The text

JUNIPER.

I can't stop thinking about Dante's words. They haunt me like a nightmare during the day, and like demons by night. Is he really going to do all he said to me? He can't possibly do that, he wouldn't do that to his daughter's best friend. Perhaps he is just messing with me. 

The more I try to believe that he is messing with me, the more he gives me reasons to believe otherwise. The dark way he stares at me whenever he walks by, and the way his eyes strip me bare whenever I am near him speaks louder than any words ever can.

 He hasn't said a word to me since that day, but I can hear every thought. 

“Juni!” 

Adelaide's cold hand on my thigh jolts me out of my consuming thoughts, and I blink at her, hoping that she hasn't been talking for a long time. 

“What are you thinking about? I've been telling you about my boyfriend.” She frowns, her forehead squeezing in annoyance. I sigh and dig my fingers into her hair.

“I'm sorry, I was thinking about school.” 

I had to lie. I can't tell her that I'm thinking about her hot father. 

“Ugh! It's the holidays, Juni. Enjoy it and forget about school!” She rolls her eyes, collapsing into the bed, next to me. 

Enjoy the holidays? How can I do that when that old hottie strangles me with his mere presence? 

“Now, back to my boyfriend. My dad doesn't approve of him. He thinks everyone is out to get to me.” She complains, scoffing audibly. 

“And why would he think that?” 

“That's just dad, he's overprotective.” She shrugs. 

“Well, I think he should trust you enough to make your own decisions, and you need to put your foot down. You're not a baby.” I huff, turning to the cupboard beside the bed to pick up my phone after it dinged. 

“You're right,” Adelaide agrees, “but I don't know how to do that. I have never disobeyed him.” She sighs, sounding helpless. 

“Then I'll teach you how to..” 

My words get stuck in my throat when I see who the text is from. 

How did he get my number? And how do I have his number saved on my phone? It must be a glitch, or perhaps my eyes aren't working well. I rub my eyes vigorously before staring at the screen again but nothing changes. Taking a deep breath, I tap on the text, opening it. 

“What were you saying, Juni?” Adelaide hums, scrolling through her phone and kicking her legs in the air. 

But I can't speak, not when all the air has been stolen out of my lungs. I stare at the text with widened eyes and with my heart almost beating out of my chest. I can feel my stomach in my mouth already as I read through the text over and over again. 

“I want to suck all the juices out of that beautiful pussy of yours and fuck you until your legs don't work anymore.” 

Sweat breaks out on my skin even though the air conditioner is on and it's freezing outside, and my shaky hands almost cause me to drop my phone. My thighs squeeze together, trying to stop the throbbing between them. My heart is still racing, but this time around, out of excitement. 

Why on earth did I get turned on by a text from my best friend's father!? Why the hell would he even send me this after ignoring me for two whole days!? 

“Are you okay Juni? Did something happen?” Adelaide attempts to reach for my phone but I jump to my feet before she can reach me, a nervous laughter escaping my throat.

“Of course I'm fine, why would you ask that?” 

“Because you're sweating.” She glares at me. 

“No, I'm fine, I'm just thirsty. I'll be right back, let me get something to drink.” 

I can't even think of a better excuse. I bite down on my lower lip when her glare intensifies and she looks like she's going to crash out, but fortunately, she is distracted when her phone starts to ring. 

“My boyfriend is calling!” She squeals, shifting her attention from me. That gives me enough time to slip out of the room, and I stand in the hallway, trying to catch my breath and calm my nerves. 

I stare at my phone again. I can't stop rereading the text, my eyes are fixed on it like it is some food that I want to devour. The more I read it, the wetter I become, and the more I think about being drilled mercilessly by Dante. 

“No.. I can't be doing this.. I can't.” I bite my lip again, harder this time. “I have to put an end to this before it blows out of proportion.” 

I walk down the hallway, heading to Dante's study where Adelaide says he usually spends most of his time. It is on the last floor of the mansion, so I make my way there. 

I place a knock on the door and wait. After a few seconds, his deep, husky voice echoes from inside, asking me to come in, but I hesitate before actually stepping in. 

“Hi.” My lips quiver as I saunter over to his desk. 

He is sitting on his chair, looking all dark and brooding, the coat he had on barely doing anything to hide his broad shoulders and huge arms. 

Imagine being held in them..

Snap out of it Juni! 

“Juniper,” he leans forward, letting out a sigh, “what brings you here?” 

His study is dimly lit, with only a warm light hanging above his clustered desk. 

“Uh.. this.” I try to be brave, keeping my face stern to let him know that I mean business. I dangle my phone before him, letting him see the text, but his unnerving calmness gives me goosebumps. 

“Oh.. that.” He acts like it's nothing, like it is totally normal to send your daughter's best friend a provocative text. 

“What do you mean? Why the hell did you send me this? How did you even get my number?” I fire, my eyebrows furrowed and my hand resting on my waist. 

“How I got your number shouldn't bother you. And as for that text, it wasn't meant for you, I meant to send it to someone else. Another woman.” He shifts his gaze from me, staring at the open laptop in front of him.

I gulp. 

“That's.. that's not true. You sent it to me.” That didn't come out the way I had intended. 

“What's the matter, little one?” His voice dips so low that I wet my pants all over again. “Do you want me to do those things to you too?”

“You know that's not what I meant.” My voice comes out frail, exposing the turmoil within me. He grins. 

“Then what do you mean? I already told you, that text was meant for one of my whores. Do you want to be one of them?” 

“Disgusting!” I exclaim but he chuckles. “I don't care who you sleep with, just be careful next time. What if Adelaide read this? She would get the wrong ideas!” 

My scolding did nothing to change the defiant look in his deep, brown eyes. 

“You're right.” He falls back on his chair and just stares at me. I start to get uncomfortable so I clear my throat and take a step back. 

“I'll be on my way.” 

I turn around and walk out of the study, but I can feel his eyes burning a hole in my back as I walk out. I did not breathe properly until I left the study. 

The walk back to my room leaves me completely drained, and I hate to admit the reason why. Why did it hurt so much when he said that the text wasn't meant for me? Why the hell did I want it to be for me so badly? 

I am climbing down the stairs to get to my room when a strange chill suddenly runs down my spine, leaving me with an impending feeling of danger. I look around the quiet hallway and the staircase, but I find nothing. 

“Maybe it's just the cold.” I try to brush it off, but my heart doesn't stop racing and the feeling of being watched heightens. 

My next instinct is to run, so I do exactly that. I run all the way down the stairs, but just when I think I am safe, a man jumps out in front of me and I shriek.