Page 103 of Volatile Obsessions

I couldn’t have felt more like scum than I did in that moment, swallowing down the lump of guilt that had briskly accumulated in my throat.

“I’m sorry, okay? It wasn’t intentional. I barely knew how to handle it myself so I kept my mouth shut.”

“Yeah? And now I’m going to keep my mouth shut before I say something that’s going to ruin our evening to shit,” Suki grated.

“Both of you stop.” Ramsey stepped between us, holding a palm out to our chests. “Now is not the time to hash this out, but we will discuss this later, got it?”

The question was clearly directed at me, and while I really didn’t want to go into depth on this topic just yet, I knew I didn’t have much a choice anymore. They knew and there was no way to backtrack from here.

“Fine,” I conceded, my voice even and surprisingly steady. “I’m going to finish getting ready then. If you need me, I’ll be doing my makeup.”

“Don’t put on too much,” Ramsey called out behind me. “Our masks will cover it.”

Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever.

She had a point, but only to an extent. Purge Crew or not, I didn’t intend to wear the damn thing all night. Ladies drank for free until ten, and I planned to be blasted by then.

Twenty minutes later, I’d made myself up to near perfection and was mid-way through applying falsies when my phone vibrated on the counter. I stole a quick glance at the screen as I set the lash in place, only to do a double-take and nearly drop the damn thing in the sink.

Unknown:I can’t stop thinking about you…

My heart immediately started banging in my chest. I stared at the message for several long moments before dropping the tweezers and snatching up the phone.

Me:Who is this?

Deep down, I knew damn well who it was, but I tried convincing myself otherwise. I mean, it couldn’t be, right?

When the reply came through almost instantaneously, I peeked out into Suki’s room to ensure they weren’t going to barge in at any given moment, and shut the door, pressing my back flush against its cool surface.

Unknown:Take a guess…or do you really have that many poor blokes caught under your spell?

It was him.

Thump, thump, thump.

My fingers moved at lightning speed.

Me: JFC. How the hell did you get my number?

Unknown: I have my ways.

Me: What do you want, Roman?

Unknown: Let me see you.

Me: NO.

Unknown: Five minutes, Lux. Give me five minutes. I’m going mad.

So was I, but no. I couldn’t allow it. We all know what happened the second I let that man anywhere near me…

Me: Not my problem.

Unknown: It is very much your problem considering it’s your fault. Five minutes won’t kill you.

Me: And yet that’s five minutes I don’t have, especially for you. Goodbye, Roman. Lose my number.

Setting the phone back onto the counter, I dragged my gaze up to my flustered reflection. Getting rid of Roman of was going to be harder than I thought.

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