Her Hidden Half (War Songs of the Courts #1)

Chapter One

I jolted awake, immediately feeling a sharp sting spread across my ass.

"Die. Please die," I rasped into the pillow as a slow pulse spread painfully through my skull.

Now, I hated to admit it... but I may have, maybe, sort of misjudged how much alcohol I could handle.

Pressing my face further into the pillow, I tried to remember what kind of seriously fucked judgment could've landed me in a bed with a man of all things. I swore those off last week for my mental well-being, but that was short-lived. Even for me. 

My memories were slow to resurface, but whether I liked it or not, they started to. Flashes of the night played in my head like a computer malfunctioning and I groaned. I wish I could gift the memories back wrapped in a beautifully tied bow of denial, but unfortunately, the evidence was pounding in my head and beside me, feeling me up.

"Aw, baby, don't do me like that," he said, the morning masking his words in a lazy growl.

"Oh." I shoved the heel of my hand into my face to relieve the pressure resting behind them. The glare of the morning light was harsh, but I forced myself to keep my eyes open. I needed to force myself awake and leave. "I don't think I'll be doing you at all anymore, actually. I'm good..." I paused, searching for his name.

Jason? No. 

Jackson?

James? It definitely started with a J.

Or did it start with a G?

I shrugged and nodded to myself and him. I figured it was better to pretend that was where that sentence ended.

He probably couldn't remember your name if he tried, either, I told myself in my attempt at comfort. I snorted at the thought. 

His brows twitched before pulling together. He watched me with unsure eyes and laughed a bit like he wasn't sure if he should think I was joking or not. "You're kidding," he told me rather than asked.

My face contorted into a cringe more than a smile, like when a dog 'smiles' but it's really just showing all of its teeth while looking mildly uncomfortable. I'm pretty sure that's the exact smile I gave him when I said, "Oooo, but I'm not."

We stared at each other, him in disbelief and me, in discomfort.

He sat up. "Are you a lesbian or something?"

Obviously, he was not concerned about the same thing. 

I stared at him and my lips twitched. I wanted to laugh so bad and the only thing keeping me in check was the pain still thumping in my skull like an annoying neighbor. "Sure," I nodded, pressing my lips together to keep from smiling. 

He stared down at his sheets, his eyes going distant. "Why does this keep happening to me?"

"It's the Hawaiian shirts," I said absentmindedly, looking around the room for any sign of my things. "Where are my clothes?"

He looked up finally, his eyes slowly clearing as confusion wrinkled his brows. "Huh?"

"My clothes. Where are they?" I asked again, pulling myself out of bed, my muscles protesting the entire way. 

I rubbed my temples, trying to relieve the pressure that sat just below the surface of my skull. I open my eyes reluctantly and saw the dark green lace of my bra peeking from underneath the bed. I smiled and reached down to snatch it from the ground, making a small noise of approval.

"We undressed mostly in the living room."

"Ahhhh, right." I nodded softly as more memories flashed in my head. I pulled my bra as fast as I could manage, a wave of dizziness hitting me as I stumbled to leave.