneakers and tucked her legs up under her. "I'd fallen in with the wrong crowd back in Cali. I–"

"Wrong crowd? What did you do back home?"

"I got caught shoplifting in Anaheim, and months later, my ex-boyfriend in Chino was busted with stolen merchandise. I was with him at the time so they booked me for it, too. I hadn't wanted to tell you exactly where I've been over the last several years, but I feel like I can really talk to you."

"You can," I assured her while my mind was racing with the admissions she'd just made. "Did you go to jail?"

"Yeah. I spent a few years in the slammer, but I've been out for almost a year."

"What have you been doing since that time?"

This was more talking than we probably did since she arrived, and with Carley being so forthcoming, I wanted to ask her as many questions as possible without letting this come off as an interrogation. Like what tonight had felt like with Easton.

"Mostly just trying to survive. I've worked some dead end jobs trying to score enough cash to come here to Denver. You'd really turned your life around after getting to Colorado, and I was hoping I could do the same. A clean slate and all."

"It was hard, but it's definitely worth it to be on the right side of the law."

"I know. I wasn't sure how you would feel about me showing up on your doorstep, but I'm glad I came. We not only get a chance to reconnect, but I think you are just what I need to turn my life around."

"Ten years ago, I wouldn't have believed it was possible, but if I can change, then you can, too. I have faith in you, Carley."

"I love you, Shelbs."

"I love you, too."

My cousin stood up, and I did the same. She then enveloped me in a tight embrace which made me wince considering the wounds the robe concealed. I exhaled the moment she pulled away from me.

"I'm so thankful for you and everything you've done for me. I'll make you proud. Hell, I might end up making the both of us proud of me," Carley told me.

"I'm sure you will. It's nice to have you here. Sometimes it gets lonely being in the city all by myself."

"You need yourself a man, Shelbs."

That was an understatement. I had one, or maybe part of one. Hell, who knew anymore. I'd been getting so close to Easton, and I'd trusted him so much. Never had I allowed myself to feel anything more than anticipation or arousal for a man, and tonight only reminded me that it'd been for the best. The late night calls... mid day text messages... and overall attentiveness he'd shown me over the time we'd been together had made me overvalue what I truly was to him. I was nothing more than a sex toy he could take on and off of a shelf whenever the urge struck him.

"What's wrong, Shelbs? You look like you're about to cry. Was it something I said?"

I turned back to my cousin. "No. As wonderful as my life in Denver might seem, it truly lacks in the romance department."

"Surely you've had to have caught the eye of someone since arriving here. You look like me so I might be biased, but we're hot as hell."

I laughed at the last part. "Don't get me wrong, I've had boyfriends and all. It just never seems to amount to anything because we always end up having different views about basically everything. It's hard to be accepted for who you are."

"Don't I know it," she lamented. "You need to get laid, though. I did last night and it made today much better for me."

"You did what? Who?" I asked completely in shock.

"Some guy downstairs, but it's nothing serious."

My head was spinning with that revelation. Here I'd been trying to sneak around with Easton, and she'd been doing the same with someone else. "You didn't have to hide it from me."

"I wasn't which was why I told you about him. Now, we just need to get you some action," she told me. I sat back down at that, and she obviously recognized my expression and did the same. "Uh oh. There's something you're not telling me, Shelbs. Spill!"

"Tonight, I wasn't going to see an employee. I was meeting up with a man."

"Shelby Lynne Prescott! You could've just told me as much. Who is he? When am I going to meet him? Where did you meet? Is he hot? Good in bed? Does he have a job?"

"Whoa," I said as I waved my hands in front of me. "You ask more questions than..."

I stopped before mentioning Easton. "Than who?"

"It doesn't matter," I said. "I don't think I'm going to see this guy again so none of those answers matter."

"Did you two have a fight?"

I shook my head and answered honestly. "No, not really, but I've just come to the realization that some people are not that compatible after all."

"Sounds like it's better that you kick him to the curb. Life's too short to be unhappy or have miserable sex."

I could've corrected her on the sex part. That was the only thing Easton and I really had, and at least for me, it'd been mind-blowing. "You're right." I then stood back up. "I'm glad you're home safe. I'm tired so I'm going to go to bed. I'll talk to you in the morning."

"Goodnight," Carley told me, and the two of us went to our own rooms.

Once inside of mine, I pulled up my last text message from Easton. Only a few hours had passed, but I was thinking much more clearly now. It was time to end whatever this was between us before my heart got broken. As I typed out the words, I realized I'd been too late. Somewhere along the way, I had fallen in love with Easton, but what we had was over.

I just wanted to let you know I won't be scening with you anymore. Please don't contact me again.

For good measure, I then sent another right after knowing he would have to honor my wishes.

Gemini.

As the tears rolled down my cheeks, I turned my cell phone off, then settled down onto my bed. The silk of the sheets and comforter did cool my flesh, but they couldn't freeze my heart which continued to sting as it burned to ashes.