Page 35 of Just Desserts

Alyssa

I followed Jonathan's retreating form with my eyes, my ire growing. This was not how I expected this night to go. After everything I've done for him, how dare he dismiss me like that? Force me to listen to everyone preen over Isla's absence. What an angel she was for taking care of her ill Grandmother. What a crock of shit.

I waited until an appropriate amount of time passed before I stormed into his office after him. His suit jacket was tossed carelessly on the couch and he was in the process of yanking the knot on his tie down as if it was strangling him. As soon asI entered the office he walked over to a cabinet, giving me his back, dismissing me.

'"You've been ignoring me all night!" I hissed at him once the door closed behind me.

He had the decanter of whiskey he usually kept for special occasions and brought it over to his desk. I watched as Jonathan quickly poured and downed a shot before turning to face me.

"What in the actual fuck do you think you're doing?" The anger in his voice both scared and aroused me. I was upset and pissed, fueling my determination to hurt him back. I was spoiling for a fight at this point, wanting him to come after me. Just to show me he cared at all.

"What am I doing? I hissed in reply.

"I planned this whole fucking party and you just want to shove me in a corner and pretend I don't exist while all you do is lie, and lie and lie some more about perfect fucking Isla. She's not here! I am! I'm the one here for you, I'm the one who put this all together." I was shouting at this point.

"NO ONE ASKED YOU TO!" He bellowed, stopping me in my tracks.

"The only thing I expect from you is to do what the fuck I tell you to do and you've gone and done the opposite. Drunkenly hanging all over everyone, wearing that ridiculous fucking outfit. What were you thinking? You're a pathetic sloppy mess. You could never, and will NEVER be Isla and I think its time you fucking remember that. Jesus Fuck!"

The curses were uttered with pure disdain, exasperation and fury laced every word. In just a few sentences he cut me to the core, dismissed all that I had done for him, all the work I’ve putin. But before I could reply Jonathan spun around and walked toward me with a look I had never seen before.

"You are not to leave this room. You are not to go back out to that party. Listen to me and listen to me clearly.I do not careabout your feelings,I do not careabout your threats,I do not careabout you full stop. Right now, all you're succeeding in doing is risking both of us our jobs. You've already made a huge scene. Haven't you had enough yet? Sit your ass down on that couch, drink some water and do not leave this room until I come back to send you home."

"Send me home?" I snapped.

Before the sentence was out of my mouth Jonathan had bent down close, his face right in mine. His breathing was labored and I could smell the whiskey on his breath. In a voice I had never heard before he addressed me.

"Did I say you could speak? No. Drink the water, sober yourself up. Stay quiet. Stay here. Don't fuck with me Alyssa. I have had it. You may have just ruined both our careers, let me go out and do some damage control. For once in your fucking life do what you're told. Sit down and shut the fuck up."

He left the office, locking the door behind him. I wanted to stomp and scream, I wanted to yank everything off his shelves and smash them. The only thing restraining me was Jonathan's words echoing in my ears that I was destroying both of our reputations right now.

I couldn't figure out why things were falling apart. I felt like I had everything I wanted in the palm of my hand, but at the same time it was all falling apart. I couldn't even figure out how it was falling apart, or if it even was. I should be out there, enjoying all the men's covetous looks while all the women seethed in jealousy, watching me in my rightful place next toJonathan.

Instead of mingling with guests I was locked in Jonathan’s office, skulking around forced to face all the pictures of Isla surrounding me, mocking me. Eventually I started dipping into Jonathan's whiskey. I don't know how much time had passed but the bottle was almost empty and I had photos of Isla spread out in a semi-circle around where I sat on the sofa.

I took a swig, draining the last drop from the heavy glass container before dropping it onto the carpeted floor. I leaned over to try and pick it up, but instead my eyes locked on Isla's smiling face peering up at me from the pictures scattered all over the floor. I stood up quickly to try and kick them away, her eyes taunting me from the frames.

The sudden movement triggered a different response though. Before I could stop it, I was bent over projectile vomiting all over the photos. The smell of whiskey and vomit heavily permeated the air as it pooled over the frames before slowly seeping into the carpet. I looked around blindly for something to clean it up but all I could see was Jonathan's discarded suit jacket.

Embarrassed, I tossed the jacket over the vomit to hide it for now, I was too tired to clean it up. I slumped down on the couch and belatedly chugged the glass of water Jonathan had left me. I let my body lilt to the side until I was laying down on the couch. I just needed to rest a little then I could make this all go away.

Chapter 28

Jonathan

The party was an absolute disaster. There was no other word for it. Thankfully Alyssa stayed in my office and I managed to make excuses, saying she was worried for her cousin and had over imbibed. I was expecting a fight when the party finally came to a close, instead I walked in on a horror scene.

Alyssa was passed out, limbs akimbo on the couch. A horrid smell permeated the entire space, and as I approached her sleeping form, the cause of the smell became clear. There was an odd shaped pile on the floor in front of the couch, with my suit jacket laying over it like a tarp.

From underneath my brand new Burberry jacket, trails of vomit trickled out and pooled into the carpet. Forcing myself not to breathe through my nose I picked the jacket up and tossed it aside, only to find several picture frames covered in vomit and the smell became overwhelming.

Cursing as my eyes watered I took a step out of the office wondering what the fuck to do now. I just wanted to go home, I just wanted this all to be over. I couldn't leave Alyssa there, we were tied together now whether I liked it or not. I was being judged by her behavior.

Sighing, I googled a cleaning service and made arrangements for them to come first thing in the morning. I grabbed a garbage bag from under the receptionist's desk and finally went back into the office. I scooped my jacket and the photosinto the bag then dragged Alyssa down to the car.

She was in and out of consciousness at this point, falling asleep only to wake up and yell at me, then pass out again and wake up and try to seduce me. The smell of vomit and alcohol had followed her and was now filling my car. Despite the cold I rolled all the windows down, hoping it would also sober her up.

She was mostly able to walk on her own as I guided her up to her apartment. I left a garbage bin next to the bed and dropped the bag with my jacket and photos in the middle of her living room and quickly scrawled a note before leaving as fast as I could.

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