A Heart to Heal by Synithia Williams

haven’t changed a bit.”
    He shrugged and refilled her glass. “Why should I, being myself got me everything I’ve wanted.” His gaze swept over her. “I never understood why you wanted to change. Run off to Atlanta and try to play the good girl. You’re no good girl. You’re just as fucked up as I am. Otherwise you wouldn’t be up to your same old tricks. You just moved on to bigger fish. Face it, Shayla, that night I got what I wanted only proved you’re just as scandalous as me.”
    â€œI said no.”
    He cocked a brow. “Once, and that doesn’t count.” He tipped his glass to her.
    Confusion whirled around in her fogged brain. The old feelings were back. Humiliation, anger, fear, uncertainty. She reached for the charm on her neck to keep from tapping her hands. Had she done enough, fought enough, or had she just been another drunk girl at a party, too fucked up to realize she was making a mistake. Her heart pounded in her chest as anxiety crept up her throat. She gulped from her drink to shove it down. She didn’t feel the burn of the alcohol, just welcomed the dulling of her memories.
    Tony grinned and brought his glass to his lips, but his hand froze. “Devin, glad you came to the party.”
    Shayla’s head snapped up. She blinked to bring Devin into focus then wished she hadn’t. His disappointment was back. She was stupid for coming. Stupid for asking him to come, and wrong for forcing him to witness her reunion with Tony. He deserved someone better than her, someone like Kia.
    With her practiced smile she reached out a wobbly hand and picked up the bottle of liquor. “Join the party.” She said with forced cheer and refilled her glass.

Chapter 9
    Not for the first time that night, Devin wondered why in the hell he’d come. He should turn and leave Shayla here with her mission of self destruction that surfaced whenever she was around Tony. He watched as revulsion flashed in her eyes when Tony brushed against her. Her hand trembled when she poured another glass. Instead of leaving, his knees bent and he lowered himself in the neighboring chair. He cursed himself for a fool, but as usual he couldn’t resist trying to fix things when Shayla was upset.
    Tony smiled at Devin, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Well, well, well. Dr. Jones left his home on Johnston Street and joined the regular people.”
    Shayla gasped. “You live on Johnston Street?”
    He met her eyes and shifted uncomfortably. “Yes.”
    Her lips curved into a wobbly smile. He wished she didn’t look so happy to find out he bought a house on the street he once promised her he would. The moment was interrupted by Roxanne and Jermaine joining them.
    There was a noticeable difference in Shayla’s behavior. Before Tony came she’d been relaxed. Now her laughter was forced, her smile didn’t reach her eyes and she was pressed into the side of the chair away from Tony. She flinched almost imperceptibly whenever Tony brushed against her.
    She’d been the same way in high school after she’d hooked up with Tony. At the time he’d been so angry about her betrayal, he’d written it off as something she deserved. Now that he wasn’t bogged down with all of the hurt and teenage angst, he could see that she was scared. But why would she be afraid of Tony? Had it been fear in high school, too?
    Anger caused his shoulders to stiffen as he watched them. She didn’t want to be here, so why pretend as if she did. Thankfully she’d just held onto the last drink she’d poured. After downing champagne like water when he’d danced with Kia — something he would regret come Monday morning — and nearly inhaling two shots of liquor when Tony came over, she didn’t need another drink. Her eyes were drowsy, her words slurred. He pressed his lips together in a frown. She couldn’t drive home like