"Of course I don't read. I'm far too busy riding the universe through the stars."
"So poetic. Just beautiful, don't you think, Philip? Ignorance can still birth creativity. Logic perhaps not, but creativity, yes."
Philip shoved the donut in his mouth, talking around it. Bethany popped him on the chest as he broke up in laughter, pointing to the dining hall and walking away. He was headed to get more chocolate donuts. Perfect timing... Ass.
"I saw you leave with that guy last night. You can try and play innocent with everyone around here, but I'm on to you."
"Because you think I left with someone from the bar... you're on to me? What does that even mean? Bisexuality is accepted by most people, but I'm not really interested." Bethany snorted softly. "I mean, I'd talk to your friend that walks around up your ass, but you're... not my type at all."
"What are you talking about, oaf? You should hear yourself rambling on." She flipped her hair behind her shoulder, narrowing her eyes on Bethany. "I saw you with the guy. Period. I'll be telling Damon that his latest piece of ass is seeing someone else."
"What if it was Damon, Sadie? Then what?"
"It wasn't. He never comes to those things. Honestly, I don't know why he's bothering with you. Is your daddy rich?"
"It's none of your business who my daddy is and what he is or isn't." Bethany moved around the table, her heart racing in her chest as goosebumps rushed across her skin. How she hated this loud bitch.
"Oh... we've hit a sensitive spot. Let me guess," Sadie pressed her finger to her pencil thin lips, "your mom had you out of wedlock and her druggie boyfriend decided neither of you were worth staying for. You paid for college by working your ass off and loading up on debt and Damon feels sorry for you. Did I get it right? Did daddy leave you because you weren't worth sticking around for?"
The room twisted around her, a splash of red brushing across her vision as she took the last two steps between her and Sadie. Her fist connected hard with the side of the mouthy girl's face. Sadie screamed and fell to the ground, blood seeping out on the white tile floor around her.
Bethany came to and bent down, trying to help her as Sadie screamed at her.
"Back up you vicious bitch. Don't come near me. I'm calling security and my father is going to sue. Get back!"
Bethany moved, shock rushing over her. Had she really just fucked her chances of being someone at McKenzie and Bryant and even more so, having her masters paid for?
Philip walked up, pulling her back and bending down to look at her.
"Hey... Beth. Hey."
She shook her head, her vision still a little blurred as his voice penetrated the demand to finish the job by choking the redhead out completely.
"What?" she whispered, looking up at him.
"You need to go. Take these and get out of here. I'll work out things with Sadie for you. Make sure you talk to Mr. Bryant first. He seems to think highly of you. Get to him and then go home. I'll deal with this."
Bethany turned, walking toward the elevator as numbness wrapped around her. It had to be lack of sleep. She hadn't been in a fight since high school, the reason for that one no different than the one that just occurred. Would her father always be such a sore spot?
"How did she know about him?" Bethany whispered, reaching into the bag Philip had handed off to her and pulling out a chocolate donut. She bit into it deeply and got off on Damon's floor.
Linda looked up from her desk. Concern swept across her features. "Bethany, you okay?"
"Just long morning already," Bethany mumbled, her words monotone and running together. What was wrong with her? "Where's Damon?"
"Mr. Bryant is in Seattle. He left this morning. Should be back at the end of the weekend."
"He left this morning? When?"
"At nine."
"Did he leave a message for me?" Bethany dropped the donut in the bag, her stomach turning sour.
Linda's mouth lifted in a smirk as she chuckled softly, her tone berating.
"Why would he, dear? You're an intern and he's the CFO of the company." She reached for the phone. "Excuse me."
Bethany turned and walked to the stairs, not wanting to run into anyone she knew. A quick stop by her office and she would be headed to Kent's to spend the afternoon in her bed. A long hard cry at the situation with Sadie would help, but would it soothe the ache in her chest over Damon?
Had the night just been a quick fuck and he was on to his next girl? Why wouldn't he at least tell her he was going out of town? Linda's words left her feeling stupid and childish. Tears welled in her eyes as she jogged the rest of the way down the stairs, stopping by her office and grabbing her purse before making her way to the street level.
Time to test fate.
Chapter 18
"Oh hell no," Matt grumbled loudly. Bethany moved the pillow from her head and looked up, her tears having soaked the sheet beneath her.
"Go away. I'm not in the mood to be friendly."
He pounced on the bed, his large hand pressing against the upper part of her back again and again. She bounced with his efforts, growing angry and swatting at him.
"No need to be friendly. We're family. Get your ass up. I'm taking you out."
"No. I'm not interested in seeing people. I hate everyone."
"Liar. Get up. I'm going to inhale everything in the fridge. When I come back you better be in the shower and getting ready. Jeans and a t-shirt. Get up, get dressed and let's go have fun together."
"No," she grumbled, sitting up and pushing her hair from her face in time to see Matt leave. She didn't want to go anywhere. The darkness of her room provided the perfect place to hide. Between the situation with Sadie and Damon's dismissal of her as he left town without a damn word, she was done.
"Get up or I'll drag your ass out of there." Matt's voice lost volume as he moved away.
She threw her pillow across the room toward the door. A temper tantrum would be welcomed, but childish. She denied herself the action. Getting up and walking languidly to the bathroom, Bethany stripped and got in the shower. The steam offered comfort and her tears mixed with the water that hit her face.
Sleeping with Damon had been a mistake. One she was sure to not have the chance to live down. Was he going to come back from Seattle and pretend that nothing had happened between them? Things were business as per usual?
"Why? You're so damn stupid." She tugged at her hair, anger rushing from the pit of her stomach to her chest. Was she so desperate to feel something, anything, that she would believe herself able to capture someone as powerful and sexy as her asshole step-brother? And of course there was that... he was her step-brother, or soon would be.
How had she figured that would play out? Their attraction to each other was tangible, the feeling of him taking her to heights unimaginable rolling over her in waves. She pressed her back to the cool shower wall and let her face drop into her waiting hands. Even if there had been something worth exploring in a relationship with him, how would that ever work out?
Hi, this is my husband and brother, Damon.
She growled loudly in the shower, hitting her balled up fists against the slick tiles. She needed to separate herself from him entirely. To be intimate with him once was a mistake, just blatant horny ignorance. To do it again would be a clear indication that she was sick or a complete dumbass.
"Hurry up. I want chips and queso. Nothing else will do," Matt yelled, his voice slipping through the crack under the locked door of the bathroom.
"I'm hurrying. Excuse the fact that I have to stop for a fucking meltdown every few minutes."
"It can't be that bad. Come on. We'll work through it together."
"You don't want to know this Matt." She let her hands drop and turned to put her head under the spray of the water, not wanting to continue the conversation. She was horrified by the thought of Matt finding out that she had fallen in love with Damon.
"Love or lust?" she whispered, before turning off the shower and stepping out into the chilly air of the bathroom.
Did it matter which?
*
A few minutes later Bethany was standing in the opening to the kitchen. Matt's back was to her as he shook his butt and danced in the light of the open fridge, a song being hummed from his lips softly. She cleared her throat and he stood, hitting his head on the top door of the freezer.