Chapter 1 HEARTBREAKS & WHISKEY

RENEE

‘Yes, Dylan, fuck me harder.’

‘You like it when I fuck you hard?’

‘Oh yesssss… Oh yesssss Dylan…’

I shut my eyes tightly, a whimper escaping my lips as I tried to block the taunting memories in my head. The memory was clear as day.

Even as I closed my eyes now, I was hit with the illicit image of Dylan, my longtime boyfriend of four years, cheating on me with a blonde-haired bimbo in our bed.

I’d found him fucking her on the bed we shared for years in our joint apartment. When I arrived home, the first thing I saw when I stepped into the building were clothes flung haphazardly, strewn around in the living room.

Following the trail, picking up the bra and panties I’d seen on the way, I kept trying to tell myself that my worst nightmare was not about to happen. But then I heard screams and pleasure-filled echoes coming from my room, and I froze. Our room… Instantly, the steady pounding of my heartbeat increased, my chest tightening as a tear found its way down my cheek.

Soft moans had drifted through the apartment, along with the small creaky sounds of our rickety old bed, and at first I stood like a statue, unmoving. The shock had my whole body paralyzed, and my jaw dropping, I stood close to the slightly open door, desperately looking for the courage to peek inside the room.

I inhaled and exhaled slowly, and after a while, my breathing steadied itself as I inhaled once more. I placed my hand on the doorknob, and after peeping into the room, my eyes met with the worst and most shocking sight.

Dylan hadn’t noticed my presence as he’d been so deeply engrossed in the sexual activity, and as for the woman with him, she was busy stroking her clit, her moans loud and throaty. She continued to urge Dylan as he pumped in and out of her pussy while I watched, and that’s when I’d lost it..

“Shit!” I cursed, the tears at the back of my eyes drying up and my lids opening instantly. What the hell was wrong with me? I was already getting wet imagining them together. Now I was ashamed and embarrassed.

The drinks I’d been having since I stepped into this bar with Nicole were getting to my head I blinked twice, pushing away the image of Dylan’s cheating ass, and instead, I chugged the whiskey down my throat, grimacing bitterly at the harsh burn.

I was heartbroken, sad, and fucking horny as hell. I now hated my meek and holy lifestyle. If I’d been bratty, surely I would’ve gotten someone to fuck the shit out of me. That would’ve probably cleared my head of all the memories of Dylan. But I had no one.

I didn’t have a fling or a hook-up, as I’d been faithful to Dylan all these years.

Even though I was at a bar, I wouldn’t say I liked the idea of picking a random stranger to go home with and never see again. I would be a ‘slut.’ That’s what Dylan called me when he’d finished fucking that woman, and they’d caught me staring.

Without a slightest bit of remorse on his face, Dylan had given me an evil smirk and told me right to my face that he’d done everything on purpose because I didn’t satisfy him sexually. What a prick!

While he was dressing up casually, he’d bluntly told me that I’d been neglecting him by working my ass off day and night and not making time for him.

His words went; thus, ‘I’m sorry you had to see this, Renee. But I wanted you to. I’ve been sex-starved these past few weeks, and you did nothing about it. Even after I complained! So, I had to look for an alternative and satisfy myself. Dare I say she did well, and I hope this teaches you a lesson, you slimy slut. I still love you, but I can’t continue jerking off every morning in the shower when I have a girlfriend who….’

He’d continued spewing trash, and it’d taken all my strength not to walk over to where he was and smack him square and hard in the face. But I composed myself.

At first, I didn’t give him the reaction he was expecting, as I kept mute, and disappointment had flashed in his blue eyes. As for the stupid bitch by his side, she was still lying on the bed. She stared at me with a haughty look while rubbing her tits, her legs wide open, and slowly stroking her clit with her legs wide open.

A tear had fallen from my face at long last and clutching my purse without so much as a word, I whirled around and scampered out of the house, humiliation and disgrace coursing through me. Now….

“Oh Renee, don’t tell me these tears streaming down your face are still because of that self-centered, egotistical prick?” Nicole, my best friend asked, and I just sighed sadly.

I didn’t even know what to say. I drowned my sorrow with another drink and mumbled bitterly with red-rimmed eyes, “I can’t stop thinking about it, Nicole. I loved him. I could see my future with him and—”

”Oh, stop this, Renee. You’re making me ashamed right now.” Nicole cut in.

I ignored her and continued, “It hurts so much, Nicole. I can’t fathom being with a man other than Dylan. He was my first love, for goodness’ sake! He took my virginity, and he was my first in everything. We loved each other so much, and—”

“And he still cheated on you? Oh, get your act together, girl. I dragged you here to have fun. Not to mope around.” Nicole slurred, a bubbly laughter escaping her throat, and her mockery only intensified my pain.

I knew she didn’t mean any harm, but the words hurt. “His reason is just so absurd, you know.” After a brief silence descended between us, coughing as I spoke, I began to say again, “He told me he broke up with me because I rarely slept with him. Can you imagine? He said I wasn’t giving him enough of my time and… Dylan knows how hard I work to provide for myself and my sick mother. He knows how hard I’ve been looking for a stable job since leaving college and how I’ve been saving up so hard but still, he had to blame me for being—” I gurgled as Nicole forced a cherry into my mouth, telling me to shut up without words.

I shot her a bitter look.

“You know what? You can’t keep being like this. It’s been two days since you caught the motherfucker cheating, and you’ve been crying like a kid. He might be fucking another blonde bimbo now or a brunette beauty while you’re here bawling your eyes out. Man up, bitch!”

The thought of Dylan moving on or sleeping with another lady brought a bitter taste to my mouth, and I grimaced. ”I just don’t know what to do and—”

“Oh, I know the best therapy for you! For us, actually!” Nicole announced, a smile on her face and her eyes twinkling mischievously.

I slurped, gulping back the vomit threatening to spill out of my throat. My head felt wobbly and heavy, and my body was shaking. But still, I kept drinking, intent on doing anything that would take my mind off Dylan.

“What do you say about a vacation?”

“A vacation? Nicole, I don’t have that much money to—”

“This one’s completely free, Renee. I got two tickets to a beach festival in Miami. It’s an expense-paid trip with free rooms, food, and Wi-Fi. I’ve been keeping it a secret. I wanted to tell you at a better time, but I guess I have to tell you now. What do you think about it?”

For a while, I kept drinking the strong whiskey with my face upturned as I considered Nicole’s proposal.

I had so much work to do and money I needed to raise. But this vacation offer was tempting, and the opportunity wouldn’t come again. I had to go.

“What do you say, Renee?” Nicole half yelled, raising her voice due to the booming music in the bar.

I stared at the funny expression on her face and chuckled softly. “Answer me, Renee! Stop keeping me in some goddamn suspense,” Nicole said again, and this time I gave a curt nod. “I want to hear your answer. Come on! Miami is filled with so many hot guys. You might get lucky and even hook up with one. He could be your rebound. Get your pussy drilled so hard you never think about Dylan again, and—”

Was I going there to meet hot guys or to have fun? Before Nicole could finish, I answered, “Yes! Yes! Let’s go on the freaking trip! Let’s do this!” I then proceeded to vomit uncontrollably amidst Nicole’s startled scream.

“What the hell did you do? Renee!” Nicole yelled, her hand patting my back as I kept vomiting and she looked around, desperately trying to call for help.

I’d made a mess all over the floor of the city’s most popular dance club and I wouldn’t even be surprised if we were thrown out eventually.

However, all I could think about was our short vacation to Miami, and a giddy feeling coursed through me.

“Oh goodness gracious, Renee.” Nicole muttered, calling my name for the umpteenth time and dragging me up simultaneously.

As I straightened, I locked gazes with her, and as if on cue, we both began to laugh uncontrollably… Oh well!