Chapter 10

She had made a mistake.

Who was she to believe that having sex would have made the ache she felt any better?

Erica had woken up in the morning to be met with the sight of Jack's peaceful face. Though she felt a pleasant ache, her smile immediately dropped recalling the events of the previous night.

Erica was never one to act out of character to such a degree. And she didn't waste any more time in that bed. Instead of subjecting herself to an awkward morning with him she quickly left hoping to never speak to him again.

It was just a one-night stand, to her nothing more was to come of it. Entering the apartment she nearly shrieked when she met Sabrina who smiled in her direction. Her cousin was never an early riser, in fact any chance she got, Sabrina would only emerge from her room around noon yet here she was sitting on the couch, coffee mug in hand at eight in the morning.

"I'm surprised to find you here, I assumed some early morning sex would be on the agenda," she remarked placing her mug on the table.

Tossing her bag onto the floor Erica rolled her eyes as she moved into the apartment cringing at the pain between her legs. She was hoping to keep the details of what she had done to herself. But alas, not even Sabrina would give her such a luxury as she followed closely behind her as she entered her bedroom.

"Soooo..." Sabrina stressed plopping onto the bed grinning like a Cheshire cat," I'm guessing it was amazing."

"What makes you say that?"

Sabrina's gaze dropped down her figure pursing her lips," You're limping."

"Ugh... last night – it was just a one-time thing," she replied in the hopes of silencing the small little voice that had awoken after being in a state of comatose." I just needed to take my mind off things."

"Well, most people would have just chosen a random stranger but you... you decided to fuck your new boss's nephew. That's some gutsy shit right there."

"Oh god," she groaned running a frustrated hand through her hair. She hadn't even thought about all that and now she had just dug herself into this hole.

Sabrina sat up concerned to see her so distraught," What are you going to do?"

"I don't know," she sighed taking a seat on the bed," and I really love working there... Oh god!" she threw her arms up hysterically collapsing onto the bed.

"Calm down, I'm sure it'll all work out," Sabrina mumbled running a gentle hand through Erica's hair in the hopes it will calm her down. Erica hardly indulged in the prospect of being promiscuous and seeing the panic on her face, Sabrina secretly hoped things would really work out.

"If I get fired –"

"Don't think like that," Sabrina retorted cutting her off," who would be so childish?"

"I hardly know Jack –"

"So that's his name," her cousin smirked.

Erica rolled her eyes at the time in Sabrina's voice, she quickly sat up and turned to face her fully," Stop cutting me off," she snapped.

"Sorry bitch, I can't help it. You don't seem willing to give me any info so forgive me if I happen to get excited," she shrugged her shoulders carelessly leaning against the headboard. The look Sabrina gave her was one she knew all too well as that of clear expectancy to tell her what she wanted to hear.

"Fine, you little perv... what do you want to know?" she pinched the bridge of her nose hoping to rid of the anxiety and when she looked up, she had to bite her bottom lip to withhold the smile as Sabrina smirked at her.

"Did he blow your back out?"

She blushed profusely crossing her legs to cope with the sudden tingling between her thighs at the memory of him pummelling her as she thought to herself," You don't even know the half of it."

***

A week, that's how long it had been since he woke up to cold sheets, imprinted with her scent. He thought for a second the passion filled night had been some manifestation from his mind but the minute he found a thong under the bed he knew she had been there.

And he wasn't sure what to do. Though they had seemingly made it clear that they would only have sex, it was hard to focus on anything. He was hardly the sleeping around type and when he relayed the details of that night to Oscar, he had told him to let it go. To relish in having quenched his thirst, unfortunately for Jack his desires had only intensified.

He began avoiding the restaurant, altogether now that she worked there; it was pointless for him to even go to Monty's. And now with the weight of the world pressing him down Jack went straight home.

Edgar had taken notice of his change in demeanour but refrained from saying anything.

"Did you even try to get to know the girl?" he swung around in his chair watching on with mild interest as his mother marched into the room fuming. He had anticipated her coming to him sooner to interrogate on what went wrong with his date. So for her to have come days later was new for him.

"Hello mom, don't you look lovely."

"Complimenting me won't work. Why am I getting a call from Ruby's mother saying that you practically ditched her daughter?"

He withheld the scoff knowing if anything that was an exaggeration. He had been a gentleman and dropped her home and now the words circulating through the grapevine are distorting him as the bad guy. Guess that was the price he had to pay for declining her invite to come inside.

"That's not what happened at all."

But his words fell on deaf ears as his mother paced profusely in front of him rambling on," I swear all your father and I ever wanted to do was give you both a good life. And the thanks we get is one ungrateful son who can't seem to get his life in order and another one-"

"Who's what, mom?" he questioned crossing his arms. He was aware that the public divorce with Lucille had not only tarnished his reputation. But of course, his parents always found a way to make this about them somehow.

His mother stopped pacing altogether and took a seat across from him," Nothing, son. I-I just feel it's important that you surround yourself with the right people... she paused seeming to contemplate her next choice of words." When's your next meeting with her father?"

"Tonight," he replied with difficulty knowing he didn't want to see him but knowing he would probably lose any ounce of courage he would've gathered up to go see Erica would dissipate. And in the end, he'd just return home to an empty space whilst his mind fell back aimlessly to the recent pleasure filled experience once more. So, when the older man suggested to meet outside the office, Jack was slightly thankful to have the distraction and hoped to finally seal the deal.

However, the smile that appeared on his mother's face made him feel weary that there was some hidden agenda for why she was so pleased. A part of him hoped that it had nothing to do with Ruby...