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“What do you want?” I ask, trying to sound stronger than I feel. Thankfully, he moves to go sit behind his desk and I let out the breath I didn’t even know I was holding in.
“I have a new proposition for you,” he says again.
“So, you’ve said. What is it? You’re wasting my time and I have places to be,” I snap.
“Don’t fucking use that tone with me, little girl. You might be able to with my son, but I can assure you I’m far worse than he is,” he snaps. I don’t for a second doubt what he’s saying. Mason might be a grade A douche, but he has nothing on his father. I stand there staring at him until he continues. “I want you to sell me Crowne Enterprises,” he says, finally clueing me in on what he wants now.
“Not happening,” I say while laughing. His suggestion is ludicrous.
“I wasn’t asking. You are going to sell it to me.” He says the words with finality like that’s going to get him what he wants.
“Do you finally see that your underhanded tactics aren’t working?” I ask, sneering at him. Maybe taunting this man isn’t the best idea. I know he’s dangerous but right now, I can’t help myself.
“I’m giving you two days before I bring a shitstorm down on your head,” he threatens with a smirk on his face, and I can totally see where his son gets it from.
“For a businessman as you say you are, you’re pretty fucking stupid. Do you really think my dad left his company to me without having things in place to protect me?” I question.
“Your father was a stupid and pathetic man who couldn’t even see what was going on right under his nose. As for leaving the company to you, everyone can see what a terrible mistake that was—”
“Screw you, asshole! You’ll never get your filthy hands on it! I’ll die before that ever happens!” I snap at him, losing patience with this whole pointless conversation.
“Be careful what you wish for, little girl. Now, we’re done here. You can leave. I’d choose my option if I were you.” He dismisses me and his attention is now on his computer, doing God knows what.
I don’t wait around to see what other threats he’ll issue and quickly rush out of his office. I’m confused by what he means. Obviously, I can’t sell the company because of the will and all the legal shit that binds me to it. I groan because again, coming back here was a shit idea and I wish I could leave and never come back.
I make my way into the kitchen and pass by the liquor cabinet. I stop in my tracks. Without too much thought, I go over to it and grab a bottle of whiskey. It’s unreal how much alcohol the Kings have all over the place in this house.
I rush out through the kitchen door and toward the side of the house that leads straight onto the beach. I walk for a while until I don’t feel like walking anymore. I’m a good distance away from the house. Just up ahead of me is one of those clusters of rocks they have at the edge of the water.
I walk over to them and climb up. I keep going until I’m at the one that’s closest to the water and furthest from the sand. I take a seat and crack open the seal on the bottle of whiskey I took from the house.
I take a huge gulp and feel the alcohol burn its way down my throat toward my stomach. My stomach grumbles. I don’t remember when the last time I ate was. But oh well, now is definitely not the time for food.
I keep drinking and it isn’t long before I’m super drunk. Before I even know what’s happening, I’m sobbing so hard it pains me. My chest hurts from the force of my cries as memory after memory of my new life filters through my mind.
I let out a scream, trying to get it all out so I can feel better, but the pain just keeps consuming me. I feel so alone and I’m fucking exhausted. All I want to do is die. I know I’m entering the wrong frame of mind again. After the fight I had with Riley, I don’t think I can call her right now. Plus, the girls will most likely take her side since I was the asshole.
I keep crying and drinking. I can’t bring myself to stop. Why does life have to hurt so fucking much? I have no idea how long I’ve been sitting here alone and sobbing, but the bottle of whiskey is already half gone. Suddenly, I hear someone talking to me.
“Hey, are you okay?” the voice asks, and I turn to see a girl walking closer. She climbs the rocks to get closer to me, though she makes sure that she leaves some distance between us. The beach isn’t completely dark. The lights from everyone’s backyards and all the surrounding buildings cast a glow, though it isn’t super bright either. I see when she eyes me from head to toe.
She probably thinks I’m fucking crazy for being out here alone while crying my eyes out. I’m not a pretty crier so I’m sure I probably look a little crazy right now. I eye her just as she’s eyeing me. She also looks like a wreck, so I guess we have no room to judge each other. When I look her in the eyes this time, I see that she’s most likely come to the same conclusion. A second later, I see recognition hit. I’ve been in the news, papers and even gossip sites so much in the last few weeks, I’m guessing that’s where she’s recognized me from, but she doesn’t mention it which I’m thankful for.
There’s been some good things but mostly bad. The bad usually happened whenever Mason pulled some stupid shit to humiliate me. Why the fuck do I even still have feelings for such an asshole?
“I’m fine… no, maybe. Who the hell knows anymore? I sure as hell don’t,” I finally say to her in response to her question when she first got here. I lift the bottle of whiskey to my mouth and take another swig from it.
“You probably just need someone to talk to,” she says.
“Why? You don’t even know me,” I say, taking another mouthful of whiskey from the bottle.
“That may be true, but I’ve been where you are right now. I know when someone needs a shoulder to cry on. The difference is, I had no one to lend me that shoulder,” she murmurs in response.
I’m quiet for a while, not knowing what to say to that. I mean, it would be nice to have a shoulder to cry on since I’ve royally fucked shit up when it comes to the people in my life. I blow out a long breath and then look down at both my arms covered with bandages. From the corner of my eye, I see her look down to at my arms. I hear her let out a gasp. No one who has any sense would miss what those bandages, specifically there, means. I turn to look at her with a fresh wave of tears in my eyes.
“I’m sorry. That must have been rough not having anyone to lean on. Thanks for the shoulder ‘cause I’ve officially hit rock bottom. I literally got into a fight with my best friend, and we’ve never fought before. I had sex twice with the guy that hates my guts, and the worst part is, I don’t know if I can stop. I’m still holding out hope that the old him will come back,” I say with tears streaming down my face again. When the fuck will these tears end? I’m tired of crying and bleeding for people who aren’t doing the same for me.
“I’ve definitely been to rock bottom before, so I know what it’s like,” she says with sadness in her voice. I’m guessing whatever she went through must have been bad. She just has that air about her, you know. The same one that surrounds me—someone who is trying to escape their pain but can’t seem to.
