Unfold

Chapter Twenty-Seven (27)

Bret was staring at her, his mouth wide open in a shocked grin, and she couldn't do anything but stare back in horror.

She knew right then they everything that she had worked so hard to keep in the dark was about to be exposed.

"Am I really looking at Jeanette Arthur right now?" he said, stepping closer to her. She was frozen, suddenly aware of how naked she was in the presence of the guy who more than likely drugged her that night in the bar. It was clear him and his friends had already been drinking, and her heart beat loudly in her ears as he looked her up in down. "I knew you were loose, but I never took you as a whore."

His words cut her deep and she couldn't find anything to say. In all her days spent here, she had learned how to stand up for herself, to demand respect when men tried to shatter her dignity, but as her worst nightmare began to unfold, she couldn't find the words.

"Last time I saw you was the night of the video," Bret said. "When your little friend Shawn showed me up."

Jean's mouth was completely dry. He was the one who punched Shawn in the face. He was angry then, and it was clear he still was. He was loving every second of torturing her. She couldn't say a word if she wanted to.

His friends were standing around him, talking to each other in hushed tones. They looked frequently in her direction. He had an army behind him and she wasn't going to win this battle. It was over. This was the end of her reputation and her life as she knew it.

"You know, I thought you and I had something nice going that night, but then I come to find out that you're dating Shawn now? How cute is that?" His smile made her stomach turn. She barely remembered that night with him, and she felt sick that she had ever been with him at all.

When she watched the video, all she could see was herself. Of course Shawn was the reason the video went viral, but she had forgotten that Bret was in the video too. Shawn had showed him up, and his pride was damaged. Now he was relishing in the power he had over her, and this time, Shawn wasn't there to save her.

She was finally able to swallow and forced the words from her mouth. "You need to leave."

"We never got to finish what we started that night," Bret said. "Why don't we finish it now?" He sat down in the armchair behind him and patted his lap. His friends started to laugh and Jean felt like she was going to vomit.

"You're sick," she whispered, spinning around to look for security. Donovan was already looking her way. She desperately searched for anyone else, but Donovan started walking towards them.

"Something wrong?" he said as he approached. This was the first time they had spoken directly since she got him suspended.

"These guys," Jean couldn't even finish, trying to keep from getting hysterical. "They need to leave."

Donovan walked over to Bret and his friends. "What's going on here?"

"Nothing!" Bret defended, standing up at once. He still had that sick smile on his face. "We just wanted a lap dance from our good friend Jean."

Donovan looked to the guys and then back at Jean. He stared at her for a second, a look that sent shivers down her spine. "Everything seems fine to me," he finally said, and then he turned and walked away.

Jean's jaw might as well have been on the ground. She stared after Donavan in horror as he left her alone with these guys. There was absolutely no way this was actually happening.

"Wait a second," Bret said from behind her. "Shawn doesn't know you work here, does he?"

Her vision went black around the edges. Suddenly she was lightheaded, and she felt like she was going to pass out. He was going to destroy her. She knew he probably really wanted to hurt Shawn, but he was going to take her out in the process. When she turned to look at him, her throat was tight and her ears were ringing.