Due Diligence: An Enemies-to-Lovers Romance by Rebecca Kinkade

Author:Rebecca Kinkade [Kinkade, Rebecca]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-03-17T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 20: Marcus

“Are you sure you don’t want any?” Alex asked as he rubbed his hand under his nostrils. He pinched them a couple times and inhaled deeply. When he looked at me, his eyes were already bloodshot and glassy. Cheers to him, I decided. And cheers to his dealer.

“I’m all set,” I replied. I finished my drink and placed the empty glass on the table, right next to the powdery remnants of the line of blow that Alex just inhaled.

“Erin?” he asked, nodding at my date.

Classic Alex. Even when he was coked out in a way that would make the Rolling Stones nod with approval, he was still an impeccable host.

Predictably, Erin shook her head. “I’m studying tomorrow,” she responded.

Alex smirked and leaned back in his seat, settling into the plush cushions. “Erin, baby, just drop out of school. Look at Marcus and me—absolutely crushing it.”

“She’s a hot second away from getting her PhD,” I reminded him, forcing myself not to be too condescending—but still condescending enough that I could at least get some entertainment out of this otherwise insufferable conversation. “She’s not going to drop out just because you got high at your birthday party and offhandedly recommended it to her.”

He narrowed his bloodshot eyes and said, “Dude, you can be such a buzzkill. Are you sure you don’t want a little? I feel like you could really use some.” He nodded at the little baggie of cocaine on the table. “All yours.”

“Maybe later,” I lied. It was easier than giving him any of the number of reasons why I didn’t want to do a line with him right now. For one, there were over a hundred people at this spectacle of a birthday party, all of whom had their phones out to document every moment of it. If any of them caught me inhaling just one speck of coke, I would be out a shit ton of money. For another, I hated cocaine. It made me too twitchy. I was already an anxious motherfucker, and I didn’t need to feel any more alert than I already did. And lastly, I was still waiting for Cass to arrive; it was really the only reason why I was still hanging around this clusterfuck of excess and assholes after already completing my requisite hour.

I leaned back in my seat and glanced at my watch, wondering where she was. The night surrounded me, lively and cool, and from here on the rooftop of the Peninsula Hotel I had a rare, clear view of the stars. I imagined us sitting side by side, getting tipsy and leaning close as I pointed out constellations to her. But then again, knowing her, she probably had a vast knowledge of constellations that would put mine to shame. That was fine. Cass could read me the instruction manual for a toaster and the timbre of her voice would still captivate me.

The sound of Alex inhaling sharply, attempting to clear his nostrils, snapped me out of my reverie.

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