Chapter Seven
Lori was tempted to call in the next day, but she didn’t want to appear as humiliated as she felt. So, she went back to her office, bringing only one coffee per brother this time. For a while, no one showed up, and she was almost glad to think she wouldn’t have to interact with anyone all day. But then the main door opened.
Lori was on her computer, doing more research on the twins’ business now that she knew what to look for. At the sound of the door, she looked up to see only one Mr. Jones enter. Judging by his expression, it was Owen.
“I thought I’d find you here,” he said.
“This is where I’m supposed to be, isn’t it?” she asked in a flat tone.
“Not today,” he said. “You’ll be coming with me.”
“What for?” she asked.
“Because I said so.”
“That’s not what… never mind,” she said, grabbing her purse. She followed him out the door and to the exit.
It felt strange, sitting in the back of a private car that matched the one she had been in the other day. Only now, she sat on the right side of the back seat, with Owen to her left; the mirror image of where she’d been before.
For a while, neither of them said anything. She was still a little peeved at him for snapping at her, even though she understood the reason. But more than anything she just didn’t have patience for nonsense today. They eventually pulled up to a curb across from a vacant building.
“Since you have a better understanding of what we do now,” Owen spoke up, “We’ll be scouting out new buildings for a client. They want to upgrade their shop and they need a better location. I’ve had several spots picked out, and we’re going to inspect all of them so that we can narrow down their search.
“Alright,” she muttered.
He looked over at her. “What’s your problem?”
“Nothing,” she said a little defensively.
“, I hope you’re not going to talk that way around the estate agents.”
She turned away from him and rolled her eyes. “I won’t.”
She heard a small huff behind her. “I didn’t think I’d gotten to you so much.”
“You didn’t.”
“Sure, looks like it.”
“Maybe it wasn’t you.” She turned to look at him directly. “Ever think about that?”
He looked amused. “Really? What did he do?”
She looked away without answering.
“Whatever is was, it must’ve been bad. He’s not usually the one who gets to people.”
“He’s your identical twin. I’m sure it happens from time to time.”
“Well, whatever the case, get a grip before we meet with the agents. If you make us look bad, you’re out on your ass.”
She huffed and opened her door after he did.
As promised, she gave her best smiles and friendliest tones to the agents as she was introduced, but had little more interaction with them after that. So, she simply tried to keep a pleasant look on her face as she listened to what they had to discuss with her boss.
But her mind wasn’t really with it. She was too concerned that Owen knew what had happened. That he was just waiting for the opportunity to rub it in her face. But did he really know? Would Oliver have told him just because they were close? She hated not knowing. The trip throughout the property went by quicker than she expected, and before she knew it they were back in the car, following the agent to the next location. And the next and the next. Another agent met up with them midway through to give a second opinion about the properties, which led to much more discussion than Lori was willing to pay much attention to. Owen left her alone for the most part, but every so often he would give her a look that was more than just a casual glance.
Finally, the agents left them alone for a while to get a feel for the place themselves. And Lori took the opportunity to catch a second alone to let her face relax. It felt like such a chore to hold a believable smile for so long, and somehow that made her feel even worse. She meandered into one of the restrooms, pretending to inspect the state of things, but became distracted by her own reflection. Now that she wasn’t wearing a fake mask of pleasantness, she saw what Owen had been talking about. It wasn’t just her tone. It was in her posture and her overall mood. Lori felt disappointed in herself, knowing her father would probably feel the same. His belief was that one was meant to hold themselves to the highest standard when they were representing a business. But she just couldn’t help it. She was human after all.
She jumped a little when she saw something in her peripheral. Owen came through the doorway, looking less snarky and more determined. Lori resisted the urge to roll her eyes in plain sight. Owen came into the bathroom, and closed the door until it was only open a crack before looking at her in the mirror.
“So, what do you think about this place?” she asked, trying to dissuade what she knew was inevitable.
“I’d say the overall feel of the interior isn’t as positive as I would like.”
She gave him a slight look. “I’m being serious.”
“So am I,” he said in a quieter tone than usual. His eyes moved from her reflection to the back of her head. “What’s bothering you, Bennett?”
“Nothing. I’m fine.”
Owen, gave the corner of the room a sarcastic look, knowing she could see it.
“Really,” she said. “I’ll be alright. I can do this.”
“Do what, exactly?” he asked.
“This,” she turned around to face him. “I can be a good assistant, and keep myself in check in front of your associates.”
“But it’s clearly a struggle for you.”
“I won’t” She let her eyes stare right through his chest as she fought to keep herself steady, “I won’t make you or your company look bad. I can handle myself.”
His eyes studied her, his expression unreadable. “If you won’t talk about it, then let me say this at least. For my part… for being hard on you, I admit I have a tendency to go overboard. And I know it can be extra stressful for people. But I’ve seen you handle all of it with… I don’t even know what to call it. But it’s better than I’ve seen anyone else do.”
She said nothing, though he could tell it meant something.
“I won’t say it wasn’t my intention to push you so far, or that it wasn’t my goal to get to you,” he went on, “But even still… it was only meant to go so far. If I make someone feel bad, I don’t actually like them to stay that way.”
“Is this your roundabout way of apologizing?” she asked.
“Seeing you irked was one thing,” he said. “Seeing you like this… I don’t like it.”
“I’m fine.”
“The biggest lie women ever tell.”
“I’m fine!”
“Then why are you crying?”
“I’m not,” she said, even as her vision began to blur beyond denial.
“I know I can be an ass, Bennett, but I’m not actually a bad guy-”
“I never thought you…” her voice broke and she closed her eyes as the first hot tears fell heavily down her face. She let her head fall forward as more quickly followed.
They remained this way for a moment, Owen trying to decide whether it was best to leave her be or stay beside her. Out of nowhere though, Lori wiped her cheeks, took a breath and looked up at him with fresh determination.
“We have a job to do, remember?”
His eyes widened with some surprise and she forced to brief smile to aid her reassurance.
“So?” she said, tossing her head enough for her hair to find its place behind her shoulder. “Shall we get on with it?”
Owen stared at her for a moment more before he quickly leaned in and brought his lips to hers.
Lori gave a muffled cry of surprise before trying to push him back, her breath increasing from surprise. “What are you doing?”
He didn’t answer but brought his hand to the back of her head to bring her close again. His other arm wrapped around her middle to press against him. Immediately, she could feel the hard excitement he had between their hips. It sent a bizarre fluttering sensation through her stomach.
She struggled for a moment, even as his lips continued to move against hers. She felt the strength in her hands begin to fade and instead move to her fingers where they tightened on his shirt. His hand moved down to squeeze her butt without any subtly, earning a muffled squeak from her as his other hand moved down to lift her thigh. Lori broke away for air and felt herself get lifted off the tile floor, and sat on the countertop.
Owen came closer until he stood between her legs and claimed her mouth again as one hand moved up her stomach to squeeze her breast. The idea of such actions might have disgusted her, but feeling it now just felt hot.
Lori couldn’t help but realize how well she fit into his hand. His thumb rolled over her covered nipple as she moaned into him. Her thighs gripped his waist as his other hand slid up her outer thigh. His hands left a trail of heat behind every part of her he touched. He was dominant in the way he kissed her and moved her so she fit snuggly against his body with room for his hands to continue exploring her. This kiss was powered by lust and need, and she tried to give him the same in return. All her frustration and emotion balled up into the outlet that was the man who ravished her.
She kissed him back with excitement of her own and felt his tongue come into play. She opened her eyes, hoping to see the anticipation on his face, but what she saw was…
Oliver.
She gasped a little, which he must have mistook for arousal, because his hand moved to his belt. “Wait, wait,” she said breathlessly as his lips attacked her neck. “Owen, stop!”
“What?” he asked gruffly, pulling back to look at her.
“What about…” her eyes moved to the door, “the realtors?”
“Never mind them,” he said, kicking the door closed with his foot. He went for her mouth again.
“But they’ll hear us,” she said between kisses.
“God, I hope so,” he said huskily, grabbing her sides with both hands.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, her body just as anxious for this. But as she felt his hands move up her thighs and under her skirt, her brain wouldn’t stop shouting at her. This wasn’t right even if he did give her body something it needed. This wasn’t her first choice. No matter how sexy it might be now, she knew she would regret this later when she saw Oliver again. He had been there first. He had been kind to her and seemed like he wanted to be close to her as bad as she had to him.
Owen ran his tongue along her neck and began to work at bringing her panties down. She winced a little at the internal struggle she was having. She really wanted this, she wanted to feel what Owen could do to her. But in the end, she was sure it was just lust, and that she would regret her decision to choose him over his brother.
“Damn it,” she said under her breath. She put her hand over his to stop him. “We can’t do this.”
“Why not?” he asked, looking her in the eye again. He was visibly irritated.
“Because of your brother,” she said pointedly, forcing herself not to look away as realization crossed his face.
He looked at her like he was trying to think of a comeback through his hazy thinking, but ultimately glared at her like he’d been betrayed. All at once, he let go of her and yanked the bathroom door open, causing it to slam against the wall. Lori closed her legs and tucked her hair behind her ear uneasily. She didn’t like how she was feeling now.
The realtors were quickly dismissed, which Lori felt sure would cause problems later. But more than anything, she felt bad about the car ride. Owen got there first and told the driver to take Bennett back to the office before he began walking down the street on his own. Lori thought about going after him, but after the driver kindly invited her to the car, she decided to give him his space.
She spent the whole ride quietly going over everything in her head, wondering what it was she was doing and what it was that she wanted. And what was the right thing to do here?
Once she got to the office, her feet took control and brought her to Oliver’s office before she was sure what she was doing. She opened the door without knocking, pleased to see that he was there and he was alone. He looked up at her with some surprise, then concern as she shut the door behind her. She looked miserable.
“What’s the matter?” he asked.
Lori knew the knot in her throat wouldn’t let her answer even if she did have the words. She walked over to the couch where he sat and looked down at him, determined not to cry again. It was bad enough she’d cried in front of Owen. And that thought made her realize just how much these two looked alike. No wonder she felt confused. Somewhere deep down she knew that they were individual people with unique traits that distinguished them, but now she just needed to feel sure.
“Oliver…” she murmured.
“What happened?” he asked. “Why aren’t you with Owen?”
Owen. She wanted to forget the way Owen had made her body react to him. She needed to forget about that. For the moment, she just wanted to be consumed by Oliver.
Lori leaned down and took his face in her hands, bringing their lips together. A sense of urgency overtook her before she realized it and her kisses became more intense. He was her remedy, and she needed the fix being with him could provide.
Oliver made a muffled sound and tried to get her to stop for a moment. “Bennett, talk to me. What’s going on?”
“Don’t,” she pleaded, caressing his face with both hands. “Please don’t.” She climbed onto his lap and claimed his mouth again. He didn’t pull away as she deepened the kiss. Her fingers immediately began working on the buttons of his shirt, and she felt his hands on her, though not in the most inviting way. Although he didn’t stop kissing her, she could sense the hesitation lingering in him and the tension of his body under hers.
Afraid he might try to stop her again, she rolled her hips to grind over his and wrapped an arm behind his shoulders to hold him tightly against her. Once in her grasp, she kissed him with all the emotion that was welled up inside of her. When she felt him reciprocating, she began to grind herself against the swelling bulge in his trousers purposefully. She circled her hips around him to create more intense stimulation, but it wasn’t enough. She had to get skin on skin.
“God,” he said breathlessly when she finally broke away. She tugged his shirt off his shoulders, careful not to put too much pressure on the injured one, and marveled at his finely-toned chest before trailing kisses over his exposed skin. She moved back up to his mouth and outlined his lips with her tongue. When she got to the bottom lip, she sucked on it and circled it with her tongue. She sat back on his lap and with one quick movement, she tugged her own blouse off, over her head.
Oliver’s eyes immediately fell on her lacy bra and the eager movement of her chest with each riled breath. He looked back up at her as she put her hands to the back of the couch and leaned over him. His eyes seemed darker than before, and she got off on the way they looked at her with unspoken desire.
“Undo the belt,” he said, raising her up enough to give her room. She quickly obliged, pulling the belt free of its loops and undoing the zipper of his pants.
Lori carefully brought his erection out from his trousers. He throbbed in her grip as she reached between her legs, gathered some of her own wet arousal on her fingertips and used them to caress his tip.
His mouth fell open as he watched with excitement, his own hips moving up to meet her fingers. Lori quickly removed her panties before settling back in his lap and guiding him to her entrance. Once there, she guided the top of his cock inside her before sitting down and taking him in completely. She didn’t need slow right now. What she needed was to feel every inch of him inside her, reminding her that he was Oliver and the man she wanted.
Oliver gave a small groan of surprise, evidently expecting her to ease her way into it. But Lori was tired of waiting. Waiting only led to her making the wrong decisions, and she didn’t want to think but feel. Feeling would reassure her of her choice and what she needed.
She shifted her weight forward and felt the delightful sensation surge through her before she began to rock her hips into his. Oliver’s hands gripped her waist as he took in the sight, and Lori loved the expression she saw on his face. It made her feel desired and craved. Riding him this way brought back a sense of control she’d lost and needed back, control she had over her own pleasure and choices. She claimed his mouth once more, moved her hand over his collar, and added more force to her movement. His kisses picked up in speed as she rode him and took both of them closer to the point of release.
Oliver’s hips began to move in rhythm to meet hers, and soon both were putting equal effort into it. The couch shifted with their vigorous rocking, but she didn’t care if it broke as long as Oliver didn’t stop.
Lori’s eager breaths became flooded with her own moans. The sounds they made only made her hotter and more determined, and she gripped the back of the couch for leverage. Oliver tugged her bra down, freeing her breasts above the constraining garment. The sight made him twitch inside of her, and he brought his face close to her chest, feeling her breasts bounce lightly against his cheeks.
Lori threw her head back as she rode him, delighting in the sweet pleasure that pulsed through her again and again with each thrust. He hit the most sensitive parts inside her and brought on an eagerness she had to complete. Her breaths became ragged as she ground her hips into him. Sweat covered them, but the heat of their bodies only added to the build-up between them.
She quickened her pace as she felt the best part coming quickly. In any other moment, she would have dragged it out for as long as she could to savor it. She needed the peak with him and buried her face against Oliver’s shoulder as she cried out with bliss. His hands clung to her back, nails digging into her skin. A tremor shook Lori’s whole body as she felt extra liquid spill between their legs.
Oliver cursed under his breath and turned his head up to kiss her again. She moaned against his lips, and he quickly whispered, “Get up, get up.”
She raised herself off him just in time as he grabbed on his cock and pumped himself to completion, coming all over his chest. Watching as he stroked himself only brought back the ache she thought had died down completely.
His breath came in short, heavy huffs as his own orgasm spread through him, and Lori kissed his lips, feeling the slight vibration as he moaned against her and the tension that melted away as he came back down.
She pulled back and he caressed her face with his clean hand before kissing her again.
Glancing behind her, she saw a box of tissues and took the liberty of cleaning him up.
Once that was done, she carefully straddled him again and held him close while sharing soft kisses. Oliver took care in moving her bra back to the proper position to support her.
For a moment they just held one another close, and Lori felt happy at last.
“Lori?” Oliver said softly.
“Hm?”
“What brought this on?”
“What do you mean?” she asked coyly.
“You know what I mean. Something had to get you riled up to come in here and jump me like that.”
She frowned a little and pulled back to look at him.
“Not that I didn’t enjoy it,” he clarified. “I absolutely did. You’re amazing. But you were upset when you came in.”
She didn’t answer. He reached up to tuck her hair behind her ear.
“Like you were looking to get away from something.”
“I just wanted to feel close to you, okay?” she said with a shrug. “I feel stressed out and, after the way we left things before…” she shook her head. “I just wanted to finish what we started.”
He didn’t look convinced. Lori gave a small huff.
“Why can’t you two just accept that women get upset sometimes? We don’t have an answer for everything.”
“So, Owen made you upset,” he said.
“He… No.”
“Yes he did.”
“That has nothing to do with it.”
“So, you came to me to feel better?”
She sat up. “Why are you being this way?”
“I’m just trying to understand,” he said. “That’s all. If something’s going on between you and my brother…”
“Nothing is going on between us,” she snapped.
“Then why are you getting mad?”
“Because both of you can’t seem to spend any time around me without insinuating my feelings or talking about each other!” she demanded. “What is this? Some part of your game the two of you get off on?”
Oliver opened his mouth but closed it without answering.
Realization came over Lori’s face. “Oh my god… It is, isn’t it?”
“It’s not like that.”
“Oh, I think it is. That’s what everyone was trying to warn me about. That all you two ever do is toy with people until you get all the fun you can out of them.”
He turned his head away without a reply.
Lori scoffed and got to her feet, picking up her blouse and her underwear. “I knew,” she muttered under her breath. “I knew this was a terrible idea and I gave in anyway.” She turned on the spot to face him. “Well you know what? The hell with you both. I don’t care what my dad thinks of you, and I don’t care what he thinks of me for this. I’m too hard a worker to be you guys’ plaything.” She put on her shoes, feeling her anger rise even more when he didn’t try to defend himself. Without a glance back, she stormed out of the office, slamming the door behind her.
Despite her temper, she felt very self-conscious walking through the building. She hadn’t had a chance to properly clean up and was sure anyone within a few feet of her could tell what she’d been doing. And it wouldn’t take a genius to figure out with who.
She pressed the button to the elevator and glared at the doors, willing it to be empty for her.
No such luck. In fact, it was the opposite, as she saw a startled Owen looking back at her. She fought the urge to lower her eyes and instead glared at him, her jaw set tight. He seemed a little puzzled but just stared back at her. The elevator doors began to close and Lori forcefully threw her hand out and yanked one side back to the open position before stepping into the elevator. Owen mirrored her movement by stepping out at the same time and turning around to look at her. Lori hit a button without looking at it and kept glaring at him until the doors closed. Neither looked away.
Once, she was alone, Lori looked away from her angry reflection in the metal doors to see which button she had actually pressed. 3rd floor. She pressed the ground floor button and waited patiently as the doors opened on the third floor; heaving a sigh and looking upward as they closed again. Once, on the ground level, Lori hurried out of the building and walked aimlessly up the sidewalk without any clear idea where she was going. She didn’t feel like waiting for a taxi or like going home. She just walked for a while, trying to let off some of her steam to keep from crying again. Why did women have to be so damn emotional? There was no point in denying it. Sure, she could act tough and professional when she needed to, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t a huge struggle against her own natural instincts. It was an unfair disadvantage, and she hated it.
She stopped to catch her breath outside of a small bar that was tucked snuggly away between two restaurants. She went to reach for her purse only to realize it wasn’t at her side. She thought for a moment and realized she’d left it at the office. She cursed herself and stamped her foot in aggravation. Heaving a sigh, she went in all the same and sat at a little table away from the bar itself. Feeling aggravated and bullied by the circumstances all around her, she held her head in both hands and tried to find some silver lining to hold onto. Something inside told her that it was probably best that she didn’t drink at a time like this, but God she wanted to. She shook her head, wondering why things couldn’t have gone simpler. Why she had to work for a couple of freaks how just happened to also be attractive enough to make her give into her urges like that. Damn them.
“You doin’ alright, honey?” a female voice asked.
Lori looked up expecting a waitress, but instead saw a woman holding a tall glass of half-drunk beer. Not her first, by the look of her.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” Lori said dully. “Thanks.”
“I seen that look before,” she said with a southern state accent Lori couldn’t put her finger on. The lady pointed at her as if she knew exactly what was going on. “You just got outova’ bad relationship, din’ya?”
Lori huffed in annoyance. “Listen, I don’t want to be rude, but I don’t really want to talk about it, alright?”
“You should hav’a beer, it’ll make ya feel better,” the lady said, raising her eyebrows as she took a hefty draught from her own glass.
“I would but I don’t have my wallet with me,” she replied with a forced smile. “No money and no I.D. So, I’m kind of screwed.”
The other lady looked at her in disbelief as she swallowed her drink, wobbled a little, and waved her hand as if it were nonsense. “I can hook you up, baby. Don’t you worry.” She turned toward the bar. “Gerri! Gerri, com’ere!”
A balding man with a mustache and a beer gut came over, mumbling about whatever conversation he’d just been having. The woman cut him off.
“This is my friend,” she gestured to Lori. “She just had a bad break up an’ she needs’a drink. Go order us a pitcher.”
Lori shook her head. “Really, that’s not nec –”
The woman shushed her and smiled drunkenly. “I ain’t leavin’ no sister alone after a break up, no way. Gerri, go on now.”
He mumbled something and went back to the bar, clearly in his own state of impairment.
“Sister?” Lori asked.
The woman nodded and came closer, speaking more quietly as if they were sharing a secret. “Yeah, sisters. All of us – all of us women who been dumped by some asshole, or some shitbag that ain’t worth a penny. You hear me?”
Lori nodded, more to dismiss the matter, but it didn’t help.
“You understand me, girl?” the woman repeated. “There ain’t nothin’ to be sad about. You don’t owe him a goddamn thing.”
Lori frowned at the table and tried to sound as polite as the statement would let her. “You don’t even know me.”
The women broke out into a giggly grin that revealed a missing tooth near the back. “I know you. I know you, you don’t think I do but I know you. You’re a good girl I can tell.”
‘Jesus Christ’, Lori thought. She considered leaving, but the man reappeared with a tall pitcher of beer and a fresh glass for her. Lori glanced to the bar, where the bartender didn’t even seem interested in carding whoever it was brought to. He had his hands full with patrons now, and most likely knew these two. She decided to partake. It might not be the best company, but at least they were being nice to her; drunk or otherwise.
The beer wasn’t the best, but it was crisp, and the buzz was quick enough that she could forgive it. She was midway through her second glass before she decided to humor her donors and give into conversation with them. The woman, Abigail she was named though she insisted on being called Abby, did most of the talking, though her male companion chipped in occasionally. Mostly he just stood there, holding his drink and zoning out between swigs. Abby talked about herself a lot and her family, but continually asked questions about Lori. Lori gave her minimal information. Enough to get the point across of what she was feeling without jeopardizing the twin’s names. Soon, the pitcher was emptied between the two of them, and Abby suddenly got excited about the idea of inviting her niece out to have some shots with them.
Somewhere in Lori’s mind this seemed like a bad idea, but she went with it all the same. Hell, it was free booze. Maybe the universe was trying to apologize to her. Over the next hour, the facts around her came in and out of clarity. Apparently, Abby’s niece was twenty-one, and she and her boyfriend were hanging around the bar earlier that day. Eventually, they arrived again to do some shots with her, and Lori forgot about her problems long enough to enjoy shaking hands, repeating names she’d never remember and laughing at utterly stupid remarks. But man, the money these people could throw to the bartender! Ultimately, Abby and Gerri got sloshed enough that they needed to leave. Only then did her niece talk more seriously to Lori.
“She keeps calling me her niece, but we’re really just friends,” the girl said. “She’s my neighbor, and she likes to think she’s adopted me as one of her own.” She shrugged and offered Lori a smile. “She’s got a good heart though. That’s cool that she put down for you in your time of need.”
“Yeah,” Lori said, feeling dizzy and hot in the face. “She’s a sweetheart. I feel bad taking her money though.”
“Don’t be,” the girl said. “If it hadn’t have been you, it would have been someone else. Or she’d have just bought a large case of beer on the way home and ended up arguing with her boyfriend all night before bed.”
The girl’s boyfriend came over and spoke to her, Lori was too dazed to hear what he said. The girl leaned across the table to be heard. “This scene’s kind of dead. You want to come with us to our friend’s house?”
Lori’s brain took a moment to register the request.
“He’s a nice guy. He likes to have a few friends and some friends of friends over to just chill at his place. He’s got plenty to drink and whatever. It’ll save us a lot of money.”
“Umm,” Lori tried to think it over but ended up just spacing out at the table.
The boyfriend spoke up. “You should come with us. It’s super chill, no pressure. People are nice but they give you your space too. What do you say?”
His smile seemed kindly and genuine. So, did hers. Lori shrugged. “I can’t pay him back for a while.”
They both laughed.
“He’s hooked up, don’t worry,” the girl said. “You don’t have to pay him anything.”
Somewhere in her haze, Lori realized that she was snug in the backseat of a cab with the other two, then walking to a house (or apartment, she couldn’t remember) and was blindly following the couple through a crowd of music and people drinking and smoking. Nothing rambunctious, by the look of it. Everyone seemed chilled like she’d been told. Tired and out of it, sure, but people gave her lazy waves and how’s-it-going’s. The rest of the night faded in and out…
* * *
When she came too she felt like she was going to be sick. She rushed through the hall until she found a bathroom and spilled her guts of all the booze she’d taken in. Her mind was foggy and she worked her way through purging and cleaning her face at the sink. Drinking some water, she made her way out to the living room and the kitchen, where people everywhere were either passed out or still partying. It was 2:30 in the morning. She wanted to go home and take a shower, but it occurred to her that she had no idea where she was. How could she have gotten into a cab with strangers? How could she have accepted alcohol from people she didn’t know? She was smarter than that! She looked around, feeling extremely fortunate that no one had done anything to her. In another scenario, the situation could have ended up far more worse. She shuddered thinking about it, suddenly realizing just how vulnerable she felt as a man walked pass smiling hazily leeringly and slid his body against hers as he went. Damnit, she had to get out of there.
Brushing her hair back, she looked for someone who still seemed to have their wits about them and got an address. Then asked to borrow a phone.
Half an hour later, a familiar black car drove up in front of the complex. Lori narrowed her eyes at it as the window rolled down and Owen gave her a displeased look. With aggravation, she hurried to the other side and got in. The car drove off and no one said a thing the whole way.
They arrived not at her house, but at the twin’s mansion. Lori was torn between annoyance and awe as they drove up the long parking drive. Once in front, she followed Owen out to the front door as the driver went to park. Owen held the door open for her, but didn’t meet her eyes. Lori’s embarrassment doubled as she saw the state of this place. By comparison, the place she just came from seemed like complete and utter trash.
Owen disappeared through a doorway and up a flight of stairs. She wasn’t sure what to do, and simply stood in the spacious living room, looking around at everything. When he came back, he was carrying a folded towel, washcloth, and a shirt and men’s sport shorts.
He handed them to her and muttered, “Shower’s over there,” before turning away. Lori stared after him.
“I said send a cab.”
He stopped and gave her an angry look over his shoulder.
“ ‘Cab’ means please cover my fare. Not take me to your home instead of mine.”
“Well, judging by your actions this evening, I highly doubt you’re in the right frame of mind to be making your own decisions,” he retorted.
She scowled. “Don’t do that.”
“What?” he barked.
“Don’t talk down to me. What I do with my life isn’t any of your damn business.”
“No, it’s just my business to clean up after you, isn’t it?” he said.
“I only asked for you to cover my ride, because I was stranded without any money –”
“And whose fault is that?”
“Yours!”
He turned and gawked at her.
“If you and your brother would act your age and behave like sensible adults, then I wouldn’t have ended up in this mess!”
“Oh, spare me!” he shot back. “Who’s the one not behaving their age? What exactly were you trying to accomplish tonight, Bennett?”
“None of your business.”
“It is my business!” he yelled. “When you call me up in the middle of the night asking for me to come save you from the reckless decisions you made, it’s absolutely my business.”
“I just – needed – a cab,” she said through clenched teeth. “You didn’t even need to get out of bed for that.”
“And what would I have said to Marty?” he asked. “Huh? How was I supposed to tell him that his only daughter, who was entrusted into our company, took off on her own, doing god-knows-what, and I just sent her home by herself in the middle of the night without making sure she didn’t get drugged? Or raped? You see what I mean, Bennett, you’re not thinking!”
She winced, struggling not to cry.
“So quit trying to fight me and clean yourself up. Shower’s over there.” With that, he turned and headed for the kitchen.
Lori was angry, but more than anything she was humiliated. She knew he was one hundred percent right, and the fact that she’d even tried to argue otherwise just made her feel even more pathetic. How the hell did this happen? As soon as the bathroom door was locked, she broke down into tears, hating herself and the position she was in.
She was tempted to stay in the bathroom all night, but figured he was probably waiting for her. So, after cleaning herself with the available soaps, and crying throughout the whole shower, she dried herself off and put on the shirt and shorts. She stared at herself in the foggy mirror for a while, debating what to do. Finally, she came out into the cool air of the house and shuffled toward the kitchen, still gripping her wet hair with the towel. She found Owen holding his head on the island counter, no doubt tired from the late hours. She approached quietly.
“Did you take anything at that house?” he mumbled.
“No,” she said weakly. “Just alcohol.”
“Are you sure?”
“I feel hungover, but that’s all.”
He heaved a heavy sigh. “I can give you some aspirin, but it’s not a very strong kind. I’m almost thinking I shouldn’t give it to you.”
“Do you have anything to eat?” she asked. “Any leftovers or something?”
He got up and went to the large, double door fridge, pulling out a few plastic cartons of leftovers. Pasta salad, saucy chicken and half a steak. He got a fork and handed her the pasta before heating up the meat. Lori’s stomach didn’t feel great but she was too hungry to care, she hadn’t eaten in hours. Owen got her some water before putting the hot leftovers on a plate for her.
“Owen,” she said. “I was an asshole before. You were absolutely right, and I should’ve been thanking you instead of yelling at you. If you hadn’t helped me out, I don’t know what I would have done.
He watched her eat several more mouthfuls before asking. “Why would you resort to something like that?”
“It wasn’t planned!” she said.
He rolled his eyes. “It never is.”
“I didn’t have my wallet or I.D. with me, so this woman bought me some beer and started talking with me. I really wanted a drink, so I joined her, and before I knew it I wasn’t thinking clearly. Next thing I know, I’m invited to some party somewhere. I was already out of it. I barely remember getting in the cab, and I don’t remember actually arriving.”
Owen shook his head as she spoke. “Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?”
“Yes. Yes, I do. That was my first thought after I woke up.”
He looked at her. “Woke up?”
“I passed out at some point –”
“Oh my god, Bennett.”
“I know!” she said, her voice quivering again. “It could’ve been so much worse. Something horrible could’ve happened to me. But it didn’t, and I know how lucky I am.”
He buried his face in his hands.
“I’m sorry, alright?” she urged. “I really am. I’m sorry.”
When Owen looked up at her again, his eyes were sad. His voice sank to a whisper.
“Did we really push you that far?”
“No…” She felt overwhelmed with guilt again. “No, I was acting stupid. It wasn’t your fault, and I shouldn’t have said that it was. I was raised better than that.”
“Yet you still did it,” he said. “I don’t understand why this happens.”
She cocked her head with uncertainty.
“How is it that we drive people to such desperate measures?” He stared blankly at the counter as though it would answer him. “Even if we’re annoying and unreasonable, it doesn’t make sense that we could make people so miserable just by having some fun.”
She debated asking her next question. “Are you talking about the men in your shop?”
Owen looked at her.
“Oliver told me.”
He heaved a sigh and let his head sink again. “We’ve never actually hurt anyone. We didn’t think we did. We never tried to. We just like to mess around and get under people’s skin, that’s all.”
Lori said nothing but ate a little more pasta.
“And I thought you, of all people… You handled it so well at first. I thought it would’ve taken so much longer to break you.”
“But why would you want to break me?” she asked. “Why was that the end goal?”
He looked at a loss.
“I was willing to take your bullshit and do what you told me to do, Owen. I would’ve done the job to the best of my ability, even if you didn’t like me and didn’t treat me well. But the two of you together just made things impossible to work with. I couldn’t figure out what you wanted from me, and nothing I did seemed to change anything. And when I thought I was finally getting somewhere…” She stopped and put her own head in her hands.
“Yeah,” he muttered. “Oliver told me.”
More silence.
“Why didn’t you just quit?” he asked. “If it was that unbearable for you?”
“I was planning to. I wasn’t going to come back after today. But I left in such a hurry that I left my purse behind. And now we’re here.”
“And how about now?” he asked.
She shook her head with a shrug.
Owen thought for a while and said quietly. “You should probably get some rest. There’s a guest room you can stay in tonight. I’ll have your clothes washed in the morning, and we’ll make sure you get your purse back.”
He showed her the way to one of the guest rooms upstairs.
“This is the closest one to my room,” he said. “It’s just three doors down on the left. If you need anything, come and find me.”
She nodded. “Thank you.”
He closed the door carefully behind her. Lori looked around at the lovely room. It was decorated in a simple, gender-neutral manner. The bed felt soft and had plenty of covers to keep warm. Lori slid into bed, grateful to be somewhere that felt safe. But despite her aching head and fatigue, she just couldn’t get to sleep. She was disappointed in herself, and reflecting on the conversation with Owen wasn’t helping anything. He’d been angry, understandably, but more than that, he’d been worried about her. She could see it. This reminded her of the worry she’d seen him display over Oliver, and over the idea that he had played a part in ruining the lives of the people who’d hurt his brother and tried to kill him.
She couldn’t handle it. Tossing the blankets aside, she left the room and counted three doors on the left before knocking. It opened and Owen looked back at her in nothing but pajama bottoms. His eyes looked glassy.
Clenching her hands into fists, Lori threw her arms around him, holding him tight.
“I’m sorry, Owen,” she said in a weepy voice. “I’m so sorry.”
She felt his arms encircle her and hold her tight.
“Promise me you won’t do anything like that again, Lori,” he said quietly. “Never again.”
“I promise, I won’t,” she said. She looked up at him with sad eyes. “Can I stay with you tonight?”
He looked a little surprised but gently brushed her hair back and nodded. She hugged him again, and he led her over to his bed. They lay close together, entangled in each other’s arms until they both fell asleep.