Page 37 of Pretty Lies & Ugly Truths

“I’m assuming there was a reason for this conversation,” I cut him off, really not wanting to rehash that whole conversation right now.

“Right. I thought you would want to know the guys are done with Maggie’s apartment, and the stuff you ordered was delivered and should be installed by the end of the day. Also… Beckham told me to tell you the guys should have the security system done by the end of the week.”

What should be good news settles in my stomach like a lead weight. If what he says is true, then that puts her one step closer to going back home and out of my life, because no matter how much I might want to keep her, at the end of this I will have to let her go.

In my head, I hear the ticking of a doomsday clock,counting down the minutes we have left. This thing has only just started, and it already has a deadline looming over it.

The sad truth is, I’m not sure either one of us is going to walk away unscathed.

The smart thing to do would be to put those walls back up, to keep my distance until this is all over. I remind myself that she’s too good for me. She would be better off without me in her life, but the truth is, at this point, I don’t know if I’m strong enough to let her walk away.

Now that I’ve touched her, kissed her, watched her come apart in my arms, can I really go back to just watching her from the shadows? Stand by while she dates other men, falls in love, gets married? The thought of another man’s hands on Maggie makes me homicidal, and I know if I were to truly let her go, I would have to cut all ties, or all her dates would suspiciously wind up missing.

“Thanks for letting me know.” My voice comes out flat. If he notices, he thankfully doesn’t say anything.

Hanging up, I pull up the camera feed for the guest room. Maggie is sitting on the edge of her bed, staring absently at the wall. I watch as her fingertips trail over the spot on her forehead where I kissed her, and a wide smile slowly takes over her face before she flops back on the bed.

She lays there, her scarlet hair sprawled across the cream comforter, a sliver of the skin of her belly showing from where her sweatshirt has ridden up. My muscles tense as I fight the urge to go up to her room and finishwhat we started, but my thoughts from earlier are now fucking with my head.

I know it’s not a good idea to take this any further…at least not until I get my head straight. She deserves more than that.

Needing to get out here and clear my head, I grab my keys to leave.

14

Maggie

After snatching up my sweatshirt, I pull it over my head as I race up the stairs, escaping to my room. With my back against the door, I try to calm my racing heart, unsure if I’m glad we got interrupted or frustrated at the horrible timing.

I have never come so hard in my life, and I’ve never been able to orgasm with anyone other than myself.

My God, the way he touched me, looked at me, like I was something precious, like he wanted to devour me whole. I have never had anyone make me feel so desired.

I slump down on the edge of my bed, touching my fingertips to the spot on my forehead where I can still feel his kiss like a brand on my skin. I can’t stop the dopey smile that crosses my face, and I flop back on the bed, feeling like a teenager with her first crush.

I blush as I play back the words he whispered in my ear. What did he mean ‘this isn’t over’? What isthis? This as in us or just what we were doing?

Isthere even an us?

I don’t know.

I feel so out of my league.

I wish I could call Jane, really needing to her voice, but other than a few texts, we haven’t spoken since Friday at work. I never told her about the attack or the break-in, and I am too afraid that if I get on the phone with her, she will be able to tell something is wrong by my voice.

Plus, how would I even explain where I am right now or who Archer is without confessing the whole story?

Sure he is off the phone by now and determined not to hide in my room like a coward, I get up and go back downstairs.

I find Archer coming out of his office. I start walking towards him but slow when he turns. My chest caves in when I see that, once again, he has his keys in his hand.

“Going somewhere?” I ask too brightly as I try to force a smile to my face.

“I—I have something I need to do,” he says, not looking at me.

“Oh, ok. When will you be back?” I ask, hating how my voice wavers.

“I don’t know, but it will probably be late. So…don’t wait up.” With that, he turns and leaves, never once meeting my eyes.

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