Chapter 2

LILY

I met Taser four years ago at one of the bars I stopped at while on the run. I had done something horrible at home which led to my mother’s death. I couldn’t face my sister Myra, and did the only thing I knew how to: run…hide.

Taser was easy to be around and after a couple shared drinks, I told him everything. Well almost everything. But we had been together ever since. As friends at first, but then he finally asked me out, and even though he wanted us to be quiet about it, almost everyone had hinted at us dating; presently or in the future.

Then a year later, Evie showed up. The beautiful darkhaired, tall and sarcastic marvel. After she talked to me at our first class together, I knew she would be my best friend forever and introduced her to Taser.

She loved everything I loved, except him, who she hated being around.

I guess that changed… or better, it was never true.

Taser and Evie were in a shouting match and I had somehow found my way into a seat by the dressing table.

“You pretended you didn’t know each other?” I could still remember their first meeting. My excitement at having my two favorite people come together. Taser’s harmless flirting and Evie’s disinterest. But they knew each other. And I stood there grinning like a fool.

“Ding ding Lilybud. Do you want a prize for using your brain?” Evie jested, a taunting smirk on her face, even though tears coated her cheeks. “That day after we ‘met’ I gave Taser a nice little blowjob in your car while we waited for you to get lunch.”

“Evelyn!-“

“Taser has NEVER been yours!” She screamed. “He has always been mine, till you waltzed into our lives with your rich girl tantrum. And stole him from me. And I had to watch you kiss, and touch, and go on and on about him like he was yours!”

“That’s enough!” Taser bellowed and grabbed her arm. He whispered sharply to her ear, and whatever he must’ve said mellowed her out because she turned on her heel and stormed out, face still tear stained.

”This has to be a joke.” Some sick prank that they were playing on me. In a minute she would come back through those doors, laughing as she told me that they got me good. All in time for us to retouch our makeup, head down and join the fun.

“The party. Fuck.” I breathed, resting my head in my hands. My sister was downstairs waiting for me to officially introduce Taser.

“We’re going to be late. We should head down.” Taser groaned behind me. For a split second, I believed I had imagined his words. It was either that or everything else that happened before was a less bloodied version of a final destination vision.

No, that pink nipple was real. The light layer of my best friend’s juices on his lips was very real. He was also expecting us to go on like nothing happened.

“Are you crazy?”

“Yes Lily, I am! I’m crazy about you.” He knelt in front of my chair, staring up at me with his beautiful blue eyes. His hair had fallen over his eyes like it was prone to do. On an ordinary day, I would run my fingers through it and push it back. All I wanted to do now was pull.

“You know how much I love you Lily. This thing with Evie, I wanted to stop it, but I felt bad for her, she was so clingy and threatened to kill herself-you know this is what she wants right? She wants to pull us apart. Tonight is everything you’ve wanted and she’s trying to ruin it. Don’t let her do that to us. We’re stronger than that. ” He squeezed my hand supportively and bile rose in my throat. I didn’t recognize the man beside me. He looked like my Taser, spoke like my Taser but he was different. Or I was. I looked at him, seeing only this version. The man who was trying to pin two years of cheating solely on Evie. The man who tried to gaslight his way out of this.

To think I had spent years loving him. Years changing, to be with him. I didn't recognize him, but I didn’t recognize me either. Dark hair, low heels, simple clothes so I wouldn’t stand out…

“I lost weight to fit into this.” I said to myself in disbelief as I rose. And that would be fine if I did it for myself, but I did it for him!

“Told you it would be a perfect fit if you lost a couple pounds. Now look at you.” He praised.

He bought the dress in the smallest size to “motivate” me to lose weight. And I did.

The dress felt tighter, the fabric rubbing me in all the wrong ways. Suffocating.

Like being in a fever dream. The dream that this relationship was, but, I was waking up.

I gave him everything.

I opened the door and stepped into the hallway which was completely clear. Everyone was at the party. Probably giving bracelets to their loyal boyfriends.

“I’m sure we’ll still be in time for the ceremony.” Taser assured me. “We’ll talk about everything after, I promise. We’re in this together.”

My anger boiled.

He thought he had me so wrapped around him that I would forgive two fucking years of lies! Of being a complete fool.

Of course he would think that, look at me.

I raised my hand to my head and removed the pins holding it in place, tossing it as I continued through the hall.

Taser played me. Evie played me. His cousin must’ve been in on this scam too. She tried to stop me from getting to his room.

And he thought I would still be the stupid twat for him. I could play his game. Fool him like he fooled me. Even if it meant being attached to him.

I entered the hall, my eyes immediately falling on the row of girls in the centre of the room, offering or fixing bracelets on the wrists of the guys with them, all wearing silly smiles. I was supposed to be one of them.

“Lily!” I hear a familiar voice call and turned to find my sister weaving through the crowd to get to me. Immediately, I see the man next to her, and stop, stunned.

The invitation I extended was to my sister and her husband, Pierce. But instead of him, she was with Jace.

Jace the last person I would expect to see here…

Jace the asshole douchebag from hell…

”That’s Jace Whitmore!” I heard Taser hiss excitedly beside me. I could hear the buzz around me as they got closer.

Then it hits me.

Maybe I don’t need to stay with Taser to get my pay back.

What I need is his new boss.

Jace.