Chapter 8: Did the Kid Next Door Pop Pills?

Words : 1747 Updated : Feb 5th, 2026

Atreus Lyson swallowed hard. "Yeah. I brought it." "There's a hotel right over there." Rhea Zimmerman's gaze carried a thin, taunting edge. When she caught Atreus hesitating, she tipped her chin. "What, you scared?" Atreus held her eyes for a beat, then seized her hand and strode toward the hotel without looking back. When a woman took the initiative, what kind of man backed down? Besides, he didn't have a girlfriend anymore. What was there to worry about? As they entered the lobby, Atreus's eyes flicked up by accident and caught two familiar figures slipping into the elevator. He frowned. That was… Rhea clung to his arm and glanced toward the elevator, curiosity brightening her face. "Little brother, what are you staring at?" "Nothing." Atreus tore his gaze away. It couldn't be that coincidental. Maybe he'd just seen wrong. The moment they stepped into the elevator, before the doors even slid shut, they were already kissing. Maybe Nylah Balam had gotten under Rhea's skin, because this time she was especially bold. They kissed all the way from the elevator to the corridor, then stumbled into their room like they couldn't get the keycard in fast enough. Rhea shoved Atreus onto the bed and shot him a sultry look through half-lidded eyes. "I'm going to take a shower…" What a temptress. Watching her disappear into the bathroom, heat surged through Atreus. He made up his mind and followed. In another room down the hall, Keenan Warth suddenly heard movement through the wall and immediately perked up, listening. Damn it. The soundproofing in this place was trash. And that woman's voice sounded kind of familiar, like he'd heard it somewhere before. Keenan was about to press his ear to the wall for a better listen when Lola Lashbrook came out of the bathroom, fresh from a shower. She caught him in the act and pouted. "Babe, what's so interesting over there? Am I not better to listen to?" "Haha, of course not!" Keenan laughed it off, yanked his head back, and pulled Lola into his arms. Three minutes… No. To be exact, it was two minutes and forty-seven seconds. Lola lay on the bed, dazed, staring at the ceiling. That was it? What even just happened? Keenan's eyes looked a little hollow. Lately, he'd felt worse and worse. Even the pills weren't doing much. Was he seriously… not cutting it anymore? Still, three minutes wasn't that short, right? He soothed himself with that thought. Every woman he'd played with before had praised him like he was some kind of beast. He couldn't be that bad. Maybe he just needed a different brand. Next time, he might hit five minutes. He'd already lit his post-round cigarette. A flicker of disgust passed through Lola's eyes. If it came down to money, a hundred Atreus Lysons couldn't compare to one Keenan Warth. But in bed… it was hard to put into words. He needed pills just to last five minutes. Without them, on a good day he managed three minutes. On a bad day, it ended in a few seconds. "Honey," Lola said softly, kneading his shoulders as if she meant it, "maybe you're just exhausted. Next time you'll be a hundred times better than him." Keenan cleared his throat, lit another cigarette, and took two hard drags. "That's right. I've been a little tired lately." Lola looked distracted. Atreus's retreating back kept flashing through her mind. He'd loved her that much. How could he just let go like it meant nothing? She had already made up her mind that she wouldn't get back together with Atreus, but seeing him so calm still left a tight knot in her chest. "Oh, right." She turned her head. "The thing you said you'd do for me, talking to your mom about getting me into her company. How did it go?" Keenan inhaled twice more, then stubbed out the cigarette. "Relax. I already brought it up to my mom. She'll definitely agree." "Really?" Lola's face lit up. The company Keenan's mother worked for was a top-tier state-owned giant. Getting in meant screening after screening, and even the worst positions wanted a master's degree. Without a back door, a regular college student like her would never have a chance in this lifetime. And the monthly pay started above $1,000. It only made Lola feel even more certain she'd chosen correctly. From this point on, she and Atreus Lyson lived in two different worlds. He sold insurance. Three months of his pay combined didn't even add up to $1,000. He couldn't support her at all. Lola stole a glance at Keenan. She knew girls swarmed around him. The most direct way to tie him down was to have his child. After resting for a while, Keenan felt a little energy return. He swallowed a few more little blue pills and pounced again. This time was even faster. Thirty seconds, and it was over. Lola stared at the ceiling, her eyes unfocused. Next door had been going for over an hour, hadn't it? Didn't they get tired? Much later, the room beside them finally went quiet. Keenan rested a good while before he dragged himself out of bed, took a hot shower, then returned and picked up his phone. "Don't talk. I'm calling my mom." Lola's eyes brightened. She immediately listened closely. In the room next door, Rhea heard a phone ringing and looked like she'd just spotted a lifeline. Atreus caught the caller ID by accident, and a cold glint flashed through his eyes. Rhea thought he was unhappy and coaxed him in a low voice. "Want me to hang up?" Atreus wrapped an arm around her, carried her to the desk, and lifted the phone to her face. "Answer it." "You're such a bad man." Rhea shot him a sultry glare. Making her take a call like this… did he really think she couldn't guess what was going through his head? Atreus only smiled. Rhea gestured for him to stay quiet, then accepted the call. "Mom, about what I told you last time," Keenan asked bluntly. "How'd it go?" Rhea hadn't even had time to speak before Atreus started misbehaving again. "Mom? Are you listening?" "Mmm… I'm listening. Y-you talk." Rhea's voice trembled, and when she looked at Atreus, there was a new layer of resentment in her eyes. This bastard… "It's about my girlfriend," Keenan said. "The thing I mentioned yesterday." "Oh. I… I remember. Have her come to my company tomorrow." Keenan's face broke into a grin. He knew his mom wouldn't refuse him. "Oh, and Mom, I'm out of money. Can you give me a little more? Not much, just a hundred grand…" Rhea hadn't answered yet when she suddenly clapped a hand over her mouth, eyes going wide. Hearing nothing on the other end, Keenan shook his phone and checked the signal. "Mom?" "I'll call you later. Beep, beep, beep, beep…" Keenan sat there, stunned. His mom usually nagged him a dozen times over, reminding him of everything under the sun. She'd actually hung up on him first? Before he could process it, the room next door erupted again like a battle horn sounding. "Holy shit, are you kidding me?!" Keenan's mood crashed instantly. Cursing under his breath, he threw on his clothes. That kid next door had to be popping pills too. And it had to be the higher-end stuff. Otherwise, how could anyone keep going that long? This damn hotel. He didn't ever want to come back. Bad luck.

Chapter 8: Did the Kid Next Door Pop Pills?

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