June snapped awake to her heart pounding and mind empty. It was as if a pile of adrenaline was dumped into her system. She cupped her head and squeezed her eyes, steadying her breathing rate. She slowly open her eyelids to the chandelier lights hung above her. She wrinkled her nose as she took in the unfamiliar surroundings she was in. Gray painting on the wall. Two wooden doors were directly opposite where she was. Space spread across the room. And an oak floor. This wasn’t her room so where the hell was she? June jolted up and whined at the sudden ache forming in her head. Her brain spiraled with no recollection of what she was doing here. Or how she got here in the first place. She looked around the room, stopping her gaze to pay attention to the summer landscape artwork that was hung behind her. She was in Ollie’s house. As the memory of last night flooded her brain, June wished she could go back to the last few minutes when she remembered nothing of last night. Last night p

June walked wearily down the street, still waiting for the guilt of losing her virginity to hit her. Not that she didn’t feel any hint of shame but she had expected self loathe to hit her like a hurricane. She’d thought she would have to cry herself to sleep after. Instead, It only left her an empty hollow in her chest. The indifference she felt inside her scared her after years of trying to prove a point so much she built her personality around it. It took a huge space in her lungs for so long she was finally about to breath after letting it go—though she would have wanted to lose it differently—. Understanding dawned on her that without it she was still who she was. And she was nothing like her mother. God knew, she had a long list of why she and her mother were polar opposite. Shitty thing to do but she would go miles to feel better about herself for ones in her life. June wasn’t perfect but she was never her mother. They were two sides of a coin. At least, one thing she was su

Ollie scuffed his nose and his stare stayed fixed on the large cone sign on top of the ice cream parlor. “This is where you want to come?”June bobbed. Her inside was already jellylike unable to contain her excitement. This place was famous for selling the most expensive ice cream in the city. She had tasted it once with the twins and it was worth the hype and price. “This is what’ll make you happy? Taking ice cream makes you happy?” He said with puzzlement as if he couldn’t believe it even when she’d told him six times now and counting because this wasn’t the last time he would ask her. “Yes.”Perplexity played out on his face and a furrow contoured into his forehead. “Something as mundane as ice cream—.” “Yes, Ollie, something as mundane as taking Ice cream makes me happy.” Frustration girdled her shoulder. Ice cream makes everyone happy. “I meant it when I said I will do anything, you know,” June grumbled, frustrated. He was about to say something painstakingly long. “I very

Theo’s Bentley pulled over at the entrance of a familiar casino—the same one she followed John. A smile towed her lips as she remembered how Ollie had helped her that day even though she didn’t tell him what was going on. He’d made effort to put her in good mood but she couldn’t bring herself to force a smile that day because John had squandered her money. Theo stepped out of the car and stretched a hand out to her which she took without deliberation.She took his hand and muttered A thank you to him. The parking lot was swimming with luxury cars and people adorned in luxury accessories.Unlike before, June was not out of place. She wore a glittering silvery dress silted by the side. It had a v-neck off-shoulder that dipped down revealing her cleavages and the back dipped to her waist too. The dress made her slightly gauche but she didn’t have a choice. Theo had said she wore it or the deal was off and she wasn’t about to let go of twelve thousand dollars. Theo placed his palm on

The black satin curtain covering the stage rolled over to either side, revealing a large poker table. Anticipation buzzed around the corners of the wall. The game was the highlight of the evening. It was the sole reason why members gather here every Friday. To show off money. Or skills. Ollie looked briefly in June’s direction for the nth time— losing counts. Ollie had never struggled with keeping his anger in check. He was a master of controlling his emotions. But it was quickly slipping off his hands at the image of June and Theo together. A fiery pit scorched inside his stomach. He was on the verge of losing it. It was driving him crazy. Seeing Theo with her had him snarling like a rabid dog. Anger choked his throat, leaving him breathless and yearning for oxygen. His blood pooled with fury. He loathed it. June with Theo made acid churn his inside eating away his gut slowly. Million of questions skimmed through his mind haphazardly making it hard for even his brain to keep up