With a final assessing look at me, she turns on her heel and sashays off, and I don’t see her for the rest of the night.
And trust me, I look for her.
Maybe I am inlovewith her.
Why the fuck did I tell her about the listening device?
Goddammit! I should have lied.
THIRTY-NINE
CRESSIDA
A listening device?
Who the fuck plants a listening device on someone who isn’t an enemy?
How the hell did he do that without me finding it?
As soon as I arrive home, I pull out my things, and sure enough, a small device drops to the floor. I pick it up, and sure enough, it’s small and easy to blend in.Asshole.
What else did he hear?It’s not like I talk to many people. And there hasn’t been any indication or mention from him about anything else. He always seemed to show up when I was masturbating. And I still don’t have my vibrator back, which pisses me off.
Unsure of what to do with the device, I consider flushing it down the toilet. But for some reason, I slip it into my phone case and leave it there.
Maybe I like him listening.
Maybe I’ll keep it going for a little while longer and play with him.
It’s only fair, right?
He intruded intomy space. Granted, I did the same to him first, but at least mine was for work.
After removing my clothes, I climb into the shower. The water beats down, hot enough to sting, but I welcome it. Maybe it can wash away the thoughts I can’t seem to escape. As I wash myself, I think ofhim. I spoke to my sisters a lot about Soren. They never seemed tostopasking about him. And I get it. He’s a well-known businessman, and he’s one of the most eligible bachelors there is right now. And Izzy seems to think he only has eyes for me. I strongly disagree with her, but tonight at the party, I could feel his stare burning into my back for a good thirty minutes before I finally turned around. And when I saw him, it was confirmed that he was indeed watching me.
I never once thought this would be the outcome of my trying to do a story on him. He’s attractive, sure. You would have to be blind not to see that, but he always seemed so out of reach, a world above mine. Yet, somehow, now he is attainable, and he keeps showing up in my life. Keeps on making my stupid heart flutter at the sight of him.
I hate it.
And I love it at the same time.
My love for Noah grew slowly, and he gave me time to fall for him.
With Soren, it feels like I’m crashing in waves, struggling to breathe, and can’t get up. He keeps pushing me back under, at the same time giving me his breath to breathe.
It’s fucked.
And I need to make it stop.
But even as I turn off the water, I can still feel him on my skin. It’s like no amount of scrubbing could ever get him off me.
Oliver has been naggingme about training with Soren. Noah even brought it up, asking if he could attend one of the first training sessions. I never actually agreed to it, but when I saw Soren in the office yesterday, I asked him about it, and he told me to bring Oliver to the gym where he trains tonight.
Now standing outside, the air smells faintly of sweat and disinfectant, with the thud of gloves against punching bags echoing softly through the walls. My stomach twists, and it’s not from nerves, but from not knowing which version of Soren I might face tonight. The one who looks at me like I’m already his, or the one who pretends I don’t exist.
Noah is already there, holding Oliver’s hand, when I walk in. The gym looks quiet for a weeknight, the hum of fluorescent lights filling the silence between us. Oliver can’t stop smiling as I walk up to them, his excitement radiating through the air. He is utterly unaware of the tension curling inside me.
“He’s good for this?” Noah asks.
