Page 41 of Pink Poison

“Nah, I don’t think I will,” I snort. “Take your shit and get outta my room.”

Chapter fourteen

Stevie

“Wake your ass up, Stevie,” my best friend whispers in my ear.

Who the hell let Teegan in my hotel room?

Feeling around the queen-sized bed, my fingers grasp on a spare pillow. “Don’t even think about it, sugar,” she reprimands, yanking the fluffy, feather down comforter from my body.

“Tee!”

“You sleep naked?” She cackles. “And here I thought I knew you.”

Groaning, I pry my eyes open to see my best friend dressed in a cut-off t-shirt and light-wash Daisy Dukes. “Teegan Lorraine, what are you doing?”

She waves her hand between us, unbothered by my lack of sleepwear. “Weare going out for breakfast, then you’re going to explain to me whythe hell everyone at Mo’s was freaking out last night sayin’sweet little Barbie is off the market.”

My sluggish morning brain struggles to pick up the topic for a moment—only one, until everything comes back and crashes over me.Goddamnit, Kash.How I managed to forget, even for a second, what happened last night, is beyond me.

I'm marked.

I'mclaimed.

I amtechnicallyProperty of Kashton Reid.

Fuck—and I cannot stress this enough—my life.

Maybe my lack of memory was meant to be a coping mechanism since Ireallydon't have the time or patience to deal with it, even if it's my best friend asking questions.

“Tee, what the hell are you talking about?”

I feel bad for pretending not to know—I really do, but I'd rather bury my head in the sand than think about the repercussions of whatthismeans, for as long as I can.

“That’s what I want to know!” she yells, dropping the comforter.

I watch warily as she digs through my bags, tossing clothes around the floor until she finds a Teegan-approved outfit for me. “It’s too early for this,” I grumble.

“Chop, chop. Get dressed and meet me outside.” I wait until I hear the door snick shut before rolling out of bed to get dressed.Red haired, nosy, cherry smelling, irritating, overbearing, bi—“Quit cussing me out in your head, bitch!” she shouts from behind my door.

Smiling, I grab the soft pink, ruffle dress and stretch it over my head before grabbing a pair of casual heels. After walking around in platforms all night, there's not enough money in the world that could convince me to wear them out for breakfast.

Content with my outfit for the day, I rush a basic version of my morning routine, hoping like hell that Teegan isn’t causing a fuss for the staff.

I snort at the thought.

Fat chance.

“Spill,” she demands, dabbing her red-painted lips with a napkin.

Dear God, it's still too early for this.

My eyes have barely focused enough to even see my breakfast, let alone listen to my best friend's continued rant about me suddenly becomingunavailable.If I didn’t know any better, I'd say sheknowsI'm withholding the truth and she's needling me until I break.

Honestly, if she keeps it up, I just might.

Shaking my head, I repeat thesamesentence I've said over the last hour: “I don't even know what I’m supposed to be spilling, Tee."

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