Painful Pleasures

Chapter 4

"Aah!" I sigh erotically as I drop my sixth empty martini glass next to the prior five and pop the stuffed olives into my mouth. I chew and swallow, enjoying the bitter, spiky hot liquid oozing from it.
As my body tingles with excitement, my hair brushes against my head and shoulders, making it tingle the more.
I can't help but giggle, realizing I don't remember losing my ponytail.

"So stupid." I slurred between giggles as the bartender starts to take my empty glasses away.

"You okay?" He asks as he takes the last glass.

"Okay? Pfft. I'm perfect." I say smiling at him. Why didn't I take alcohol earlier? I've never felt so carefree.
Screw you, Jay!

"Maybe you should go home." The bartender says, frowning as he studies me.

"Come here." I say, curling my index finger and he leans in.

"Why so serious?" I whisper to his ear and burst out laughing at my own words while he shakes his head.

"Joker lines huh?" He says and I nod, still giggling.
Why am I giggling again?
Who cares!

"Who says money can't buy happiness? Another dirty martini!" I exclaim and he looks at me with a frown.

"I think that's enough."
The deep voice behind me causes me to jerk a little when I turn but I'm greeted with familiar grey eyes.

"Hey! Look who it is, my very own knight in shining denim." I say smiling at his knitted brows and intense gaze.

"It's time to get you back." He says as he reaches over and pulls me up after dropping money for my drinks

"The name's April. Who are you, my future husband?" I slur as we make our way outside and he hails a cab.

"For your sake, I hope not." He says as he carries me inside.

"Hard to believe, since you're already carrying me bridal style." I giggle and lean on him, enjoying the warmth.

"Jay never carried me, or held me close," I say, playing with the light switch in the car. Griffin does not reply but stares at me for long with a thoughtful gaze.
I giggle at his expression, not the least bit idea why he was staring.

"What?" I slur. My voice comes out deep and husky.
Dirty martini rocks!

"Who's Jay?" He says.

"My ex-boyfriend who broke up with me on voicemail."

"You should probably stop talking." He says, looking away.
My words hang in my head like a black cloud and the reality I fought to ignore is back.
It didn't work out.
He didn't try to fix it.

"My life should be a reality show..."

"Stop talking."

"I was so good to him. Do you think if I told him I was pregnant that he would come back?"
My hands are already composing the text when Griffin snatches my phone.

"Stop it."

"Ha! Trick question, silly. We didn't have sex...but he felt pretty good nailing my sister." I say, realizing the truth of the words as I hear them out loud.

"Would you just. Shut. Up." He says, glaring at me, and the driver glances at us briefly through the rearview mirror.

Tears clogged my throat and all the emotions I have been fighting, the sadness, anger, confusion, everything pours out.

"What the hell? What in God's name is wrong with you! All of you! Boys are so infuriating! One minute you're yelling at me in a cafe and the next you're helping me! One minute you're saying you never want to let me go and the next you're nailing my sister in my fucking bedroom!"
Tears are streaming down my face now and I'm pulling my hair in the explosion of emotions I had tried to hold in.