NOVA
The entire past two weeks, Wes and I had talked on the phone almost every day. We talked about kink, art, New York, addiction, religion, and literature. Our conversations spanned centuries, continents, and worlds, a mix of the deeply serious and profoundly unserious, sometimes both at the same time.
By the time he was at my front door, holding a beautiful bouquet of flowers and my favorite bodega Dubai chocolate, I almost couldn’t believe he was here—inmyworld.
“Your building is in alarming condition,” he said, glancing back at the disgusting hallways that probably hadn’t been cleaned in two decades.
“It’s managed by a slumlord. So, you know, what are you gonna do? I’m sure he’s averybusy man.” I glanced behind him at the filth. “We were never even sent a lease to renew last year. We just stayed here and kept up monthly payments, and we haven’t heard a peep. A true gentleman’s agreement.”
Wes sighed, frowning as if displeased with this information but powerless to solve it.
I grinned, taking the flowers and chocolate and stepping back to let him in. “Thank you. These are beautiful.”
“They’re cat-safe. I checked,” he said.
Inara trilled on queue, rubbing up against Wes’s shins. He bent to pet her.
My eyes devoured the finely sculpted muscles of his arms and shoulders under his brown shirt, swallowing hard when he looked up at me devilishly.
Wes was inmyapartment. Wes was pettingmycat. Wes was a real human being who existed outside of churches, mansions, and Greenpoint.
“She’s very sweet,” he said with a smile, scratching under Inara’s chin. “Sort of dog-like.”
“She was a street kitten. Her friendliness and adorable disposition are tools of manipulation.”
Wes chuckled. “I’m familiar with such tactics.”
I led him into our cozy kitchen-living-room combo area, where Delilah and Hudson were waiting on the couch. I almost expected Hudson to cock a shotgun like a toxic father figure.
“Hi!” Delilah said, jumping up immediately and stretching out a hand. Her gold charm bracelet jangled on her wrist, her blue eyes bright as she smiled. “I’m Delilah.”
Wes shook her hand.
Hudson looked at Delilah as if she’d betrayed him. He didn’t stand. “We have questions,” he said tersely.
Delilah sat back down, resuming a businesslike disposition in her bubblegum pink lounge set.
Wes’s smile was easy-going and unperturbed. “I was told you might.”
I rolled my eyes at Hudson as I searched our cabinets for a vase for the flowers.
Hudson cleared his throat, as if prepping for his cross examination. “Are you aware Nova is ten years younger than you?”
Wes took a seat on a barstool and faced my roommates as I filled the vase with water. “Yes, I am aware of this fact.”
Hudson’s eyes narrowed. “Why might you have a difficult time finding women your own age to date?”
“Hudson,” I said pointedly, lifting my arms in a gesture that said,what the hell?
“I know a leading question when I hear one.” Wes’s lips tipped up in amusement, and I took a seat next to him. “I’ve dated women my age and older before as well.”
Delilah crossed her arms. “You date a lot then, Wes?”
Wes chuckled, placing a hand on my knee. “Your prosecution team is great, baby,” he said. His casual affection made my stomach flutter. He returned his attention to my roommates. “Not in recent years, no. I’m only dating Nova.”
I knew we weren’t officially exclusive, but the admission soothed me. I released a breath.
“Is it true that Nova is the only person from the cult you are in contact with outside of said cult happenings?” Hudson posed.
