Submission: Guilty Pleasures #3 (BBW Erotic Romance) by Adriana Hunter Page A

drugs...still did drugs.
    Those blue eyes were locked on
mine now. “And that really pisses you off, doesn’t it?”
    “I’d be lying if I said I was happy
about it.” I wasn’t sure where this conversation was going. All I wanted now
was to be away from Jane, from this dingy apartment, from the stinging sense that
I’d been made a fool of by Jake. But I needed one more answer.
    Jane gave me a catty smile. “Looks
like the nice girl finishes last here, all dressed in her pretty little skirt
and blouse.”
    “That depends.” I took a deep
breath, disregarding the potential for immediately contracting lung cancer.
    “Are you his sub, or just a friend
with benefits?” I held her gaze, saw her eyes widen just a fraction. I willed
myself not to blink and for once, bluffed my way through.
    Jane sat back, her intensity lessening
slightly. But something else filled the gap.
    “I don’t think it would be good
for my mental health if I went back to being Jake’s sub, do you?” She took a
deep drag from the cigarette, crushing the latest on top of the
still-smoldering butt of the previous cigarette.
     “Let’s call us fuck buddies
then. That’s good enough for me and apparently it’s good enough for Jake.”
    She blew a stream of smoke in my
face.
    I fled the apartment.
    ––––––––
    I called Chase as soon as I got
home, for no other reason than to hear his voice. It was early, for him; he was
still at the condo.
    “Are you okay? Abby, what’s
happened?”
    “I saw Jane...” My voice cracked,
tears spilling down my face.
    “Abby. Listen to me. You do not go
see her anymore, regardless what Stacy tells you. Jane’s not stable and you’re
not safe. And don’t go seeing Jake either, in some attempt to make this right,
or make sense of it, or whatever you think you should do. Call him, if you need
to talk to him. But don’t go see him. I’d forbid it if I thought it would do
any good, but I know it won’t.” There was a pause.
    “I hate to think of you with him,
for any reason. You know that. It drives a knife right through my heart.”
    I was crying too hard to reply.
    “Abby? Do you hear me?” Chase’s
voice was insistent.
    “Yes, Chase. I do.” My voice was
barely a whisper.
    “Come here, Abby. Come over to the
condo. I’ll stay home tonight, let Stacy handle the club again. Serves her
right for getting in the middle of this. I have half a mind...”
    “Don’t, Chase. Don’t be mad at
Stacy. She’s only trying to help.” I sniffed a little, my tears slowing.
    “Fine. But come see me, please. I
don’t care if you’ve decided to never see me again...you’re upset and I don’t
want you to be alone tonight.”
    I hesitated briefly.
    I did want to see Chase.
    This was the end.
    There would be no Jake and I. It
was over.
    “I’ll be there in a little bit.
There’s something I need to do first.”
    “Fine. I’ll call Stacy. Take care
of whatever you need to, do it quick. I’ll be here waiting.”
    ––––––––
    W hen I pulled up to Jake’s house,
there was a car parked beneath the portico, not one of Jake’s, but a battered
and rusty car of indeterminate make. I parked behind it, running through the
wind-driven rain to the door to the house, ringing the bell.
    I peered through the glass of the
door, watching for Jake to appear, ringing the bell again. The wind was blowing
in erratic gusts, fine waves of rain drifting over me, making me shiver.
    “Abby, what are you doing here?”
    I whirled around, almost colliding
with Jake. He was behind me, the door to the tower room open, light spilling
onto the driveway, casting his face in shadow. He was shirtless and barefoot,
wearing the cotton sweat pants that were so familiar to me. I blinked in
confusion.
    “Jake. You scared me. I...” I
stopped. There was movement behind Jake.
    Over his shoulder, in the doorway
to the tower room, I saw a flash of scarlet. Jane was leaning against doorframe,
with her ever-present