LOGIN"Because I'm into you, Scarlett... Like I really like you. And I want to keep doing this, taking you out, getting to know you better, trying to decide where this goes. But I need to know if what that meant was that I'm with someone else. If your heart's somewhere else while you're sitting here with me. You know... that's just it"The honesty in his voice was devastating. He deserved the truth. Or as much of it as I could give."It's complicated," I said carefully. "There was... someone. Kinda like... like something." I started stuttering, and almost visible." But... but... i'm trying to figure out if it was real or if it was just the situation that made it feel that way.""And that's what this is?" He gestured between us. "Figuring it out?""Partly," I admitted. "But also because I genuinely like spending time with you. That's not a lie or a test. This right now.... it's real."He was quiet for a moment, processing. Then he looked up and
The wine was good, and even though the food was coming soon, I was anticipating some absolutely excellent meals. Miles was being charming and attentive and everything a girl could want on a date.And I was trying. Really fucking trying."So tell me about Chicago," I said, taking another sip of my wine. "How was the business stuff with your dad? You know that's exactly what you said when you were talking on the phone. Business stuff"Miles made a face. "Boring as hell, honestly. A lot of people sitting in conference rooms listening to all of them talk about contracts, liability clauses and all of that. But it was good for him to have me there. He's been trying to get me more involved in how the family business works, and it's really cool I'm not gonna lie.""Is that what you want?" I asked. "The whole corporate lawyer thing?"He considered that, swirling his wine. "I don't know. It's good money, a stable career, makes my old man happy, and probably makes me chill cause of the money and
Jax.He was in the hallway. Of fucking course he was.He looked like he'd just gotten out of the shower himself. His hair was still damp, and he was wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt that clung to his chest in a way that made my mouth go dry despite everything.He stopped dead when he saw me, and his eyes traveled from my face down to my dress and back up again, and something flickered across his expression. It was too fast for me to identify."You look..." He stopped, jaw clenching. "Nice.""Thanks," I said stiffly, moving past him toward the stairs, and keeping my composure while my heart was hammering very hard, and I hated that just seeing him affected me this much. I hated that part of me wanted to turn around and ask him to tell me not to go, even though I knew he wouldn't. He'd made that abundantly clear last night, and even me, I must go to where I'm headed."Scarlett." His voice stopped me halfway to the stairs.
I peeped the time on my phone and it was 5:03 PM, and my legs were screaming.I'd spent most of the afternoon in my room, alternating between working on my laptop and taking breaks to stretch my sore muscles. Every single time I stood up, my quads were not in support of it, and every time I walked, my glutes reminded me that I'd been a fucking idiot at the gym this morning. But the pain was good. It was grounding. It kept me focused on something other than the growing knot of anxiety in my stomach that's all just cause of one thing, tonight.Mom came around earlier, and by earlier, I mean like... that was one, two, wait, that was three hours ago.She came just a few minutes past 2 PM to ask if I wanted lunch, but I told her that I'd grabbed something when I was out in the gym, which was a big fat lie. I only had a protein shake in my car, and I promised I'd eat dinner, which was another lie cause I'm going out to meet Miles at 7, and I didn't tell her because she'd either make funny
After a little long while of burying myself in workout, I checked my phone, and the time was 8:23 AM. I'd been here almost an hour and a half. Jesus.There were no messages from anybody, which was exactly what I really needed right now. I don't know what I'd do if I saw anybody's name on my screen right now. I'll probably throw my phone across the gym.Oh wait. There's a text from Miles, though, sent twenty minutes ago: "Morning! Just confirming we're still on for tonight? Can't wait to see you :)"The smiley face made something in my chest twist uncomfortably. He was so... earnest, so genuinely excited, so completely unaware that I was using him to prove to my stepbrother that he's a complete fool for pushing me to him.God, I was such an asshole.I typed back quickly, before I could overthink it: "Yes! See you at 7."His response was almost immediate: "Perfect. I'll pick you up?"Shit. I hadn't even thought a thing about logistics, cause him coming to the house meant potential inter
I woke up furious.It was not the slow-building anger that creeps up on you as you remember why you're pissed. No, this was very instant, and it was visceral, the kind of rage that had me throwing off my covers and storming to my bathroom before my eyes were fully open. My jaw was clenched so tight that it ached, and my hands balled into fists, and the whole of my body was vibrating with a fury that had nowhere to go.Fuck Jax. Fuck his noble bullshit about me deserving better. Fuck his hypocritical confrontation about Miles when he was the one who'd pushed me toward this in the first place. Fuck everything about last night.I turned the water on, and the shower was scalding, and it felt like it was painful, literally, but I stood under the spray anyway, letting the heat beat against my shoulders while I replayed the entire scene in my head. The way his face changed when I called him a hypocrite. The way his voice had cracked when he said he hated this. The fucking audacity of tellin
I walked toward him slowly, and each step felt way very heavy.His eyes never left mine. They were tracking my movement across the room like a man watching what he wants to devour.I got very close and stopped at the edge of the bed, close enough to touch but not touching. Waiting for instruction.
“In the lot across the street. See you inside?” I typed back quickly.His response came back immediately: I’ll be there in 2.”I flipped down the visor mirror, checking my reflection one more time. Makeup still perfect. Hair still smooth. I reapplied my lip gloss, and took a bre
He was straddling my chest with his dick right in front of my face, hard and thick with pre-cum glistening and leaking from the tip.I could see every vein, every detail, so close I could feel the heat coming off it."Open your mouth."I obeyed immediately, parting my l
Nina spotted us right away and came walking over with her clipboard and that bright focused smile she always had when she's in her work mode."There's my girl! And you brought a friend?"I introduced Miles briefly, literally just said he's a friend who'd offered to help me out t







