Gazing in the direction of the doorway, I allow the smile I was biting back to spread across my lips. Then, pulling the phone out of my pocket, I send off a quick text to Scarlett.
Tomorrow, that naughty little girl is going to be mine.
Scarlett Dane
CHAPTER XXIV
Once Theodore dropped me off, all the adrenalin that was coursing through my blood vanished. I walked past my front door and felt my knees ready to collapse. Luckily for me, my parents were out of the house, finally able to have a date night.
Their absence allowed me to crawl up the steps weakly, on my hands and knees, because Mr. Ellis sucked every bit of strength out of me. I never finished, so that pressure is still there, pressing firmly against my lips.
As if he could read my thoughts, a message popped up once I entered my room.
Don’t you dare touch that pretty pussy, baby. It’s mine to please.
I went to sleep with a grin on my face and desire swirling in my core.
As the night went on, my arousal faded. Then, when I woke to bright morning skies, it was like any other day. My joints were stiff, with my neck cricked from sleeping at an odd angle. Crust blurs my vision, but once I cleaned the early morning remnants out from my corners, I can see it all clearly now.
The first thing my eyes go to is my phone sitting on my side table. It lights with notifications.
Instagram.
TikTok.
Chris.
Dana.
Marie.
Theodore.
Giddiness envelopes me, turning me into a giggling, love-struck teenager at ten in the morning. When did I become this girl? I started to question. But then I open his text and realize it’s when he came into my life.
Pack a bag. You’re staying with me tomorrow night.
This message came in closer to midnight. I was too far into my sleep to have read it last night. That means tonight. Tonight I’m going to stay with Theodore. But when…
And how?
“Scarlett!”
I try to ignore my mom's shout and think about potential solutions, but within seconds she’s at my bedroom door, sparing any knocking and coming inside. “Oh, good, you’re awake. You have a visitor.”
“What?”
Mom pushes the door open, and behind her, Marie stands. A smile graces her lips, but it doesn’t reach her honey eyes. With her arms wrapped over her chest, she waves her hand. “Hey. I texted, but you never replied. So I came anyway. Thanks, Mrs. Dane.”
After her goodbyes, my mother closes the door softly behind her, leaving Marie standing over me while she waits beside the bed.
“Sit down. Let me just brush my teeth and stuff, and then I’ll be right out,” I tell her, throwing my pants on under the blanket before scurrying to the bathroom.
I do my business as quickly as I can, peeing, washing my face, and brushing my teeth in that order. Working through the tangles in my waves, I emerge from the bathroom and join Marie on the mattress.
“What’s up?” I ask, noting the unreadable look on her face.
Her eyes search mine for a handful of breaths, the tiniest hint of a smirk pulling at the corner of her plump red lips before she states so plainly, “I know you’re fucking Mr. Ellis.”
