Page 21 of The Betrayal

“Errrr,” I think for a moment, “I slept with someone for the first time tonight and it was a fail,” I half laugh, half cry. I shouldn’t have said that. I know I shouldn’t have. I hurt myself a little bit, and Keaton is staring at me weird.

“First time as in with that person or…?” and I know this is strange, this whole evening is fucked up. I’m talking to my dad’s best friend about my sex life.

My cheeks burn and I can’t look at him. So I drink. And drink.

“No,” he whispers, but it’s so loud.

“Mmhm,” my eyes are still cast down.

“Boyfriend?” his question comes out tight, as if his jaw is clenched, his teeth are gritted.

“Work,” I squeak and I know it’s going to cause uproar.

“Ari,” but the way my name falls from his lip is soft and sweet, and not at all angry like I expected.

“It’s fine,” I swallow.

“It’s not. Do you want to know what it is?” his fingers grip my chin, and my head is tilted back so I have no option but to look up at him and try not to lose myself in his deep green eyes. The warmth of his breath dusts across my face, the smell of scotch comforting in some way.

“What?” I whisper.

“It’s a fucking travesty.”

I didn’t get a chance to respond. He was in front of me, my face in his hands.

Our lips locked, our teeth clashing and all I can taste is our alcohol mixing as our tongues dance together.

And that’s when everything blurred into one.

CHAPTER SEVEN

KEATON

Oh.

My.

Fuck.

I force my eyes open, everything is blurry and hazy, my fucking head is pounding and that loud, high pitched ringing is not helping.

It takes me a minute or three to come to and realize it’s my phone.

“Ughhhhhh,” is all I can muster.

My mouth is drier than the desert, my heart is racing and my head hurts.

Reaching across to my side table, I see three missed calls from Kaleb, and then I clock the time.

My eyes widen.

“Shit!” I groan.

My phone screams in my hand and I hold it to my ear.

“Where the fuck are you?” my idiotic brother bellows down the phone.

“On my way,” I grunt, cutting the phone off and tossing it on the bed.