Liam stopped as he saw the effect he had on Emily. The way she had rushed out of the club made him forget whatever anger he was feeling towards her. Without thinking he tried to follow her but Charlotte stopped him.

“What are you doing?”

“I don’t know. I just didn’t know she would run out like that.”

“You two broke up, remember? There is no reason for you to get all protective of her.”

They were now squeezing their way out of the crowd.

“Besides, Tommy is with her. Don’t you think it will be stupid if you just go to her while she is on a date with someone else.”

Liam sighed. “Yea. I think you’re right.”

As they found their way out, Liam couldn’t stop thinking. If he‘d had such an effect on her, that could mean that she still cared at least to an extent. He really wondered what would be going through her mind at the time. Surely, she would have thought that he was in a relationship with Charlotte. Now he was regretting the stupid stunt he just threw. He really shouldn’t have done it.

A few minutes later, Emily was in the car with Tom driving.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

She nodded, sniffing into the piece of tissue in her hand.

“Would you like to talk about it?”

“I can’t believe that Liam is in a relationship with someone else.”

“Liam?”

“Yea, my… my ex.”

“Woah! Didn’t you just break up yesterday?”

“It wasn’t a breakup, it was just a break.”

Tom stared at her as if she was crazy. “A break? Is it not the same thing?”

“No.”

“Are you sure? Because everyone knows that it means the same thing.”

Emily shook her head in disappointment. “I guess I have been really stupid.”

“Well, you can’t blame yourself. He’s clearly moving on, why can’t you?”

To this, she gave no reply. That was when she realized that Tom wasn’t driving her to her house.

“Hold on, where are we going?”

“I am taking you to my hotel with me, I think you shouldn’t be alone right now.”

Emily was surprised. “You should have told me.”

“Well, I just did. Come on, it will be fun, spending the night together. I promise you I will not do anything I am not supposed to do.”

Emily sighed, this was stupid and she’d had lots to drink, besides, if Liam was moving on, there was no reason why she shouldn’t move on as well.

Liam leaned against the bonnet of the car while holding a bottle of beer in his hand. Charlotte was standing next to him.

“Why are you feeling bad about the whole thing, Liam? I think it was really brave.”

“No, it wasn’t. It was really a stupid, immature thing to do. I shouldn’t have done that.”

Charlotte sighed. “Now what?”

“I told her that I am taking a break, now she will probably be thinking that I am trying to get rid of her.”

Charlotte straightened up and drew closer to him. “But why can’t you get rid of her?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I mean, what is so special about her that you just can’t seem to stop loving her?”

Liam shrugged, drinking from the bottle. “Well, she is beautiful and she likes to work so hard. She is determined and can be weak sometimes but that makes her vulnerable and human, I love that about her.”

“But that is the same thing that is making her misbehave towards you.”

“The truth is, I think I am slightly jealous of her success and it kills me to admit that but I am actually happy for her and I really miss her.”

Charlotte rolled her eyes. He was drinking too much and the things he kept on saying were things she actually didn’t expect.

“I think you have been stuck on her for too long and you need to let her go, This is the reason you are taking a break.”

“I shouldn’t have asked for that stupid break,” Liam admitted, draining the bottle and throwing it to the floor, though luckily it didn’t break.

“I am so sorry that I spoilt your night Charlotte,” he apologized, now heavily drunk and staggering slightly.

“It’s okay, I think we should go home. I’ll drive, you are drunk.”

Emily followed Tom to the receptionist who kept on smiling at them. Her hair was in a ponytail, lips heavily painted in red with deeply tanned skin. Her dress was showing a lot of cleavage but Tommy didn’t seem to be looking, or so Emily thought.

“Hello, Mr. Tommy, how is your evening going?”

“Hi, Rosa. It’s going fine thank you very much. I believe I have a reservation for a room?”

Emily thought she had heard wrong. A room?

“Yes, sir. Here is your key.” The lady handed him a single key while smiling seductively. Emily almost gagged.

“Thank you, Rosa.” He said before they headed towards the elevator.

Liam collapsed onto the couch as Charlotte let go of him.

“Wow! I swear you are going to pay me one day for what I just did,” she said as she sat for a while to catch her breath.

“I am so sorry Charlotte. I didn’t plan to get so drunk like this. I only wanted you to have a good time and now I just spoilt it all for you.”

“Well, at least I didn’t get drunk this time,” Charlotte replied, now standing. “Okay come, on, let’s take you to your room.”

“So, make yourself feel at home Emily,“ Tommy said, walking to a closet to hang his jacket.

For a while, Emily looked around. The room was really large and beautifully decorated. There was no doubt that it was expensive but she still wondered why he had reserved just one room.

“Are we spending the night together?” she finally asked.

“Of course, I told you I wasn’t going to allow you to spend the night alone right?”

Before she could speak, he was right behind her, kissing her on the neck and she had to shift away quickly.

“Tommy… I... I think this has been a mistake.”

“What? No, there is no mistake my darling. Come.” Tom continued, moving closer to her but she kept backing away.

“Tom, stop it, I am not interested in sleeping with you.”

The man stopped, looking at her as if he was seeing her for the first time.

“So, you mean I flew all the way down here for a cookie that I was never going to eat?”

Emily thought she had misheard. “What cookie are you talking about? I thought we were friends.”

“Of course we are friends but we can be more than that. Don’t you want to be promoted in your line of work? Go to all those fancy vacations and conferences?”

Emily was confused. “Of course I do. I am working my ass off for that.”

“Well, then, why are you not drawing closer to me. I can make this quite easy and simple for you.”

Emily couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She has been so stupid. “ I am not that desperate Tommy. How could you ask me about such a thing? I thought you cared about me!”

“But I do. You just broke up with your boyfriend and I know how much you want to have a man just like me and I am making myself available to you. Why are you being difficult?”

Emily’s chest kept rising and falling. The embarrassment was too much for her. “How could you? I thought you were a decent man. I thought we were friends!”

“Friends? I don’t need friends. I’m only doing is because I want you so badly, you are an incredible woman. You work so hard and I am sure you will be so damn good in bed.” Emily slapped him hard on the cheek.

“Liam was right about you all along. You disgust me. Pervert!”

With that, she walked out of the room and slammed the door after her. She couldn’t stop the tears from flowing. She was so angry and so alone. There was only one place she needed to be right now and she didn’t care about whatever issue they have been having, right now, she was ready to apologize and do anything to have him back.