Page 38 of Sinful Seduction

“I hear what everyone says to me, but they never mean it.Good night.”She heard him try to keep her on the line, but she couldn’t take any more lies.She wrapped her arms around herself and rocked.The pain was excruciating, and it felt like it was eating at her insides.

What was it about her that made people walk away from her?She rolled over to lie on her side.Tears would come, but right then, she was hollow, a shell of a person.

She woke several hours later, shaking.The hotel room had become so cold, and she was on top of the bedspread.She hurried to the heater by the window and cranked it as high as it would go, and then went to the bathroom and did the same.

A shaft of pain hit her when she thought she hadn’t had to worry about being warm for so long because her men—the men—took care to keep her from getting chilled.

Jayla picked up the suitcase and put it on top of the desk.She was so confused.Everything she would needwaspacked in the case.Some were hers, but some looked brand new.Who the hell was doing her packing?She vaguely wondered if she’d ever find out or if she even cared.

She took out a nightgown and toiletries and closed herself in the bathroom.Jayla took a long, hot shower, dispelling the last chill from herself.She made use of the hair dryer and spent half an hour drying most of her hair.The long black strands sifted through her fingers before falling down around her.She asked herself many times why she kept it this long, and all she could come up with was that it was the only thing that made her feel beautiful.

But that was before.Now it was just a hindrance.She braided it quickly before she dressed, but kept her gaze away from her reflection.She didn’t have to see the pain or lifeless look that would stare back at her in the mirror to know it was there.

She was relieved to feel the heater had done its job, and the room was toasty.At least she wouldn’t die of hypothermia.Jayla lay under the covers and looked toward the clock.Four-thirty in the morning.Sleep was dragging her down, but her mind wouldn’t rest enough to let go.With every hour that passed, she grew more frozen inside.She had to get through the trial, and then she’d take off.Maybe to the beach or perhaps the mountains.She’d give herself time to grieve, and then she had to make a life for herself.Making plans helped a bit.It was a reminder that she could still make a great life for herself.

Jayla was up, dressed, and ready an hour before Monica knocked on the door.

Monica tried to hide her shock.Jayla was pale and looked like she hadn’t slept the night before.But it was the nothingness in her light-colored eyes that tugged at her heart.Whoever the bastard was that was hurting her, he deserved to get his ass royally kicked or a knee in the balls.

Monica waited until they were in her car.“Jayla, did you eat any breakfast?”

She shook her head and kept her face turned out her side window.“No, I had some coffee.”

“Do you think you could eat something?”

“No, but thank you.”

Jayla followed Monica into the room they used the day before.Gannon looked up from some papers, and an immediate scowl crossed his face.Monica shrugged and then went back to work and let him deal with it.

Gannon stood and held out a chair for Jayla before sitting back down.“Is everything okay?”

Jayla nodded.“Yes.I’m just a little tired.”

He didn’t believe a word she said but didn’t push it.“Are you ready for the questions again and a few more my group thought of last night?”

“Yes.”

Gannon paused, then went to work.He made sure she had a drink in front of her and took a few bites of the sandwich.Between the interruptions and the calls, they didn’t finish until after five that afternoon.

“I’m going to have Monica take you back to the hotel.Get some rest, and we’ll have someone pick you up at nine a.m.tomorrow.Any problems with that?”

Jayla stood and shook her head.“No, I’ll be waiting.After I testify, may I leave?”

“Yes, after you’re done testifying, you may go back to your life.”

“Yes, my life ...thank you.”