Jasmine’s mindset in beginning of book PT 5

“Mrs. Roth, could we get you anything?”

She glanced at two smiling, but scared-looking female flight attendants.

“Ginger ale and aspirin?” she requested.

Relieved, one of the women disappeared into an alcove while the other twisted her hands together and focused on something behind Jasmine.

“A-and you, Mr. Roth? Is there anything—”

“No.”

His curt tone made the woman flinch. She gave a slight bow as she backed away, clearly wishing she was invisible. The other woman rushed back with an iced ginger ale in a glass and set a plate on the counter of the galley that held two white pills and a dainty purple orchid.

“Thank you,” Jasmine said hoarsely as she took a large gulp of the drink and immediately reached for the pills.

“If we can be of further assistance…” the woman said while also hastily backing away.

“We’ll let you know if you’re needed,” Roth said in a clipped tone that made the woman’s face pale.

“Thank you,” Jasmine said again, but she wasn’t sure the woman heard as she disappeared into the other alcove with her co-worker. “Don’t be an ass,” she said quietly as she closed her eyes and braced her hand on the gleaming countertop as she felt the pills slide down her throat.

“I want to know what the fuck is going on.”

His voice was an ominous rumble.

She picked up the orchid, wondering if it was an indicator of their destination. “Where are we going?”

A pause and then, “Colorado.”

Surprise made her turn her head to look at him. “Near your mom?”

His lip began to curl before he controlled the movement and said a flat, “No.”

She made the mistake of meeting his eyes and hastily faced forward again and took another sip of the ginger ale and hoped it would settle her rocking stomach.

“You have to talk to me.”

She stared at the bubbles in her glass as she said, “No, I don’t.”

She felt movement behind her and tensed, but thankfully he didn’t touch her.

“You told Lyle and I no one touched you.”

“No one did,” she said tightly.

“So, why won’t you let me touch you?”

“Because I don’t want you to.”

The air in the galley thickened, but she didn’t back down or offer him a better explanation. She didn’t have to and she wasn’t going to. And if he pushed it, she was going to go apeshit crazy on his brand-new jet… and possibly on him as well. She wasn’t feeling rational. In fact, she was as stable as jello. She felt borderline unhinged. She was clinging to control, but if he fucking pushed her, she was going to smash every perfect crystal glass in the open cabinet several inches above her head. She would do everything possible to make her surroundings look as damaged and broken as she felt. Months of stress and mind games had finally caught up to her and she. Was. Done.

**This is a raw draft of Bitter Sins. Please do not share or distribute.

Copyright © 2025 Mia Knight. All Rights Reserved.