Love and Chaos by Gemma Burgess Read Free Book Online

“No!”
    “No?”
    “No … thank you?” How do you refuse an erect penis politely? “Sweet of you to offer, but, uh, no. Let’s get back to the party.”
    Hal tucks his penis back into his pants, thank fuck, but as I go to push past him he grabs me, hoists me up so I’m sitting on the bar, pushes my knees apart, and pulls up my dress.
    “Stop,” I snap, but he’s pinning me down, kissing my neck, his hands grabbing at my thighs and this isn’t funny anymore, but he’s not even looking me in the eye, he’s just dryhumping like a fucking crazed teenager. “Hal, stop. Now. Stop it!”
    I shove him away, get down from the bar, and push past him. I’m out of here.
    “Sorry!” he says. “Listen, Angie, I’m sorry, I really am.”
    I pause in the middle of the room. “You should be. Jesus.”
    Hal sniffs. “Listen, let’s just be totally open, okay? We’re grown-ups. Maybe I went about it the wrong way. You’re different.”
    I frown at him. What does he mean? Different from what?
    “Let’s set the boundaries now, and open a bottle of Veuve, go to the diving terrace, and figure it out from there.”
    “What boundaries?”
    “Three thousand, right? Full sex, and I want head first.”
    I stare at him. If I was a cartoon, there would be a little exclamation mark above my head.
    “What?” Hal looks surprised at my reaction. “Fuck, do I have that wrong? Is it four thousand? Stef said—”
    In that moment, everything becomes crystal clear.
    I’m suddenly sober.
    And.
    I.
    Am.
    Angry.

 
    CHAPTER 7
    I turn around, stalk out of Hal’s cabin, and storm through the yacht. I’m so furious, I feel like sparks are exploding from my body.
    “STEF!” I scream. “STEF, YOU PREPPY PIECE OF SHIT! WAKE THE FUCK UP!”
    I get to the first sleeping cabin and kick it open. Lars and another girl, doing coke.
    “STEF! WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU?”
    I kick in the next cabin door. Beecher and two girls, naked.
    “STEF! SHOW YOURSELF!”
    I kick open the next cabin door. Empty. But I can see Stef’s ridiculous little hat. This was his room. Which means he’s up.
    My fists are clenched so hard that my nails are cutting into my palms. On my way up the last set of stairs I run into that clean-cut boat boy again.
    He frowns at me. “Are you okay?”
    “No. I am not okay!” I push past him angrily.
    “Can I do anything?”
    “Yes. Stay the fuck away from me.”
    I stomp above deck, look around wildly, and see him. Stef. Sitting at the bar, looking completely normal, the goateed drug-dealing boat boy serving him a chilled glass of rosé. I walk right up to him.
    “Why the fuck did you bring me here?” My voice is suddenly shaking. “Hal thinks I’m a fucking hooker, Stef!”
    “Labels are very ugly, Angie.” Stef’s drawl is even more pronounced than usual.
    “You told him I’m a hooker?”
    “You need cash. Hal needs a girl. Maybe he upset you by being too up-front, but c’mon. You must have been expecting it.”
    “I was not fucking expecting it,” I hiss. “How dare you. I asked you what we were doing here, you said, ‘Just good fun, babe.’ You LIAR! I thought—”
    “Mani took you shopping, right?” Stef interrupts. My ex? Why is he bringing him up? Stef introduced us, but—“Did you get an extra-nice present after the first time you fucked him? I bet you did. How about Jessop? A weekend in Aspen and a charge card for a couple of grand at Bergdorf Goodman, right?”
    “That was … he said it was a freebie from his work, he said—” I’m stuttering now.
    “Sex in exchange for what you want.”
    “No.” Suddenly I can’t breathe. “That’s different.”
    “Is it? And does it even matter?”
    “It matters to me. They were just … generous…” My voice trails off as I realize how ridiculous I sound.
    “And you woke up yesterday morning in some hotel room with a stack of cash next to the bed, I’m guessing.” Stef’s voice grows eerily controlled. “Come on, tough girl.