Mary took another deep breath. "I had to leave because I have a major thing for him, and I know he does, too." Darcy still stared at her.
"Okay, so?"
"Because we were all but having sex right against the wall for everyone to see, and then he turned into this major asshole, made me feel like some kind cheap girl, and that is why I had to get out of there." Darcy made an O face immediately after she spoke.
"He told you this? I mean called you cheap?" Darcy was far more interested in the conversation now. When Mary didn't speak fast enough Darcy said, "Just spit it out, girl." Darcy smiled broadly.
"He didn't actually call me that, but he made me feel like that. I mean he kept going on about how he's slept with all these people, and how he doesn't do relationships and stuff. He made it seem like I was trying to get with him, like marry him or something."
Darcy's eyes got as big as saucers. Before Darcy could start shooting off more questions Mary continued to talk.
"I'm sure alcohol had a lot to do with the lowered inhibitions, because I was coming onto him just as strongly as he was to me, but then everything became shitty and awkward."
"Well, shit, Mary, I mean you do know who Alex Sheppard is, right?"
Mary clenched her teeth and gave Darcy a look that she hoped meant that was a dumbass question. "Yeah, I know who he is, but what does that have to do with anything?"
Darcy sighed dramatically and threw her legs over the side of the couch. "He does sleep around, Mary, like a lot. I mean, no girl that goes after him thinks he is going to give them more than that." She moaned and clenched her head. "My head hurts so badly."
Good. Served her right for pointing out what Mary already knew. "I never said I wanted anything more than sex with him. His ego is just so damn big he clearly thought I was in love with him or something."
Darcy dropped her hand and looked at Mary again. "I'm not saying this to piss you off or make you feel worse than I'm sure you already do. I can only imagine all of the stuff he said to you that you're not telling me. I'm only saying this because I care about you, and I know you're too smart and too good to let a guy like Alex Sheppard make you feel like this. Don't think about him, don't worry about him, and move onto the next." Darcy flopped back on the couch and closed her eyes. "I feel like a steaming pile of poo." She cracked one eye open. "You're not mad that I said that, right?"
"No." Mary leaned back in the chair and sighed. "It isn't like I haven't already thought about everything you said, but I felt something different with him, ya know." She cut her eyes over to Darcy. "I mean, in the extremely ridiculous short time we spent together, and the way he looked at me, I felt like I wasn't just another piece of ass for him."
"Yeah, honey, I know. I think the female population knows what you mean. He is gorgeous, built, talented, and can have girls dropping their panties within a five mile radius with just a smile. But unless your heart is made of stone and you are prepared to only have one night, or hell, a few hours with him, it would be suicide to think you'll get anything else from him. He is no different from a lot of the pricks that walk around thinking they own the world, and like they are God's gift to women. Guys like Alex Sheppard are only after one thing, and that's sticking their dicks in a warm hole."
"You're crude."
"But honest," Darcy shot back and offered her a weak smile. "I may like having sex, Mary, but I know that if I wanted anything to do with Alex, or guys like him, he'd just chew me up and spit me out." They sat there for several silent moments before Darcy started talking again. "Why did you even offer to tutor him?"
"I didn't. He actually got my number from another guy I tutor, which happens to be his roommate." Darcy nodded. "I just thought I could use him for a little shock value at Margo's wedding."
"So you were using Alex?" Darcy started laughing and immediately closed her eyes and clutched her head.
"I didn't keep it a secret. I told him exactly why I wanted him to come with me. I didn't lie."
"You actually going to BitchTron's wedding?" Darcy yawned and stretched out her arms at the same time. She had heard enough about Margo when Mary bitched about her to know her sister was a pain in the ass.
"I kind of have to go to my sister's wedding. Besides, I'm in the damn thing."
"I can tag along, you know, cause a scene, maybe wear my transparent shirt and daisy dukes." Darcy wagged her brows, and Mary started laughing. It was nice to feel happy instead of that dreaded gloom that had lingered the whole night.
"That's tempting, but I wouldn't want to subject you to that crowd." It was Darcy's turn to start laughing.
"Thanks, I don't know if I could restrain myself from slapping a bitch anyway. But what are you going to do about the whole Alex thing?"
"What do you mean?"
Darcy threw the blanket off her lap. "I mean, are you going to still tutor him and take him, or has that ship sailed?"
Last night Mary would have said hell no, but after talking to her mom and really thinking about it she was not so sure anymore. She could always keep her end of the deal and help him pass his course, and he in turn could go with her to the wedding. They didn't have to think or even talk about the night at the club, and Mary could certainly keep the distance that was necessary. He was an asshole, only thought about sex, and didn't care who he hurt in the process. But he was also the guy she couldn't stop thinking about, not since the first time she saw him. Yeah, she really was a masochist. Could she actually still go through with this, pretend that what they had was absolutely nothing, and still keep her heart intact?
Ugh, she was an idiot for even contemplating wanting to help him, but in return he would also be helping her. She could do it, could get through the next couple of weeks and then just a few days for the wedding. After that she didn't ever need to see him again. Feeling resolved that she would push through her anger and hurt and just go over there as planned, do this tutoring, and then be gone, Mary hoped shit didn't hit the fan because of it.
Chapter Eleven
Someone had to be slamming a sledgehammer down on his skull, because no way in hell could it hurt this fucking bad unless that was the case. Alex cracked an eye open and immediately slammed it shut when the piercing, bright light that came through his window assaulted him. He took inventory of where he was, and what the fuck had happened.
His head fucking hurt, that was for damn sure, but nothing else seemed particularly painful. Trying for the whole eye-opening thing again, he shielded himself from the horrendous glare. Okay, so he was in the spare room in his house since all he could see was the nasty old floral wallpaper. This was the room he always took the girls he screwed, if he brought them back to his place at all. But how in the hell did he get back here? All he remembered was being a royal prick to Mary, finding Vince, and the two of them throwing back the shots like they were water.
"Fuck." He was on his stomach, so he pushed up on his forearms and hung his head for a moment, willing the damn room to stop spinning. He was also butt fucking naked, which wasn't his thing when he went to bed. Shit, how in the hell did he get naked? A low moan had everything in him stilling. Looking to his left, he first saw an ass covered by a thin sheet, and followed that up to the nude back with a pair of angel wings tattooed between the shoulder blades. He continued lifting his eyes until he finally stopped at the mop of wild red hair spread across the pillow.
It took him a moment, but then everything came rushing back like a bad fucking nightmare. He'd gotten totally shitfaced with Vince, that redhead he had been dancing with before he saw Mary found him again, and then he had taken her home and fucked her. Shit, he knew they had sex, but he didn't remember it. Dread and horror settled in him because he couldn't recall if he had put a condom on.
Oh hell no. He shot up in bed which only added to the massive pounding in his skull. Looking at his cock he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the condom still on. With a curl of his lip he pulled the fucking thing off, tossed it in the trash by the nightstand, and looked over his shoulder.
"Hey." There was a moment when he didn't think she heard, but finally she moaned and rolled onto her back. Her tits swayed from her movements, and he turned away, feeling disgusted with himself. "You need to leave." He felt fucking dirty, and needed a hot as hell shower. Scrubbing his hand over his cheek he felt stubble cover his skin. His mouth tasted sour, and he tried to remember if he threw up. He had certainly drunk enough that it was possible.