I assess Brighid’s demeanour. She’s obviously very flirty. She’s in amazing shape too; her black high-waisted leather booty shorts really show that off. She moves closer to Aden so they’re centimetres apart. His smile in return is tight.

I walk towards them and the minute Aden sees me, he scrambles for my arm and pulls me to his side.

“McKay, Brighid. Brighid, this is McKay – my girlfriend.”

She looks me up and down curiously.

“Nice to meet you.”

I don’t even open my mouth when I give her a smile.

“I thought you didn’t exist.”

She bats her lashes, annoyed, as if they should fan me away from her.

“And now you know better.”

“You’re the one who should know better.” She titters, making me angry.

“God. How many times do I have to reject you for you to get the message?” I’m stunned into silence. “I don’t want you!”

The people around us begin to listen in, their eyes inadvertently looking our way despite them trying to act like they hear nothing. Brighid is a ghost.

“Do me a favour and stay out of my inbox from now on. You’ll only be embarrassing yourself.”

“Aden, enough.” I whisper.

“I–” Brighid tries, but Aden interrupts her.

“I’m with her. I love her, so stop trying. What we have is organic – but you wouldn’t know anything about that, would you? Maybe if you stopped being so desperate, you’d get someone to actually like you.”

“Aden.” I clutch him when I see tears in Brighid’s eyes, demanding his attention. “Stop. You’re hurting her now.”

“I can’t just stand here and watch her taunt you.”

“You don’t have to put her down to make me feel special.” I turn to her. “Could you give us a minute? I’m sorry about what he said.”

She closes her trembling lips and spins on her heel, leaving.

“Come on, let’s go to the bar.”

I grab Aden and pull him to the least populated area of the room at the moment, since it’s mostly servers picking up more drinks there. I take two for both of us off the tray of a passing server and dunk mine in one go.

“You shouldn’t have done that. Imagine if someone spoke to me that way.”

“You’re not some desperate–”

“You’re forgetting that I’m the girl who had to beg you for a kiss not once, not twice, not even three times. I begged you to kiss me four times. If that’s not the definition of desperate then I don’t know what is.”

“She’s not you.”

“No, but one day I’ll be her. Is that how you’re going to treat me?”

“You know I wouldn’t.”

“I know nothing. All I see is this girl that is your ex being disdained so viciously.”

“We were never together, Princess.”

“So, you never kissed her?”

He remains quiet.

“Treat her with respect, please.”

“So much for not controlling me.”

“You gave me a reason.”

“It’s annoying.”

“It must be for a kid your age. That’s what you are, right? That’s why you’re being such a big baby about it? You can’t love me for my kindness and be so mean to other people.”

“Whatever happened to opposites attract?” I shove him away as he laughs.

“I’m not having it, Arrington.” I grab his lapels and plant a big kiss on his lips. “I love you. Now, go back to work.”

The night continues uneventfully. I watch Aden work the room. From executives to socialites – he has all of them eating out of the palm of his hand.

The other guys, especially Jude, help him on his mission. I know Aden can’t take attention being on him for too long, so an hour and a half later, his body starts to droop. I move to go get him.

But then I hear someone call out the name Phineas in the background.

I turn to see a rotund short man heading for a much taller man. They hug and talk for a while. Oh shit. This is my chance. I can finally go ask him.

I wait, and soon enough, it’s my turn. I approach the tall man and smile.

“Hello, Phineas.”

“Hello.” He greets, raising his glass. “I’m sorry, do we know each other?”

“No, I came with Aden and he told me about you. He said you could help me with my situation.”

Phineas frowns, so I continue.

“I’m in need of financial aid for college. Aden guaranteed that you could help me.”

“That’s odd. He doesn’t usually–”

“It’s a favour.” I interrupt. “Our parents are old friends and my mother lost her job, so I have–”

“Oh, so Ryder sent you? Well, okay. I’ll do it if it’s for her.”

I try not to make a nauseated face at his creepy expression.

“Thank you.”

“For what?” comes a voice behind me. Oh, no.

“Aden, hi.” I pull him away, turning to Phineas. “Excuse me.”

Aden’s confusion is etched on his face.

“Is everything okay?”

“I was going to ask the same thing. You look exhausted.” I lie.

But before Aden can reply, Phineas comes up to us again.

“Sorry, I didn’t get your name.”

“McKenzie Da Silva.” I stutter as he hands me his card.

“Call me.”

When he leaves, I’m quick to explain myself to Aden.

“He thought that maybe I could make a good video vixen for someone he knows. But, you know, I turned it down.”

“Oh.”

“So, how are things going?”

I leer at him, diverting his attention. His eyes follow my sinking fingers, trailing into his shirt.

“Great, great, but hating that I’m missing out on the best part of the party.”

“What? Oh, no. Don’t say–”

“You.”

“Ugh! Cheese.”

We both laugh.

“I got us a suite for tonight.”

“And I’ve got something sweet for you tonight.”

Aden grins, delivering a peck on my lips.

“I can hardly wait. We could ditch now.”

Just as I’m about to tease him for being too horny, some guy approaches us.

“So, I see brace-face is no more.”

Shit. I know that voice and Aden stiffening next to me is only confirmation of my suspicions.

“I just got word, the emails are in: no deal, no hiatus – no nothing.” he gloats savagely.

Aden’s fists ball up, but he doesn’t do anything.

“See what happens when you cross me? Don’t ever fuck with my bread again, got it?”

Aden’s arm twitches as the guy leaves. I pull him to me, but I know it’s no use. His eyes have a glossy sheen on them. He is pissed.

“I’m going to kill him.”

“Aden, no. Come with me.”

“I–”

“Come, with, me.” I grit.

I manage to drag him away, all the way to the interview room.

“You need to calm down.”
“Tell me to calm down again!” he growls. I back away, stunned. “I fucked up! Because of me, no one is going to get a break from all this!”

“No one is going to blame you.”

“They don’t need to! I know what I did. I failed!”

The minute I register that Aden considers this a failure, I freeze. This is his greatest fear. He won’t calm down because this is his nightmare. I can practically see the hellfire burning in his eyes. I can feel the waves of rage rolling off him.

I back away to the wall. For the first time, I have no clue what to do. I can’t help him. As he rants on, I try my best to calm down and think rationally. I can do this; I have no choice but to.

“Aden, this isn’t the end of the world.”
“You don’t know that! You don’t know anything!”

“Don’t shout at me. I’m your girlfriend, remember?”

“Really? Yeah, you know what? You are my girlfriend.”

He laughs and I’m cold. I watch in horror as he nears me. I want to speak, but I’m stuck. He grabs me and shoves me against the wall, gnawing at my lips ferociously. I groan when he bites my lip so hard that I taste blood on my tongue. That’s when I gain the willpower push him off me.

I touch my bottom lip and lower my fingers. He drew blood – cold and unfeeling. I stare at him in disbelief as he tries to step to me again, instantly repulsed.

“Don’t you dare touch me again.”

Didn’t you say you’re my girlfriend?” he laughs, with a crazy look in his eyes.

“No! Even if I was your wife, I would never agree to being touched like that.”

“Wow! You’re really flying off on a tangent. Be my wife?” he sneers.

“Don’t even flatter yourself. No way would I ever want to be married to this.”

I leave the room as fast as I can, but he follows me out as I attempt to get a cab out of there.

“McKay, wait. I’m sorry, alright! Fuck, I’m so pissed and–”

“No! You’re not fucking sorry. It’s been three seconds since you did that to me. How the hell could you be sorry? But trust me when I say: you will be.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“It’s supposed to mean that I don’t want to be your girlfriend anymore. I don’t want to be anywhere near you.  This is me breaking up with you. If you think you can treat me like that, you’re wrong.”

“But… Fuck! You saw how mad I was. Why didn’t you step away?!”

“Step away?! Step, away, Aden? I shouldn’t have to step away from my own boyfriend. I should be the last person to step away from you when everybody else doesn’t know what to do with you.
“But instead, you chose to take your anger out on me, so you know what I choose? I choose to step away – not from my boyfriend, but from the person I thought I knew for a fact would never hurt me physically again. If this is what being your girlfriend entails, count me out.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, really. I’m leaving right this minute.”

“We’ll see how long that lasts. You fucking love me.” he mutters.

“You cocky little shit. You don’t even realise what you’ve done. I wish I was still invested enough to stay here and watch the adrenaline leave your body, so you realise that you’ve lost me for good.” I rasp as tears fall down my cheeks. “But I love myself, infinitely more than I’ll ever love you.”

As I climb into the first cab I find, Aden stops my door from shutting.

“No Princess, wait. I’m fucking…hurting. I need you by my side, not–”

“Fuck no! Why would I want to continue inhaling your toxic ass fumes? Keep it. I hope you choke on your despair when I’m gone.”

I yank the sabre tooth necklace he once gifted me with from my neck and fling it onto the pavement before I shut the door on him as the cab leaves.