rendering. My body was wrecked in the best way, muscles loose and humming with the gh

g down my neck. His hands slid up my thighs, his mouth hot on my

of his weight pressing me down, his teeth scraping m

, sexy, and dangerous. And

murmured. He disappeared from view, and in the next minute, he was at the front door, pull

Vanessa," t

x in his hands-my box. The same one that sat unopened i

in still burning with phantom touches that weren't real. My heart pounded, a dull ac

Three forty-two PM. I

. Three missed calls from Tomford

you al

ts in an hour.

you open t

kitchen. The box sat exactly where I left it. Sti

followed me i

the box on the counter. It was still there,

it's my name

over in my hands. No return add

; it might

. I rolled my eyes but hesitat

hallow. Inside, nestled in crumpled black

t what made my

a note. Ha

u off the cliff. There'

as s

-

mf

"What the

there was something dangerous about him, but this... this w

hammering as I plugged in the USB. The screen blinked; a folder op

s_Wid

My stomac

nd on the horn, ready to push it like her life depended on it, like she always did during her

ing out of her school gates with he

. Night. Street corners. Ga

watched. My

age. Just a blank screen wit

not the only one who knows thin

safe, for now. I just had to make sure to handle this with wisdom. I'd bee

e wors

thing; that w

th, my actions woul

e jump. I snapped the laptop shu

ere?" Kate's voice

g the USB into my robe poc

h packing tape and boxes, her eye

ou look l

I muttered, stepping

a great idea to

counter, eyeing me. "You open

itated. Letting T's mess

lied throug

esent the company to the fullest." Just some of old T's crap. Nothing important." "Just

quite cute rather than scary if you

in fact, stay as far as possible away from o

ore shrugging. "Alright, well, let's ge

a smile.

ling dishes from the c

tted about logistics and bubble wra

I wasn't just

ed, manipulated,

he hell he truly was-

ed, I woul

at Southern View treats me well an

't my lif

ist. Kate tossed a roll of tape onto the counter and wiped her hands. "Done. M

burning a hole in my pocket. "

and wine wrapping around us like perfume. For the first time all day, my shoulde

nnings and the possibilities of mee

my wine against he

ening slightly. She was staring at something or r

ping my wrist. "Don't."

er. "Just... don't look." Bu

corner of the restaurant, watchi