This fucking brat. She probably thinks she’s safe from my grasp, surrounded by all those people. But I’m watching and waiting, and when the time’s right, I’ll strike.
On my way
I watch the camera’s feed. Her chest quickly expands with a sharp breath before she bites down on her smile and tucks her phone into her purse.
Her head is on a swivel, like I’ll materialize somewhere in the room in the blink of an eye. If only it were that easy, I would have shown up far sooner.
The guy begrudgingly talking with Kerrigan dismisses himself and walks away toward the table full of desserts. I wonder if his date ghosted him or if he ditched them. I couldn’t care less about his love life; I care more about his intentions for still lingering around.
Serena draws my attention, strutting across the conference room with Kerrigan at her side. The long red ponytail swooshes across the middle of her back. Stretching my hand out, I flex my fingers, feeling the urge to wrap them around those pretty strands.
Everyone’s heads turn to them as they pass by. Some stare. Some steal a passing glance. Regardless, she draws the focus of the room wherever she goes.
Aside from the guy hitting on my girl, the rest of the event is buzzing. Each small round table is decorated with a white linen cloth, flower arrangements at the center, and candles setting the mood in the dim lighting.
My Little Cupid is such a hopeless romantic.
Some of the couples are overjoyed and can’t stop smiling at one another. Others are clearly not having as good of a time. But I’m proud of Serena nonetheless.
The place looks great, and I know she spent, like, two hours earlier cutting and folding those cute paper hearts that are now hanging from the ceiling.
I slide into my new pickup and take off for her office, propping my phone onto my dash so I can steal glimpses of her during the drive.
I have the route memorized from the numerous times I’ve driven straight there after practices just to catch a real-life look at her.
Navigating the snow-covered streets and roads fromthe recent snowstorm, I make my way toward her office, stealing peeks at her on my phone when I can. She behaves for the rest of my commute, keeping to herself and avoiding the chatterbox who was flirting with her earlier.
Her head remains on a swivel as she waits for my arrival, and I love how on edge this is making her. Each hair standing on end as she anticipates my touch. It’ll only make the real thingthatmuch better.
I find a parking spot on the street across from the office before putting my truck in park and settling comfortably into my seat. It’s not obviously noticeable from the front of her office, but close enough that I still have a good view and a short trek.
I’m going to wait a moment though. I’m not going into a full house with my mask on and certainly not without it, given how she reacted to the real me earlier.
According to the invite email I read on her computer, this event should be ending in about ten minutes, and then she’ll be all alone. I just have to figure out how to get rid of Kerrigan first. I don’t have a plan—I’m winging it—but I’ll find a way.
The front office door swings open, and I watch a few guys step through, rolling their eyes. They must not have found their match tonight from the looks on their faces.
They’d better be laughing at their horrible dates and nothing that has to do with the hard work my girl did to put tonight together.
They load up into one vehicle and disappear before I can wind myself up too much about their possible ungratefulness.
I lean back in my seat and grab my phone from the dash, getting a closer look at Serena, who’s now at her desk in the lobby. She types aggressively before huffing out a breath and grabbing her phone. Dissatisfied, she slaps it back down and types on her keyboard.
A moment later, she checks her phone again before angrily dropping it onto her desk.
Her lips are taut. She’s annoyed, and I’m watching her impatience unfold before me.
If she wants to think she’s the one calling the shots, she’s about to learn she’s wrong. Just because I’m outside doesn’t mean that I’m not in control.
A mask drifts over her face, one of practiced professionalism, as a happy couple exits the conference room and heads toward the front door, passing her desk. They have a quick conversation before exiting through the front door, leaving only a handful of people remaining inside. Her smile is one of pride when the door closes behind the couple.
I’m glad she had some success tonight. Now if everyone else would just hurry the hell up so I could have some alone time with her, that’d be great.
Slowly but surely, the remaining attendants leave. Fifteen minutes later, the cleaning crew exits, followed by the security she hired for the event, leaving only Kerrigan and Serena inside.
Checking the cameras constantly, I notice Kerrigan disappear into the restroom. Serena’s in the conference room, gathering the now-cold candles into a tote.
This is my opportunity. I can see the vision in my mind, and I’m moving before I run out of time.
