Page 127 of Wanted Beta

I have no idea what he’s paying me.

It doesn’t matter, I decide as I shove the check back down into my purse.

I’m not even going to look at it until the work is done.

I move around the bed to where my college stuff is and I grab a notebook and pen out of my backpack, putting them on the bed while I haul out my laptop.

It’s an older model, and heavy enough to be a pain in the ass.

I can’t count the number of times I’ve dropped the damn thing.

Lucky for me, it’s pretty much indestructible.

I give it a good tug and it comes out of the bag.

“Okay,” I murmur as I put it down on the bed.

I’ve got my supplies. I just need to start organising my thoughts, researching as I go.

Smiling, I open the notepad, pick up the pen, and start writing down the stuff that’s essential.

The sudden darkening of the room makes me pause.

I guess it must be late afternoon now, but it’s still too early for the sun to be going down.

Turning to go back to the light switch, I catch sight of a dark shadow outside the window.

My heart leaps into my mouth.

What the hell was that?

I freeze in place, staring out there. The shadow isn’t looming any longer, but I can see something, almost hidden from sight, like whatever just moved past is still out there.

“It’s a bird, you freaking scaredy-cat,” I mutter to myself as I move closer to the window.

I’m still a little shaky, but I’m determined to get rid of the feeling by seeing for myself that I got jumpy over nothing.

I push the drapes back farther and my breath catches in my throat.

It’s not just a bird outside my window.

It’s my ex-boyfriend.

Chapter Fifty-Eight

Rourke

Well, shit. Should have known this would happen sometime. It’s not like I’ve been super careful. It’s almost as if I wanted her to catch me. Almost. Because the way she’s staring at me now, as if I’m the most disgusting thing she’s ever had to look at, and she can’t believe she’s having to look at me right here and now, well, that doesn’t exactly make me feel good.

She starts to talk, and I can’t hear her.

It doesn’t matter. Looks like a rant.

I get the general gist.

It’s probably time to leave, and to stop climbing up here to watch over her.

She shakes her head when she’s done ranting.

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