The security technicianfinished installing the camera over the front door to my apartment the next week with a satisfied smile. I hadn’t had any other encounters since the person in the garage over a week ago. If someone was fucking with me or tried to fuck with me further, I would catch them and make them rue the day they set their sights on me. No one could be trusted, and I had to rely on myself for my own protection. I could beg all day, but in the end, the monsters always took what they wanted.
After the tech left, I set about throwing together a salad for an early dinner. I scheduled the install for as late in the day as I could so I could just work the rest of the evening at home.Working in large chunks of time was better for me. I would get everything I needed finished so I could sit down and work straight through the evening until bed.
My watch vibrated as I cleaned up after my meal. I hadn’t talked to Mom and Dad this week, so it was probably one of them.
In the moment I realized, if someone really was out to get me, no one would notice until I didn’t show up for work. I’d be dead before anyone even knew I was missing. It would probably be a good idea to talk with Mom every night for a while.
The text was from Zander. We talked a lot over the last week but hadn’t gone any further than sexting a few times. A few days ago, he started sending me good morning voice messages, and I blushed at the thought of them.
This text was another image. I sat on a barstool and put the phone back on the island before opening it. Taking a deep breath, I warred within myself if I should keep things going. I was too mesmerized by him and needed to get a grip. Checking my phone constantly to see if he texted wasn’t my usual behavior.
Annoyed, I picked up the phone again and opened the text. God fucking dammit. Every time I started to get a clear head about this situation he hit me right where he knew I was weakest. This photo was dark like the other one but he was shirtless. His lower torso filled the frame with black slacks slung low on his hips. His hand was gripping his belt as though he was in the process of removing it.
My body perked up. I studied smooth skin that disappeared beneath the waistband of his pants. Fucking hell, he knew exactly how to play with me in the most agonizing way. His stomach was taut, and my mouth watered at the V that I knew trailed south right to…
The dryer in the laundry room buzzed, scaring the shit outof me. Fuck, I really needed to pay more attention. I was always accidentally hitting the buzzer switch when I started the dryer.
Bringing my attention back to the screen in my hands, I zoomed in on the photo and took in every detail. The veins in his hand also wound up his arm, and they were on full display. I sighed, wondering what it would feel like to brush my hands along his smooth skin. I snapped out of it and backed out of the conversation. If I kept this up, I would be drooling on the counter.
Another text came through. “Like what you see?”
I typed a response with a smirk. “If by like you mean annoyed with, then yes.”
“Annoyed that you’re wet from a photo that’s very PG-13?”
How did he…Damn it, he was good. I was right back to not caring that I was so enamored with him. “Maybe. I wouldn’t be if it was anyone else. Now I need to do something about it.”
His response took longer than usual. “Baby, you fucking torture me with your words. Want me to help? I have a little gift for you.”
“Ok, I’m listening.”
“Good. Listen to this, baby.”
A few minutes passed, and a voice message popped up on the screen. Desire wound through me like a vise, threatening to cut off my air supply. He hadn’t sent a voice message with sexy words directed at me before, only innocent ‘good morning’ messages.
I pressed play. “Hey, baby, I need you to agree to do what I say, okay? Text a simple yes back if you agree to be a good girl.”
My mouth dropped open, and heat flared in my cheeks. I listened to the clip again and groaned. Why was I so feral over a man’s voice? I had a thing for voices, that much was certain, but I had never encountered such an attraction to one as I didwith Zander. I didn’t even know what he looked like, for fuck’s sake.
My phone ringing jolted me from my thoughts. I looked down and “Zander” was written in large font on the screen. He was calling me.
Fuck, fuck, fuck. Panic tore at my chest as I moved from the stool and paced around the counter. I didn’t think he planned to call me. I assumed this would be another sexting session. What if I fucked things up by saying something idiotic?
I stopped in my tracks. Why did I care? I never had a confidence issue when it came to men. What made Zander different?
Because you actually like him.
The phone rang and rang and at the last split second before my voicemail picked up, I answered.
“Hello?”
“You all right, baby?” he purred from the other end of the line.
My knees almost gave out. His voice was great in recordings, but nothing compared to hearing it again live. I hadn’t talked to Ryan, the client, since I started texting Zander. Ryan. I really did have to separate them in my mind.
“Zander…” I couldn’t find any other words to say.
“Yes. Hi, it’s me.”
