Sinful Mates 1-3 novel Chapter 20

　　After a few minutes, I could hear a low whining coming from outside the bathroom door. Reaching out the shower door, I opened the bathroom door before turning back to rinse the shampoo that was now burning my eyes. Opening my stinging eyes, the dog was watching me through the shower screen.

　　“You know it is rude to stare,” I tell it. It cocks its big head to the side, not fazed by my comment. Feeling its eyes on me, I rush to get out. I don’t know why but sometimes his gaze makes me feel a little uneasy. It’s almost humanlike. Wrapping the towel around me, I get out and dig through the draws finding an old shirt and a pair of panties. Slipping them on, I walk back out and find the bottle of tequila I was drinking the night before. Maybe I was developing a problem, but I couldn’t sleep without it. The nightmares were terrible, reliving the night my mother passed over and over again. The alcohol helped make sleep come easier now. I went to pour it in a glass but seeing only a quarter of the glass bottle left, decided to just drink it straight from the bottle.

　　Tipping the bottle to my lips, the stray walked over his fur brushing against side. He sat at my feet staring up at me. I took a swig from the bottle, coughing from the intense burn it left in my throat. The cough would go after another mouthful. A few more and it would be like drinking water. Come to think of it, I needed to find another way to me sleep. I keep doing this, I may just become an alcoholic like my mother. The dog whined when I took another big mouthful. “What? Don’t look at me with those judging eyes. You really do remind me of Tobias when you do that.” The dog pulled at my shirt with his mouth, tugging me out of the kitchen. Grabbing the bottle, I walked over and grabbed a blanket out of the linen cupboard before opening the doors leading outside in case the dog needed to pee during the night. Curling up on the lounge, the dog jumped up beside me.

　　Watching TV and drinking, after a while my eyelids started to get heavy. I knew sleep wasn’t too far off. I couldn’t be bothered to get up and sleep in the bed that was way too big for one person. Instead I stayed on the lounge with my furry hot water bottle. His head resting on my hip, eventually I fell into a dreamless sleep.

　　The next morning, I awoke, and the dog was gone. I looked in every room but couldn’t find him. He must have left. I hoped he would come back, but he didn’t return. Rushing around the house trying to find something clean to wear, I had ten minutes before Theo and Tobias would be knocking on my door. My head was pounding, and my eyesight was blurry. I could feel a migraine coming on. I was looking for some Panadol when the Tobias walked in followed by Theo. How did they get in, they didn’t even knock?

　　“Good morning, Imogen. I hope you’re decent,” Theo’s voice sang out. I wasn’t decent, I was still running around like chook with its head chopped off, trying to find some clothes. “I’ll be out in a minute” I sang out from my bedroom. I really needed to do some washing. Digging through my oversized handbag, I tried to find Panadol anything to get rid of this bloody headache. After a few minutes, Tobias must of have got tired waiting because he burst through my bedroom door. I yelped and tried to cover my bare legs that were sticking out from under my shirt.

　　“How much longer?” he asked clearly annoyed.

　　“Just a sec I need to find some pants,” I said wriggling on the spot trying to hold the shirt down to cover everything.

　　Tobias walked into my closet and grabbed a black button up sweater dress of the hanger. Tossing it at me. “Here put this on, if you weren’t so bloody hungover you would know where you put things,” he told me. I just stared trying to figure out how he knew I was hungover, was it that obvious.

　　Seeing my reaction to his words, he answered. “Come on Imogen, next time hide the bottle lying next to the lounge.” He walked out and slammed the door behind him. I scrambled to get ready in record time throwing my hair in a bun as I walked out. Theo had my handbag and keys in his hand, as well as some Advil. He handed me a bottle of water and the two of the little green pills. I quickly swallowed them while following after them.

　　Walking out, the valet chucked Tobias the keys. I stopped at his car not wanting to get in. Not only did his driving frighten me, but I also didn’t think my stomach would handle the jerking and slamming on of the breaks.

　　When I didn’t get in, Tobias looked over the roof of the car. “Get in the car.” I looked to Theo for help, but he was already in the backseat. “I think, I will drive myself”.

　　“It wasn’t a choice Imogen, get in the car,” he repeated, this time daring me to tell him no.

　　For the first time, I was actually thinking about defying his order. “Nope I’m good,” I said, turning around to walk to the carpark.

　　“Don’t make me come get you, Imogen. You won’t like the consequences if I do.” I stopped frozen in my tracks. Consequences? What is he gonna smack my arse like a child? Scold me, put me in the naughty corner?

　　“Don’t make me repeat myself.” His words were harsh. I could hear the anger behind them. Turning back around, I gulped his eyes were blazing. I took a step toward the car; he didn’t drop his intense gaze. I quickly ran and opened the door. “Good girl,” he said before getting in himself. I climbed in and buckled my seat belt. Tobias started the car; I gripped the seat white knuckled the entire way. I heard Theo laugh a few times, as I closed my eyes when he would go to fast around the corner. My stomach plummeting to somewhere deep inside me as I waited for us to hit something.

　　Only he never did. When the car stopped, I opened the door and jumped straight out. I felt like throwing up. I stood with my hands on my knees bent over taking deep breathes trying to stop myself from puking in the carpark. Tobias got out. Seeing me bent over slapped my arse with the palm of his hand. “Don’t drink and you won’t feel sick,” he said before turning away and walking inside the building.