Page 30 of Little Horrors & Deceptions

“Well, well, look who finally made it home,” he drawled, a smirk playing on his lips. I froze, heat rising up my neck.

“I need a shower,” I muttered, averting my gaze.

“Don’t let me stop you,” Johnathan chuckled.

I hurried toward the bathroom, my cheeks burning now. How was I going to face him after this? Maybe he didn’t listen in to all the crazy sex Liam and I had? As I reached for the doorknob, his voice stopped me.

“Oh, I forgot to tell you, good morning…kitten.”

I winced, my hand freezing on the bathroom doorknob. That damned nickname. Of course he’d heard us. My cheeks burned hotter, remembering Liam’s husky whisper in my ear. I turned slowly, facing Johnathan’s knowing grin.

“Someone had quite the night,” he continued, waggling his eyebrows. “And morning, from what I could hear.”

I groaned, covering my face with my hands. “Oh god.”

“Don’t be embarrassed,” he laughed. “It sounded like you both were having a great time.”

I peeked through my fingers, mortification warring with the urge to burst out laughing. “I’m never going to live this down, am I?”

Johnathan’s grin widened. “Nooope. But I’ll be sure it stays just between us, you know, wouldn’t want Clemens to get a listen to that.”

His giggles followed me as I stepped into the bathroom. I stuck my hand out the door, middle finger raised high. It was childish, sure, but damn if it didn’t feel good. Johnathan’s laughter onlygrew louder through the apartment as I slammed the door shut to get ready for work.

Chapter 18

Liam O'Connor

Idrummed my fingers on the sticky diner table, half-listening as Derek laid out his ideas for our next Fright Night. The midday sun streamed through the smudged windows, casting a warm glow over the chipped green laminate tabletop. Derek's words faded into background noise as my mind drifted to Jade.

Her piercing blue eyes. The curve of her lips. The way her dark hair fell across her face as she slept beside me. Everything about her had imprinted itself on my mind, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't shake the image. I had thought having her, even just for one night, would quench this maddening thirst. That if I could only touch her, feel her, it would be enough. But it wasn’t. It only made me crave her more.

The memory of her skin against mine and the warmth of her breath on my neck haunted me like a ghost I couldn't outrun. Every inch of my body still remembered the sensation, the way her fingers had traced lines of fire along my skin. The soft sighs and sounds she’d made as I’d touched her. It consumed me,like a wildfire raging inside me that no amount of logic could extinguish.

Derek was saying something, gesturing toward me with a fry. His voice felt distant, as if it were coming from underwater. I’d heard him mention the west wing, but other than that, I was barely paying him any attention. At least we both thought the west wing needed some love.

“Maybe rig up some animatronics or—”

I nodded absently, my gaze fixed on a spot just past his shoulder, lost in thoughts of her. What would Jade be doing right now? Was she thinking of me too? The intensity of my feelings both thrilled and terrified me. I had never wanted someone this badly, never needed someone with such primal, all-consuming hunger. It scared the hell out of me. Because what would I do if she didn't feel the same? What would happen if I couldn't have her again? And it wasn’t a matter of if, but when because I knew this would have to come to an end.

My chest tightened at the thought, and a cold sweat formed at the base of my neck. This desire, this obsession—it wasn’t just physical. It went deeper, clawing at parts of me I hadn’t even known existed. I'd built walls for years, stayed single and out of relationships because I knew what my endgame was. But she’d slipped past them like they were nothing, leaving me exposed in ways I wasn’t prepared for. And now I couldn't stop it.

“Liam,” Derek finally said, breaking through my thoughts.

“Yeah, sorry,” I mumbled, blinking rapidly as I refocused on Derek's face. His sharp brown eyes studied me intently as he wiped his hands on a napkin. A knowing smirk played at the corners of his mouth.

“You've got it bad,” Derek teased, taking down his last fry. He chewed slowly, his gaze never leaving mine. “Were you even listening to anything I said?”

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, the vinyl squeaking beneath me. My fingers tapped an anxious rhythm on the table. The remnants of my untouched meal stared back at me. I hadn't even noticed the waiter clearing Derek's empty plate. His words hung in the air. I opened my mouth to respond, but found myself at a loss. How could I explain the storm raging inside me? The conflict between my growing feelings for Jade and our carefully laid plans at the end of all of this?

I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry. “Yeah…,” I began, but Derek's cocked eyebrow made me falter. I couldn't lie to him. “No. No, I wasn’t,” I admitted, the words tumbling out in a rush. “Sorry, man, I just, I don't know what's happening to me.” My hands clenched into fists under the table, nails digging into my palms. The admission felt like both a relief and a betrayal. Jade's face flashed in my head again, her smile lighting up the darkness that had been my constant companion for so long.

Derek leaned back in his chair, his sharp features softening slightly. He ran a hand through his short black hair, his eyes never leaving my face. I braced myself for judgment, for a reminder of our carefully crafted plans.

Instead, his voice was surprisingly gentle when he spoke. “Well, if you feel like it's a good thing, then stick to it.”

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. I blinked, certain I had misheard him. Derek, always the pragmatist, constantly focused on our goal, was telling me to pursue this? The café’s ambient noise faded away as I struggled to process his words. A part of me wondered if the change in his tune was because he’d been with Jordan.

“I… I don't know if I can do that to her, Derek. After all of this is over, we planned on disappearing. And it’s not like I can just take her with me.” The waitress set down a steaming cup of coffee in front of me. I stared into the swirling brown liquid, avoiding Derek’s penetrating gaze.

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