DARE. DATE. DESTROY

Chapter 1

Damien hesitates, looking confused.

I pull him closer and plant a kiss on his lips. His mouth tastes like wine. It takes him a few seconds to kiss me back. Brandon's sharp voice stops the awkward kiss.

"Dani!"

I pull away from Damien, whose face is flushed. He's just as surprised as the small crowd of colleagues that turn around to look at us. The kiss has grabbed everyone's attention. Even the background music has suddenly stopped.

I slowly turn to look at Brandon, his face contorted with fury. He's staring at me in disbelief. His eyes are red with rage. The clenched jaw is clear proof that he wants to punch someone. Maybe me. Maybe his boss. Most definitely his boss.

"What the fùck do you think you're doing, Dani!" Brandon barks.

"What you and Wendy have been secretly doing."

"Are you drunk?"

"I'm happy, Brandon." I giggle. "Very very happy after kissing your boss. The same way you've been kissing Wendy. And fùcking her. And planning to dump me for her! The two of you are pathetic pigs that deserve each other!"

I grab a glass of champagne from one of the waiters and splash it on his face.

"Happy birthday, babe!"

Gasps and whispers burst in the room. Brandon flushes with embarrassment, his eyes darting around the room. The crowd is enjoying the free entertainment. I spot a few of them sneering and snickering. They all think I'm a joke. Maybe they think Brandon is the joke with his stupid wet face...

I storm out of the ballroom and run to the elevator. Brandon is behind me, calling after me. The elevator doors close before he can get in.

The doors shut and I see my reflection in the mirrored walls. I look like a mess. The makeup has faded. My shoulder-length hair is a little messy. My lipstick has smudged a little over my lips. The thought of it makes me smile a little. I'm proud of myself for kissing Brandon's boss infront of all his friends. I know how much Brandon hates his boss. The kiss has to be the most humiliating birthday surprise ever.

I thought kissing Damien would make me feel better about Brandon's cheating. But it doesn't. I'm relieved that he felt humiliated but I'm not happy. Atleast not as happy as I thought that would make me...

Maybe I would be a little happier if Wendy was at the party so that I could embarrass her. And humiliate her. And expose her for the lethal snake she is.

On the outside, Wendy looks nothing like a snake. She's a beautiful blonde girl with an angelic face and the widest blue eyes. A small sweet woman with a flat chest and nice hips. I've met her twice and she was so nice on both occasions.

Brandon introduced her as a work friend. Wendy jokingly introduced herself as his 'work wife'. That was her sick, twisted way of telling me she's his lover...

**

The doors fall apart.

I stagger out of the elevator and right into the quiet and deserted reception area. I'm feeling a little dizzy from the tequila. I take off my heels and walk out of the building. Heels hanging in my hands. Barefoot on cobble stones. The ground is rough and cold. But not nearly as cold as Brandon's heart...

"Dani!" Brandon barks behind me.

Brandon's face is still wet from the champagne. There's stains stuck on his white shirt. His brown hair is a tangled mess. Scanning him from head to toe, I wonder what I ever saw in him. Why I gave up everything for the pathetic pig standing infront of me.

"How dare you!" He sneers. "Do you know what the fùck you've just done! You have ruined my reputation! Those people will never look at me with respect again! What the fùck were you thinking in that bird brain of yours!"

"What was I thinking?" I scowl at him. "I was thinking just how good of a kisser your boss is. Maybe you should take some kissing lessons from him."

"Fùck you, Dani!"

"No, fùck you Brandon! Fùck you for cheating on me after everything I've done for you! The only reason you work here and you met all your stupid work friends is because of me! The only reason you even met your mistress is because of me! You are nothing without me!"

"The delusion is impressive, Dani." He claps. "The brutal truth is that you are dumb. And lifeless. And boring. And you suck. The only thing you're good at is playing the victim in every single situation. And the only reason I stayed with you so long is because I felt sorry for you."

His words pierce through my heart. Tears sting my eyes. Brandon pauses and scans me from head to toe. A smug grin crosses his face.

"You are nothing compared to Wendy." He says. "This breakup has to be the best birthday gift ever. I'm finally free from you. Now, I can be with the woman of my dreams. Maybe you are right. I'm nothing without you, baby. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have met the woman of my dreams. From the bottom of my heart, Thankyou."

In a fit of anger, I hurl one heel at his face. He laughs scornfully when I miss the hit. So I throw the other heel at him. This time hitting his open mouth. He winces as he wipes off the drop of blood from his lip.

"Bìtch!" Brandon bolts towards me, clenching his fist.

I turn to run when he grabs my wrist. A cold chill slithers down my spine when I look up at him. It's impossible to believe that once upon a time, those big brown eyes looked at me with so much love. Now they are just a cocktail of raw rage and hatred.

"Let her go!" A familiar deep voice says behind us.

Brandon immediately lets me go and turns around to face the intruder.

Relief washes through me when Brandon steps back and Damien appears from the darkness. He stands a few feet away, his eyes gleaming in the dark. His hands tucked in his pockets.

"What's happening here?" He asks in concern. "Dani, are you okay?"

"With all due respect, I believe this is none of your business." Brandon says politely, his tone laced with annoyance. "We're having a normal argument like a normal couple, Sir. She's my girlfriend and -"

"Is she?" Damien smirks. "I believe she just broke up with you a few seconds ago. Very publically actually. You cheated on her with Wendy and now she wants nothing to do with you. Technically, she's your ex-girlfriend. Am I right, Dani?"

"Yes."

Despite the buzz of the liquor, I can't help but smile and nod at Damien. Brandon turns to glare at me before turning to his boss, confusion crossing his face.

"I'm sorry that my girlfriend dragged you into this little mess, Sir." Brandon says. "I hate to break it to you but she was just using you. The only reason she kissed you is because she's trying to get back at me for cheating on her. I know her like the back of my hand. She's toxic. I'm toxic. We're both toxic. This is normal for us. So please excuse us as we try to make up."

Brandon grabs my arm. There's a flash of anger in Damien's eyes as he grins coldly.

"Brandon, let her go or I'll chop off that arm and make you swallow every single piece."

Brandon lets go of my arm reluctantly and steps away. To my surprise, Damien takes my hand and interwines our fingers.

"You're not the only one who's been cheating, Brandon." He says. "Dani is my girlfriend."

***