Page 30 of King of Deception

Love was in the air. I didn’t know if it was all the classic love songs or the fact that Alex and James had made up. With my head in the clouds and feet striding on stars, I decided to walk home.

A few blocks away from my place, my phone began to ring. I thought it was Alex at first, but when I pulled it out of my purse, I saw Abel’s name. Instinctively, I turned to look around before realizing that if he was—in fact—out on the same street, I would look ridiculous.

Slowing down, I stared at the screen while it rhythmically blinked. I had to get up early tomorrow for a meeting. I was a little drunk. It wouldn’t be safe to let myself get distracted by a call while walking alone at night.

Excuses, excuses.

The phone stopped ringing, and instead of being relieved, I felt bad. Alex was wrong; I couldn’t just ignore Abel’s call without thinking about it twice. I caught myself hastening my steps as I marched home, seeing the building grow larger as the distance shrunk.

The second I stepped foot into my apartment, I dialed back his number. “Pick up, c’mon,” I whispered as I locked the door.

“Did I wake you?” he sounded even more attractive on the phone, if that was at all possible.

“You sound good!” I disclosed.

“You sound surprised.”

Tossing my bag onto a chair, I made my way to the bedroom. “You know how some people end up sounding… I don’t know, nasal on the phone? Or just… different?”

“Uh-huh?”

“Hi!” my smile shone through my voice.

“Hi, yourself.”

“Calling the very next day. Amateur move.”

“Or is it?”

“Mind games. Not a fan.”

“I just did what I felt like doing.”

“Do you always do that?”

“If I’m not hurting anybody.” His dog barked in the background.

I giggled, “Is that Dylan?”

“Outrageous. He’s not supposed to come upstairs.”

“Upstairs?”

“I mean—” he paused, “with filthy paws.” Something fell or banged with a muffled thud. “He just finished his evening walk.”

“Oh, cute! I just had a walk myself.”

“Really? Where?”

“Nearby.”

“What’s ‘nearby’?”

Gently sitting down in my bed, I proceeded to take off my shoes. “Bleecker street?”

“Oh, what time is it?” It sounded like he was asking himself.

“Don’t,” my smile shrank a little.

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