Losing Control Read Free

“We just hate assholes like Nick who can’t appreciate a good woman.”
    “Pretty sure his friends must be saying the same thing about me.”
    “Well, his friends can suck my proverbial dick.”
    “Seriously though Penny,” I said. “I don’t even know what I’m supposed to do here.”
    “Oh,” she said, knowingly. “You’re new to single life, huh? Don’t worry about a thing. I’m making you a care package in the evening. Hint: it’ll have plenty of condoms.”
    “Penny!”
    “What? I’m serious! What’s the point of leaving your stupid fiancé if you’re not going to have some crazy hot single sex?”
    “We can discuss this over cheap wine and expensive chocolate. When are you coming over?”
    “Babe, I do have work to get to,” she said. “But I’ll try to get off a little earlier. I’ll see you in the evening. Where are you staying?”
    “In this crappy motel,” I told her, looking around once again at my dismal surroundings. “It stinks in here and there are serious bug problems. I need to find a place, Pen.”
    “Oh wow,” she said. “I feel like such an idiot! Listen, I’ve been looking for a roommate for so long! When I come by we can move you into my place.”
    “Penny, I don’t want to do this, you know?”
    “What? Take a friend’s help?”
    “Well, yeah.”
    “You do realize that’s the most ridiculous statement anyone in the entire world has ever come up with?”
    “I’m starting to see that.”
    “So, shut up and I will see you soon. Make sure you dress up because we’ll be going out on the prowl. It’s Friday! We’ll make sure Nick isn’t even a problem after tonight.”
    “Just come!” I said, unable to conceal my cheerfulness. “I’ll text you the address.”
    Even as I was talking to her I kept getting texts and calls from Nick. Less than twenty-four hours ago, he was in bed with another woman and not for the first time. He barely had time for me in months. But now apparently, he was so into me that he had done nothing but texted and begged all day. Of course this made me despise him even more than I did the night before. And when I looked around at the motel room I realized sitting in here moping wasn’t going to be a good start of a new life. So I decided to take a walk. I looked in the mirror and brushed my unruly red hair. This was a new life and a chance to correct whatever went wrong before. A chance not to repeat the previous mistakes at the least. I had barely stepped out of the room when a man, dressed in what appeared to be a driver’s uniform, stepped out of the black limousine parked right outside. It was when he spoke in my general direction that I realized he was standing there waiting for me.
    “Miss Monroe?”
    “Yes?” I said, trying not to sound too surprised.
    “My name is Stanton,” he said. “My employer sends his regards. The car is for you. Mr. Ryker would be delighted if you could see him for brunch.”
    “Who?” I asked, the name entirely forgotten.
    Stanton helped brush up my memory. “Thorne Ryker?”
    “Ryker?” I said, remembering the odd little meeting at the diner from last night. Why would he think that? I barely know him. Why would he assume that I would want to see him?
    “Perhaps you would like to talk to him?” Stanton said patiently. I realized this was just a job the poor guy did and I didn’t want to be rude to him, but I also didn’t want Thorne getting the wrong idea. I accepted the phone he gave me and Thorne was on the other end of the line.
    “Elena?”
    “Yes—”
    “Good,” he sounded genuinely happy. “Are you joining me for brunch, then?”
    “Thorne,” I said. “I don’t like being stalked.”
    “I’m not stalking you.”
    “Really? How’d you find out where I was staying without following me here?”
    “I was worried.”
    “Well, I appreciate your concern and now that you have learned that I’m fine, perhaps we can get back to our lives?”
    I said this and handed the phone