In His Bed (18+)

Chapter 56

"...New York?" I heard myself ask.

"Yeah. They want me out there as soon as possible, so I guess I'm going to have to cut our 'arrangement' short." His eyes searched mine, looking for my reaction.

No.

Putting on a wry smile, I joked, "No worries, it sounds like an important opportunity, right?"

"Yeah," he sighed. "It's the next rung on the ladder. If I want to keep progressing, it's a step I'm going to have to take."

God, no.

"Well then, congratulations!" The words were shards of glass in my mouth.

This can't be happening-

He smiled, faintly, "Thanks."

Swallowing, I asked, "So, when do you leave?"

Jason shrugged, "Depends on the apartment hunt. I'm in contact with a realtor who's going to be helping me out, but I have no idea how long that will take. There's also the issue of selling the house..."

His voice faded away, and I clenched my hands into fists to hide their shaking.

Please, please let this be a nightmare...

"...anyway, I've got a basket of clothes that need to be dealt with before they wrinkle. I'll be right back?"

"Yeah," I nodded, "go ahead."

He turned away, and I snatched my purse, digging out my phone and messaging the only person I could think of.

"Are you there???"

Moments later, Sierra replied, "Yes?"

With trembling hands, I typed, "I need you to call me in three minutes."

"What?"

My heart beat so fast, it ached.

Replying, I typed, "I'll explain later, just call me in three minutes."

Closing the conversation, I clicked on her contact and edited the name to read "Tara - Work".

Sliding the phone into my purse, I walked around the breakfast bar and took a glass out of the cabinet, going to the fridge to fill it with water.

He's leaving...

Chugging the contents, I set it down on the counter with a "thunk" and closed my eyes, trying to slow my breathing.

He's leaving.

I could feel my nails digging crescent-shaped craters in my palms as I willed myself to hold it together.

Well, at least now I know - he's not getting back with Amanda...

I laughed, a sickly, sour imitation of mirth.

"Hailey?"

Jason's footsteps sounded from the end of the hallway, and I straightened up, forcing a mask over my misery.

Turning, I faced the breakfast bar, "Just- just imagining what you would look like wearing these."

He walked into the kitchen, smirking, "You want to find out?"

Smirking, I glanced his way, "I didn't come over to watch you put clothes on."

"And here I thought it was to tie me up."

"Tie you up?" I asked.

"I feel like you're ready. What do you think?"

On any other day, in any other circumstances, his words would have made me uncontrollably giddy.

Now... now it was taking all of my willpower to keep myself from crying.

Sierra, hurry-

Walking toward him, I placed a hand on his chest, "The real question is, are you ready to be at my mercy?"

Jason chuckled, a warm, resonant rumble, "Baby, you have no idea."

Looking up at him, I felt my throat constrict, choking me with all the words I wanted to say to him-

And then, my phone rang.

Oh, thank god-

"Shit," my hand dropped as I turned away. "Give me a second."

Taking my phone out of my purse, I held it up just long enough for Jason to see the screen. Pressing "accept", I turned, frowning as I answered, "Tara?"

On the other end, Sierra replied, "Uh, hi?"

"What? No." I scoffed, acting out half of a nonexistent conversation, "No, I can't just come in and cover your shift, Tara, I told you, I'm busy-"

I stopped short, acting like she'd interrupted me.

"I don't know what's happening right now, but you definitely owe me an explanation later," Sierra muttered.

Rolling my eyes, I dragged a hand over my hair and continued the ruse, "Dude, you can't keep doing this to me."

Silence met my ears, and I spat, "Look, it's fine, just don't expect any fucking favors from me after this. Yeah. Yeah, enjoy your day off." Angrily pressing the "end" button, I set the phone down on the counter.

Across the room, Jason stepped toward me, "So..."

Gritting my teeth, I mumbled, "I need a new job." With a sigh, I looked up at Jason, "I don't suppose we could continue this later?"

"No problem - how's tomorrow sound?"

I feigned a grin, hoping that he couldn't see the panic behind my eyes, "Sounds like I've got some time to plan."

He stopped just short of where I was standing, "Plan? 'Plan' what?"

Leaning forward, I whispered in his ear, "What I'm going to do to you when I've gotten you tied up."

The ferocious hunger in his expression should have filled me with hedonistic anticipation, but all I felt was sorrow - knowing all that I was going to lose when he left...

Driving away from Jason's house, hands tight on the steering wheel, I got a call from "Tara - Work".

Answering, I heard Sierra's voice, "Okay, what the hell was that?"

"He's leaving."

My voice was faint, an echo of a whisper.

"What?"

"He's leaving-" I couldn't say it, couldn't make the words form on my tongue. Instead, a sob ripped through my chest, and I pulled over, shifting into park and covering my face with my hands.

"Hailey..."

Losing all control, I felt the floodgates break as scalding tears rained down my face.

"Hailey, where are you-"

Her voice cut off as I ended the call, silencing my phone and throwing it in the passenger seat.

Blind to the world, I lost myself to despair.