NOVEL NEXT Chapter 33: Chapter 32
They were trying to catch their breath. The music and the sounds of the club came back, louder and more chaotic than before. But for a moment, neither of them cared. They were lost in each other, the rest of the world forgotten in the heat.
Marshall gently lowered Lana back onto the floor, his knees weak and his heart pounding in his chest. They stood there in the shadows, wrapped up in each other, their bodies still hot and flush from the intensity of their encounter.
Neither of them said anything for a long moment, the reality of what they'd just done slowly sinking in. Marshall took a step back, creating some distance between them. The cold air of the club seemed to cut through the haze of desire, bringing him back to earth with a thump'
__Marshall: 'We should probably get out of here," he said, his voice rough and hoarse. His mind was slowly snapping back to sobriety and reality, guilt and shame starting to creep in now that the heat of the moment had passed.
Lana straighten her dress, a lazy smile on her face. She didn't seem to feel the same sense of regret that he was experiencing. She put a hand on his chest, her nails lightly scraping his skin.
__Lana: "You know, my place isn't far from here," she said, her voice sultry and inviting. Her touch on his chest was tempting, even as his guilt and shame grew.
Marshall shook his head, taking another step back. The last thing he needed was to get tangled up with this woman longer than he already had. He already felt guilty enough, he didn't need to add another layer of complication to his already complicated life.
__Marshall: "Thanks for the offer, but I need to go." he said, his voice more firm this time.
He tried to sound casual, but he knew she could hear the strain in his words. There was a flicker of disappointment in her eyes, but she quickly masked it with a shrug.
__Lana: "Your loss," she said, her tone light and playful. But he could see the hint of hurt in her eyes, that he was rejecting her after what they just shared.
__Marshall: "I guess it is." he replied, trying to keep his voice nonchalant and indifferent. But the guilt inside him was growing stronger, the image of Emily in his mind growing clearer and more vivid with every passing moment
__Lana: "You'll be thinking about me later, I guarantee it." she teased, a sultry smile on her lips. She moved closer to him, her hand again resting on his chest.
__Marshall: "I doubt it." he said, his voice cold and dismissive.
__Lana: "We'll see about that." she replied, her hand sliding down to his stomach, her fingers tracing a slow trail of fire on his skin.
He could feel his body reacting to her touch, despite his best efforts to ignore it. He grabbed her wrist, stopping her hand.
__Marshall: "Don't." he said, his voice harsh. He looked into her eyes, trying to convey the seriousness of his words.
__Lana: "Why not? You seemed to enjoy yourself a moment ago," she purred, her eyes full of promise and desire. Her body was pressed against his.
__Marshall: "That was a mistake," he said, his voice tight with tension. He gripped her wrists tighter, forcing her to stop her wandering hands. He looked into her eyes, his own filled with guilt and conflict. "I shouldn't have done that. I have a girlfriend. And what we did was a mistake."
A flicker of surprise passed over Lana's face. She clearly hadn't expected him to mention a girlfriend. She took a step back, putting some distance between them. She looked at him, her eyes searching his face for any signs of insincerity or deception.
__Lana: "If you have a girlfriend, what are you doing here, picking up random girls in nightclubs?"
She crossed her arms across her chest, her body language becoming defensive and closed off.
__Marshall: "The fuck it's your problem? We just fucked, my life ain't your business."
Lana's eyes narrowed at his harsh response. She had clearly been hoping for some explanation or apology, but he was in no mood to give one. His guilt and shame were slowly shifting to anger and defensiveness.
__Lana: "And what, you're just going to go home to your little girlfriend, as if nothing happened?" she retorted, her voice full of sarcasm and bitterness. She was clearly hurt and angry now, her pride wounded by his rejection.
__Marshall: "Yes, that's exactly what I'm going to do." he said, meeting her gaze directly. He wasn't going to justify himself to her, he didn't owe her anything. He had made a mistake, a huge mistake, and all he wanted to do now was to get out of here and try to forget it ever happened.
__Lana: "That's pathetic!" she sneered, her voice sharp and cutting. "You come into a club, pick up the first girl you see and cheat on your girlfriend without thinking twice. You're a real piece of work."
__Marshall: "You just gave yourself for a man you just met 5 minutes ago. Aren't you the perfect illustration of slut?" he said with a smile
Her face flushed at his vulgar words, her eyes narrowed in anger. He'd clearly hit a sensitive spot.
__Lana: "Excuse me?" she said, her voice cold and hard. "What did you just call me?"
__Marshall: "I called you a slut." he said, his voice nonchalant and calm. He looked at her with a smirk, enjoying the sight of her being on the defensive for once. "You can't really complain about me picking up women when you're willing to give it up for any guy that talks to you.
Her face went from red to pale as he continued his attack, her body visibly stung by his words. She opened her mouth to retort, but no words came out. She was clearly shocked and hurt by his verbal attack, not used to being treated like that after spending a moment with a man.
He walked out of the club, the cool night air a relief after the cramped, hot confines of the club. He didn't look back. He was disgusted with himself for what he'd done to Emily, for how he'd let his anger and guilt get the better of him.
At the same time, he didn't regret setting that woman straight either. She needed to know she wasn't special to him, that she was just a one-night stand he'd regret in the cold light of day. But was she really a slut for just enjoying herself? Probably not. But Marshall doesn't really care again.