by A. P. Watson
“Let me explain.”
“You think I don’t know, Jacks?” The more I looked at him, the angrier I became. “I know what being with Elise means for you. You’ll make more money than you will ever know what to do with. You’ll earn respect, gain prestige, and be accepted into the right social circles with open arms.”
“So, wanting to be successful and do something with my life makes me an ass?”
“No, making me think you cared about me makes you an ass. Wanting to advance your career at any cost makes you a greedy son of a bitch.” I whipped back around and stormed off. The thought of looking at him for another second made me sick.
“Wren, wait.” He grabbed my arm, attempting to prevent me from fleeing.
“I’m done waiting for you.” I ripped my arm from his grasp and backed away from him. “I’m tired of waiting for you to decide how you feel about me, and I won’t waste another second of my time waiting for you to realize how much I love you.”
“I said I wasn’t any good with relationships,” he defended.
“Yeah, and when we slept together, you told me you wanted to be around me every night, not just one.” I sucked in a deep breath, allowing tears to flow freely from my eyes. “Actually, none of this matters anymore. Go out and do whatever you want. Go fuck whoever you want. It’s what you always do anyway.”
He stepped forward, agony contorting his features. “I can’t pretend like I don’t have feelings for you, because I do.”
“Why don’t you go cry about it then? Because I’m done with this fucking conversation, and I’m done with you.” I whipped around, throwing my hand into the air as I hailed a cab. By divine intervention, one stopped immediately, and I slipped into the back seat. “Drive to Miller’s Pub.”
“Okay.”
The cab sped away. Relief flooded my senses as I realized I would never have to see him again. I stared out the window as the cab flew through the city. Chicago held so much promise when I first came here. It held my second chance and an opportunity to start over. This city built me up, but in the blink of an eye, it tore me back down.
As soon as we stopped outside Miller’s Pub, I handed a wad of cash to the driver and jumped out. Picking up the train of my dress, I headed across the street and pushed open the doors. As soon as I entered the bar, it seemed as if every head turned to stare. I was certain my brain was overreacting, but then again, I was walking over freshly strewn peanut shells in an evening gown.
Walking over to the bar, I plopped down on an empty stool and tossed my purse on the wooden surface. Sure enough, Robbie was working tonight, and he came over as soon as he saw me. He stopped right in front of me, resting his arms on the wooden surface in between us.
“That is one hell of a dress.”
I tried to laugh, but a hiccup came out instead. “I thought so too.”
“Are you okay?”
“Not really.” He nodded, turning to retrieve a bottle of Jack from the shelves behind him. “I want to drink and be left alone, so please tell anyone who tries to hit on me. Otherwise, they’ll be castrated if they utter a single word.” Robbie filled a glass with whiskey, dropping two ice cubes into the mix. “You, of course, are the exception to the rule.”
His mouth stretched into a half-hearted smile. “I don’t know if it will help or not, but I’m here if you need to talk.”
“Thanks, Robbie. I really appreciate it.”
I downed the shot he poured, sliding the glass back to him with a nod. “Refill?”
“Better leave the bottle.” I pushed my purse across the bar toward his hands. “Here is my purse and phone. After I finish the rest of this bottle, call Terayn and Ryan to come pick me up.”
“Okay.”
“Use my cash in there to pay for my bill, and make sure to leave yourself one hell of a tip.” I smiled somberly, throwing back another glass filled with amber liquid.
“What about Jackson? Would you rather I call him?” he asked.
A single teardrop fell from the corner of my eye. “He’s the reason for the bottle.”
End Book One.
Playlist For I Know Better
Wasting My Young Years by London Grammar
Bottle It Up by Sarah Bareilles
Crash Into Me by Dave Matthews Band
Wicked Game by Chris Isaak
You Would Know by Queens of the Stone Age
Stay Awake by London Grammar
You Really Got A Hold On Me by She & Him
Do I by Alice Smith
Try by The XX
Way Down We Go by Kaleo
Close by Nick Jonas featuring Tove Lo
Bette Davis Eyes by Rogue Wave
Uninvited by Alanis Morissette
Shape Of You by Ed Sheeran
I Don’t Trust Myself With Loving You by John Mayer
Honey Whiskey by Nothing But Thieves
Talk Show Host by Radiohead
Here With Me by Susie Suh & Robot Koch
Stars by The XX
Sugar by Wanderhouse
Slip by Elliott Moss
The Other Side by Ruelle
A Falling Through by Ray LaMontagne
Acknowledgements
First of all, I would like to thank my parents for their unwavering support. Their love and guidance mean more to me than I could ever put into words, and I am blessed to be their daughter. I love you Mom and Dad! Tamara, I am so lucky to have you as my editor! Your insight, intellect, and friendship helped me mold this book into something I am truly proud of. I can’t wait to work on the rest of the books in this series with you! Brittany, you helped inspire the character of Wren. Without your support and advice, these characters wouldn’t exist. Thank you for being someone I can always count on! I truly appreciate your encouragement more than I can say. Steph, I am so privileged to be your little sister. You are such an amazing role model for me, and I have and always will look up to you! Tiff, thank you for always reading everything I write! It means so much to me! I also wanted to thank all my wonderful beta readers for taking time out of their busy schedules to help me with this story. Suzy, Miranda, Mychal, and Kendall, you guys are amazing! Thank you so much for always being willing to read anything I write. Lindsey, you are always a huge supporter of my work and writing. Your quick wit and sass continually keep me on my toes. I’m so thankful for your friendship! Jeff, thank you for being such a great friend. Our conversations on writing and life always lift my spirits whenever I feel down! To my pole momma, Natasha, your grace and strength are a continual inspiration to me! I love the home studio and family you have established for all of us at Sheer Inspiration Pole Fitness. Thank you for your constant encouragement and love! I also want to thank all my pole sisters for their love and support. You girls are amazing and I love all of you so much! Regina and Yuli, thank you for being creative geniuses. You guys always deliver an amazing concept and a cover to die for. Y’all are the ultimate dream team! Casey, thank you for taking the time out of your insane schedule to read my book and provide me with quote for the front cover! You are seriously one of my favorite authors and I truly treasure your friendship! And last but not least, I want to thank my boyfriend, Will. You have always supported my dreams of being an author and I am eternally grateful for your love and support. I love you.
Other Titles
Seeds of Eden (The Concilium Series: Book One)
Coming Soon
You Deserve Better (By Your Side Series: Book Two)
Not Without You (By Your Side Series: Book Three)
About The Author
A.P. Watson grew up in the small town of Estill Springs, Tennessee. Growing up in a rural town allowed her imagination to run wild, and she soon began making up stories in her head at a young age. This storytelling eventually transformed into a love of writing. She is an avid reader, enjoying a variety of genres and authors from Jane Austen to Charlaine Harris.
When she isn’t reading or writing, A.P. spends the majority of her time dancing. She ha
s been taking pole dancing for the last four years and couldn’t be more in love with the sport. A.P. has a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Nursing from East Tennessee State University and is currently working on obtaining a Master’s of Science degree in Nursing. She has over six years of experience as a critical care nurse. She currently resides in Johnson City, Tennessee with her adorable pup, Elle.
