Hinder • {Bill Skarsgård}

||Chapter Twenty-Four||

"Hey... Ella..." Bill's voice was the first sound she heard before her eyes fluttered open. "I'm gonna go to the hotel, I've gotta finish packing. Will you meet me there later?"

"Yeah, that sounds fine." Ella mumbled into the pillow, closing her eyes again. Bill kissed her temple, gathering his things before quietly leaving the guesthouse.

She turned over when hearing the door close, feeling the ache between her legs from what had taken place the night before. She smiled at the thought, feeling a wild rush flow to her loins at the memory. She could still smell him on her; feel him on her skin.

Ella began to drift off to sleep again, but a set of knocks pulled her out of her slumber. Her eyes peeled open cautiously, wondering if Bill had forgotten something. She thought better of it, knowing the door had been left unlocked.

The knocks began again, prompting Ella out of bed. She sluggishly made her way to the door, nearly tripping over her own two feet. She was hungover a little, but mostly just sore from the ruckus that had taken place. She felt muscles she hadn't felt in a long time; her stomach feeling toned despite Bill having done all the work. She bit her lip, trying to hide the excitement from the thoughts, hoping he had come back to do it all over again.

When she opened the door, her heart sank.

Dean stood on the other side; his lips were pursed and his eyes were innocently sad. Ella pushed her hair out of her eyes, trailing her fingers through the strands nervously. Despite their relationship being over, she felt guilty for having done what she had done with Bill the night before. She swallowed hard, hoping the evidence wasn't too obvious.

"Can we talk?" Dean asked, picking at the cuticle around his thumb.

"Yeah." Ella spoke without thinking. She stepped out of the way, letting Dean enter.

Closing the door behind him, she saw the evidence on the table of their passionate night—the jug of vodka setting on the table, along with two glass cups. It was clear she had had a guest and she was sure Dean knew exactly who.

She wondered if he could smell him on her; the scent of his cologne lingering on the couch and on her skin.

"Shay mentioned that Bill stopped by yesterday. Said that he was looking for you."

"Yeah." Ella choked, making her way to the sofa. She needed to sit down, her knees were buckling under the pressure.

"Am I too late?" Dean spoke apprehensively, sitting on the opposite end of the couch. Ella's eyes shifted to her hands, imagining her wedding band residing on her finger. Of course Dean was too late—he had always been too late. Perhaps if she had met him before ever meeting Bill there would've been a chance.

"I'm sorry." Ella whispered, burying her face in her hands. "I-I'm so sorry." She hung her head down, staring at the empty glasses setting on the table.

"What's gonna happen?... With you and him?" Dean asked, draping his arm over the back of the couch. His brows furrowed in confusion, taking a pair of sunglasses resting on the back of the couch in his hand. His eyes wavered to Ella, then to the pair of sunglasses. His jaw clenched before moving them to the coffee table.

Ella groaned into her palm, remembering she had set them there before prompting to give Bill a blowjob, only to have him refuse. She cringed internally, looking over to where Dean was sitting, knowing she had been naked there with Bill between her legs. She hadn't cheated, Bill was her husband—she hadn't cheated, Dean had kicked her out of their townhouse. But deep down Ella knew it wasn't over, not for Dean.

In order to spare Dean's feelings, Ella decided it was best to lie. "I don't know." She said. "I don't know what's gonna happen."

"You don't? It ah... it looks like you two had a sleepover. I see sunglasses that aren't yours, I see two glasses and a- what, gallon of vodka?"