Page 48 of Intense

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It really drives me to do better.

Maybe she’s another distraction.

Or more like a drug.

An addiction.

One that’s probably going to fight back and kill me.

But I keep going back.

Her anger fuels me.

Or maybe… It’s the sparkle in her eyes when she tells me to fuck off.

I don’t know.

It’s fun.

For me, anyway.

Chapter 18

STEPHANIE

Ido a final spin in the mirror, making sure my ass looks good. This dress is tight as hell, to the point I’m scared that once I eat, I won’t be able to breathe.

But it’s worth it for how good I feel. I’ve been strict this week on cutting out any snacks. Drinking so much water, I can’t stop peeing. It worked, though.

I pair the dress with a pair of gold strappy Jimmy Choos and my serpent necklace; I look good enough to eat.

I trail my hands along my chest, down the very low-cut neckline that dips between my breasts. You can see the tail of my tattoo sneaking up in the middle.

My snake. I call her Raven. Beautiful and deadly. Just like how I feel tonight.

The tattoo represents power. How something smaller than you can still kill you.

There’s a knock at the door. I swipe up my purse and down my champagne.

A smiling Poppy greets me.

“Wow, Steph. I mean, Dr. Miller.”

I laugh.

“Steph is fine, Poppy. You look beautiful,” I tell her.

The baby pink dress, filled with sequins, makes her look like a princess. It’s very her—cute and sweet.

“Thank you. Is it too much?”

I shake my head. I need to work on her self-confidence. Especially if she’s going to make it as a heart surgeon.

“No matter what you wear, it’s never too much.”

“I swear, I’m not normally this bad. It’s just… you’re so, so cool, Steph. I aspire to be like you.”

That makes my heart stutter.

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