Page 6 of Gorgeous Nightmare

Maybe it’ll help me feel better.

Walking through my room, I grab the oversized Bad Omens tee and a pair of panties I left on my bed before I went out today, and head for the bathroom.

Getting into the shower isn’t the same internal struggle as it was less than twelve hours ago. The sound of the running water drowns out the thoughts of him in my head, creating a sanctuary I don't want to leave.

A safe space.

The feeling of freezing cold water brings me crashing back into an even colder reality. For years, I would play with men like they were my toys, taking advantage, but never once being taken advantage of. Then it hits me..

This is my karma.

Holy shit.

I deserve this.

I shut off the water, pull the curtain back, and reach for my fluffy towel. I’m searching for some sort of comfort, but all I’m met with is the feeling of rawskin meeting fabric. I don’t even look in the mirror. I’m not ready to face the emptiness staring back. Instead, I hang my towel up, head to my bed, and curl up on my side, letting the warm tears fall from my face and silently soothe myself to sleep.

CHAPTER 7

Ronan

Ican’t stop thinking about her, no matter how hard I try. I’ll admit, it was much easier when she was only in my dreams. But there she was, as real as me or Cade, running out of the men’s bathroom like a bat out of hell.

This absolutely cannot be a coincidence, and I refuse to call it one.

But if it’s not a coincidence, then what is it? Because there has to be a reason this hot-as-sin woman keeps showing up everywhere I look. I just need to find outwhatexactlythat reason is.

I head back toward the guys. My thoughts are atangled mess that I'm trying my best to stuff away, at least until I have more time to sit down and think.

My ears perk up hearing the boy's muted laughter in front of me. Perfect. Exactly the distraction I need.

Some dude I don't recognize is holding out his phone as the other guys are gathered around. It looks like they are watching some sort of video, probably someone bottoming out or face-planting.

“Yo, dude, you gotta come check this out!” Tyler shouts as soon as we lock eyes, and he motions for me to join him and the group.

He wraps his arm over my shoulder, allowing me a better look at the screen as I squeeze in between him and the new guy.

My eyes and ears take a second to catch on to what’s laid out in front of me… or ratherwhois fucking laid out in front of me. The sounds of her screams and pleas start to drown out in comparison to the blood rushing to my head.

Before I even realize what I’m doing, my hand is around the phone, slamming it to the ground. Thesound of it cracking resonates in my ears. I lift my black combat boot, stomping on it over and fucking over again until it’s nothing but worthless dust.

“What the fuck du-,” the unknown prick tries to shout in my ear, but my hand is on his throat before he can finish. I glance over my shoulder, catching eyes with Tyler.

“What. The fuck. Was that?” I ask, but it comes out as a feral growl, ripping straight from my soul.

I release the fucker's throat, pushing him to the ground so hard you can hear his ass hit the concrete. He scrambles to his feet, slipping a couple times before breaking into a run, pushing through the small crowd that has formed around us.

Snapping my head back to Tyler, a low chuckle rumbles out of my chest, and I can feel my eyes grow darker.

“I’m not going to ask you again, Tyler.Whothe fuck was that?

“That wasn’t what you asked the first ti-”

He chokes on his words as my fist connects with his face. The people around us start to yell things… things that I can’t even hear over the pounding of blood rushing through my ears.

“HOW.”

*Punch

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