The Start of Time

Chapter 54

That son of a bitch.

The girls have spent every day since our girl's night reminding me that it will get better, making sure I'm living my life to the fullest without Declan Wilder, but now all four of us are dumbstruck, frozen in place.

Declan's arms are wrapped around the waist of some strange woman while he stares at me intensely from across the room. He leans her head back slowly, his right hand moving upwards to gently grasp her throat as he spits his mouthful of champagne straight into hers, his eyes never leaving mine.

I swore to myself that I wouldn't let his games get to me. All the instagram stories and snapchats with other girls that Stella and Gen have tried so hard to hide bothered me a little, but I've finally realized it's all just a show. A way to get back at me, to hurt me the same I hurt him.

But he's taken it too far.

If he's so intent on watching my every reaction to his ploys, then I'll give him exactly what he wants–a big dramatic scene.

I grab the attractive guy who just asked Gen if he could buy her a drink, pulling him by his collar until his lips collide with mine. I fight back the bitter taste of bourbon on his tongue when his arms wrap around me to deepen the kiss, turning what I started into an explicit display of affection between two strangers.

All three of them stare at me in shock, Gen giving me a slow clap while the stranger still grips my hip.

"Okay, handsome. Thanks for the help. It was nice to meet you." I turn my back, catching Declan's glare just before he stomps out, leaving the girl he was with surprised and potentially stranded.

"Well, girls. It's been fun, but I'm about to finally go give someone a piece of my mind, so if you'll excuse me."

No one tries to stop me, and I follow his pretentious black Jeep all the way back to his house.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" He growls, meeting me at the door.

"What?" I spit. "Showing up at your door to call you out for your shit, or showing you exactly how it feels to watch the person you love make out with someone else?"

"Oh, that's funny because if I remember correctly, you were the one that said you didn't love me."

"I admitted that I was lying, but I had to. You knew I was right, and you wouldn't take no for an answer. You've always been so hard headed and—. Ugh!" I yell before taking a deep breath. "You know what. It's not even worth it."

"No. Go ahead." You can hear the bitterness in his laugh. "Yell at me. Tell me how everything we ever were was wrong. Tell me how much you hate me and how you knew we were never meant to work out anyway. Try to break my heart into a thousand pieces because that's nothing compared to the night I left. Now, you're just a silly, little game. A bet to be won."

"Good luck trying. I don't usually make bets when they're with narcissistic fuckboys who flaunt a new half-dressed stranger every night of the week."

"The girl tonight was new. It's Leilana who was really mine with her tiny waist and big tits, never ending energy. I forgot how good she was."

"Did you fuck her?" I ask calmly, trying to disguise the anger and jealousy raging inside of me.

"And her tight little—"

The emotions come flying out of my mouth at full volume, and I place the side of my fist against his chest, pushing him. "Did you fuck her?"

His body backs me into the wall, hands pinned above my head while the pad of this thumb traces my bottom lip, and he whispers in my ear. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were jealous, princess."