Chapter two.

“It’s not the end of the world,” Jessie said softly.

Maya laughed. Not because anything was funny but because if she didn’t, she genuinely felt she might start screaming instead.

She sat against the headboard still wearing the same cream blouse from work, one sleeve stretched slightly from Chloe grabbing her earlier. There was probably still makeup smeared somewhere beneath her eyes too.

She couldn’t bring herself to care.

When she’d gotten home, the house had been empty. For once, she’d actually been grateful for it.

Her mom was probably out grocery shopping while Ethan was still in class, and thank God for that because she genuinely didn’t know what she would’ve said if they’d been there.

Hey Mom, I might’ve destroyed my career today.

Hey Ethan, the hockey player you worship so much is the reason I may not be able to afford your tuition anymore.

Yeah. No.

The word kept floating around her head uselessly.

Suspended indefinitely. Not fired. Which somehow felt worse.

Because now she got to sit around waiting for people to decide whether her career deserved life support.

“You’re spiraling,” Jessie said after a moment.

“I’m unemployed,” she muttered, dragging her knees closer to her chest.

“You’re suspended.”

“Same thing.” she shrugged.

She rubbed both hands down her face slowly.

God.

What the hell had she done?

She had physically assaulted a coworker in the middle of the office like some unhinged reality show contestant.

Rent was due in three days.

Ethan’s tuition payment was already late.

And somehow the only thing her stupid brain could focus on was the giant billboard of Hunter Callum staring down at her afterward like a rich hockey-playing demon personally sent to ruin her life.

“You know what your problem is?” Jessie asked.

She peeked at her through her fingers. “I feel like several licensed therapists would have different answers to that question.”

A small laugh escaped Jessie.

“You stay inside your head too much.”

“I literally got suspended today.”

“And now you’re sitting here replaying it over and over until you lose your mind.”

Because she knew her and that was the problem.

Jessie knew exactly what happened when she was left alone with her thoughts too long. She’d sit there all night replaying every second until the shame started eating holes through her.

She dropped her hands into her lap with a tired sigh. “What exactly do you want me to do, Jessie? Meditate? Journal? Start healing spiritually?”

“I want you to shower.”

She blinked at her. “What?”

“And then I want you to put on something hot.”

She stared at her in disbelief. “Oh my God. No.”

“Yes.”

“I am not going clubbing after losing my job.” She frowned at her.

“Why not?” Jessie asked like the answer was obvious.

“Because I’m not in the mood?”

“Exactly.”

“That doesn’t even make sense.”

Jessie shrugged unapologetically. “You need alcohol and loud music before you start writing a murder manifesto about Chloe Miller.”

A laugh slipped out before she could stop it.

Jessie pointed at her immediately. “See? Healing already.”

“You’re annoying.”

“And yet incredibly correct.”

She groaned and let her head fall back against the wall again.

The truth was… she didn’t want to be alone tonight. Because if she stayed there thinking too long, she might actually break.

“Come on,” Jessie said more quietly this time. “Just one night. You can go back to hating the world tomorrow.”

She closed her eyes for a second, exhaustion pressing heavily against her chest.

The idea of getting dressed and pretending to function sounded exhausting. But sitting there drowning in her own thoughts somehow sounded worse.

Eventually, she let out a slow breath.

“Fine.”

Jessie immediately grinned. “That’s the spirit.”

“That wasn’t spirit,” she muttered, pushing herself off the bed. “That was surrender.”

“Close enough.

Twenty minutes later, Maya sat with her arms folded tightly across her chest in Jessie’s car, staring through the windshield at the glowing neon sign of Night Haven.

Now that they were actually here, she was beginning to realize this might’ve been a horrible idea.

The club stretched high into the Manhattan night all black glass, flashing lights, expensive cars lined outside like a luxury car commercial. Even from inside the car, she could hear the bass vibrating faintly through the pavement.

Maya glanced sideways at Jessie. “Can we just go back?”

Jessie didn’t even look at her as she unbuckled her seatbelt. “No.”

“Jessie—”

“You need this.”

Maya frowned, watching people disappear through the entrance in tight dresses and designer suits. “I don’t think tequila can fix unemployment.”

“It can temporarily distract you from unemployment.”

“That sounds medically concerning.”

Jessie finally looked at her. “Maya.”

“What?”

“You’ve been spiraling for hours.”

Maya looked away again. Because unfortunately? Jessie wasn’t wrong.

Ever since leaving Hart Publishing, it felt like something heavy had wrapped itself around her chest tighter until breathing properly became hard.

Her stomach twisted suddenly. That familiar feeling.

Usually when that happened, things went wrong. Very wrong.

“Just get out of the car and try not to think about it for one night,” Jessie said.

“—Think about the fact that I’m unemployed?” Maya asked dryly. “Got it.”

Jessie sighed like she was dealing with a difficult toddler. “Suspended.”

“Same difference.”

“It literally isn’t.”

Maya muttered something under her breath as they stepped out of the car. 

The cold air brushed against her bare arms immediately. She tugged down the short black dress Jessie had practically forced her into earlier.

Honestly, the dress should’ve been illegal. Too short, tight and showed too much leg.

Jessie claimed it made her look “revenge hot.”

The second they entered Night Haven, the noise swallowed them whole.

Music pounded through the massive club hard enough for Maya to feel it in her ribs. Lights flashed across crowded bodies moving against each other beneath the glow of the dance floor while bartenders moved quickly behind enormous marble counters lined with expensive alcohol.

The place screamed money.

Not rich. Wealthy.

The kind of place where people casually spent more on champagne than Maya’s family spent on groceries in a month.

“This place is ridiculous,” Maya muttered as Jessie pulled her deeper into the crowd.

“It’s fun.”

“It’s financially irresponsible.”

Jessie laughed. “That’s the spirit.”

A waitress passed carrying sparklers attached to a bottle worth more than Maya’s rent.

Maya stared at it in horror. “I hate everyone here already.”

“You say that every time.”

Jessie managed to grab them seats at the bar after several minutes of squeezing through people.

Maya climbed onto the stool with a sigh while Jessie waved the bartender over.

“What are we drinking?” Jessie asked.

“Something strong enough to erase today.”

“That narrows it down to literally everything here.”

“Perfect.”

A few minutes later, Maya had tequila in front of her. By the third drink, the sharp ache in her chest had finally dulled enough for her shoulders to loosen slightly.

“That’s the first time you’ve stopped looking homicidal since I got to your house,” Jessie noted.

“I’m still homicidal,” Maya informed her seriously before taking another sip. “I’m just becoming festive about it.”

Jessie snorted.

Maya rested her chin against her palm lazily as the alcohol settled warmly through her body.

“You know what annoys me?” she asked suddenly.

Jessie sighed immediately. “We’re talking about Hunter again, aren’t we?”

“He’s ruined my life.”

“He doesn’t even know you exist.”

“Exactly,” Maya said, sounding offended. “That’s part of the problem.”

Jessie laughed harder.

“I’m serious,” Maya continued. “Do you know how many times I called his agent?”

“Too many?”

“Eight.”

Jessie nearly choked. “Eight?!”

“And emailed.”

“Maya.”

“And waited outside a hotel.”

“Maya!”

“He’s arrogant,” Maya declared, pointing accusingly at absolutely nothing. “Like offensively arrogant. His stupid face is everywhere.”

“You think he’s hot.” Jessie smirked.

Maya ignored her.

“He probably says things like ‘people find me inspiring’ unironically.”

Jessie wiped tears from her eyes from laughing too hard. “You’re actually obsessed with this man.”

“I hate him.”

“Mhm.”

Before Maya could continue her rant, Jessie’s phone suddenly started ringing loudly against the counter.

Jessie glanced at the screen and frowned.

“Crap.”

“What?”

Jessie stood quickly, already grabbing her purse. “It’s Ava. Something happened with her car apparently.”

Maya blinked up at her slowly. “At this hour?”

“Yes. Human disasters unfortunately happen twenty-four hours a day.”

“You’re abandoning me?”

“I’ll come back.”

“That sounds fake.”

Jessie pointed at her sternly. “Do not move.”

Maya looked offended. “I’m an adult.”

“You’re three tequilas away from fighting somebody.”

“That’s not true.”

Jessie laughed despite herself before squeezing Maya’s shoulder gently. “I’ll be back soon, okay?”

Maya waved her off dramatically. “If I die, tell my mother I was beautiful.”

“You’re ridiculous.”

Then she disappeared into the crowd.

Maya sighed and turned back toward the bar. For a few seconds, she just sat there quietly watching people dance beneath the flashing lights.

Then her thoughts came back.

Rent. Bills. Suspension.

Hunter freaking Callum.

Maya groaned softly and dropped her forehead briefly against the cool marble counter.

“Rough night?”

The deep male voice beside her barely registered through the alcohol.