Ava's POV
After l saw the message, my heart dropped. I decided not to reply and l definitely wasn't going to meet up.
"Hey", Kylie tapped my arm. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm good",I replied to quickly,but she kept staring at my hands,which were chenched so tightly they had turned pale.
She reached out and touched them. "Are you well?" Do we need to go to the hospital?".
"I'm okay", I whispered.
"It something's bothering you,just let me know", she said , gently putting my hair like l was a puppy.
"Before I forget what l asked you earlier",she teased.
"Okay…I'll tell you".
We were almost at the coffee shop. We sat down as our drinks were served.
"So…?" She whispered.
"So what?" I said, smiling nervously.
"Can you please stop keeping me in the dark and just tell me what happened?"
She looked annoyed now.
"So…uhhh, remember the night l broke up with Edward and we went to the club?" I began.
"Yeah,and what does that have to do with him?" She asked.
"Relax and let me finish", I said.
"You know l couldn't find you,and l was really drunk that night…" I was nervous even saying it out loud.
"So you're telling me you met a billionaire in a club of all place? Make it make sense, girl".
"Are you saying I'm lying just because you don't want to believe it ?" I snapped.
"You were nowhere in sight,sol wasn't having fun. Then he asked me to dance", I continued.
"Girl be for real. That dude asked you to dance?" She asked, wide - eyed.
"Yeah…and the next thing l remember, I woke up in a hotel room naked with a black card on the nightstand".
"What!?" She gasped. "What did you just say?"
"Hey! Lower your voice, people are staring", I whispered.
"I'm sorry,but l can't help it!" She said,still shocked. "You're telling me you had sex with a flipping billionaire? A guy you didn't know, who's every girl's dream man? And you're sitting here all calm like nothing happened? Girl,if that were me, I'd be bragging to the whole world".
I rolled my eyes. "Let's get back to class".
"You're no fun at all", she muttered with a pout.
A few minutes later,we were back in class.
The lecture came in,asked a few questions,and then finally,the day was over.
Kylie and l ordered an Uber. She stayed just a mile away from me,so she got down first.
When l reached my apartment and stepped out of the car,l noticed a figure standing in front of my building, leaning casually against an expensive - looking car.
To my horror,it was the last person l ever wanted to see right now.
Zane
"What are you doing here? How do you even know where l live? I asked sharply.
"Chill,baby doll. I have my source",he said smugly.
"You know what ? Just like you said that night meant nothing. So I'm not expecting you to catch feelings", I snapped.
"No, you're not even my type to begin with", he replied with a smirk.
"Then what do you want?"
"I texted you,and you didn't reply", he said casually.
"Do l own you a reply? We're strangers".
"There's something l need to talk to you about. Something very important",he said,his expression suddenly serious.
We walked inside my apartment. I didn't want to,but curiosity won.
"Would you like juice or water?" I said, trying to be civil.
"Water, I guess",he replied.
He kept staring around like he had never seen a modest apartment before.
"This place is so cramped, barely any space", he said, eye scanning everything.
"That's not why you're here. If you have nothing to say ,please leave".
I was annoyed now. Who did this man think he was?
"You got a sharp mouth. I like that",he stepped forward and, without warning, crashed his lips onto mine.
I tried to pull away. I fought back,but his grip only tightened.l struggled against him, but he didn't stop. The kisss become intense, overwhelming. I was suffocating in it. Finally,l pushed him hard enough to break free.
"Was this the important issue you came to talk about?" I yelled, trembling with rage.
He just stood there, smirking like it was some kind of joke.
"I don't know why you're acting surprised.
You kissed me back", he said. "But hey, I'm a good kisser….no shame in losing to me".
Then his eyes dropped to my lips again.
"They're so rosy" he whispered, reaching out.
I snapped his hand away mid - air. "Don't touch me, you shameless jerk".
"Okay, let's get to business",he said, brushing off my anger like it meant nothing. "I want you to be my toy, someone to warm my bed when l need to unwind".
What?!
Was he serious? Did l look like someone who'd say yes to that?
He pulled out a brown envelope and tossed it on the table.
"This is the contract".
Without hesitation,l picked up a glass of water and splashed it all over him.
"You have no shame! You call yourself a grown man and you're doing this crap?!" I screamed,my whole body shaking with fury.
He walked toward me slowly,like he had all the time in the world.
"I know what's going on with that thing little head of yours".
"What do you mean?" I asked, expecting him to finally get angry. But no,he was calm than usual. Too calm.
"You're disgusting" I spat. "Even if you were the last man on earth,l wouldn't touch you".
He leaned in closer, dropping his voice so low it made my skin crawl.
"Funny, because last time l checked, l was the the first man to touch you.
The only one who's made you scream like you were losing your mind".
I froze.
He knew.
My heart dropped.
He was right. I never slept with Edward.
Zane was my first.
He saw the truth written all over my face and smiled like the devil.
"Remember now?"he taunted.
"Think about it", he said. "You get revenge and pleasure all in one deal. It's called killing two birds with one stone".
With that,he turned and walked out like he hadn't just shattered every nerve in my body.
I stood there frozen,pale as a ghost.
Who the hell does he think he is?
This man…this is one of my bad days.
One of the worst.
And then…, as the door shut. I noticed something on the nightstand.
He'd left behind.
Not my name.
Not his name.