Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 107660 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107660 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Why would he when he was probably fucking Emily?
“Not a meeting, but I did have to drop some files off,” she answered, completely oblivious to my pettiness. She smiled with red lips that perfectly matched the red flowers in her blouse.
A twinge of irritation pulled my lips down when I had to fight my initial reaction of asking her where she got her lipstick. Which then sent off another dose of frustration because I had no reason to not like this woman, but I also wanted to hate everything about her. I shook the thought away, unwilling to unveil where those emotions came from or why.
Nope. Nope, nope, nope.
Emily stepped closer with a soft smile and looked side-to-side like a friend about to spill the tea and wanted to make sure no one was around to hear. I fought the urge to step back.
“I haven’t seen you around the club since that first night,” she said softly, catching me off guard.
I blinked with wide eyes, floundering for a response.
“I hope you don’t mind me saying anything,” she backtracked with a small laugh when I took too long to respond. “I just figured since we were alone, it was okay to ask.”
“Yeah. No. Of course,” I sputtered, trying to regain my composure. Memories of my performance with Lucian added to my fumbling, leaving me overheated and unfocused. I cleared my throat. “I’m actually not a member there. I was Lucian’s guest at the time.”
“Bummer. It seemed like you had a lot of fun there.”
I waited for a hint of jealousy that I assumed fueled her questions, but it never came. Her genuine disappointment left me off-kilter and unprepared for what to expect next.
“Do you think you’ll end up joining at some point?”
My mind scrambled for a response, picking apart the night at the club and remembering when Emily offered a threesome. I hesitated, wondering if maybe this conversation had nothing to do with Lucian, and she wanted me there for herself. As soon as the thought formed, it sent a wave of hysteria rising in my chest. I barely bit back the snort of incredulity at my own ego. Yeah right.
“I’m not sure yet,” I answered vaguely, not ready to commit one way or another.
A longer silence than before fell, but she still didn’t leave.
Probably because the point of her coming over had nothing to do with whether or not I’d join the club and everything to do with my original suspicions—this had everything to do with Lucian. I took another sip of my coffee, struggling to wait out the expanding tension and the real questions Emily had.
One.
Two.
Three.
I sipped my coffee and kept counting.
By the time I reached fifteen, I couldn’t take the silence anymore. Manic laughter bubbled up into my throat, and I clenched my jaw, attempting to hang in the silence a little longer.
Sixte—
“You know, I haven’t seen Lucian around either,” she finally said.
The desperation to break the silent tension vanished.
As well as the band of pressure around my chest I hadn’t realized was there.
Lucian didn’t go to the club. At least not with her.
It wasn’t a question I ever planned to ask because I had no right to. Being with other people hadn’t come up and the thought of broaching the topic left me in an overthinking spiral.
Would he think I was jealous?
Was I jealous?
Why would I be jealous of him?
I hated him.
He could do what he wanted as long as I got what I needed from him.
Did he care if I was with someone else?
Did he think he didn’t need to say it because he didn’t think I could get someone else?
And round and round I went until I settled back where I started—reining in my thoughts and shoving it aside until I could pretend it never existed.
“Oh,” I said.
Oh? Really?
I internally rolled my eyes at my lame response before taking a deep breath and attempting to play it cool and give nothing away.
“I have no idea why he would or wouldn’t be at the club.”
“Yeah…” Emily stared at the floor with a scrunched face. “I guess I was curious if you knew something I didn’t after that night.”
Why would she think I knew? Is it because she discovered our agreement?
God, I couldn’t even consider it.
“I don’t. I’m sorry.”
I went to rinse out my cup, ready to make a break from our awkward encounter, when she stopped me.
“Listen…I’m just going to come out and ask. Are you and Lucian together?”
My eyes widened, and I squeezed the mug so tight I was surprised it didn’t crack.
“I would never say anything to anyone if you were,” she rushed to reassure before continuing. “I just wanted to be blunt rather than a stereotypical woman who becomes a petty bitch because I’m jealous.”
I cringed at my own pettiness. “Umm…” I struggled for a response, but Emily jumped in.