Execution (Off Balance 2)

"Let me guess, he just happens to keep a stash of these babies laying around." When I didn't say anything, his blue eyes lit up. "I'm right, aren't I?"

I shook my head in denial. "No, not really. He's had to go buy them in the past. Today he just happened to have some on hand."

Hayden shifted from foot to foot. He let out a heavy huff. "So he was prepared for the next quick bang is basically what you're telling me." He paused. "Wait. How many times have you taken this garbage?"

"A few."

"A few," he retorted. "How could you put this in your body after how hard you work?"

"I don't know, Hayden. I wasn't thinking."

"Damn straight you weren't thinking. Do you even know—" he stopped himself, and slowly lowered his arm. Hayden's face paled, twisting into a nauseating clarity. His eyes widened. "When you got sick, this was the cause of it? When I took you to the doctor?"

I clenched my eyes shut. I hadn't planned on telling him that little tidbit.

"I think we need another shot," I suggested, deflecting. I tried to step away, but he reached out and clamped a hand over my wrist. His grip wasn’t painful, but ferocity pulsed through his hand and his eyes were dark with fury.

"It was, wasn’t it?"

"Yes and no. We had an argument that led to some rough…ish sex. It hurt to pee the next day so I held it in, which was stupid because it's what caused the infection. The doctor said it could've been a combo of the pill on top of the kidney infection that caused the severe cramping."

"Un-fucking-real. How many times have you taken this shit, Aid?"

I winced at the bite in his tone. "This would be my third time."

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His jaw slackened, and so did the hand holding my wrist. His shoulders dropped, like he'd been defeated for not protecting me sooner. I had no intention of hurting Hayden, but he wanted the truth, and honestly, I needed to get it out.

Dragging a hand through his hair, he tugged at his scalp. He paced the living room, shaking his head, and muttering under his breath. Anxiety clenched my stomach as I watched. His grip crinkled the box, and I sent up a silent prayer in hopes he wouldn't crush the pill. His other hand was a tight fist at his side, the veins in his arm twirling down his forearm. He was so mad, so pissed off I thought he was going to punch my wall, but his next move blindsided me.

Hayden strode up to me, and before I could blink, he tugged me into a hug. He aligned his body with mine and placed his big muscled arms around my shoulders, caging me to him. His entire body trembled with rage. I dropped my fight against him to accept what happened and wound my arms around his lower back. Somehow, I think he needed this more than I did.

"I'm going to fucking kill him," he said with his lips to the top of my head. "He should've never allowed himself to be in a situation where he would be tempted."

"It wasn't all him, you know. I'm to blame too."

Hayden ran a hand down my hair and kissed the top of my head. He nestled me closer to him and gave me a comforting embrace. The vodka was pulsing through my veins and I relaxed into him with a warm sigh. Despite confessing parts of my torrid affair to him, it was a relief to talk about it.

"Do not have sex with him again. Please," he begged, his voice cracking along with my heart. Hayden was my closest friend here. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt him, and while he demanded the whole truth, the truth affected him.

"If you want it…if you want sex, use me. We don't have to be in a relationship, and we don't have to tell anyone. I'm not your coach. I'm not sixteen years older than you. And I'm definitely not someone of authority over you who could trap you into something knowing full well it's wrong. Stay away from him, only work with Madeline from here on out, because the way I'm feeling right now, I could rip his fucking head off. I'm serious, Adrianna."

"He thinks we're in a relationship," I said, staring at his honey colored arms.

Hayden pulled back and looked down at me. One of his hands rested on the small of my back, the other at the base of my neck. His gentle fingers massaged my nape and my body flushed from his touch. I looked up at him and realized the vodka was hitting me faster than I thought…as well as him. We both had the same glossy-eyed look.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it was one of the reasons why he pulled me, but also really because he wants me to hate him to the point where I won't let him come near me since he can't seem to stay away from me, if you catch my drift…"

His lip curled up. "Unreal. He's a real piece of work. So, he took you out of the meet because he thinks you two are in a relationship, all the while he’s screwing his girlfriend at home on a regular basis, and because he can't control himself? Can we say double standard?"

"He said he wants me to hate him."

"And do you?"

I thought about his question before I responded. "Yes and no. It's complicated."