Thank fuck it’s Friday. That’s all I can say. I’ve had a bitch of a week. My assignment came back with a shit grade, despite me sweating actual blood on it and my boss put me down for all the night shifts he could get away with so my body clock is all messed up, making me even more cranky.
The only good news was my mum’s been away on a business trip so I’ve managed to avoid her going off about the state of my room, and the fact I’ve loaded the fridge with more junk food than ever.
I’m not even that big a drinker, I don’t really like alcohol but tonight, tonight I just need a drink and some time off.
“Eden, over here.” Katie my best friend calls as I walk into the new swanky bar they’ve decided we have to check out this evening. We’re only just old enough to be allowed in here, but the fact we both look mid-twenties means no one has challenged us.
And the fact we’re both wearing short, slutty dresses definitely helps.
“How long have you been here?” I ask eyeing up the half-drunk cocktail.
“Not long. Max picked me up straight from work.” She says sipping her drink. “Aron is here…” She adds smirking.
“Where?” I ask glancing around. It’s not that I don’t want to bump into him it’s just I’m tired and I wanted a girls night, not a night of pandering to his ego.
“Over by the bar.” She says jerking her head in the direction of where he’s stood staring at me.
“Fucksake.” I mutter.
“What’s the matter? I thought you two were good?” She says.
“Yeah, we are.” I reply. Though it’s not exactly true. All we do is argue these days. Bicker. And tonight I just can’t be bothered with it. “Want a drink?”
“I’m good.” She says as Max turns up draping his arm around her shoulders.
“Aron’s looking for you.” He says.
“Yeah I heard.” I reply before wandering off because if I don’t make an effort it’ll only piss him off more.
“Baby.” He says as I lean on the bar. Even his voice is annoying me. And to call me baby? Jesus could he be any more cliché?
“I’ve had a long week.” I murmur.
“Is that why you’ve been ignoring my messages?” He says narrowing his eyes.
“I’ve been busy. I’ve had college and I got put on nightshifts.”
He snorts. “You don’t need to work Eden. I don’t even know why you bother.”
I grit my teeth and turn around trying to get the bar man’s attention because right now I need a drink or I’ll punch his god damn face in.
It’s true I don’t need to work. Dominic gives me an allowance. A more than generous allowance. He also pays all my college tuition despite my mother earning enough money to do it herself. Only she won’t.
Perhaps that’s why I insist on having a job, on paying my own way where I can. I don’t want to be like her, acting like a gold digger, and all the allowance Dominic gives me I intend to pay back.
Of course my mother scoffs at me when I state that. As if I’m a silly little girl who has no idea what the world is like. She then tells me that I’ll never do it, I’ll never manage it. That I’ll end up like her dependent on a man and she’ll be there saying ‘I told you so’.
She’s half the reason I’m still in this city, because she wouldn’t let me go to college anywhere else. She said it was because of the expense, like she didn’t want Dominic wasting any more money on me, but we both know it’s about control. She wants me here, where she can keep her eye on me but not in a motherly, protective way like other parents would. Not my mother.
“Vodka coke.” I say to the bar man. “No ice.”
“Got ID?” He asks and I huff as Aron laughs.
“She’s twenty one mate.” He says.
“Sure she is.” The barman replies. “So she won’t have a problem proving it.”
“I forgot it. Left it in my car.” I say and he rolls his eyes. It’s not actually a lie. It is in my car because I got pulled over the other day and dropped it behind one of the seats.
“Sure you did love. You planning on driving home after, adding DUI to your list of crimes?”
I cross my arms. “Fucksake.”
“Tell you what, I’ll give you a coke, no vodka, no ice.” He says. “And I’ll let it pass that you’re too young to even be in this place.”
“What a gentleman.” I snap and he laughs grabbing a glass and filling it up.
“You’re welcome.” He says. “That’ll be £2.”
“Put it on my tab.” Aron says.
“Fuck off I can pay myself.” I state pulling out a £5 note and passing it quickly over.
The bar man looks between us and, as Aron walks off annoyed, he takes the money.
“I want the change.” I say. No way is he getting a tip right now.
“Eden.”
My stomach drops as I hear his voice and I turn almost reluctantly to look at him. He does a slow take of me, from my heels, up my legs, to my tight bodycon dress, and he stops when he reaches my face.
I gulp. Of all the bars he had to be in he just had to be in this one, tonight.
He’s wearing a shirt. It’s open slightly and I can see the hint of chest hair. Despite the scowl on his face, despite the irritation, he looks fucking hot right now.
“Why are you here?” He asks.
“I’m just out with a few friends.” I reply. “I’m not even drinking.”
“Not for want of trying.” The barman says placing my change on the counter with his impeccable timing.
I turn to curse him and Dominic grabs my arm. “How much have you drunk?” He asks.
“I haven’t.” I say. “And besides I’m an adult, I can have a drink if I want too.” I half snap.
He opens his mouth to reply but I don’t wait to hear it. I pull my arm free and walk away. It’s the first time he’s touched me, been around me, hell even properly spoken to me in months and this is how he wants to be? And anyway I’m perfectly entitled to be here, just as he is.
My skin is tingling where his grip was. My body is flushing with something stupid. And all I can think about is how his face looked when I slipped his dick in my mouth.
“Isn’t that your stepdad?” Katie says as I join them. They’re sat around, all my friends are here now, a big group of us. Aron is still shooting me daggers but I ignore it sipping my coke.
“Yeah.” I murmur.
“And he’s drinking here too?” She says.
“Looks like it.” I reply glancing back, stupidly, and making eye contact with him again. He’s with Timothy his Finance Director and as I stare Eric, his brother, walks in. Just fucking fantastic.
There’s a bunch of women hanging around them now, congregating. Eric and Dominic are a big enough name in this city to get attention wherever they go and I feel a streak of something akin to jealousy as I watch them try to flirt with the man I know I shouldn’t want.