Walking out of the stall, I head to the sink. My steps are light, and I even sway a little to the quiet music coming from the main hall. I'm really loving it here, and mostly because I have seen him smile and enjoy himself. Colton's father is a nightmare, everything I already knew about him made me despise him. It made me want to protect his son from him. At least to show that pretentious moron that he has no power over his son's actions anymore. That he's no one. A sperm donor as Colt calls him.

Mr Thompson was bombarding me with questions about me and my family. Some questions honestly sounded like he was trying to figure out how smart I was. With how often I saw him smile, I know I didn't disappoint him. And that's something that threw me off. I didn't want Colt's father to like me, but I think he did. And he looked happy for his son... Was there something I was missing?

"The feisty little girl finally left her knight in shining armor and is now all alone in here." I look over my shoulder, seeing Helen standing near the door. I was so deep in my thoughts, and the water was running while I was washing my hands, that I didn't even hear her open the door.

I turn off the water, take a paper towel and dry my hands. She comes closer and leans her side against the countertop. I roll my eyes, throw the paper towel into a trash can and turn to look at this woman. She's beautiful and sexy, I'm not one to deny the obvious. But what I know about her and what her actions caused to happen to Avery? She's the most disgusting person in the world.

"A woman with no dignity or self respect followed the feisty little girl to the bathroom?" She shifts a little, lips forming in a snarl. "Why?"

"Don't you think you should be more careful with what comes out of your mouth?"

"Why?"

"Because of the norms of our society." This woman hisses, and I just can't help myself. She's adorable.

"Do the norms of our society say that it's okay to sleep with someone else's husband? To spread your legs for your own boss?" Her face contorts in anger, as she digs her fingernails into the countertop. I hit a nerve for sure.

"Looks like Colton let the cat out of the bag." Helen's voice drops an octave and she narrows her eyes on me. "Did he tell you everything?"

"Everything? What else there is to say except for the fact that his father had an affair with his secretary? That he walked on you two and then the same happened with Avery? How do you even live with yourself, knowing what you did to Colton's mom?"

Just for a second I see her mask drop. She's surprised I know that much. She didn't think he would tell me about his mom. Her eyes roam over my face, an extensive wrinkle appears on her forehead. With my words I did two things. I not only showed her that I have zero respect for her, but also let it slip how much Colt trusts me. And I'm not sure it was the right thing to do.

"I never wanted Avery to know. I never wished for anything bad to happen to her. Ever."

"Kinda controversial statement don't you think?" I tilt my head, frowning slightly. "How can you not wish anything bad to happen to someone and then go and fuck their husband?" Is she insane or what?

"We were out of town, on a business trip. I got drunk, he helped me to my room... and I invited him in. He's a handsome man, powerful and in great shape. It happened and the next morning he told me it was the first and the last time. I said okay." She lets her eyes wander all over the room before she focuses on me. There is another emotion but I can't put my finger on it. Is it regret? "Eric and I have mind blowing compatibility apparently... I got pregnant, and it changed everything."

I continue staring at her, while Colton's image pops up in my head. He's in his car, revealing the truth to me about his mom's health... and I know that he didn't tell me everything. "So what? If you didn't want-"

"No. That never was an option. I have only one ovary and the doctors I saw weren't sure I would ever get pregnant. I made the decision on my own, and only later told him the truth." She smirks bitterly, wrapping her arms around her waist. I feel my heart beating violently in my chest, so loud and so fast, it's ear piercing. "To say he was unhappy is an understatement. He said we would need to do a paternity test once the child was born, he wanted to make sure I was telling the truth."

"First, that doesn't surprise me. He's a businessman, he's smart and cunning considering how successful his business is. Did you really think he was going to believe you were telling the truth?" I ask perplexed, knitting my brows even more. "Second, it could have been a mistake before, but it was an affair since you didn't stop. You were the other woman. What did your pregnancy have to do with you continuing to fuck him?"

"I couldn't get pregnant a second time, right? And my sex drive was insane... Never in my life did I want sex so badly as I wanted it while I was pregnant. He didn't mind, as long as I kept our affair to myself." She takes a deep breath, hugging herself tighter. "Colt walked to his father's office and saw us when I was six months along. The next day he was waiting for me near my apartment building... he knew my child was his father's."

And that's when I make a mistake. "Why would he come to see you?"

Helen's lips part and she gawks at me in silence for a moment. Nervousness settles inside my chest, growing bigger and bigger with how she keeps looking at me. I gave away the truth. I don't know everything.

"When he found out about my pregnancy, he promised to help me. And you should know how he is if you're so close. If he promises something, he does everything in his power to make it happen. Always." She smiles at me, her shoulders relaxing. "He is such a determined guy."

There is something more. Some hidden meaning behind her words, behind her insinuations, but I feel off. "He asked you to quit your job?"

"He demanded it actually. Though... his father wasn't going to fire me. Just my maternity leave started sooner than it should have."

"You had so many chances to stop all that... and Avery would have never endured what she went through. All because of you. Of your stupid greedy pussy-"

"Shut up, girl! You have no idea what you are talking about!" She snaps, taking a step forward. "My daughter is Eric's, but he refused to acknowledge her. He made me sign papers leaving her totally at his mercy. If he wants to give her money, he gives. If not - then not. Everything he has is Colton's. I just did what was best for my child... if sleeping with him brings us money, then I will do that. Again and again."

"What do you mean by signing papers? No parent in their right mind would ever do that to their child! You could have sued him! You could have negotiated an agreement with him threatening him to reveal the truth to everyone, while you chose the simplest way." My fingers are trembling from anger. She's a fucking shit-show! "Just be honest and admit that you love sex, and it's the only reason why you decided to continue this fuckery that demolished Colt and his mom's lives. You're an obnoxious piece of shit, nothing else."

I walk around her and stomp to the door. I see red, I swear. Even the debacle with Baker wasn't anything compared to how she made me feel. She's the worst.

"If I loved sex that much..." Helen says, as I swing the door open. "I would have chosen the son, not the father. Even at 16, he was a stallion."

Do you know the moment in books when the main character finally sees everything clearly? When a puzzle comes together, and the whole picture materializes in front of their eyes? That's the moment I am having right now. A fucking holy mackerel, darn it!

"You're sick." I tell her and slam the door behind me. I probably look like I'm fucking looney tunes, no trace of my light and good mood is left. The worst part is I am having a really hard time bottling it all up. Making a scene in the middle of the party isn't an option. And besides, what can I say to him? That he should have told me the whole truth before bringing me here? That he should have warned me that, that bitch wet his dick when he was a fucking minor? What the fuck is wrong with all of them?!

I barely see where I'm going when he comes into view. I take a step further and block his way. "I was looking for you."

"And I was looking for you." Colton looks weird, as if he's in pain or just extremely stressed. He extends his palm to me and I realize I don't really want him to touch me. I just need a moment to myself to figure out how I feel. I let him take my hand in his, even if it makes me uncomfortable. Only because I don't want to push him away and hurt him on a whim. My talk with his father's mistress made my head spin. "Ready to go back to our hotel?"

"Yes." I force a smile, and it doesn't reach my eyes. It's the fakest smile I am capable of, and I know he knows it too. "Do we need to say goodbye to your father?"

"No." He exclaims, wheels on his heels and drags me away. "He should be happy I agreed to come at all. He doesn't deserve a proper goodbye."

I'm no longer listening to him, trying hard to keep my emotions at bay. My breathing quickened, and my heart rate accelerated to the highest speed possible. Noises surrounding us turn into whispers, barely audible sounds. Helen's words reverberate in my head and I clench my jaw. I feel dirty after my talk with her and I'm also mad at Colton. Not because he slept with that terrible excuse of a woman when he was a horny teen, but because he failed to understand how important it was to tell me the whole truth... he should have done it before we came here.

His hand on my exposed skin brings me back to reality. I swallow down a lump in my throat, when my eyes land on his car. It will be one hell of a ride for sure... because he reads me well, and he knows the state I am in. He doesn't know my reasons.

"What's on your mind?" His deep voice goes right through my ears and spreads all over my body. It's like a soft coat, surrounding me with warmth and the most pleasant scent in the world. His scent.

"Thoughts." I answer, opening the door of his car and climbing inside. I hear him sigh and then he closes the door. He goes to his side, slips inside the car and starts the engine. My eyes are on the building as I keep my hands on my knees, balled in fists. Digging my fingernails in my skin I hope to chase away this sick feeling flowing in my veins. I don't want to explode without giving him a chance to explain himself.

"If possible... let me in." I sneak a glance at him, my chest is aching seeing the look on his face. Misery and sadness are palpable, and it hurts me to no end because my behavior is exactly what is causing all of that. "Let me in your thoughts."

Tears treacherously sting my eyes and I close them. I bang the back of my head on the seat, chewing on the inner side of my bottom lip. Punishing him for the mistakes of his youth is pathetically wrong, but I need time to process all this... and prepare my questions. I want answers.

"I will talk to you when we get in our hotel room, okay?" I mumble quietly and his hand covers mine, gently and at the same time firmly. He worms his way, unclenching my fist and threading his fingers through mine.

"Of course."

The ride is incredibly short because he booked a room in the nearby hotel. Was I surprised when he told me we were going to stay at a hotel instead of his family's house? A little. I didn't expect him to hate this place so much because even though it's hard to admit, he was happy there too. This house holds his memories about his childhood, his time with his mom when she was healthy and loved spending her time with her little boy. I hate that his relationship with his father took that away from him. I hate how this man made him feel and how he still affects him. It's wrong.

I'm first to climb out of the car, and instantly regret it. The weather has gotten much worse, and the coldest wind wafts around me, shivers scattering over my skin. I hug myself, running my palms up and down my arms hoping to give myself some warmth. I take a step forward, and his leather jacket covers my shoulders. The corners of my mouth tremble and I glance at him sideways. The smallest grin plays on his lips as he shrugs his shoulders.

"I told you we would need this later."

"Who knew it would be THIS cold?" I mutter, heading into the building and hearing him guffaw.

"It's the end of fucking January in Michigan, Ava, not May, and not even June. It's normal weather for this time of the year."

"Thank you for the geography lesson, Mr Thompson. I would have never known."

"You're so charming, little Miss sarcasm."

"Fuck you." I give him my middle finger as we step inside the foyer. I bite my bottom lip, at once acknowledging that my anger dissolved into nothingness. Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce you to the Colton motherfucker Thompson effect. I'm a fucking simp for him.

Our ride in the elevator is silent, but we keep smiling at each other, feeling at ease. His care and little jokes did their thing, and helped me to get rid of my explosive thoughts... at least for a little while. Because we can't avoid talking about everything I found out, it's too big to ignore. I only hope this change in my mood will prevail.

Once inside the room, Colt unbuttons his shirt, putting it into his travel bag. I kinda wasn't ready to have a very serious conversation with him half-naked. It would be way harder to put letters into words for me... just looking at him my panties are dripping.

He knows I'm watching him, as I stand still in the middle of the room. Does it bother him? Not really. Colton is one of these people who can stand and watch as the house is crumbling down with no emotions on his face. He mastered his poker face to a T.

"So... what happened while you were in the bathroom?" He sits down on the bed in front of me, his gaze peeled to my face.

"Helen wanted to talk." As soon as I say it, his cheeks bulge with anger.

"What did she want from you?" Colt growls through his teeth.

"I think she wanted to teach me a lesson. To put me in my place for what I said." I shrug nonchalantly. "Too bad I don't really care."

He breathes through his nostrils, jaw clenched hard. "What else did she say?"

"Her side of the story." I peer my eyes at his face, an intense wave of different emotions overwhelms me. "Why didn't you tell me you have a sister?"

"I didn't think it was important. My father knocked up his secretary at one of his business trips and continued having an affair with her after. 'It's just sex, nothing more, Colton. This young pussy swallows my dick damn well, but it's not something that can make me leave your mother. I love my wife, even if it's hard to believe me.' His exact words when he came to my room for a talk after I saw him railing her on his desk."

"And yet you went to see her the next day." I retort, my fingers itching as dark and oppressive energy finds its way in my head again.

"You don't understand."

"Help me to understand, Colton, because I'm truthfully lost here. How could you even think about going to see her after-"

"I promised to help her with her pregnancy, and I always keep my promises." I have no idea what is wrong with me when I'm with him, but... his anger turns me on so damn much so it really feels as if my skin is on fire. It's burning hot and I desperately want to touch myself. To relieve this tension and my fired up nerves. "It's the only reason why I stayed in touch with her... Chloe doesn't deserve my hate... It's not her fault her mother is a slut, and her father is a fucking jerk who doesn't care about her."

I shift and one of the straps of my dress falls off my shoulder. Colton's gaze zero on it, desire in his eyes so fucking addicting so I slowly reach over it and push it lower, until I took it off. "Why did you promise to help her? She was just your father's employee."

"I don't think she ever planned on telling me about her pregnancy... I just happened to be there when she was at her lowest, crying her eyes out on her way home from the office. She literally bumped into me and I offered to give her a ride home..." I take another strap off, and see his Adam apple bob up and down. "I was helping her with everything even after I knew my father was the one who got her pregnant... There were times when I took her and Chloe on a walk, just to keep her company..." I cup my breast, squeeze it hard and drag my dress down exposing my strapless bra. "Ava, what are you doing?"

"Listening to you." I tell him, roaming my hands over my boobs and down my belly. "Were you helping her even after what happened to your mom?"

Please, say no, Colt. "Yes... but it wasn't about her. It was about my sister."

And here we go again! A blinding fury rolls up my veins and straight to my heart. I push my dress down and step out of it. Colton licks his lips, leaning forward and putting his elbows on his knees. I edge to the chair and slump down on it, noticing a crease between his eyebrows. Confusion is written all over his face, while all that I want is to cast away my fucking agitation. I understand where he's coming from, but this knowledge combined with him hiding from me that he had sex with that woman leads me astray. I want to punish him for that... and not allowing him to touch me is the best way to make it extra hard for him.

I stay silent, press a palm to my breast and start circling it over my nipple. It pebbles instantly, as I feel it through the fabric of my bra. I do the same to my other boob, needing only one circle to make it pointy. His eyes are on me following my every move, his hunger for me reflects behind his irises. I reach over my back and unclasp my bra, throwing it away. His breathing is heavy and shallow. I hold his gaze as suck my index finger into my mouth, moistening it.

"Why didn't you tell me..." I heave a sigh as I swirl my wet finger over my nipple, imagining his tongue doing the same. "... that you fucked her too?"

"It was just once." His voice is hoarse as he moves his hand over his dick through his jeans.

"I didn't ask how many times you fucked your father's secretary, Colton." I lean my back on the chair, sinking in the softness of it. Spreading my legs further, I slide my fingers to my clit, massaging it through my panties. I could come just from the intensity of his gaze on me... and it's fucking madness. "Why did you hide it from me? It wasn't the time when you... oh, God..." I moan and my eyes roll back in my head. I need to finish my thoughts before I finish myself... It's imperative he knows why I'm doing it... why I'm going to deprive him from something he loves.

"Ava." A low growl escapes his mouth as he rises to his feet.