Chapter 12: Aftershocks
434 Words
Isla practically sprinted down the hallway, her breath coming in quick, uneven bursts. The feel of Adrian’s hands on her skin still lingered, a phantom touch she couldn’t shake, no matter how much she willed it away. Her mind screamed at her—what the hell had she done? Sleeping with Adrian was the worst possible mistake she could’ve made, and yet, she had done it. Willingly. Desperately.
She needed to clear her head.
Slamming the door to her suite shut, she leaned against it, pressing her forehead to the cool wood. A shaky breath escaped her lips, and for the first time in years, she felt completely untethered. This wasn’t supposed to happen. She wasn’t supposed to fall into his arms so easily. And yet, she had. Again.
A sharp knock at her door startled her.
Her heart stopped. Please, not Adrian.
She hesitated before slowly opening the door, only to find Tessa standing there, looking far too cheerful for whatever ungodly hour it was.
“Morning, sunshine,” Tessa chirped, pushing past Isla and flopping onto the bed. “Wow, you look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
Isla forced a tight-lipped smile. “Just… didn’t sleep well.”
Tessa narrowed her eyes, sitting up on her elbows. “You mean you didn’t sleep alone.”
Isla’s stomach dropped. “What?”
“Oh, please,” Tessa scoffed. “You look guilty as hell, and your hair is a mess. Spill.”
Isla groaned, running a hand through her tangled locks. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
Tessa gasped. “So, you did sleep with someone! Holy s**t! Who was it? Oh my god—was it Logan? That would be a plot twist.”
At the mention of Logan, Isla cringed. That would have been a hell of a lot easier to explain.
Tessa’s eyes widened. “Wait… oh my god, was it—”
“Don’t.”
Tessa’s jaw dropped. “Adrian?”
Isla covered her face with her hands. “It was a mistake.”
Tessa let out an exaggerated squeal, bouncing on the bed like a child. “Are you kidding me? This is the best news ever! Oh, this wedding just got way more entertaining.”
Isla groaned again, collapsing onto the bed beside her. “It’s not entertaining. It’s a disaster.”
Tessa rolled her eyes. “Honey, disaster is just another word for ‘interesting love story in progress.’”
Isla exhaled sharply, staring up at the ceiling. If that was true, then she was in for one hell of a story.
- Writer
