Kayla

Jason opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. I wished the ground could just open and swallow me whole.

I closed my eyes for a minute hoping this is a dream but when I open them, Liv is still adjusting her shirt and Jason is pulling his pants up.

"Kayla, look," Jason starts with a trembling voice. He reached out a hand, but I flinched back like he’s covered in acid. "It’s not... it wasn't supposed to be like this."

Olivia, on the other hand, doesn't even have the decency to look ashamed. She smoothed her hair in the reflection of my fucking car, popping her lips. "Honestly, Kayla, don't be so dramatic," she says as if we’re discussing a spilled drink. "It’s been happening for months. You were bound to find out eventually."

"Months?" The word chokes me. I turn to Jason, my voice rising an octave. "My best friend, Jason? Of all the people in this city, you chose her?"

"Kayla, please, just calm down," Jason hisses, glancing nervously toward the house. He was more concerned with his reputation than actually trying to make restitution.

"Calm down?" I let out a jagged, hysterical laugh. "I gave you everything! You’ve been driving my car every other day because you 'needed to look the part.' I poured my savings into your half-baked business ideas. I’m literally going broke because I’ve been buying you designer suits so you could 'pitch' to investors and all this time, you were using that image to screw my best friend?"

"I was going to tell you," Jason pleads, stepping out from behind the car door. He tries to grab my shoulders. "I just didn't want to hurt you. I do love you, Kayla, but Olivia... she understands the pressure I'm under."

"She understands your pressure because she’s the one blowing you when I’m at work!" I scream. My lungs burn. "I worked double shifts so you could have 'startup capital,' Jason. I wore rags so you could wear Gucci!"

"Lower your voice!" Jason snaps, his "prince" persona is finally cracking. I can't believe I didn't see him for the useless piece of shit he was.

He gripped my arm too tight, leaning in close. "You’re making a scene. People are looking, Kayla. Stop being embarrassing."

I pulled away and spun around, my breath hitching.

Through the floor to ceiling glass of Olivia's penthouse, I could see people watching and even recording.

"Get the fuck off my sister, idiot." Chelsea. This couldn't be more embarrassing.

"Can you relax Chels," Jason sneered, "I'm trying to fix my relationship here, shut up."

"Relationship?" I laughed loud, "there is no relationship Jason. You're dead to me!"

My eyes land on Olivia who seemed far too relaxed, "When you're done wiping the cum off your face, get the fuck out of my car!"

Olivia practically gasped, "It's not my fault--"

"If you complete that statement, I'll make sure your billionaire daddy doesn't recognize your dumb ass face anymore!" Chelsea practically barked out.

Olivia shut her mouth, ceremoniously putting her clothes on. When she finally come out, she stared Jason down, "This isn't fun anymore. We're done!"

This was fun for her. Of course, the billionaire heiress thought people were toys to be played with.

As if I hadn't gone enough already, I watched my boyfriend get on his knees. "Liv please, don't do this to me," he cried, "I'm nothing with you."

Chelsea snickered, "How could someone be this pathetic?"

"Darling," Olivia said referring to me, "you cannot possible be mad about this mediocre dick. You can do better. Now leave before I call the police." With that she cat walked back into the house.

The audacity.

I climbed into the driver's seat. My hands were shaking so hard I could barely grip the wheel. Chelsea slipped into the passenger seat.

Before I could even shift into gear, she reached into the back seat, grabbed the duffel bag of Jason's gym clothes and the extra designer jacket I’d literally just bought him, and hurled them out the window onto the pavement.

My phone vibrated in my hand. A text from Jason: [How am I supposed to get home?]

The nerve of this bastard. I turned my phone off immediately.

I drove for a couple minutes till the house was completely out of sight. "Kayla," Chelsea called out. I felt her eyes on me for a while now.

"I know, Chelsea! I know! You told me so!" I screamed, the sound tearing from my throat. I didn't care that I was blowing through a yellow light. I didn't care about the traffic. "You told me he was a leech, you told me he was too perfect, and I didn't listen!"

"Kayla, look at me," she said, reaching out to steady the wheel as I swerved around a slow-moving sedan. "I’m not cruel enough to rub it in right now. Not tonight."

"Three years!" I wailed, the tears finally blurring my vision. "Three years of my life dedicated to that fool. I worked double shifts, Chelsea. I supported his 'business ideas' with my rent money. I bought him those suits so he could 'pitch' to people, and all he was doing was pitching himself into my best friend's bed! What am I going to tell Mom and Dad? They thought he was a prince!"

I was driving like a maniac, my foot heavy on the gas, violating every traffic light in sight.

Chelsea leaned in closer. "Kayla... is it true?" she whispered over the roar of the wind. "Was the dick really... mediocre?"

I stopped breathing for a second. I closed my eyes tight for a moment. "Yes," I choked out, tears streaming down my face. "Yes, it was!"

Chelsea laughed even louder than me. People in the cars around us were staring, but I didn't care. I’d had a hell of a day.

I pressed my foot down on the gas, wanting to get as far away from that house as possible. But the car didn’t speed up. It shook.

The steering wheel suddenly got stiff and stopped turning. I pumped the pedal again, but there was no power. The engine made a dry, hacking sound then, the dashboard lights flickered and went black.

The car showed until it drifted to a dead stop. No, not now!

"Kayla?" Chelsea asked, her laughter completely gone. "Why are we stopping?"

I looked down at the gas gauge. The needle wasn't just on empty; it was buried. Jason had used my car all day to ferry Olivia around, and the prick hadn't put a single drop of fuel back in it.

I leaned my head against the steering wheel. "He drained the tank, Chelsea," I whispered. "We're stuck here!"

Kayla

"You're lying!" Chelsea groaned. I didn't say anything because I knew I wasn't.

The cars behind us started to honk like crazy. I didn't think this day could get any worse. Chelsea and I got out, standing by the side of the road in our high heels. In our tight, thin dresses, we looked like hookers.

We put our shoulders against the car and pushed. We strained until we finally got the heavy metal to the side of the road. Other cars just zoomed past us. Some drivers leaned out to scream insults as they went.

"How do we get out of here?" Chelsea asked. She looked like she was about to cry. "I have school tomorrow."

"Shit, that’s right," I muttered.

"We can order an Uber," I suggested, reaching into my pocket.

Chelsea looked at me like I was stupid. She held up her phone. "What do you think I've been doing? There’s nothing available for an hour."

"Don't take it out on me, Chels. We're in the same boat."

She pouted and her eyebrows pulled together. "I'm sorry. I just have a test and—"

I put a hand on her shoulder. "I know you're going to ace it. Now, let's just focus on waving down a car."

"I don't know how that's going to work with what we're wearing," Chelsea said, looking at her shimmery dress. She had a point.

The first car, a red convertible sped past us. Then, another sports car slowed down to a crawl.

The windows rolled down, "How much for the night?" the driver asked. He had a disgusting, smug grin on his face. The sheer audacity made my blood boil but I said nothing.

"What?" Chelsea sputtered. Her face turned bright red. "Are you insane?"

I pulled her away from the car. I wanted to keep the peace. "Let’s just ignore them. Chelsea, I think we should just walk."

"No," the driver said. He turned off the engine and stepped out. "Why would pretty ladies like you walk? We have plenty of room inside." He lowered his window revealing two other men at the back seat.

"Look," I said. "Except you have a tow or can order an Uber, there's not much you can do for us. You can go your way now."

The driver gave me a predatory look. I'm sure was much older than this kid. Who let their untrained child out without a leash. He killed the engine and opened the car door.

Chelsea pulled me towards her, "let's go, we'll come back for the car," she whispered. I was all for the idea before the driver moved right into my personal space.

He smelled like expensive cologne and beer. He looked me up and down. "You can follow us. We'll drive you home."

"I’m sorry for bothering you, but we'll wait for a cab," I said. My voice was starting to shake. "We aren't sex workers. We'll be on our way now!"

His friends alighted too.

What have we gotten ourselves into?

Chelsea was fuming. She opened her mouth to scream something mean, but I clamped my hand over her lips. I looked the driver in the eye. "We're not going anywhere, don't make me scream."

Chelsea struggled against my hand, making muffled angry noises.

The driver’s face changed. The smug look was replaced by something nasty. "The only way you're leaving is in the car with us."

He reached into the back seat and pulled out a heavy golf bag. He tossed two clubs to his friends. Without saying a word, the first guy swung at our car. The passenger window exploded. Shards of glass flew everywhere like tiny diamonds.

"No! Stop it!" we screamed.

I didn't think. I just lunged at the driver and grabbed his arm. Chelsea swung her bag at another guy’s head.

The driver snarled. He slammed his elbow into my chest, knocking the air out of me. He shoved me with all his strength. I went flying and hit the pavement hard. My back thudded against the ground, and my palms burned as the rough road tore my skin.

"Stay down, bitch," he hissed. He stepped over my legs so I couldn't get up. "I'm going to have so much fun with you." He leaned down, and I could see the sick look in his eyes. "My car is so spacious for you and those curves."

I scrambled backward on my elbows, breathing fast. My heart was pounding so hard I thought it would burst. I backed up until I hit the cold, hard tire of my car.

Suddenly, Chelsea jumped on his back. She pulled his hair as hard as she could. "Get off her!"

The man didn't even care. He grabbed her by the waist and threw her off like she was a rag doll. She hit the ground even harder than I did. She groaned, curled up on the asphalt in her ripped dress.

He turned back to me and raised the golf club.

He stumbled backward when a pair of huge, bright headlights rounded the corner. A massive black SUV stopped right behind them, blinding us all with its lights.

Two other cars stopped behind the SUV. I recognized the convoy immediately.

Sirens wailed loudly and the excort cars opened to reveal some armed men. The door of the black SUV opened too.

The man who stepped out was dressed in an all black suit. He adjusted his cufflinks taking in the situation before him.

"Damien, Blackwood?" The driver stuttered. His voice was laced with fear. His companies literally froze in place.

The CEO of Blackwood Industries. My boss, Damien Blackwood was right here, in front of me.

"What is going on here?" He asked the men who now seemed to scared to talk.

"Umm, we were just--"

"Harassing these young ladies," he sized them up, "if this is how you conduct yourself and treat other people, I'm not sure I'll be doing business with your father anymore."

I almost gagged.

"No, please no." The driver was practically grovelling. "We're already in so much debt, we'll be ruined."

Damien scoffed, "Think about that before harassing defenseless women next time."

One of the security escorts cocked his gun and shot it in the air.

The driver practically peed himself.

Kayla

The men scrambled, getting into the car and zooming off.

Damien leaned over pulling me up effortlessly. "Are you okay?" He asked.

"I'm- fine," I stuttered, "thank you for stopping."

"You don't have to thank me Kayla. Let me drive you home," he offered.

I shook my head, "I'm sure you have somewhere to be, I can't keep you."

He stared me down, "Kayla, take a look at the state of your car, your clothes are all dirty. You can't go home by yourself."

"Yeah Kayla," Chelsea started, "we can't go home by ourselves." She nudged me with her elbow.

Damien smiled at her gesturing towards the car, "Please, I'll not forgive myself if anything happens to you."

My heart almost fluttered. I've worked for Damien as an executive assistant for six months and heres all I can gather. The man is dangerously hot and refered to as 'the devil in a suit.'

He is literally sex on a stick. One of the most attractive and seductive men I've ever met. The only reason I haven't joined the fan club is because my job is important to me.

The man separated business from pleasure. He's good at everything he does, every woman's dream.

Damien pulled the door open and Chelsea entered first, then I followed. The door closed and we were sealed into a world of luxury.

This car was nothing compared to the run down Sedan I drove. It's slick. The leather is cool against my skin and right now I can't stop myself from falling asleep.

"Are you guys okay?" Miles, Damien's best friend, asked from the front seat. He looked back at us with genuine concern.

I nodded, resting my head against the seat.

"I'll make sure you get reparations for the car, Kayla," Damien said, settling into the seat beside me.

A smile spread across my face. The thought of not having to pay for the repairs myself felt like a miracle. "Thank you so much. I really appreciate it, sir."

He turned his head toward me with a smirk on his lips. "We’re not at the office, Kayla. You can call me Damien."

Chelsea tilted her phone toward me, the screen glowing in the dark car. My heart stopped. It was a video of me in the driveway as I screamed at Jason at the top of my lungs. The view count was climbing so fast it made my head spin.

"It’s everywhere," Chelsea whispered. "It was probably Olivia who posted it. Look at the caption."

I didn't even want to read it. I put my face in my palms, hot embarrassment consuming me. I wanted to crawl under the expensive leather seats and stay there forever.

"What happened?" Damien asked, noticing my composure slipping. "Why is my executive assistant on the internet yelling at someone in a driveway?"

I couldn't even find my voice. I stayed frozen, hiding my face.

Chelsea, being as blunt as ever, didn't hesitate. "She was just cheated on by her boyfriend of three years. He cheated with her best friend. That video is currently going viral," she said so casually.

I wanted to disappear into the ground. The silence in the car felt a mile deep. I could feel Damien’s gaze on me.

My boss who valued perfection and "business over pleasure"—was now watching the worst, most private moment of my life play out in 4K.

"Three years?" Miles asked from the front, his voice soft with pity.

"I'm sorry," I managed to choke out from behind my hands. "I know it looks unprofessional. I’ll handle the PR if it affects the company, I just—"

"Kayla," Damien interrupted my breakdown. "Look at me."

I lowered my hands from my face slowly. He wasn't looking at the phone. He was looking at the tear stains on my cheeks and the way I was shaking.

"So, the encounter with those fools, your car and the state your currently in," Damien's jaw tightened. "All of this happened because of that boy?"

I nodded once, my lip trembling.

Damien looked away, staring out the window at the passing city lights. "Miles," he said, his voice turning cold as ice. "Find out who the boy is. And make sure that video is taken down within the hour."

"You don't have you do that," I murmured, "thank you."

I couldn't believe my boss was using his resources to save what was left of my reputation.

"Umm," Chelsea cut through, "You can stop here, I'll walk the remaining distance," she said as we got to her campus.

She got out of the car thanking Miles and Damien once more before going her way.

Of course my phone buzzed: [That's the dominant boss you talked about. Sweet baby Jesus Kayla, he's hot!]

I smiled at her text trying hard not to make it obvious.

"So that was your..."

"Sister, Chelsea." I answered, remembering he was my boss and really didn't know anything about my personal life.

"She's, a lot," I added.

"I wished I had a little sister like her. She's very... Passionate."

My phone buzzed again: [And that Miles guy, he can get it!] I almost laughed out loud. This girl was a sucker for beautiful men.

The car went quiet after Chelsea left. I could feel Damien’s eyes raking my body, lingering on the curves my sundress barely hid. I didn't mind it at all.

Heat crawled up my neck. I looked out the window, focusing on the passing streetlights to keep from melting under his gaze.

I gave Miles a few more directions until we pulled up to my apartment complex.

"Thank you again," I said, as I climbed out. "Goodnight, Miles. Goodnight, Damien."

"Kayla," Damien called out before I could close the door. I paused, looking back at him. "If you need to, take Monday off. Rest. Clear your head."

I shook my head immediately. "Thank you, but I’ll be there. It would be completely unprofessional of me to skip out because of... this."

A ghost of a smile touched his lips, but he didn't argue. "As you wish."

I entered the lobby, and the sound of shouting hit me instantly. My landlord was in the middle of a heated argument with a group of neighbors over a broken pipe. I froze. I was still two months behind on rent because I’d used my savings to fund Jason’s "last brilliant business idea." I definitely wasn't in the mood to be cornered.

I stepped out of my heels, holding them in one hand, and snuck past the group like a ghost. I didn't stop until I was safely inside my apartment with the deadbolt clicked into place.

I went straight to the bathroom and stripped off the ruined dress. I turned the knob for the shower, praying for a bit of warmth, but the water stayed ice-cold.

Courtesy of the landlord, no doubt. I stood under the freezing spray anyway.

By the time I crawled into bed, my hair was damp and my body was aching. I pulled the covers up to my chin, feeling the silence of the empty apartment press in on me.

My phone vibrated on the nightstand. I reached for it, expecting another thirsty text from Chelsea or a pathetic plea from Jason.

It was a text from by boss.

Damien: [Sleep well, Kayla.]

I stared at the screen until the light dimmed. My heart gave a strange fluttery kick.