I spent the rest of the week dwelling upon what I had agreed to. I sat in my apartment with guilt weighing heavily on my shoulders. I loved Scott. I wanted to be with Scott. He was doing so much better. Why was I willing to risk screwing that up for Preston? He should just be a client, yet somehow he was something more to me, and that scared me.I told Scott I was going to Tricia's on Friday for a girl’s night. He accepted the lie and it broke my heart the trust he had in me. I gave him a kiss as he left for work before going and changing into a black miniskirt and a lace camisole. I grabbed Preston’s suit jacket and slipped into it. This encounter would be my opportunity to return it. I left my hair down but put loose waves into it and applied my make-up. I slipped into black heels and hurried out the door to catch the bus.My legs bounced nervously the entire ride to the fight. Once off the bus, I had a few minutes to walk. As I approached the building, I noticed a man stand

“Kendra. Kendra.”I slowly opened my eyes and stared into Preston’s green ones. I quickly sat up and cringed as my abdomen cried out in pain. My hand shot over it as Preston looked at me in confusion. “You alright?” “Yeah,” I breathed out as I quickly dropped my hand to my side. “Stomach cramp. Sorry. Did I fall asleep?” He grinned broadly at me. “You’ve been snoring for the past couple of hours.” I groaned as I raised my hand to my forehead. “I’m so sorry. You can take off some money from what you owe me for today since…” He chuckled as he took my hand into his. “I’m not going to do that. I enjoyed the snoring. It went in tune with the music.” I burst into laughter as I covered my face with my hands. “I don’t snore!”His laughter mixed with mine as he gently pulled my hands away from my face. “You do, and it was adorable.”I rolled my eyes as he turned and exited the car. He came around and opened my door and I stepped out beside him. I glanced around and realized we were

“Married,” Jessica remarked as she eyed the man sitting at one of her tables at Kiki’s. He winked at her as we glanced at him. “All the married ones hit on me.”I turned toward her suspiciously. “How do you know he’s married?”She turned her back to the man and leaned against the counter. She raised her left hand and pointed to her ring finger. “He’s got a tan line from his missing ring.”My jaw dropped as I glanced back at him. “That’s disgusting.”She shrugged. “At least I’ll get a good tip if I flirt back. It doesn’t have to go anywhere.”“Kendra!” Becca, another waitress, called my name.I turned toward her to find her carrying a beautiful arrangement of a dozen roses.“You have a delivery,” she said as she handed me the flowers.“Aw,” Jessica drew out with big eyes. “Scott is such a sweetheart.”“He’s definitely a keeper,” Becca remarked.Jessica sighed. “I need a Scott.”“Don’t we all,” Becca called out as she headed off to grab some plates of food

“It’s rape, Kendra,” Tricia stated as she stared wide-eyed at me. I had fled Blue Hades as soon as Scott had left and went straight to her place. She had quickly swept me inside as I showed up sobbing at her doorstep.My hands shook slightly as they held the hot chocolate she had offered me. I sat on her couch, my tears now dry. Why had I run away? What would Dominic and Scott say?“Kendra,” Tricia called in her Southern accent. “You need to report this to the police. You can’t let himget away with it.”I shook my head as I quickly stood up and set the cup down. “I shouldn’t have come here. I shouldn’thave told you. I’m sorry. I just…”“Kendra.” She quickly leapt to her feet and wrapped me in a surprising hug. “Sweetie, you can’t let himdo this anymore. I have turned my head to several of his outbursts and one too many bruises, but this isa new low. Even for him. You don’t have to allow him to get away with this.”“He’s my boyfriend,” I challenged her. “We

I sat atop my suitcase outside my apartment waiting for Preston to pick me up. Scott was still inside asleep. He had been snoring soundly when I left, but nerves still made my legs bounce and my hands tremble. I had to get out of here before he woke up. I told him Tricia was driving me to the bus stop for my private getaway. He couldn't find out the truth.I stood up as my eyes caught sight of Preston's black sports car heading toward me. I grabbed my suitcase and started toward the car before he was even fully parked. He quickly jumped out and ran over to me. He swept the suitcase out of my hand as I took in the sight of him in his skinny blue jeans and an old tour shirt from a rock band. Sunglasses sat atop his head as he smiled at me with his shining green eyes which traveled up and down my body with a simple, yellow sundress on. "Are you in a rush?" he chuckled in his British accent. "Sure," I breathed out in reply as he walked with me over to the passenger door. He opened it