002— Make It Go Away.

...RILEY...

****

I woke with a groan, head pounding like a drum. My stomach was twisting, and my legs ached terribly.

What the hell have I done? My eyes shot open, the unfamiliar white walls of a villa glaring at me. Where the hell am I?

I remembered the events of last night as— oh Lord— as Soren pushed me against the dim hallways and fucked me mercilessly. I wasn't entirely drunk so I allowed it…I let him explore every part of me.

Christ.

I scrambled, grabbing my panties from the floor, fumbling with my clothes as if I could erase last night with a simple act of getting dressed. My hands shook slightly as I tried to find the door, hoping to vanish, disappear, and get back to my apartment.

“Riley…”

I froze on hearing his voice as I stepped out of the room.

My heart skipped and my chest tightened. Soren was seated at the dining table with a calm expression. Assorted meals were placed neatly in front of him.

“Let’s talk,” he said, evenly, but the words carried weight and authority. “Sit. I’m sure you’re hungry. We need to talk.”

I swallowed, panic twisting into nausea. “Talk about… what? Last thing I remember… was the bar.”

He didn’t flinch. “Yes, I took you here this morning. You’re at my villa now. I didn't know where your apartment was. Look , last night… It was a mistake. I got carried away. I thought you were Cassidy. And I… I’m sorry.”

Oh God… Every memory came flooding back, completely. I knew there's no way I'll forget every forbidden inch of him pressed to me. My thighs were still aching from how he hungrily fucked me.

I wish I could see this as a mistake but I couldn't. Not when I'm totally in love, utterly whipped and completely smitten with my sister's husband.

I forced myself to nod. “Yeah… okay. Got it.”

No, I don't “got it". I wanted you, damnit.

“Are you… okay?” His tone softened slightly, watching me like he could see straight into my heart. “I'm sorry. It's never happening again."

I swallowed hard, trying not to lose it . Those words ending it… just made me sick. Humiliation washed over me like a wave. Shit. For once I thought I had him. For once… I thought he might notice me.

“Oh.” I muttered under my breath, hot with anger, humiliation, and shame.

Soren’s eyes softened briefly, then hardened again. “We can’t tell Cassidy.”

Of course.

“I… I didn’t do anything,” I said, sarcastically. “She’ll never know. Totally fine.”

He sighed, leaning back in his chair. “Accidental or not… I cheated. I can’t… I won’t lose her. I love her. This… this can’t happen. I'm not getting a divorce. It's going to destroy my family for good.”

I wanted to cry. I wanted to scream. I wanted to throw myself at him and… I swallowed the lump, forcing my sarcasm as a shield. “Yeah. Accidental cheating. Totally casual. No big deal. Why wouldn’t it be?”

He rubbed the bridge of his nose, staring intently at me with those blue eyes that made me want to melt. “I don’t want this to ruin… anything. I can… I can do whatever it takes. To keep it contained. To make it go away.”

I blinked, jaw tightening. “Oh?” I could feel the fire rising in me. “And what exactly are you offering me, Soren? Money? A new house? A job? A bribe? Because that’s… really generous. Really makes me feel appreciated.”

He leaned forward, hands resting on the table.. “If that’s what it takes. If that’s what you want. I’ll pay. I’ll make it all… disappear. But you have to stay away until this blows over. Until… it’s done. You understand? You can't be anywhere near us.”

Of course. I've heard that from practically everyone. Cassidy warned me to avoid her. My best friend, my coworker also suddenly wanted us to stop talking…and now he's saying the same thing. He's going to pay me to disappear. Of course.

I swallowed hard. The anger flared, burning hot. “Are you kidding me? Do you know what this is? Do you know how… how humiliating this is for me?!”

“You think I want this either?” he asked evenly. “I—God, Riley, I never should have—”

“Shut up!” I snapped, standing abruptly, my voice echoing across the dining room.

His eyes widened. "Riley.."

My hands slammed the table, sending his fork clattering. “Fuck you, Soren! Don’t you dare act like you can just… just erase this with money! Don’t you dare make it sound like it didn’t matter!”

He opened his mouth, about to speak, and I didn’t wait.

“I don’t need your money! I don’t need you to fix this! I… I don’t need anything from you!”

I kicked the breakfast tray hard, plates sliding and shattering across the marble floor.

Soren shot to his feet, the calm finally breaking. “Goddammit, Riley! You think this is easy for me? You think I’m not tearing myself apart over it? What would she think of me?You’re not the only one hurting here.”

I laughed bitterly through the tremor in my throat. “Hurting? You still get to go home to her. You still get to pretend none of this happened!”

His jaw tightened. “Because I have to! I have a family to protect! I can’t lose Cassidy over a mistake—”

“A mistake?” I cut him off, chest heaving. “You call me a mistake?”

His eyes burned with guilt.“You just won’t let it go, will you? You’d rather destroy your sister’s marriage just to prove a point!”

“Maybe you should’ve recognized your wife before touching me!” I yelled, my voice cracking as the words tore out of me.

Silence fell, thick and awful.

I stared at the man I loved — as his shoulders slumped, expression hardening into something I couldn’t read. My throat burned.

And then I stomped out, not looking back.

Rage and humiliation pounded through my chest, tangled with shame —shame for wanting him, for letting him touch me, for crossing every line I swore I never would. I'm such a disaster.

Underneath it all there was a deep, aching, delicious truth. I loved him. I’d always loved him. And it had destroyed me.

I didn’t care about money. I didn’t care about control. I just wanted him. And he didn’t want me.

Perfect. Fine, I'll stay away. I'm good at it.

I tried to hold them in, but the tears finally won, spilling down my cheeks.