Chapter 45 At What Cost?

Chapter 45 At What Cost?
Sloane’s POV

How has my life become this mess?

As the driver navigated through the shiny streets of Los Angeles California, I chewed on my fingernails.

Where on God’s earth was I going? I didn’t know. 

“Do you have a destination in mind?” His voice interrupted my thoughts.

“Just keep going. I’ll pay you extra.”

Money could solve all of our problems, yeah? Even though I didn’t have any and I’d rather be damned than ask him for money.

“Ma’am, this is not about money. It’s damn near midnight and I have a policy. I do not drive past a certain time.”

“Oh….” I bit my nails further, my anxiety only worsening.

“So what are we going to do now?”

“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “You could give me a location and I’ll drop you there.”

I double tapped on my screen and saw that he’d been cruising around for more than thirty minutes. He had every right to be pissed at me.

What would I do with my life now?

I bit my nails some more before clearing my throat. Then, I looked outside and my eyes landed on a building.

“There. There.” I pointed at the building on the east side.

“That’s a liquor store. You sure that’s where you wanna go?” His brows bunched up in shock and concern.

“Yeah. Yeah. It’s fine.”

No it wasn’t. It was in times like this I wished I had a car in this city.

Shortly, he dropped me right in front of the liquor store. Grabbing all of my stuff, I paid him and slammed the door shut.

I made my way into the building, grabbed a couple of bottles of beer and went to check out.

Once out, I held all of the things I owned plus the ones that I just paid for like ruthless possessions before heading up north as though I knew where I was going.

Walking around at such an odd hour felt like the worst thing to do, yet, it was at that moment I felt like I had purpose.

After walking for hours, I finally stopped at the beach. My heart felt content all of a sudden. Like this was the much needed getaway that I needed.

Immediately, I began to strip off my clothes. I was down to my bra and my panties.

I looked around me and the whole area was isolated. I thrived in settings like this.

I would finally get some real work done after weeks of suffering from a creative block.

I sat in the sand, pulled my laptop out of the bag and popped open a bottle of beer as I began to work. The sound of the waves made it so much better.

I found myself wishing that everyday could be like this.

Just like that, it was 2:00 AM and I had achieved so much more than I had achieved in a very long time.

The lines did not seem so blurred anymore.

It was time to edit all that I had been typing.

Somehow, I had downed two bottles of beer.

Shock engulfed me. Malik was rubbing off on me and it was not in a good way. At least, the alcohol pushed my productivity button.

Thirty minutes of reading my words on the screen of my MacBook and suddenly, my eyelids felt droopy.

I grabbed the bottle and downed some more beer. Just five more lines and I would be done with this section.

Hang in there, Sloane.

Licking my lips, I continued editing.

“Hmm hmm hmm….”

Freezing, my eyelids popped wide open as I sat there in fear.

Why did I come out tonight?

Tonight was too good to be true.

Maybe I should have just tolerated Malik and stayed back at the mansion. Now, I was fucked.

My heart rate literally tripled as I turned around to look.

Seeing nothing, I slammed my laptop shut, and bolted in the direction of the exit.

I didn’t take three steps when powerful arms wrapped around me, pulling me into a tight torso.

The scent was unfamiliar.

“I don’t bite, beautiful. I don’t know why you’re scared of me and why you’re trying to run.”

Oh I definitely remembered that voice.

He released me a bit and spun me around so that I was looking at his face.

As soon as my eyes greeted him, a loud scream tore free from my throat.

Marcus Webster.

In a million years, I did not think that I would see this man here.

“Come on, Sloane!” He said with gritted teeth, pulling me to him again before his palms covered my mouth, preventing me from screaming.

“I fucking hate that you’re making me do this. I did not want to touch you until you were ready.” He spilled.

By now, I was struggling to break free from his hold.

Terror engulfed me like a spirit possessing a priest in need of an exorcism.

“Don’t be scared of me. Come on. Do you promise that if I let you go, you will not scream or run away from me again?” He asked.

I nodded because where I wanted to be was away from this fucking man!

He finally let me go.

I took a few steps away from him, but he spun me around so that I was facing him once again.

He stepped closer, tucking a strand of hair behind my ears.

“You never contacted me after I sent you the flowers. Did I do something wrong?”

I shook my head no.

“Then why?”

“I……”

“That fucker bothering you? He does not want you to live your life?”

I rolled my eyes. 

What we were not going to do was hurl insults at Malik.

“My boyfriend is not a fucker.”

“Oh please.” He raised his palm up in contradiction.

“He’s a washed up athlete who should not have a spot on the team. All of the promos he’s getting, I deserve it because I’m better than him. I’ve always been. He came to the league with some fuck ass story about his mother and depression and now everyone thinks he should be the face of the league…..”

“Stop!” 

This time around, it was my turn to raise up my hand to stop him.

“Don’t you talk about my boyfriend like that? Ever.” I was shitless scared but fuck it.

“Or what?” He asked. His tone was scary.

I was quiet.

I took a couple of steps backwards, but he was quicker.

“I said.” He began, stepping closer and encroaching in my space. “Or what?”

He grabbed my arm roughly, looking into my eyes.

I struggled to break free, but Marcus Webster was a big man.

“You know, I don’t know what it is you want from me. I have gone above and beyond to prove to you that I want you. You want me to prove that Malik is an asshole before you can be mine?” He muttered.

“Just leave me alone.”

“I can’t.” He shook his head, laughing out loud. “You’re too fucking pretty to ignore. Every time I close my eyes, I see you kissing that fucker when it should be me who you’re kissing. Fuck, Sloane.” He panted.

Before I knew what was happening, he was wrapping his hand around my waist and pulling me close to him.

“What are you doing?” I asked in a pleading whisper.

I struggled to break free, but my strength was no match for that man.

“Doing what I should have done the first time I saw you. Fuck being respectful.” 

His lips clashed against mine. I whined in protest, fighting him, but he only pulled me closer.

I punched against his chest, kicking his legs but he continued kissing me.

By the time he finally let me go, tears were falling down from my eyes.

“You tasted better than I imagined.”

“Fuck you!” I cried out, using the back of my hand to wipe my lips clean.