Page 77 of Rome: The Ballerina

As she nodded, I turned a final time and headed for the exit again. This time, I crossed the threshold and made it to the truck. Before August opened the door, he halted.

“You did good, Balle,” he said, nodding his head.

“Good?” I asked. “I just told a woman interested in friendship that her relationship would’ve never worked because her fiancé belongs to another woman… that woman happens to be me.”

“A reminder of who you are. You might be sweet, but you’re a Childers to your core, Balle. For the first time, you’ve openly accepted that side of you. So, when I say you did good it’s not because of what you said back there. It’s because you’ve decided that you will have exactly what you want, no matter how you achieve it.”

“I want to do this the right way, August. Not the Childers way.”

“Sometimes the Childers way is the right way,” he explained, opening the door.

I rested my head against the seat after settling in. His words replayed in my head continuously.

I removedmy shoes and made my way down the hallway. The stairs weren’t an option tonight. I pressed the button and the door of the elevator opened within a second. I stepped on, allowing the cool floor to lower my body’s temperature.

I tapped the number two and waited against the railing for the doors to reopen. Once they did, I stepped out and onto the wood. My feet pressed into the floor, silently screaming for relief. However, the thudding between my legs was louder. More profound. More awakening. Utterly irresistible.

Rummaging through the drawers of my vanity, I searched for the only source of pleasure I had at the moment. Roulette’s fingerprints were all over the contents of my drawers. She’d thought of everything a girl’s heart desired in her powder room, bathroom, and dressing room. Down to the adult section.

“There.”

At the back of the drawer was the magic wand I was in search of. I nestled it in my palm and returned to my bedroom. My skirt was the first to fall. My shirt was next. I slid my panties down my legs. The lace bra was the last to go.

My nipples pierced the air. They grew harder by the minute, finally reaching the point of pain as I climbed in bed. I pulled the comforter back and settled in on top of the sheets. With my thumb, I powered on the vibrating mechanism made to please women around the world.

My legs spread instinctively. I pressed the vibrator against my clit and rested my back against the softness of my pillows. My body tensed, anxious for relief. I closed my eyes, hoping to find the familiar face behind my lids. I wasn’t disappointed or surprised when he appeared.

There.

There you are.

Ding.

Dong.

I rose from the bed, wiping the sleep from my eyes.

Ding.

Dong.

“Coming–” I whispered as if the person laying on my doorbell could hear me.

It’s after eleven.

I peered at the clock to confirm the timestamp from my internal clock. My accuracy wasn’t unusual.

11:36p.

I slid from my bed, placing both feet on the floor.

Royce.I considered.

Range?No. Definitely not Range.

Roaman?Of course not.

Roulette?Maybe.

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