Drawing in a breath, Ashley pulled a tissue from the box on her desk. She blotted the tears from the corners of her eyes as she moved her jaw from side to side and pinched the skin on the bridge of her nose.
Ashley focused her eyes up toward the ceiling and tried to explain things. “When I first started working here, me and Nicole hung out with each other.”
She grabbed a pen sitting by her keyboard and started drawing on her desk.
“We started at the same time and just kinda’ clicked, you know, like me and you have. She’d just broken up with her boyfriend and was crazy about Gavin. That was all she talked about was how she was gonna get him to fall for her. She was so obsessed with him.” Ashley paused briefly and directed her eyes at me. “I guess that’s why I never suspected anything.” Her eyes glazed over and watered up again. “When I started here I was with the same guy I’d been dating since my senior year of high school. We’d both just graduated college, he’d asked me to marry him, we were living together — and then I found out Nicole was screwing him.”
“What?” I gasped in disbelief.
She nodded. “Yep, who knows how long she’d been doing it for? We’d been hanging out for about three months when I found out. It was only about four months before you started here. I caught her sucking his dick in our bed. I’d left to go to my sister’s house. I’d bought all of these wedding magazines and was gonna look through them with her. I got there and realized I’d left them in my apartment, so I went back to get them. I opened the bedroom door and there they were. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, she was butt naked on her knees in the floor with his dick shoved halfway down her throat.”
“Oh, my God!” I was speechless. I couldn’t believe Ashley hadn’t mentioned that to me before, but from the hurt and humiliation on her face I could see why.
“I wanted to kill her. I actually ran over to her and started choking her a little, but realized she wasn’t worth going to jail for.” Ashley threw the pen down onto her desk. “So, she likes to steal other people’s men. I don’t think she’d have anything to do with someone who was actually available. I swear, I think it gives her some kind of power trip. I figured she’s ruined enough people’s lives, it was high time somebody returned the favor.”
I had no idea what to say to Ashley. I knew how much it hurt to be cheated on, but at least Brody had the decency to hook up with someone I didn’t know. I couldn’t begin to imagine how sickening it would feel to walk in on your friend and boyfriend together. I just sat there and stared at her. I couldn’t blame her for hating Nicole.
Ashley forced a smile. “It’s okay. The guy was a prick anyway.”
“You know, this is all just too much. I think we most definitely need to go have some drinks tonight after work. Girl’s night. I’ll get Constance and the three of us can go unwind,” I suggested.
Ashley looked at me and nodded. “Absolutely! We need that.”
Chapter Forty-one
Brooke
“Could you please get off the phone while you’re driving?” The fear in Constance’s voice was solid as I took a left turn with one hand.
“Brooke! You didn’t even use your blinker. You’re a terrible driver.” She glared at me as she double checked that her seatbelt was secure.
I mouthed for her to shut up as I listened to what Gavin was saying to me on the phone.
He stopped mid-sentence, “Brooke? Can you at least put me on speaker phone and set the phone in your lap? Do I need to get you a car with Bluetooth?”
“Hang on.” I tossed my phone to Constance. “Put it on speaker, please, ma’am.”
She pressed the screen and tested that the speaker phone was on. “Hello?”
“Hey, Constance. She scaring you?” Gavin laughed into the speaker.
“Uh, yeah. Have you ridden with her?”
“Once,” Gavin said. “And if I feared death I most certainly wouldn’t ride with her again.”
I glared at Constance. “Okay, enough about my inability to drive to either of your likings. Tell me what happened with Nicole.”
Constance interrupted, “Ohhh, yeah! Can’t believe her. You and Brooke better be careful or somebody’s gonna hear Brooke screaming out in your office.” Constance smiled at me and mouthed, “Sorry, he’s hot.”
Gavin chuckled, “Don’t worry about that. I’ll just cover her mouth up with a gag so no one can hear her.”
“Okay, Gavin,” I said. “Tell me what happened already.”
“All right, all right. Scott called a meeting with me and Dan around three o’clock. The HR rep was there as well – and —” Gavin paused. “Damn, I shouldn’t be telling you this!”
“What? Are you kidding me? Now you’re gonna go all ethical on me, please, Gavin!”
“Basically, she’s been let go with pay. They’re going to try to find her another office to work in due to the uproar she’s caused within ours. Dr. Knight has received a warning, and I doubt he’ll be receiving a merit increase this year.”
“Well, today was pretty eventful,” I said, skirting through a red light.
Constance screamed and patted her chest acting like she was trying to revive herself and make her heart start beating again. “Brooke!!! You just ran that red light!”
I scowled at her.
Gavin breathed into the phone. “You know, Scott pulled me aside after the meeting and had the audacity to ask me if I’d ever slept with her.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes. He said she’d come to him that morning and claimed we used to see each other before the two of them started their affair. She’s delusional! Slightly bothersome.”
I was furious that she was trying to spread rumors about Gavin. I felt like she was trying to set it up to expose us, and make him seem like a sexual predator.
I groaned, “I’m just glad we won’t have to deal with her crazy ass anymore.”
Constance sighed. “Well, damn — I guess I’m gonna have to start paying for cable again. The crazy shit that goes on with you guys has kept me thoroughly entertained for the past few weeks. Sadly it looks like the crazy is toning down. Sad panda.”
I pulled into Ashley’s apartment complex and parked next to the stairs.
“Okay, well, we’re here. I’ll call you in the morning, babe. Love you.”
“Be careful. I love you too.” He hung up the phone.
Constance looked at me and grinned. “You really love him. You’re so happy.” She reached over and hugged me. “Seriously happy for you, Brooke.”
We got out of my car and walked up to Ashley’s door. Constance knocked on the door and Ashley opened it almost immediately.
“Well, good evenin’, ladies. Come in, come in.” Ashley waved her arm through the air, inviting us inside. “I just finished pouring some shots of Bacardi 151 for us.”
Walking over to her bar, she pointed at three large shot glasses lined up on her white Formica countertops.
I stuck my tongue out. “Ugh. Are you trying to kill us?”
She picked up the shot glasses and handed me the one with a half-naked man printed on it.
“Bottoms up, ladies.” She slung her head back and took down the liquid like a champ. “Ahhhh.”
Constance dumped her glass back and swallowed. As soon as the burning sensation hit the soft tissue of her throat, she started hopping around on her feet. Her mouth opened wide as she fanned herself.
“Ohhh… that’s rough.” She handed her shot glass back to Ashley. “Pour me another.”
Ashley laughed. “Right away.” She pointed at me with the long neck of the liquor bottle. “Uh, excuse me?” She jiggled the bottle at me, the gold liquid sloshing against the sides. “Down the hatch, lady.”
I tilted my head back. My gag reflex kicked in as soon as the aroma singed my nose. Quickly tipping the glass back, I swallowed, my eyes watering as I asked Ashley, “How often do you drink that?”
�
��Oh, just when I’m serious about getting sloppy.” She winked at me. “So, you want to go see Colton play tonight?”
Constance and I shot her ugly looks.
“Uh, no! Ladies’ night does not include Colton, whether or not he has eyeliner on.” I said.
“Oh, come on, he won’t be with us, he’ll be on stage.” Ashley tilted the shot glass back and swallowed another full glass of the golden-brown liquor.
Picking up the bottle to pour herself another shot, Constance said, “No, they can’t be in the same vicinity.”
I sat my glass down and spun it around. “Looks like I’ll be the DD tonight.”
“No, let’s just take a cab,” Ashley said, sitting down on her couch and strapping her shoes on.
Constance walked over and handed me another shot. I looked up at her and said, “I don’t want that shit!”
“Look, hooker,” Constance put one hand on her hip and shoved the small glass in my face, some of the liquid spilled over the rim and landed on my leg. “I don’t ever get to do anything with you anymore, so we’re gonna throw down tonight.”
Begrudgingly, I took the glass and emptied it into my mouth.
The cab driver pulled up to the bar and I handed him his fare. I’m pretty sure he was beyond ecstatic to have the three of us out of his car because we’d done nothing but giggle the entire way to the downtown district, not to mention we reeked of liquor.
We stepped out of the cab and trotted down the sidewalk. Goosebumps formed on my arms when a light breeze blew past us, scattering empty cups and paper along the gutters.
“I don’t know how you’re keeping your butt cheeks from falling out of that skirt, Constance,” I said as I warmed my bare arms with my hands.
Constance spanked her ass, glancing over her shoulder at me. “I have to make sure that the goods are on display. Remember, I’m still on the market. You used to do the same thing.” She sighed, “Man, being in a relationship has almost ruined your sense of style.” She slowed her stride and looked over at me. “I mean, you were trying to wear a sweater over that cute halter top — a sweater! I’m sorry but I’m not going to go karaoke with Mr. Rogers.”
I swatted at her. “Whatever. And it’s called a cardigan, by the way.”
“Seriously, it looked like a mee-maw sweater. All you needed were some reading glasses hung around your neck with some rhinestone chain and you’d have fit right in at BINGO night.”
Ashley giggled, “You’re funny, Constance.”
“I know, I’m fucking hilarious,” Constance grinned. She was so humble.
We continued walking down the sidewalk and a disheveled looking man approached us. The three of us huddled together and Constance grabbed onto my arm. Ashley’s hand brushed against my thigh as she place her hand over her purse.
The man had a slight limp and he looked as though he hadn’t shaven in years. A deranged smile crept across his face exposing broken teeth rotting in his inflamed gums.
“Can ya help me out? I need some food.” His voice was raspy and he held his hand out toward me.
Constance pulled me in the direction of the street as she tried to walk past him. “Sorry, don’t have any money.”
He blocked our path and his bloodshot eyes shifted from Constance’s face to mine. His hooded eyelids lifted up as his eyes widened. “You’ve been touched by the devil! You’ve been claimed by a demon, and you don’t even know it!”
He ranted, speaking in jargon that sounded like some foreign language. I stared at him. His words caused chill bumps to flutter up my spine and across my extremities. Constance steered me in the opposite direction of the man.
We maneuvered around him and Constance gulped back air. “He’s crazy! I can’t believe you stopped and listened to him. He could have slit your throat!”
The man continued to yell at us while he limped down the sidewalk. “Your wiles will be the start of a war — the devil’s war!”
I let out the air that I’d been holding in my lungs. “Shit, I forgot how creepy it is coming down here without guys.”
Crossing the street, we approached the karaoke bar. We pulled open the tinted glass door and the lovely sound of untrained singers rang through my ears.
The bar was crowded, but we managed to find a small table in the back of the room. Ashley grabbed one of the large binders with the list of songs and sat down. She flipped the book open, searching for a song.
Constance and I went up to the bar and wedged ourselves in between some scantily clad girls, one of which was wearing a tiara and satin ribbon across her chest informing everyone that she was the “bride to be.”
Constance sat her oversized Prada knock-off on the bar top and looked over at me. “That’s gonna be you soon enough,” she said.
The corners of my lips drew up and I shook my head. “Please!”
She nudged me with her elbow. “Mrs. Brooke Hunter. Remember how good you thought it sounded? It sounds pretty good to me too. Then there will be a little Constantine and Constance running around. If you have a third spawn you can name it Conrad.”
I knew his last name sounded good with my first name, and I already couldn’t imagine my life without him. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and pushed the button on the side. The screen lit up and I stared lovingly at my screensaver. It was a picture of a shirtless Gavin sprawled out on his couch, his necklace resting against his impeccable chest. I don’t think I’d ever seen him take that necklace off, it was almost like an extension of him.
Constance peered over at me. “You’re obsessed.” She snatched the phone from my hands. “Day – um!” She shook her head and handed my phone back to me. “Now, girl’s night time, no more Gavin talk. And absolutely no talking to Ashley about Colton.” She shook her hair out and adjusted her shirt to show as much cleavage as possible.
A bartender with spiky blond hair came up and leaned across the counter. He placed his cheek in the palm of his hand. I glanced at the tattoo sleeve that covered his forearm. His face looked too innocent to have tattoos. I then noticed that he had an eyebrow ring, and each of his ears had a silver bar sticking through the cartilage.
Well, the look of his face sure is deceptive.
“What you girls want?” he asked with a very thick southern drawl. Looking over at Constance, he boldly peered at her cleavage. His brown eyes slowly moved back up to her face and he flashed his white teeth at her.
I watched Constance bite her bottom lip and draw each side of her mouth up into a sultry grin. “An orgasm for me,” she said and fluttered her lashes.
I rolled my eyes. “Oh God, two dirty martinis, please.”
He picked up a glass and spun it in the air, locking his eyes on Constance as he worked his way down the bar pouring different liquors and mixers into a stainless steel shaker. Constance turned to face me and smiled. “He’s hot.”
“He’s definitely your type,” I said. Leaning against the bar, I glared at her. “You couldn’t ask for a less perverted sounding shot?”
As the bartender mixed our drinks, I noticed him stick his tongue out in a vulgar gesture and I caught the glint of his tongue ring under the dim overhead lighting. He walked back toward us and placed my martinis in front of me, then stepped back to the center of the bar.
Constance squealed with delight at the sight of his tongue piercing, “Oh, hell yes! Definitely my type.” Her eyes lit up with instantaneous lust.
“Just don’t go home with him. Give him your number, but don’t go home with him.”
Her facial expression relaxed and she turned to face me. “I’m not, don’t worry. Geez, mom! I’m not the one who has one-night stands.” She jabbed me in the side as she stared down the bar.
The bartender handed Constance two shot glasses. “Here’s your orgasm and here’s a cum shot, on the house,” he slyly said.
I snarled and took a sip from my martini glass. Constance threw back both shots, slamming the empty glasses on the counte
r.
The bartender leaned back over the top of the counter, moving in very close to Constance’s face. “Y’all gonna be ‘round for a bit?”
Constance shook her head and flirtatiously brushed her silky blonde hair behind her ear. “Yep, right over there.” She pointed to the table Ashley was sitting at.
“Well, ‘aight then. You jus’ let me know when you’re ready for another one of those orgasms.” He raised his hand to his face and I noticed a small ankh tattooed on the webbing between his thumb and forefinger. His fingers curled around his chin and he locked his eyes on Constance. Sticking his tongue out, he flicked it in the air like a serpent, the metal from his tongue ring clicking against his teeth.
I shook my head as we walked away. “So gross!”
“Really?” Constance gawked at me and pulled the aluminum chair out from the table. “The stuff you’ve told me that Gavin says to you and gets you all horny — and let’s not forget about the whole scene thing we went to. I saw your eyes light up over all that kink! Some guy flicking his tongue ring and handing me a cum shot,” she sucked in a quick breath, “that grosses you out?” She paused, arching one of her perfectly manicured eyebrows at me. “To be such a freak, you sure are a prude. Oh, my God, you’re a prudish freak!”
Ashley looked up from the thick book, nodding as she spoke. “Oh, she’s a freak all right. I’m just waiting for their sex tape to hit the internet.” She raised her finger in the air and shook it. “Now, that, I’d pay some good money to see.”
I wrinkled my brows at her. “You’re sick.”
“No, I don’t want to see you. I just want to see if he’s really as dirty as you say he is. I just want to hear him say the word ‘fuck!’ ” She pulled her hair away from her skin, holding it up briefly as she fanned herself before letting it fall back down around her face. “Ah, that would be enough to do it for me.” She giggled and reached her hand under the table and shook my leg furiously. “Oh, I love to make you feel uncomfortable, Brooke.”
As we were debating over which song we should sing, a waitress walked up and slammed three shot glasses down in front of us. “Jared said you guys wanted these?”
Bound to the Fallen (Prophecy #2) Page 35