BethanyI'm coming to dinner at dad's tonight. Be there. No lies between us. No drama from you. No complaining when I give you exactly what you want.The drive home was torturous. Bethany held her phone in a shaky hand, her desire to text him back almost consuming her. What would she say? How did she respond to that?I don't want anything from you? Lies.What did she want exactly? A fling? Hot sex on the balcony to sate her lack of attention and attraction from other men for the last few years? She sighed heavily, pulling into the driveway of the mammoth-sized house her soon-to-be stepfather lived in. She turned the car off and sat in silence for a minute, her nerves pulsating along the surface of her skin.If he played it off as a joke, things could return to normal, and she would just never mention seeing him in his office with the blonde. She could keep her mouth shut. Her eyes closed as she dropped her head back, the phone tight in her grip."How do I always get myself into this s

Bethany"So you know we have the Barrington Corp audit committee meeting coming up next week?" Kent turned to Damon, Bethany's eyes on her soon-to-be stepfather as he turned the conversation at dinner from something more casual to business."I do. I've prepared a few things, but I thought we could meet tomorrow morning to discuss the fullness of what you want to be presented." Damon shifted his dark gaze from Kent to Bethany as he lifted his napkin and wiped his mouth. "I'd like to involve Beth if you're okay with that.""Beth?" Kent looked over to Bethany. "Do you go by Beth? I thought you went by Bethany.""I go by either. Most people call me Bethany, but Damon has taken a liking to the nickname I guess." She shrugged, smiling as the rest of the members around the dinner table chuckled."Short and sweet, just like my new sister." Damon lifted his eyebrows in comic challenge."Hey! I'm not short," Bethany grumbled as everyone laughed. Damon had far too many sides to keep up with, and

BethanyThursday morning came much too fast, and the lack of sleep from a night of tossing and turning left Bethany feeling angry and cheated. She skipped breakfast altogether, not wanting to see anyone or have to hold a conversation of any type. She had a small bonus from joining the firm that should hit her account sometime soon; she was just hoping it was in the bank already. Stopping for a coffee was out until she found time to check her online statement, a soft growl leaving her as she turned off the radio and tried to not focus on the night before. Having Damon out at the house while she was there was a complete no at this point. She wanted him too badly, needed him against her, lost in her.She parked the car and angled the rearview mirror down, frowning at herself. Her makeup looked good, not too heavy but professional. Her hair was up in a loose bun, aging her a few years, which wasn't a bad thing at all."Last night was a fluke, and the fucker is messing with you. Let it go,

BethanyThey sat in the fancy restaurant, Bethany's mind far from anything that might help her future and more attuned to the things that would wreck it. The desire to climb into Damon's seat and drown in the scent of him played through the recess of her mind over and over, her stomach aching from tensing it so many times on the short drive over.The waiter approached, and Bethany lifted her menu, trying to blink the haze away from her eyes. Damon had ahold of her in ways that birthed worry. Years of not having sex or time to find the right guy to share herself with had left her a bit too needy. The show of desire by the relentless man across the table from her had destroyed her resolve to leave well enough alone. It would take the attention of someone else to get her mind off of him. Maybe Philip was a good idea. He was cute and safe, attractive and seemed to like her already."Bethany, what are you having to drink?" Kent's voice tugged her from her thoughts."Oh sorry. Water and a g

BethanyA quick stop by the house to change into something more club-worthy, and Bethany was on her way to Masquerade. She applied more makeup than usual, her dress covering everything but hugging her curves and accentuating perfectly just how much of a woman she was. If Sadie wanted to step up against her, she was going to bring it tonight. It had nothing to do with Damon and everything to do with someone needing to put the bitch in her place. The redhead thought she had entitlement, the right to demand things and threaten various people at will, including Bethany."Not tonight." Bethany pulled up to the club and got out, walking into the loud sound of Pitbull's “Time of our Lives” screaming from the speakers. Ben waved his hands wildly at her, a large table over in the far corner theirs. She walked toward them, cursing herself for forgetting a mask. The theme that night was half-mast and the mask was only allowed to cover your eyes.Bethany laughed at the large clown mask that Ben p