10

I barely had time to pull on clean clothes before Shane came back into the bedroom. His eyes were still dark with that same rage. He grabbed my arm and shoved me against the wall. My back hit the plaster with a dull thud.

“You think you can just shower and pretend nothing happened?” he growled. He yanked my pants down roughly along with my underwear. The cool air hit my still-sore pussy. “I’m going to fuck the lies out of you.”

I stayed still because fighting would only make it worse. He shoved my legs apart and pushed into me dry and hard. The stretch burned sharp. I bit my lip to keep quiet as he started thrusting deep and angry. Every slam of his hips sent pain shooting through my already tender walls. He was rougher than usual, gripping my hips hard enough to leave fresh marks over the ones from last night.

“Tell me who fucked this pussy last night,” he snarled pounding harder. His hand came down in a stinging slap across my ass. Then another. The pain mixed with the soreness until I couldn’t separate them. I gasped against the wall but didn’t answer. He fisted my hair and yanked my head back. “You’re so loose. He must have been bigger than me. You let him cum inside you like a whore?”

Tears stung my eyes. I focused on breathing through the rough thrusts. His cock slammed into me over and over. The wall creaked under us. He reached around and rubbed my clit roughly like it was punishment instead of pleasure. My body responded against my will with unwanted slickness but the pain stayed front and center.

Shane’s rhythm got sloppier. He leaned over me breathing heavy against my ear. “This is mine. You hear me?” His hand slipped and the next slap landed across the side of my face. Hard. The crack echoed in the room. Pain exploded across my cheekbone.

He froze for a second. Then cursed. “Fuck. Look what you made me do.” His fingers touched the spot on my face like he was checking damage. “Your face is the only thing about you that’s still worth anything. And now you made me mark it. Stupid bitch.”

He sounded irritated more than sorry. Like I had ruined something valuable. He pulled out abruptly leaving me aching and empty. I heard him zip up. The mattress shifted as he got off the bed. I stayed face down trying to catch my breath. My cheek burned. My pussy throbbed from the rough treatment. I slowly pulled my pants back up wincing at every movement.

Shane walked out to the kitchen. I heard him open the fridge then slam it shut. I sat up carefully pulling my pants back up and went to the bathroom. The mirror showed the fresh mark. Purple spreading across the bone. I splashed water on my face and tried to steady myself. The certificate in the drawer felt like the only small piece of control I had left. I assumed I could fix this the way I always had. Lie better. Smooth harder. Keep the peace until the money came in.

He came back into the bedroom faster than I expected. “You know what? Fuck this. We’re going to the hotel right now. You’re going to explain this shit to your bosses while I watch.”

I tried to pull away but he grabbed my arm again and dragged me toward the door. “Shane stop. Please. They don’t need to see this.”

“Shut up.” He yanked me out of the apartment and down the stairs. His grip stayed bruising tight. I stumbled trying to keep up. My face throbbed with every step. People in the building hallway stared but nobody said anything. Shane didn’t care. He pulled me all the way to the Grand Crescent shoving me through the employee entrance.

The lobby was still recovering from the gala. Staff turned to look. Samuel’s eyes widened when he saw us. Management stood near the front desk. Shane didn’t stop. He dragged me straight to the concierge desk where the manager was standing.

“Look at her,” Shane shouted loud enough for the whole floor to hear. “My wife comes home looking like she got railed all night and thinks I won’t do anything about it. You people let her whore around with your VIP guests while I sit at home?”

My cheek burned under everyone’s stares. The manager’s face went pale. “Sir this is not the place—”

Shane shoved me forward a little. “Tell them Adeline. Tell them where you really were last night instead of working.”

Security moved in but Shane kept yelling. “She comes home with messy hair smelling like another man’s cum and you expect me to stay quiet? Fire her ass right now or I’ll make sure everyone knows what kind of place this is.”

The lobby went quiet. I felt the heat crawl up my neck and spread across my cheeks. Samuel was still by the elevator, watching. His face was unreadable, but his hand tightened on his tablet.

Mr. Calloway cleared his throat. “Adeline, can you step into my office, please? Both of you.”

The office was small and cramped, with file cabinets lining the walls and a desk covered in paperwork. Mr. Calloway closed the door behind us, and the muffled sounds of the lobby faded. Shane stood with his arms crossed, his jaw still tight.

“Adeline,” Mr. Calloway said, his voice carefully neutral, “I’m going to ask you directly. What time did you leave the hotel last night?”

I opened my mouth, but the lie wouldn’t come. I had been prepared to say midnight, to claim the extra cleanup, but standing here with Shane’s eyes boring into me and Mr. Calloway’s patient expression, the words stuck in my throat.

“Adeline.” Shane’s voice was a warning.

“I left after my shift ended,” I said finally. “Around eleven.”

“Then why did you tell me the gala ran late?”

“I went for a walk. I told you.”

“A walk.” Shane laughed, but it was ugly. “You expect anyone to believe that?”

Mr. Calloway shifted uncomfortably. “Mr…?”

“Shane. My name is Shane. And my wife is a liar.” He turned to the manager, and his voice dropped, cold and controlled. “I want to know if anyone saw her leave. I want to know if anyone saw her with someone.”

“Sir, I can’t conduct an investigation based on—”

“Then I’ll conduct one myself.” Shane grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the door. “We’re leaving.”

He dragged me through the lobby, past the staring guests and the frozen staff. Samuel took a step forward like he wanted to intervene, but I shook my head. Don’t. Not here. Not now. He stopped, but his jaw was tight, and his eyes followed us all the way to the revolving doors.

Outside, the morning sun was too bright. Shane yanked me toward the curb and spun me around to face him. His grip was hard enough to leave marks.

“You think I’m stupid,” he said. “You think I don’t know what you did.”

“Shane, please. People are watching.”

“Let them watch.” But he let go of my arm and stepped back, his chest heaving. “Go home. We’ll finish this later.”

He turned and walked away, disappearing into the crowd. I stood on the sidewalk with my arm throbbing and my face still burning, and the weight of every eye in the hotel lobby pressed against my back.

I didn’t go home. I couldn’t. Not yet. I walked instead, aimless, my feet carrying me down streets I’d seen a hundred times before. The city was fully awake now, cars honking and vendors shouting and a woman pushing a stroller while her toddler screamed for a balloon. Life happening everywhere, indifferent to the fact that mine was falling apart.

My phone buzzed in my pocket.

‘I don’t know what happened, but if you need help, I’m here.’ – Samuel

I stared at the screen for a long time. Then I typed back.

‘Thank you. I’ll be okay.’ – Adeline

I didn’t believe it. But I had to pretend I did.

The apartment was empty when I got home. Shane wasn’t back yet, and the silence was a relief I didn’t deserve. I sat on the couch and pressed my palms against my thighs and tried to breathe. The marks on my body were fading, but the panic was still there, lodged in my chest like a stone.

My phone buzzed again. Not Samuel. This time it was a number I didn’t recognize.

‘Adeline Bennett, this is HR at the Grand Crescent. We regret to inform you that your employment has been terminated effective immediately due to the disruption caused in the lobby this morning. Your final paycheck will be mailed to your address on file.’

I read it three times. Then I set the phone down and stared at the wall. The crack in the ceiling was in the other room, but I could picture it perfectly. The question mark. The thing that never had answers.

I had lost my job. I had lost the only place that made me feel competent.

I closed my eyes and waited for Shane to come home. The other shoe was about to drop. I just didn’t know how hard.