Chapter 46 The Aftermath

Chapter 46 The Aftermath
Tom’s POV

I woke up slowly, my head spinning in a way that made the room tilt and sway. My mouth was dry, my thoughts sluggish, like they were moving through thick syrup. 

Every blink seemed to take effort, every movement a calculation. I tried to push myself upright, only to realize my hand was trapped. Confused, I turned, and the sight that greeted me made me pause. 

Jane was lying next to me, completely asleep. Her hair fanned across the pillow, one arm curled beneath her head, her chest rising and falling in quiet rhythm.

I looked down at myself. My shirt was gone. I wasn’t exactly naked, but I wasn’t dressed either. My mind raced, trying to piece together the night. What the hell had happened? I hadn’t meant for this. I hadn’t even realized how exhausted I was. Had I really just collapsed here after coming over? Was the alcohol doing this? Or was I just that tired from everything that had happened over the last few days?

I tapped lightly on her arm, just to make sure I wasn’t imagining it. She shifted slightly but didn’t wake. My eyes caught the digital clock on the nightstand, and my stomach sank. 8 p.m. Already? Shit. Shit, shit, shit. I was late for work. Late, and now Jane was here, and she hadn’t left either.

I shook her gently. “Hey. You’re late for work,” I whispered.

She yawned, stretched lazily, and blinked at me. “What? I’m late?” Her voice was soft, thick with sleep, still groggy.

“Yes, you’re late,” I said, my urgency building. “And I’m late too.”

“Well, I’m the manager. I can come whenever I want,” she said, still half curled up on the bed, curling closer to me in a way that made my chest tighten. She shifted, laying her head on my chest, her arm draping across me.

I froze for a moment, the weight of her closeness pressing against me. It was tempting, more than tempting, but I couldn’t afford it. I couldn’t indulge this now. Trisha. Work. Everything that awaited me outside this room. I had to move, and I had to move fast.

“I have to go,” I said quietly, gently lifting her arm off me. “I really have to go. As much as I would love to stay, I can’t. I have to get ready for work, and I need to get home.”

She lifted her head slowly, her eyes narrowing as she studied me. “Why? Are you rushing to meet with your fiancée?”

I froze for a split second, letting the words sink. Her smile was knowing, teasing, and a little sharp. I could see the implication. I took a deep breath and shook my head. “See, I know how it looks and how it sounds, but just imagine if you were in my shoes. You’d need to go home too soon. You’d understand.”

Jane snorted softly. “I can’t imagine myself in your shoes, Jason. But I get your point. It’s fine. We can meet up some other time.”

I nodded quickly, grateful for her understanding, and started pulling on my shirt, hurriedly but methodically. I needed to be out of here. Fast. My heart was still racing from the night, from the closeness, but there was no room for hesitation.

Once dressed, I grabbed my keys and wallet and slipped out of the apartment. The elevator ride down felt slow, each ding of the floors dragging my thoughts back to everything that had happened. 

My hands gripped the keys tighter than necessary. My mind ran through the events of the night again, trying to make sense of them. I knew I had to get home first. I had to explain myself to Trisha in some plausible way, smooth out the potential chaos, and still get ready for work.

The city streets were alive in the evening. Cars honked around me, tires squealing slightly against wet pavement. The light from the streetlamps reflected off the windshield, splintering across the dashboard in a blur. 

Every red light felt like an eternity. I checked the clock on my car dashboard repeatedly, each glance ratcheting the tension tighter in my chest. Traffic crawled in stretches. Some drivers were impatient, honking and weaving in ways that made me grind my teeth. Others seemed oblivious, content to move at a snail’s pace as if the whole world had slowed down.

I thought about calling Trisha, just to reassure her that I was on my way, but the phone stayed silent on the passenger seat. I couldn’t risk her asking questions I wasn’t ready to answer yet.

The cityscape rushed past, a mix of blurred lights, distant sirens, and the low rumble of engines. My thoughts moved faster than the car ever could.

I caught myself replaying Jane in my mind. How close she had been. The way she had spoken, the way she had looked at me. Even now, I felt a knot of conflicting emotions tightening in my chest. 

There was a thrill in it, undeniably, but it was sharp and dangerous, like a warning I couldn’t ignore. I forced the thoughts aside, concentrating on the drive, the traffic, the urgency of getting home in time to sort things out.

Finally, I pulled into my building’s parking lot. I grabbed my bag and keys, moving quickly, and made my way upstairs. Each step echoed against the walls, my heart still racing. I opened the door to my apartment and immediately saw her. Trisha sat on the couch, legs curled beneath her, eyes fixed on the door as if she had been waiting for my arrival.

I sighed quietly. I had expected questions. I had expected suspicion. And I was right.

“Where have you been?” she asked immediately, her voice calm, controlled, but threaded with irritation.

“I’m really sorry,” I said, stepping inside and closing the door behind me. “I didn’t even get your phone. I got held up.”

“Held up? What do you mean?”

“I got arrested,” I lied, hating the words even as they left my mouth.

She blinked, startled. “You got arrested?”

“Yes,” I said quickly, holding her gaze. “It’s a long story, and I’m even late for work. I need to get ready and go, but I’ll leave my ATM card with you so you can get your phone or whatever else you need. Is that okay?”

She looked at me for what felt like a long time, her expression unreadable. Finally, she nodded. “I guess so. But you owe me a proper apology when you get back.”

“I love you so much,” I said, hurrying to my room to start getting ready. “Thank you for understanding.”

Inside my room, I pulled on my suit and tie, methodically checking everything to make sure I didn’t forget anything. My mind was racing, replaying the events of the night, my thoughts split between what had happened with Jane, the consequences of my lateness, and how I would explain this all to Trisha without causing more suspicion than necessary.

By the time I stepped out of my room, fully dressed and ready, the weight of the night and the day ahead pressed on me. I glanced at the clock. Time was slipping, and every second counted. I ran my hands through my hair once, took a deep breath, and prepared myself for the long day that was only just beginning.