Chapter 5
Chapter Five
DEVON: THEN
“How is it?” Jade asks, her voice tinny, and I tell her about meeting Grant Carey.
“Wow! So, you barely spoke?”
I left out the part about Mila being there; Jade never liked her.
I’m back in the lobby, my cheeks flushed from too much whiskey, and I’m pretty sure I’m slurring.
“But there are other speakers there, don’t be disheartened, babe,” Jade says, her voice soft and comforting.
I miss her.
“Yeah, I know. I’m just annoyed, I guess.”
“Try to be positive. You’re in New York for free!”
I lift my brows and grin. “You’re right. I should make the most of it.”
“Hey,” a voice interrupts me, and I turn to see Grant Carey standing beside me, his eyes darting around us, almost like he’s nervous about being seen near me.
What the fuck?
“Uh, Jade, I gotta go…”
“Who is that?” Jade asks, curiosity lacing her tone.
“I’ll call you tomorrow,” I say quickly, hanging up the phone so I can finally talk to Grant-fucking-Carey!
“Listen,” Grant begins, his eyes still searching the room. “You need to be careful with—”
“Dev?” Mila is striding towards us, and Grant visibly stiffens at the sight of her before he sends me a pitiful look and moves away.
Because of Mila?! Damn, it must have been a tough breakup if he can’t even look at her.
“What the hell?” I murmur as Mila reaches me. “What was that about?”
Mila follows my gaze before rolling her eyes. “Grant?”
“Yeah, he just left as soon as you called my name.”
“He’s a jerk,” Mila mutters, her eyes flashing.
“Oh?” I lean forward as Mila nods, her body trembling slightly. “What happened?”
“I told you he was full-on, right?”
“Yeah…”
“But he was also scary,” Mila whispers, leaning in closer. “Like, he got aggressive sometimes, and I swear he followed me on more than one occasion.”
What?!
“Jesus, Mila—” I run my hand through my hair, my eyes wide.
“It happens,” Mila comments, her voice back to a normal tone now.
I spy the exit, suddenly wanting to leave and fly fucking home.
What was I expecting? That Grant and I would bond over whiskey and spinach smoothies? That he’d give me precious tips and help me break into the competitive field of personal training as my mentor or something?
Turns out he’s a fucking weirdo that abuses and stalks women.
God, I’m an idiot.
“Hey,” Mila says, pointing to the lobby bar. “Let’s get a drink and forget about him.”
I just want to leave, but Mila is still trembling and searching the room like she’s scared of something.
Of Grant?
The thought makes me nauseous.
“Let’s have one drink, then I’m going. I’m tired.”
Mila nods and walks beside me as we head to the bar. I slide onto a leather stool, letting Mila order. Screens above the marble bar show a Yankee game and stock market details, but I just feel strange.
What was Grant trying to warn me about?
I try to tell myself that Jade’s right—that there will be other people to learn from here.
Shit! Jade!
I drag my phone out, tapping out a text message to Jade as Mila slides a drink over to me
DEVON: Sorry, babe, Grant Carey came over. I’ll call you tomorrow, okay? Love you.
I put my phone back in my pocket and tip my glass to Mila’s. “Thanks for this.”
The lighting here is softer, and away from the humdrum of the mixer, I feel like I can disappear for a while.
“Shit, that’s strong,” I sputter, coughing slightly. “What is this?”
“Bookers,” Mila states. “I thought you could do with the good stuff.”
“Thanks,” I reply, swirling the amber liquid in the heavy glass. Everything here is so decadent. Even the glasses.
“I want to start my own business too. When I get back home, I want to hire a studio or something and start from there. Without Grant following me.”
I peer at her as she looks around, like she’s worried.
“What, uh, happened between you?”
Mila screws up her face. “Ugh. I’ll need a few more of these before I discuss that.”
“That bad, huh?”
Mila rolls her shoulders, exhaling heavily. “He didn’t want us to stop seeing each other, and I guess the word ‘no’ didn’t mean a lot to him.”
Wait, he’s a sex predator too?
“Fuck.” I can’t believe this. I’ve worshipped the man, hung on his every word, hoping meeting him would change my life for the better.
Now this.
Mila drains her whiskey and shudders. “I need another.”
I do the same with my drink, enjoying the burn as it coats my throat.
“I can’t let you drink alone,” I say, catching the bartender’s attention.
“Two more for the road, please.”
Except two more turned into six more, and then I stopped counting. When we stood up, we had to hold on to one another.
“This is like old times!” Mila laughs, gripping me.
“Sure, except I could hold my liquor better,” I slur, having to lean against the stool to keep my balance.
“Dev, could you walk me to my room? I don’t want to be alone in this hotel—not if I can help it.” Mila can’t stand without my help, so she probably wouldn’t make it to her room, anyway.
And if what she says is true, and Grant sees her like this, alone…
I couldn’t live with myself if anything happened to her.
Mila pulls me after her towards the elevators, but I frown.
Jade wouldn’t like me doing this.
“Just remember, I’m married,” I state with a stupid grin.
Mila seems to find this hilarious and turns toward me.
“You’re being a gentleman, Dev, not a pervert.”
She’s right. I’m just making sure she gets home okay. Jade would understand the whole Grant thing, right?
“I’ll walk you to your door,” I tell her, hiccups rising in my throat. “Then I’ve got to get a cab.”
“Sure thing, Dev, thank you.” Mila giggles again.
“What’s so funny?”
The elevator doors slide open when Mila scans her room key, and we fall in, me gripping the gold handrail and her holding onto me.
“Tonight has been great,” Mila says, lifting her head back to look up at me, her emerald eyes shining.
“Maybe,” I reply, my tongue feeling like lead in my mouth.
“Hey, we had fun, right?”
I gaze at her and realize that yeah, we did. Once we ditched Grant and that crowd, we had fun.
“Yeah, I guess.”
The elevator announces its arrival with a soft ping, and I help Mila out of it the best I can, but I’m not feeling too great myself.
“Where’s your room?” I mumble, my eyelids growing heavy.
Fuck, I’m so tired.
“At the end of the hall.”
We make our way down the hall somehow, bumping into doors and shushing each other while being stupidly loud.
When we reach the end of the hall, she finally scans her keycard and opens the door.
“Where’re you staying?” Mila asks, kicking off her shoes and moaning with delight. The room smells just like her, and I don’t even think before I sink into the nearest chair, my head spinning.
“With Ross,” I answer, watching her through half-lidded eyes. She’s standing in front of me now, and I’m pretty sure she’s…dancing?
“Are you…”
“Dancing? Yes!”
I snort as she lifts her hair into her hands, watching me with an inviting smile.
“Can I dance for you, Dev?” Her voice is husky now, and she’s leaning forward, her hands creeping up my thighs. I’m hypnotized, watching her.
“No, that’s a bad idea…” I slur as she moves closer, her whiskey breath mingling with mine.
Everything feels messed up. I should go.
“Kiss me, Dev,” she whispers, her lips brushing mine before the kiss deepens.
I respond sloppily, but I’m completely out of it. Her lips move against mine and she moans, her hands circling my neck.
The kiss deepens, and she grinds against me.
Wait, what the fuck am I doing?
I shove her away, shaking my head. “I shouldn’t be doing this.”
Mila looks wounded, and she slides off me quickly.
“I’m sorry…”
I’m too fucked for this.
I close my eyes and let sleep take me.
DEVON
There’s a buzzing sound. Not quite like a bee; more like a vibration. Against my ass cheek.
What the fuck?
I move my head and try to open my eyes, but man, it hurts. Through my blurry vision, I see a woman sprawled on the bed opposite me. I tense, knowing immediately that it’s not my wife.
Then it hits me.
The conference. New York. The apartment.
Except…
I glance around. I’m not in the apartment—I’m in a hotel room.
Oh, boy.
I move forward, and nausea climbs up my throat, my head spinning.
Jesus fuck, what was I drinking last night?
My eyes dart back to the bed.
It’s Mila. Mila Harris.
And she’s naked.
My mouth dries.
No fucking way. I would never…
I can vaguely remember her dancing. Then we kissed…
FUCK!
But I stopped her from doing anything else.
But I kissed Mila Harris.
My stomach churns, and I race for the bathroom, barely making it to the toilet before I throw up, loud and messy.
Shit. What have I done?
“Hey,” a sleepy voice says from the doorway, and I close my eyes.
“Shall I order us some breakfast?” Mila suggests with a yawn.
I turn to see her naked in front of me—like it’s entirely fucking normal.
“Can you put some clothes on?” I snap, refusing to look at her.
She disappears, and I groan.
This cannot be happening.
The buzzing starts again, then I realize—it’s my phone.
Dread coils in my gut as I hang my head, wishing I could flush myself down the toilet.
What the fuck was I thinking?
I reach around and slide my phone from my pocket, seeing the low battery symbol flashing at me.
Double shit.
It’s Jade.
I can’t answer. I fucking can’t.
“Dev?” Mila stares at me, still wrapping a robe around herself. Thank fuck.
I want someone to blame, and she’s the most obvious. But she didn’t force me into anything. I’m a grown man, for fuck’s sake, hugging a toilet bowl in the Hilton, in another woman’s hotel room, ignoring my wife’s calls.
“Mila,” I say. “I drank way too much last night…”
I rise to my feet, the world tilting as I go.
Mila blinks, then shrugs. “You had the expensive stuff; I think it hit you kinda hard. It happens.”
“Yeah.” I rub my neck awkwardly. “I shouldn’t have—we shouldn’t have…” My words trail off as I notice her hard nipples through the silky fabric of her gown.
Fuck!
“It’s okay, Dev. It was just a drunken kiss,” she says. “That’s all.”
That’s all? I’m married, for fuck’s sake!
“Mila,” I say, bracing my hand on the tiled wall. I need Mila to know it meant absolutely nothing to me. “This was a mistake. I love my wife—”
“I know! Oh, I know, it’s fine, honestly—” Mila waves me off with a throaty chuckle.
I feel like a fucking jerk.
Why did I kiss her?
It’s only giving Mila mixed messages when I love my wife more than anything—dammit!
“Look, let’s get a coffee and some food. We can talk—” Mila begins, but I cut her off.
“That’s not a good idea,” I reply, scrubbing my face.
“Dev, can this be a secret, please? We’ll be seeing much more of each other when I’m back in town, and I don’t want any drama. It was just a kiss.”
I am such a loser.
My phone rings again, and I can’t ignore it a third time. I hit the button to accept the call.
“Hello?”
Then I realize it’s a video call. Jade’s beautiful, concerned face stares out of the screen, scanning my surroundings like a detective determined to crack a case.
“Devon,” she says calmly. “Where are you?”
She looks pale and tired.
Is she okay?
My eyes widen when she narrows her own at something behind me. “Is that perfume? And a bra?!”
I whip around to see what she’s seeing and shit—fuck—there’s a fucking bra and perfume and—
“Is that fucking Mila?!”
I turn back to the screen, seeing Mila frozen over my shoulder, her eyes wide.
“Uh…yeah, it’s Mila. We bumped into each other last night,” I explain weakly, trying to act normal.
“I can see that,” Jade responds icily. “What I want to know is why you’re in her fucking bathroom, Devon!”
“Devon came over to walk with me to the conference!” Mila chirps, sending me a ‘what can you do’ look.
“Devon, what the fuck?” Jade hisses, her voice deadly. “She’s in her dressing gown and you look like you’ve just woken up. Oh my God.”
“Jade—” I whisper, but she’s ended the call.
Then a text message comes through.
ROSS: You OK, man? I called your wife because I didn’t know where you were and I was worried. Let me know when you get this.
Well, thanks a fucking lot, Ross.
“Are you okay?” Mila asks, crossing her arms over her chest.
“No, I’m not. I need to go, Mila.”
Mila stares down at the floor, shaking her head. But she’s not my concern right now—I have to make sure my wife is okay. She’s probably thinking the worst—that I’ve fucked Mila.
Jesus Christ. She will string my balls up for this. I have to explain.
“Fuck, my wife probably thinks—”
“It will all be fine,” Mila comments, smiling at me.
I nod, praying she’s right as I pull open the door, already striding away from her as fast as my legs will carry me. I have to leave—right now.
I need to speak to my wife.