CHAPTER ONE.

Lana.



"It's not me, its you." I bitterly recall Brian's words. Who the hell even says that? At least not this version, because definitely he can't be saying I was the problem. I've been everything to him. A loving sweet and reliable girlfriend. I never asked too many questions. I never pined too much.

Except that had been one of his complaints too. "You're too detached L. You don't pine after me enough. I need a woman who would break to see me away from her."

What a cold hard narcissistic thing to say to anyone.

What did I even see in Brian anyway? Tears spring at the corners of my eyes. I had loved him, and deep down I don't even know if I've stopped loving him or not. He doesn't love you, Lana. My mind whispers at me, as I down another glass of vodka. He never did.

That didn't mean it hurt any less. Brian had been my boyfriend for two years. Two whole years spent with a jerk who didn't even deem it fit to tell me he'd lost his feelings for me before I caught him in bed with another woman. Our neighbor nonetheless.

God! I'll have to move out of there. Leave that god-damned neighborhood before I die of shame. Everyone would know. Everyone would know my boyfriend had cheated on me and then broke up with me before I had the chance to do so. What a jerk!

"Ma'am, I think you've had more than enough for tonight." The bartender throws a look of sympathy my way before reaching for the empty cup in front of me. I hate his pity, because deep down I know that they're all the same. He'll act like he cares but I know all he wants is to get into my pants. It's all they ever want, still it doesn't keep them does it?

I hate how weak I feel about this. Brian cheated on me! I caught him. I am the victim here not the other way round. He didn't have the right to throw such hurtful words at me despite being the slimy cheat.

How dare him call me a cold bitch. My mind involuntarily trails back to the conversation I had with Brian earlier.

"This isn't my fault, Brian. It's not my fault you cheated on me." I want to scream, but I'm trying not to. It's so infuriating getting this silly fact into his head when I literally just caught him red-handed.

"I know you're mad, L. But you need to calm down. You'll attract the neighbors." Calm down? Oh, but I am perfectly calm. He does not know the kind of hell I could raise.

Instead of saying anything, I tuck my hands and fold them into my shoulders, causing my shirt whose top three buttons were left open to stretch back and reveal the upper part of my cleavage. His eyes don't miss the movement and he actually has the nerve to stare down at it.

I have the irresistible urge to smack his face and leave a brutal mark but I don't. I'm not violent like that. I don't hit people. That's not who I am, so instead I wait for his eyes to meet mine and make sure he can see the disgust clear as day in my eyes.

"Look, this doesn't have to be that bad, L. It's not like I don't still love you. I do, I just got bored of you for a little while and decided to try the waters with Sasha. Why don't we take this as a little break? " I flail my hand up. A little break? What does he mean by that?

Does he really think I'll come back to him after catching him with another woman?

Still I can't help but blurt out. "Does it mean you're going to end things with her and never see her again?" I don't even know why I'm asking him this. I won't tolerate a cheater no matter how much I might love him. I vowed to never do that.

Not to my surprise, a look of horror flashes over his eyes. "No." He says quickly before he realizes himself. "I mean, I'm sorry L, but what Sasha and I have is beautiful. I don't want to lose you, but I don't want to lose her either. That's why I'm asking that we take a break. I'll be with Sasha while you wait for me, okay? I need this break, L."

The stupid nickname he'd given me only made this situation more infuriating. My name is simple- Alaina, most people call me Lana anyway, yet Brian had decided even that was a mouthful and shortened it to L. I can't even believe I used to like that name, now all I think about when I hear it is how not to bash his head in.

The audacity of him to think I'll be waiting for him. "So, what about me then Brian? What happens to me? I'll just sit and tuck myself in while you frolic around with that woman and wait for you to come back to me? Is that what you think?" I ask.

The frown that mars his face let's me know that is exactly what he expects. Oh, the nerve of this asshole! "It's over, Brian. I don't want to do this with you."

He actually looks appalled by this information. "You can't do this to me, L. I love you. This was a terrible mistake."

"A mistake you have no plan on going back on right? Or wait- you do plan on repeating it, you asshole." My voice goes up a notch. He looks offended by my words. Maybe he expects me to cry and break things, or worst still have a mental break down. I almost laugh at the image.

"You know what, this is exactly why I went to Sasha, Alaina..." Good, no more L. "At least I know she loves me. She pines after me. You're too detached L, you don't pine after me or even care that I cheated on you."

I stumble back in shock. How the hell did I end up with a man like this? Such a narcissist! My hand itches by my side to hit him, but I won't give in to it. He'll think I care, and I don't want him to.

You're not the one breaking up with me, L. I am! I've broken up with you ages before now. All those business trips? I went around fucking other women, and I do not regret it." He yells in my face. All the veins in his face all but popping out. Brian doesn't even look like himself in this moment.

Two years with this man, and this is what he's thought of me all these while. I still don't give him the benefit of a reaction. I'm hurting on the inside and his words seem to twist the wound even more, but I know that's what he wants. He wants to break me, watch me crumble. Maybe I will, just not here, where he can see me.

Instead I look him in the eyes and pick my purse which I dropped on the chair earlier and start to leave.

To my surprise, Brian sobers up and tries to reach for me. "I'm sorry, L. I still love you, I swear. Don't leave me, please." His voice is calmer now, maybe even tinged with a bit of remorse but I don't care.

"Don't you ever reach out to me again, Brian. I don't ever want to see you. To me, you're dead." I say before slamming door in his face. It hurts, it fucking hurts so much.

I come back to reality with a slam of my wrist on the bar table. "Another drink please!" I yell to bartender. He gives me a sad look but still gets my order. I don't know how many drinks I've had but it's a lot considering my head doesn't throb anymore from all the crying I've done.

Before I can reach for my drink again, a hand stops me. Strong firm fingers pull the drink away from my grasp and I inhale a deep breath before turning to the person who dared to stop me from drowning my pain in alcohol.

"That is enough." The voice says, and I finally turn to meet eyes with deep grey ones. Possibly the steeliest eyes I've ever seen.

I inhale another sharp breath while I take in the face of the person. His deep grey eyes, raven colored hair, and possibly the most chiseled jaw I've ever seen, it could cut through glass. His full-looking lips spread out in a thin line shows how displeased he is with this situation.

He glares at me.

The face looks very familiar but I can't seem to place finger on who he might be. Damn, curse the alcohol in my system that doesn't let me know who the hell this hot piece of cake is.

I try not to stare too much at his body which seems to be trying to break out of his tight dark blue T-shirt. His black suit is hung over his right hand, my drink in his left hand. I remind myself that whoever this man is, he's not minding his business.

"T-that's n-none of your b-business." I manage to shutter out embarrassingly. I'm way more drunk than I thought and it's only when I stand up, that I realize just how bad it is. I struggle for balance while he tries to help me stand. His warm fingers on my elbow distract me for a moment.

"Miss. Sullivan, pack up. I'm going to take you home." He voices out again, in that deep timbre of voice that makes me want to shut him up with a kiss to the lips. In another time, I would have been grateful for his help, but the mention of home reminds me that I used to live with that douche, Brian and I can't go back there.

"Let me go." I mutter weakly, suddenly annoyed at his presence. He looks taken aback that I might even deem it fit to struggle. This man appeared to be the kind of person, not a lot of people said no to.

"I'm not asking, Miss. Sullivan, lets go." The fact that he knew my name should have rang something in me, but basically, I am too drunk to even think about it. I struggle out of his hold, but it only tightens.

"Who are you, anyway? And what do you want from me?" I ask, grateful my voice doesn't come out slurred again.

He doesn't answer but instead, begins to pack my things up without my help. I reach over to swat his hand away but he grabs my two arms.

"Miss. Sullivan, I'm not the least bit happy to be here picking you up, and I have a ton load of things to do, so if you'd cooperate with me so I can take you home, that would be really nice." He said with a glare.

"Or what? I didn't ask you to come for me, besides I'm happy here, drinking away my sorrows, something I'll get back to, if you just leave." I return back with a glare of my own. I'm tired of men telling me what or what not to do. If it isn't Brian telling me to wait around for him while he cheats, it's this handsome stranger ordering me around too. Can't they all just leave me alone?

"Miss. Sullivan!" He says sternly. His eyes burning into mine, for a moment I catch the way his eyes drop to my lips, and I'm suddenly thankful I've ended things with Brian. One night with a man as hot as this, and I'm sure my brain would wipe away all the pain.

"Just tell me who you are." This time I settle for a whiny tone of voice, trying to play the part of a docile lamb.

He sighs and finally stops trying to pull me away. "My name is Dominic. No, can we please leave?" He says, not sounding the least bit like he's begging.

"Dominic." I try the name on my tongue and watch as he stiffens. I like the way his name sounds. The thought of jumping in bed with this man now solidifies in my head. I let my eyes trail down his firm looking arms, and washboard abs. I've always been obsessed with male hands, and this man had it well equipped.

I imagined those hands on me, and shifted uncomfortably. Not here, Lana. I scold myself. "Okay, Dom. I'll follow you. But I have to tell you, I have no home, so you'll have to be taking me to yours." I whisper with a slur, trying my best to be seductive but the alcohol in my system seems to swirl my thoughts.

"What do you mean you have no home? Where do you live?" He asks.

I have to push back the urge to cry before I can answer. "I lived with my boyfriend, but I caught him cheating on me, so I can't stay there, anymore." I say quickly.

Somehow, confessing this fact to a complete stranger doesn't feel weird at all. I'm sure we'd probably never see after today so that's a plus. Dominic doesn't look at me with pity though and I'm grateful for that. He seems angry, and I have to say, the man got even hotter.

"I'll take you to my place then." He only mutters and I follow him out. The night is long and the thought that I'm going to be in this mans arms this night, only makes me giddier. Good think I'll be too drunk to remember anything by tomorrow morning.

Just as we are about to get to his car, I pull him to a halt. "Why don't we go to a hotel instead?" I offer, trailing my hands over his shirt all the way down his toned abs. I almost feel dizzy from the feel of him.

He gives me an appalled look and continues moving. Maybe he's a little shy, I tell myself. If that's the case then I have no problem, getting started on things.

While he tries to pull me ahead, I don't move. Instead keeping my feet firmly rooted to the ground. He turns back to yell at me, but before he can say a word, I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him down to my level.

He only has a moment to look surprised before I place my lips on his, and shock of his he taste has my head swirling even faster than before. Before I can try to deepen the kiss, my vision begins to blur and soon it turns to total darkness. Fuck, I shouldn't have drank so much.