Shelby Quinn

My bored gaze passes over the other patrons seated all around the ritzy restaurant, dining fine and enjoying their evening.. Completely oblivious to my inner turmoil.. I am not so fortunate as everyone else, instead I am trapped by the mundane drivel of Tyler Bennings.. He drones on as he talks about nothing but himself, all without taking a breath in between humble-brags.. I have never met a more conceited, arrogant and egotistical narcissist in all my years, and that includes pretentious pageant girls, demanding drill sergeants and my perfection-obsessed, vainglorious father..

I had been so fast to assess Logan's stand-offish manner and cocksuredness as arrogance, but now, affronted by the true meaning of the word, I feel more foolish than ever for the way I have been treating him..

"You see, Shelby, Babe, some people have what it takes and others - well, they just lack the kind of ambition that's needed to do business, you feel me?" He shovels a bite of his hundred dollar steak into his mouth, chewing quickly in an attempt to continue his pompous ramblings..

I have met a thousand men like Tyler, insecure and desperate to be validated.. My entire life has consisted of overconfident men talking down to me and pressuring me to fit within the confines of their narrow minded dictatorships.. But when it comes to overzealous, oblivious mediocrity, Tyler Bennings really takes the fucking cake..

"Uh-huh, totally.." I nod half-heartedly as I skim the tip of my finger around the rim of the viognier stemware in front of me.. Somehow my disinterested meagre response is enough to prompt him to continue..

"When I took over the CEO position, people said I was too young. They were scared of my vision for the company." The smug bullshit dribbles from his mouth like a broken faucet.. Honestly, it is as if the guy has no filter and a complete lack of social awareness..

I just need this horrible date to end so I can get back to trying to win back the man who I actually wish was sitting opposite me on a date.. My mind is a chaotic whirlwind of dreamy desire and heartbreaking regret.. I just can't stop thinking about Logan and the way he teased me earlier in the car.. It was almost as if I hadn't tore out his heart and stomped on it..
So maybe I'm not too late... Maybe he will forgive me if I just tell him how I feel..

Yes.. That's it.. No more hiding like a Kentucky-fried-coward.. I'm going to tell him the truth..
I had burned everything down, lit the match and scorched our connection to cinders.. But if I could just get him to hear me, to give me a chance, perhaps we can build our relationship back up even better.. We can start again, with a clean slate.. No more secrets..

"But let me tell you, Shelby, I'm ushering in the dawn of a new era at Blackstar, with innovation at the forefront of our manufacturing process- they'll all see-" Tyler's voice is a droll, monotonous drone that I can hardly stand to tolerate for even a minute longer..

Enough is enough..

"That's great, Tyler-" I check the silver face of my dainty designer watch, finally reaching my breaking point.. He's been talking non stop for the past hour and if he doesn't shut the hell up I'm liable to shoot him in the face just for the quietude of a prison cell and solitary confinement .. Flicking my honeycomb curls back over my shoulder to expose the length of my neck, I sit up straighter, vibrating with impatience.. "So, do you want to fuck me or what?"

His shocked earthy eyes bug out as he chokes on a swallow of his top shelf scotch.. "W-what?"

"It's what we both came here for, isn't it?" I lean forward to lower my voice and without missing a beat his gaze drops to check out my chest.. "I suck your cock and in return Dallas wins the crown.. That's how this works, right?"

Tyler nods eagerly, bewildered by my direct proposition.. "Yeah.. Yeah, I can make that happen for your girl.."

"Good.." I push up from the table in my silky slip dress and his gaze darkens in appreciation as I lean forward and scoop up my Moscato, downing the remaining half glass in preparation of the terrible thing I am about to do.. "Get the check and meet me in the bathroom in five minutes- or I'll start without you.."

Leaving Tyler behind and making my way through the maze of tables, I follow the corridor at the back of the restaurant that leads to the ostentatious washroom.. Stepping inside the gilded, marble-tiled room, I twist my hair up into a ponytail, securing it with the band from my wrist before I set my purse down by the sink..

My hand dips inside the spangled clutch to retrieve a small metallic lipstick tube and I set upon unscrewing the cap as my phone begins to vibrate on the vanity..

-BUZZ-BUZZ-BUZZ-

Looking down at the screen, I see the name that is projected in blue pixels and slide my finger across the screen to accept the call immediately.. "Tex? Is everything okay, Sweetie?"

"Hey Shelby - everything is fine.. I just wanted to call and apologise for how I acted at rehearsal today.. I'm kind of embarrassed that I was being such a brat.." The soft sincerity in her voice makes me smile.. Every time I speak with Dallas I am reminded of her soft nature and impressed by her maturity.. She may be ten years younger than me, but she is still one of the best friends I have ever had.. Considerate and kind, I have never met a young woman with more heart than her..

"It's fine, I understand you're under a lot of pressure-"

Dallas doesn't let me get more than a couple words out before her gushing apology persists.. "No, that's no excuse and honestly my uncle taught me better than that.. He'd be so disappointed if he found out how rude I was to you.."

"Really, Sweetheart, It's okay.." I chuckle, tucking the phone between my shoulder and ear to free up my hands.. "I promise, you don't have to worry about me.."

"Oh good.. I just really didn't want you to think that I wasn't grateful for everything you've done for me.. Even if Logan is mad at you for dating that skeezy rich guy- you've been a good friend to me and I don't want anything to get in the way of that.."

I shake my head, ignoring her baited words as I take the syringe of sodium pentothal from my bag.. I unsheathe the needle before carefully setting it down on the vanity.. "I appreciate that, Dallas-"

"Even though it's obvi you actually belong together because he's totally hung up on you and it's pretty clear that you like him back-"

I scoff, making eye contact with my dressed up reflection in the mirror to witness the flush of my cheeks when she calls me out.. "Tex, this really isn't a good time.."

"Ugh! Fine.." Dallas puffs a haughty breath of frustration, exasperated by my unwillingness to admit defeat. Even though she is one hundred percent correct.. "Will you at least agree to think about Logan?"

"Believe me, Dallas, I already do.." Just as the words leave my mouth the doorknob to the bathroom twists, forcing me to end the call fast.. "Sorry-I have to go, I'll call you later."

As I toss the phone back into my bag, Tyler steps into the bathroom with a dumb grin on his pock-marked face.. Locking the door behind him he looks me up and down with an appraising wink.. "Well well, I never thought a squeaky clean girl like you would be into something so dirty!"

"Uh-huh, I'm really fucking nasty.." I take a seductive step forward and he barely has time to reach for his belt buckle before I extend the lipstick taser to connect with the pulse point in his neck.. His eyes bulge and his skin reddens as he is dealing 30,000 volts straight to his system, shocking him for several seconds..

-ZZZZZZZZZZZZ-

I wince, clicking off the stun gun and watching as the lump of a man drops to the floor.. When he is out cold, slumped against the wall, I let out an exhausted sigh.

I am suddenly hyper-aware of just how risky my plan is and I really hope this is the right move..

I take the loaded syringe and inject Tyler with the truth serum, delivering the drug directly into his external jugular vein before crossing the tiled floor and pushing the frosted window open.

"Oi oi, Treacle Tart! How's the hot date?" Cassidy pokes his cheeky head through the open port to examine the body on the floor with a bright, beaming grin..

"Potent enough to turn me narcoleptic.." I utter a dry response and roll my eyes and Duke laughs, hoisting himself up onto the sill.. He watches as I lean down to take hold of the unconscious man's ankles, dragging him across the slippery tile.. "Now hurry up and help me get him out of here, will you?"