Chapter 50
Mia collapsed onto her bed, her body sinking into the mattress, but her mind refused to rest.
The night replayed over and over again, a loop she couldn’t escape.
Alex.
His voice.
His touch.
That look in his eyes.
She squeezed her eyes shut, gripping her blanket.
She had wanted him to kiss her. Desperately.
She had wanted Alex Blackwell-after everything.
After he had used her for his stupid game.
After he had taken her virginity and tossed her aside like she was nothing.
She still felt so much for him.
“God, I’m so stupid. I’m so fucking stupid.”
She turned onto her side, pressing her face into the pillow, like it could somehow suffocate the feelings threatening to consume her.
Alex wasn’t even making it easy for her.
He was so confusing.
He made her feel like he cared, but she knew-knew-Alex hated her.
Didn’t he?
But then why did he look at her like that?
Why did he drive her home instead of leaving her stranded?
Why did it seem like he was holding himself back?
She was scared to admit her own desires, scared to even acknowledge how deep she had already fallen.
The plan had been simple-stay away from Alex Blackwell.
And she had been doing exactly that.
Until he kept finding her.
Over and over again.
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And the worst part?
She knew he could still be playing games with her.
She knew this could be another sick, twisted game of his, and yet… she was already losing.
Because she would fall for it.
Again.
And again.
She let out a shaky breath, blinking up at the ceiling.
She needed to leave.
She needed to get out of this town.
Her phone vibrated next to her.
She grabbed it, eyes scanning the screen.
Emily (3 messages):
Where are you?
Are you okay?
Mia, call me.
Mia sighed, quickly typing back:
I’m fine. I’ll explain everything at work.
She tossed the phone aside, running a hand through her hair.
She still had no idea what Emily had been thinking, setting her up with Phil like that.
He had acted like they had plans-like Mia had agreed to something.
Like they were supposed to hook up.
But Emily had never mentioned anything like that.
She had only said her boyfriend’s friend was coming along, and Mia had shrugged it off, uninterested.
There had been no talk of a date.
No agreement to entertain him.
Not even a simple dance.
Mia turned onto her stomach, burying her face into the pillow.
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She just wanted to sleep.
To stop thinking about Alex.
To stop feeling like her entire world was spinning out of control.
Eventually, exhaustion pulled her under.
Mia barely had time to process everything before she was pulling Emily into the dressing room at work, shutting the door behind them.
Emily’s eyes widened. “Mia, what’s going on? What happened last night?”
Mia took a deep breath. “Phil.”
Emily blinked.
Mia clenched her fists. “He tried something, Emily. He wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
Emily’s mouth fell open. “Wait. What the fuck? Are you serious?”
Mia nodded stiffly.
Emily looked horrified. “He-he tried to force himself on you?”
Mia swallowed hard but nodded again.
Emily’s face twisted in disgust. “That bastard. We saw him pass out with some girl in a back room. He told us you left with a guy. He was mumbling his name but we didn’t hear him-”
Mia looked away.
She wasn’t going to tell Emily that Alex had saved her.
That Alex had taken her home.
That Alex-
No.
It didn’t matter.
She forced a small, weak smile. “I’m okay, though.”
Emily shook her head, still in shock. “Mia, I’m so sorry-I had no idea-”
“It’s fine.”
“No, it’s not-”
Mia placed a hand on Emily’s shoulder, gently pushing her toward the door.
“We have to get back to work.”
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Chapter 50
Emily hesitated, searching Mia’s face, like she wanted to argue.
But eventually, she sighed, running a frustrated hand through her hair.
“This isn’t over, Mia.”
Mia gave her a small smile.
She knew that.
But right now, she just needed to breathe.
Alex gripped the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white. His car was parked outside a familiar hospital, the sight of it making something heavy settle in his chest.
He didn’t move.
Didn’t blink.
Didn’t breathe for a second.
Coming here had been his decision. He’d been planning this for days, and now that he was finally here, his entire body resisted the idea of stepping out of the car.
His head dropped against the steering wheel with a thud.
He was here to see his aunt.
His mother’s sister.
His therapist.
She had been trying to get him to come in for years, always saying the same thing.
“Having that man as your father is enough reason to be coming here, Alexander”
She wasn’t wrong.
But that wasn’t the reason he was here today.
No, today was about something else entirely.
Something much worse.
A girl.
A girl with big, beautiful doe eyes and the softest fucking smile he had ever seen.
A girl he was supposed to hate.
A girl he had used.
A girl he couldn’t fucking get out of his head.
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Chapter 50
Alex groaned, his head hitting the steering wheel again, harder this time.
Mia Turner.
She was under his skin.
And no matter what he did, he couldn’t get rid of her.
Every time he closed his eyes, she was there. Every time he breathed, he swore he could still smell her perfume.
And yesterday-
Yesterday had wrecked him.
That asshole, Phil.
Alex’s jaw tightened at the memory, his grip on the steering wheel becoming almost painful.
The way Phil had touched her. The fear in Mia’s eyes. The way she had looked at Alex when he’d shown up, like she couldn’t believe he was there.
The way he had wanted to kill Phil for even thinking about touching her.
Alex’s heart pounded, his emotions a fucking mess.
This wasn’t him.
This wasn’t who he was.
He didn’t care about people. He didn’t fucking care about Mia Turner.
And yet-
Why couldn’t he stop thinking about her?
Why did his chest feel tight every time he remembered her looking at him with hurt in her eyes?
Why did he feel wrong when she wasn’t near?
Why did his entire fucking body react to the thought of her?
His mind was spiraling.
He needed this to stop.
He needed to get a grip.
Before he could change his mind, he shoved his door open and stepped out, slamming it behind him.
The cold air hit his skin, but it did nothing to clear his thoughts.
His legs felt heavier with every step as he walked toward the hospital doors.
He had called his aunt last night.
She had immediately offered to clear her entire schedule for him.
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Chapter 50
Of course she wants to see him. Alex was never one to visit family or even stay in touch so this must be an exciting day for his aunt who has been crying about him not even picking her calls.
He just never thought a Turner of all people would be the reason he booked an appointment he has been avoiding for years.
Well here he was.
Walking into a fucking therapist’s office because he couldn’t stop feeling.
He hated it.
He hated her for making him feel this way.
He hated himself even more.
But he had to figure this out.
He had to understand why she was making him feel this way.
Why his heart raced every time she looked at him.
Why he couldn’t stop picturing her lips, her voice, her fucking smile.
Why it felt like the world had shifted the moment she had entered his life.
He needed answers.
And he needed them now.
