For a moment, a brief moment in time, I pause and consider how he must have felt when he found out. I try to remember what was going through my mind when I decided to pursue her. I knew they were dating, I heard her mention his name in the copy room at Vance and I was instantly intrigued. I had only known Zed for a few weeks and I thought it would be fun to fuck with him.

"You were supposed to be my friend." His pathetic words fall between us.

"Your friend? I barely knew you, it was nothing personal." I step closer and wrap my fist around the collar of his shirt. "Personal is what you're aiming for by fucking with Tessa. You know what she means to me, more than any office whore could ever mean to you."

I'm caught off guard when he pushes back, slamming me against the wall. Picture frames fall to the ground and Tessa and her mum rush into the hallway.

"Fuck you! I could have fucked Tessa too, she would have easily given herself to me tonight if you wouldn't have shown up!" His fist connects with my mouth and Tessa's shrieks in horror. The harsh taste of copper fills my mouth and I swallow the blood in a quick gulp before wiping my sleeve across my lips and chin.

"Zed!" Tessa scolds, rushing to my side. "Leave! Now!" She shoves her small fists against his chest and I grab ahold of her, gently putting space between them.

The pure satisfaction of Tessa hearing him speak of her that way makes me fucking ecstatic. This is what I've been warning her of all along. He has never been the sweet, innocent man she was deluded into thinking he was.

Granted, I do know that he has some feelings for her, I'm not completely blind to that, but his intentions were never pure. He just proved that to her and I couldn't be happier. I'm a selfish bastard, but I never claimed otherwise.

Without another word he walks out of the front door and out into the rain. Headlights flash through the front windows as he peels off and disappears down the street.

..

"Hardin?" Tessa's voice is soft and laced with exhaustion. We've been in the backseat of this cab for almost an hour without a single word between the two of us.

"Yeah?" My voice breaks and I clear my throat.

"Who's Samantha?"

I have been waiting for her to ask this question since we pulled away from her mum's house. I could lie to her, I could make up a bullshit story to make Zed look like the piece of shit he is, or I could be honest for once.

"She's a girl who had an internship at Vance. I fucked her while she was dating Zed." I decide not to lie, but regret the harsh words when Tessa flinches. "Sorry, I just want to be honest." I add in an attempt to soften the words.

"You knew she was his girlfriend when you slept with her?" She asks, staring straight into me in that way only she can.

"Yeah, I knew. That's why I did it." I shrug, ignoring the pinch of remorse threatening to surface.

"Why?" Her eyes search mine for a decent answer but I don't have one. I only have the truth. The filthy, fucked up truth.

"I have no excuse, it was just a game for me." I sigh, wishing I wasn't such a piece of shit. Not for Zed's sake, or Samantha's, but for this beautiful, sweet girl who even now, doesn't have a hint of judgment in her eyes as she looks at me, waiting for further explanation.

"You forget that I wasn't the same before I met you. I was nothing like the man you know. I know you think I'm fucked up now but trust me, you would hate me even more if you knew me then." I look away from her and out of the window, "I know it doesn't seem like it, but you really have helped me so much, you've given me a purpose, Tess."

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