Page 38 of He Sees You When You’re Sleeping

Chapter Fifteen

Chloe

Maybe it’s the two peppermint martinis, or maybe it’s Jack. But I feel my cheeks flush as the room increases in temperature and I have the sudden urge to remove the sweater I’m wearing. “It’s nobody, really. Just... a friend.”

“A friend, huh?” Sloane’s grin widens. “A friend who makes you blush like that? Come on, give me something here. I’m seriously worried that you may die of boredom someday. Change my mind that you aren’t actually living the most boring existence known to man.”

I feign being offended, but she has no idea just how not boring I am. Living this double life as of late has been anything but dull.

I take a deep breath, weighing my options. On one hand, I don’t want to lie to Sloane. On the other, I’m not sure I’m ready to share this... whatever it is with Jack.

“Okay, fine,” I concede. “It’s a guy I met recently. We’re... getting to know each other.”

Sloane squeals, earning us a few curious glances from nearby patrons. “I knew it! Tell me everything. Is he hot? Smart? Rich?”

“Safe,” I say and am shocked to hear myself say as the first word to describe Jack.

“Safe?” Sloane repeats, her brow furrowing. “That’s not exactly a glowing endorsement. What do you mean by ‘safe’?”

I take a sip of my drink, trying to find the right words. “I mean... he’s a fireman.”

Sloane’s eyes widen, and she lets out a low whistle. “A fireman? Well, that certainly explains the ‘safe’ comment. But girl, you’re holding out on me! A fireman is definitely not boring.”

I play punch her arm. “I’m not boring, you know. I have some juicy secrets. You might just not know them all.”

Oh yes. The martinis are most definitely taking hold.

Sloane inches closer, her eyes sparkling with intrigue. “Ooh, secrets? Now we’re talking. Come on, spill! What juicy secrets are you hiding, Miss Boring?”

I bite my lip, realizing I’ve said too much. The alcohol is making me loose-lipped, and I need to be careful. “I... I meant that there’s more to me than you might think.”

“Clearly,” Sloane says, eyeing me suspiciously. “First a hot fireman, now mysterious secrets. Who are you and what have you done with sweet Chloe?”

I laugh nervously, trying to deflect. “Maybe I’m just full of surprises.”

“Well, don’t stop now,” Sloane urges. “Give me something. Anything. I’m dying here!”

I hesitate, weighing how much I can safely reveal. “Okay, fine. Let’s say... I’ve been doing a side project. Not just for Hailey.”

Sloane’s eyebrows shoot up. “Cheating on me?”

“Not exactly,” I hedge. “It’s more... personal. Just exploring another side of me.”

Sloane’s voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “Another side of you? What, like a secret identity? Are you moonlighting as a superhero or something?”

I laugh at the irony. If only she knew how close to the truth she was. “Not quite a superhero. But may involve... costumes.” I take another sip. “And leather, whips, cuffs, and—” I shrug. “Maybe.”

Sloane’s eyes widen to the size of saucers, and she nearly spits out her drink. “Wait, what? Are you saying... are you doing some kind of... kinky stuff?”

My face burns, realizing I’ve gone too far. “I . . . it’s not . . . I mean . . .”

“Oh my God,” Sloane whispers, leaning in even closer. “You are! Little Miss Vanilla is secretly a dominatrix or something, aren’t you?”

“Well, I’m far from vanilla. But I’m also not a dominatrix. But I do have an account on Dark Secrets. I have subscribers and I like to... perform. Do live videos and...”

Sloane’s mouth drops open, her eyes widening in shock. “Dark Secrets? As in the adult content platform? Chloe, are you serious?”

I nod slowly, the full weight of my admission sinking in. There’s no taking it back now.

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