Total pages in book: 213
Estimated words: 201920 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1010(@200wpm)___ 808(@250wpm)___ 673(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 201920 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1010(@200wpm)___ 808(@250wpm)___ 673(@300wpm)
Not able to sleep, and knowing I’d made a fool of myself, I thought I’d sneak out, leave him a note, and let him decide if he still wanted me. If I was worth still being around or with, or whatever it is that we have going on. I wanted to make it easy for him because I knew what I was doing, and it wasn’t fair to him not to tell him.
That was the conclusion I came to at four in the morning as I breathed in his masculine scent one last time and felt the warmth of his hard chest at my back. I closed my eyes and savored that moment, memorizing it, just in case it would be the only moment I had like that with him. Of all the things that have happened between us, that’s the one I wanted to hold on to.
Where he took from me what he needed, and I took from him what I needed.
With a deep and slow breath, I carefully crawled out of bed, taking my time and being as quiet and gentle as I could so I wouldn’t wake him. It wasn’t until my first foot hit the floor that I winced and seethed. It hurt more than I realized.
He woke up instantly, reaching behind him to turn on the lamp. He’s so fucking beautiful. It’s an odd word for a man, but it’s true. With sleep still in his eyes and his stubble longer than usual, he looked groggy but sexy as fuck. Maybe it’s the way the light hit him, or maybe it’s the hormones and lack of sleep, but I’ve never been more attracted to a man before. I don’t think I ever will be either.
“You all right?” His voice was laced with sleep and accompanied by the bed groaning as he sat up.
“Lie back down, I’m fine,” I whispered as if he was being ridiculous, although my heart pounded knowing I was trying to sneak out and failed.
I thought it through right then. He’d turn out the light and lie down, I’d go to the bathroom to clean up. After a while, when I thought he’d fallen asleep again, I’d sneak out and let him text me. I didn’t want to risk taking the time to leave a note and making it more awkward than it already was if he caught me.
I could walk to my house from here and at this time of day, no one would be up. There would be no one to bother me on the short walk home.
“You aren’t sneaking out, right?” Bastian questioned. “’Cause I want to wake up with you in the morning.” He said it so definitively, so sincerely.
If there was ever a moment where I knew I was his completely, it was then.
And that was over twelve hours ago.
Now I’m alone in his house wondering what to do with myself, other than snoop through his shit. Which has been a rather disappointing endeavor.
My phone pings as I close the last drawer in his dresser, finding nothing but a pair of his pajama pants. They’re flannel and smell like him, so I slip them on and with my baggy t-shirt, I couldn’t be more comfortable.
Sprawled out on his bed, I check my texts and bust out laughing. I’d texted Angie, Sex is better than masturbation.
And she finally responded. Tell me who, you whore!
I feel the blush rise to my cheeks, but the butterflies in my chest and belly are more prominent.
I consider telling her, but I’m not ready to share him, so instead, I tell her it has to wait till Monday. I assume the slew of texts afterward are from her, but I lie on the bed, staring up at his ceiling and wondering about how Bastian got to be the way that he is rather than answering them.
Every thought that comes only makes my heart hurt more for him.
The texts don’t stop coming and as I remember every detail I know about Bastian and the way he was in high school, they annoy me more and more.
Grabbing my phone off the bed where I tossed it, I’m ready to silence it until I see the most recent text.
Did you hear about Mr. Adler? They found him dead.
My blood runs cold and I swear I feel it all drain from my face. Angie’s still messaging me and threatening to do all sorts of stupid shit if I don’t confide in her right this second. But I couldn’t give two shits about her right now. Mr. Adler was next on the list. I feel fucking sick.
The message is from an unknown number. My fingers shake as I text the person back with the obvious question. Who is this?
Breathe, just breathe. I have to keep myself calm even as I start to shake from the adrenaline coursing through me. The fourth person on the list. Right in a row. One. Two. Three. Four. All found dead.