“That's bullshit. You tried making a move on me and Mike. That night, you were drunk and Nate went to bed early. We pushed you away,” Cain says with anger in his voice and his jaw clenched.
Nate places his hand behind Celeste's back, applying gentle pressure as he urges her to move forward. “Celeste,” he says softly, “Just go.”
Celeste shifts her gaze towards the line of trucks and catches sight of me. Her expression contorts with fury and she turns to face Nate. “Who is she?!” she demands, her voice seething with anger.
Celeste takes a step forward, intending to approach the truck. However, before she can get any closer, Nate grabs her arm and Celeste screams, “I wanna speak to her!” Cain steps in and positions himself between the truck and Celeste. Firmly, he declares, “That's not happening.”
“What's so special about her? What, are you all having a go on her or something?” Celeste remarks.
The guys exchange uncertain glances, their faces betraying confusion and a lack of direction. The silence hangs heavy in the air. I sit there in silence, feeling at a loss for words and unsure what to do next.
Celeste laughs, claps her hands in my direction, and cries, “Wow. What a slut.”
Cain's eyes narrow and his gaze intensifies, conveying a sense of anger and aggression towards her. It's as if he's holding back the urge to inflict harm on her.
“Celeste, please leave,” Mike asks, his tone conveying a sense of urgency and desperation.
Celeste's voice trembles with anger as she stares into Nate's eyes and shouts, “Do you love the little whore?” Nate meets her gaze, but his expression remains unreadable. He doesn't say a word.
“I’m not letting her speak about Tessie like that,” Cain's jaw tightens for a moment. “ Tell her to leave Nate or I’ll make her!” Cain shouts in a deep voice.
Celeste scoffs.
“I don't want you, Celeste. I never have. Just leave,” Nate quietly says to her.
Suddenly, she lashes out and slaps him hard across the face. Nate doesn't react– he just looks at her with no emotion.
I jump out of the truck and a sudden shock runs through my body. The air around me is tense. Before I can even process what happened, I hear Mike's panicked voice yelling at me, “Get back in the truck now, Tessie.”
Mike rushes toward me and shoves me back inside the truck. Meanwhile, Cain swiftly moves toward Celeste and pulls her away from Nate, his voice booming with urgency. “You need to fucking leave, now! Before I get you arrested for assault,” he yells, his eyes fixed on her.
“FUCK YOU!” Celeste screams.
Cain grips Celeste's arms tightly and guides her towards her car. As they pass by the truck, Celeste spits on the ground. “They'll chew you up and spit you out like you’re nothing,” she mutters, her voice filled with a mix of bitterness and resignation.
Celeste's brown, golden eyes are brimming with tears as she enters her sleek, red convertible car. She revs the engine and speeds off, leaving behind all of her troubles.
Mike opens the truck door. “Are you okay?” he asks.
Cain and Nate stand behind him, casting an intimidating shadow over me. My nerves get the best of me and I mumble under my breath, “I wanna go home. I don't want to be here.” Cain turns his head towards me and glares with his piercing eyes. He speaks in a stern voice, “You have no choice. Get out of the truck now, Tessie.”
“I refuse to be just another one of your girls!” I shout at Cain, my frustration boiling over. His response is a soft chuckle, which only irritates me further. “You are not another girl. Get out of the truck, Tessie. Don't make me force you,” Cain threatens, his voice intense with emotion.
I hesitantly leap out of the truck. I watch Nate retrieve my suitcase while Mike picks up the shopping bags. We make our way up to the house and I feel Cain's hand on the small of my back, guiding me forward.
We step into the house and I immediately feel thirsty, so I make my way to the kitchen. Nate places the suitcase on the floor and trails behind me, his footsteps echoing through the hallway. Once I reach the kitchen, I open the cabinet, grab a glass, and fill it with water from the sink. As I take a sip, I ask Nate, “What was that all about, Nate? You were in a relationship?”
“No. She always wanted a relationship, but I made it clear from the start that it was just sex. Nothing more. Yes, I slept with her for about ten months on and off. We never went on dates or anything like that,” Nate confesses.
“This whole foursome thing we have going on? Have you guys done it with other women?” I ask.
Cain scoffs as he walks in the kitchen and bluntly says, “No.”
I lift the glass to my lips and take a small sip of the cold drink before placing it back on the kitchen counter. “She's nothing, Tessie,” Cain continues. “She never has been; Nate made it clear from the start.”
“Cain, your words are not comforting to me. It's troubling to hear you refer to her as nothing,” I say with concern.
Nate approaches me with a gentle touch on my shoulders, his eyes filled with remorse. “Listen, baby,” he says, his voice soft and apologetic. “What happened between me and her was just sex. I made it clear I had no emotional attachment to her whatsoever.”
I gulp. “And what, you have an emotional attachment to me?”
Nate nods in agreement as we intensely gaze into each other's eyes. Suddenly, Mike's loud proclamation from the doorway interrupts the silence. “The bedroom is all done!”
I look down the hall at Mike with a perplexing expression and utter, “Bedroom?” in a confused tone. Without a word, Cain grasps my hand and leads me towards one of the bedrooms as Nate trails behind us.
“Close your eyes,” Cain commands.
With a hint of trepidation, I tightly shut my eyes as Cain takes my hands and guides me into a bedroom. “Open your eyes,” he says softly. Slowly, I open my eyes and take in the sight before me. The bedroom is adorned with pristine white bedding, perfectly complemented by a floral throw. The bedside table has a bouquet of roses, while the flickering candles cast a warm glow, creating a cozy atmosphere. A fluffy cream rug underfoot adds to the overall sense of comfort and relaxation. “Wow,” I whisper in awe, taking it all in.
Mike walks into the room and says, “This will be your room while you stay here. We want you to feel comfortable and understand that you might want some time alone sometimes. So, don't feel obliged to join us every night. I went to town and got you some fresh bedding and other bits. I wanted to make sure everything is perfect for you.”
I run up to him and wrap my arms tightly around his neck. “It's perfect, Mike,” I exclaim, my voice filled with gratitude. “Thank you so much. I knew I saw you in town earlier.”
Cain stands next to me with his arms crossed. His tone is sharp as he asks, “What room do you plan on sleeping in tonight?”
Nate chuckles while I sarcastically glare at Cain. “Very funny…” I retort, not at all impressed with Cain's attempt at humor.
“Right. We will let you settle in your new room,” Nate comments.
