Kaycee ran from his room as fast as she could ignoring the curious stares that greeted her as she hit the lobby of his hotel and carried on running out the doors and down the strip, only slowing down when she began to struggle to breathe. Finally slowing to a walk she glanced around nervously unsure of exactly where she was and forgetting for the moment where her hotel was. It was as she lifted a trembling hand to her aching head that she noticed something she had not before and that was a white gold wedding band adorning her ring finger. She froze in horror at the sight of the ring and fought not to faint.

“Okay, deep breaths.” Kaycee told herself gaining a few glances her way. Just get to the hotel and then you can panic about this, she told herself. Concentrating she remembered the picture that had been on the hotel, okay now what was it called? Pandora or something like that if she remembered correctly. With a sigh Kaycee began walking the strip searching for her hotel and hoping that she wasn’t running a wild goose chase.

She had been walking for about twenty minutes when she finally found it and with a grateful sigh she went straight to the check in desk and begged for a key grateful when something finally went her way and the young man behind the desk handed over the key card without comment.

Hurrying up the stairs Kaycee finally tracked down the room she had been staying in and unlocked the door grateful beyond words when it opened immediately. Holding her breath she stepped inside and let it out slowly with a smile at the image of her friends still passed out on their beds. Thank god they hadn’t realised she was gone. Slipping past them silently Kaycee let herself in to the bathroom and collapsed behind the door with her knees pulled to her chin. Closing her eyes she rested her weary head on them and wondered just what the hell had happened last night. How had a night out with the girls to get over her ex turned in to such a nightmare?

Just what had happened?

Kaycee banged her head repeatedly on her knees trying to remember what had happened and unable to recall more than little details. She remembered a jewellery store and the ring and an Elvis impersonator and then nothing. She didn’t remember going back to his room and she didn’t remember how he had come to be naked although she hoped the fact she had still been wearing her underwear was a good sign that nothing had happened. At least she hoped that was true.

“Kay?”

Kaycee jumped as Hannah called through the door to her and she slowly slipped the ring from her finger hiding it behind her back as she got unsteadily to her feet and hid it behind her back. Opening the door she smiled at Hannah hoping she didn’t see the guilt written there.

“Hey, what’s up?” Kaycee asked hiding behind her smile as she surveyed her friends weary features.

Hannah’s short black hair that was normally perfectly in place was all mussed and makeup had run down her tanned face, she was still wearing the red dress over her plump curves from the night before and looked as bad as Kaycee felt.

“When did you get in? I don’t remember hearing you come in,” Hannah said suspiciously and Kaycee grimaced.

“I wasn’t long after you, but you were both passed out when I got here so I just left you to sleep,” Kaycee lied hoping that Hannah did not see through it.

“I don’t know what we were drinking but I feel like crap today, I don’t even remember half of last night. Do you?” Hannah asked and Kaycee frowned.

“Um, sure. I remember most of it,” she lied not wanting her to realise what she might have done.

“Hey girls, great night huh?” Vicky asked as she joined them looking more bright eyed than either Hannah or Kaycee.

“Yeah, great!” they both echoed and with a glance at Vicky burst in to giggles.

It was so relaxing to just be normal and Kaycee finally relaxed as last night became just a memory and they had a laugh about the things that they could remember. After half an hour they finally got up the energy to get ready and checked out looking far less happy than they had checking in.

They arrived home late that afternoon and Kaycee waved off her friends before she let herself in to her apartment with a sigh just wanting to lock herself in a dark room and forget that the weekend had even happened.

Only the first thing she saw was the blinking light on her answer machine that had her giving a low sigh before she pressed the play button and sank in to the comfy armchair next to it.

The first few were predictably from her family. A few off Sarah begging for forgiveness while at the same time hoping that Kaycee could make it to their wedding which would be in the next few days. She was incredulous at this piece of information. It was one thing to steal her boyfriend just an hour after he dumped her but another to marry him only a week later.

The next couple of messages were off her stepmother telling her how selfish she was being disappearing off the face of the earth just because she was jealous that Sarah was getting married and she was not. Kaycee rolled her eyes at these messages and deleted them almost immediately.

Of the final three, two were from her dad. One asking her to call him as he did not understand exactly what had gone on and the other begging her to call as he was worried about her. He knew that this was not normal behaviour for her as Kaycee had never sulked or had a tantrum in her life.

She thought that all the messages had played until the last one came on and her stomach flipped at the sound of Jake’s voice filling her living room with it’s soft timbre.

“Kaycee, we need to talk. I found something and well I think we did something that we need to talk about. I’ll speak to you soon,” he said and she gaped at the phone as the message ended.

How had he gotten this number? Did he know where she lived? Shit! She was in deep trouble and she had no idea how to get herself out of it.

“What do I do?” she asked herself in a panic, for she was not ready to deal with him yet. She barely knew what had happened and didn’t feel ready to discuss it with anyone especially not him. Not until she’d had time to examine her feelings on the matter.

It was then that the phone rang and in a panic Kaycee jumped up staring at it with wide eyes scared that it might be him. When her stepsister’s voice rang out Kaycee actually breathed a sigh of relief and that was when she decided to go visit her dad. Anywhere was better than here where Jake could appear at any moment.

She had already changed in to jeans and a black figure hugging sweater back at the hotel so after collecting up her car keys Kaycee let herself out of the apartment and drove to her dad’s house hoping that it would buy her a few more days until she had to deal with Jake.

It was awkward to say the least.

After her disappearing act it seemed neither her stepmother nor Sarah knew quite what to say so they said nothing making the moment awkward and strained as they struggled to think of what to say and Kaycee found her mind wandering back to Jake and their current situation.

“I’m sorry. I just want you to know that. I hope you can forgive me!” Sarah begged as she broke the silence and Kaycee was jerked out of her reverie.

“Hmm? Oh sure, whatever,” she responded having not heard a single word Sarah had just said and not really caring one way or another. After all she had worse problems than a small break up from a boy that if she was completely honest was a complete and utter wanker.

“You really forgive me? You’re not just saying that?” Sarah asked her expression hopeful while Susan looked completely disbelieveing.

“Well sure, I mean if he would dump me for my stepsister then I’m sure he’ll cheat on you too and then you can discover just how I feel. Karma for you!” Kaycee explained as she examined her nails with a frown at the peeling nail polish and a deeper frown at her ring finger.

“Rob won’t do that, he loves me!” Sarah responded doubtfully and Kaycee shrugged.

“Don’t you listen to her, sweetheart. She’s just trying to spread her poison.” Susan reassured Sarah and Kaycee snorted at that.

“My poison? I have never said a poisonous word in my life. I’m only telling the truth and Rob clearly cannot be faithful, I mean he cheated on me with my own stepsister.” Kaycee explained calmly and Sarah frowned at her mother.

“That’s not going to happen to me! Rob and I are in love and he will never cheat on me,” she said and Kaycee shrugged unconcerned.

“Like I care, I have more important things to worry about,” Kaycee offered and her stepmother snorted in disbelief.

“Of course you do dear, I’m sure that the man you loved for ten years and who then dumped you is worth barely a moment of your time,” Susan said with a laugh but Kaycee barely spared a moment for it.

It was weird but somehow even though she had only known him a few hours, Jake was filling her mind far more than her stupid breakup with Rob who if she was honest had always been a bit of a bastard. He had never really cared about her. She didn’t know if it was because she thought she might be married to Jake or that she cared so little for Rob now but all of a sudden she realised what a waste all those years had been.

“Not when they are as worthless as Rob!” Kaycee confirmed and her stepmother’s eyes narrowed at that.

“At least my daughter will win your father’s little bet!” Susan told her with a smile and Kaycee frowned.

“What bet?” she asked unconcerned for her father was always setting up little challenges between Sarah and Kaycee that she never knew about and never won.

“Your father has decided he needs a male heir to pass his hotels on to, and naturally the first daughter to marry would receive them. Such a shame that you are no longer in the running!” Susan supplied mockingly and Kaycee froze as she regarded her stepmother furiously.

“That’s why you stole my boyfriend? Did you promise him money?” Kaycee asked Sarah furiously and she looked uncomfortable.

“Of course not. I wouldn’t do that. He loves me,” Sarah said but she still wouldn’t look Kaycee in the eyes.

“Well, I don’t care. I never wanted daddy’s money. And I don’t want it now,” Kaycee refused but even as she said it she had a disturbing vision of Jack and what they had just done. Her father must never know of it.

Easier said than done she realised a moment later when her father appeared and her ready smile faded as a young man accompanied him. And not just any man but,

“Jake,” she breathed.