Page 67 of The Scandal You Started
In fact, the entire week she’d felt like she was being tossed through choppy ocean waves, struggling to get the direction she was going in under control.
She’d tried to put distance between herself and Dominic, but rather than allowing her space, he’d fought to be closer to her. He’d cornered her, countered her comments, smiled at her, caressed her without even touching her, but only because she hadn’t allowed him to touch her. She had no doubt if she hadn’t warned him not to, he would have hauled her into his arms and held on until she had no strength left to fight him. He would’ve drained it all with his determined words.
And it was terrifying.
Because each time, he was forcing her to face the fact that she wouldn’t be running from him so earnestly if there had been no truth in what he’d said. She would’ve told him to fuck off and get over himself, and that would’ve been the end of that.
She hadn’t. Couldn’t.
Because shewasattracted to him. Despite knowing she shouldn’t be.
There was no point in denying it anymore. But she couldn’t bring herself to admit it either, partly because she felt a little foolish for having landed herself in this position when she was usually good at setting boundaries with Studies. And the other half worried about the consequences of her actions on Victor, Monty, Ash, George, and River.
If the Board of the POTeM project found out what was going on, she wouldn’t be the only one they’d punish. And did she really want to risk everyone’s work just to fuck a man?
The answer seemed obvious. But she couldn’t give the obvious answer.
So maybe she was hoping if Dominic found out she’d gone to see Jake and hidden the fact too, the betrayal would be enough to kill his feelings towards her.
Or maybe Kelly was right. Maybe she was hoping this date would prove she was more attracted to Jake, and then she could finally reject Dominic properly.
Either way, she was ashamed to admit it, but she was taking the coward’s route out. And before now, she’d never considered herself a coward.
It was all fucking Dominic’s fault. Everything had been so good and easy the way it should’ve been before him. Her body didn’t want men she couldn’t have. She could be professional with no problem, and she didn’t feel things she didn’t want to feel. But he had to go fuck it all up with his oversized existence, stubborn affection, and his stupid need to express his stupid feelings.
“He’s a Study,” Rayna settled on saying to her best friends. “Jake isn’t.”
Erin gave a slight shrug. “Does that really matter?”
“Exactly.” Kelly threw a hand out. “You can fuck Dominic for four months and then forget he ever existed. That should be an ideal situation for you. Because it’s not as if you’re gonna end up in a long-term relationship with Jake, Miss‘marriage and love is a scam.’”
All Rayna could do was shake her head in silent astonishment. “How can you both say that? Knowing the rules of the project.”
Erin sighed heavily. “I get it, Rayna, I do. But you’re not necessarily going to get caught.”
“Erin, can you please just tell her what George said?” Kelly said irritably. “Because she clearly doesn’t know, and I don’t know why the idiot didn’t tell her.”
Rayna’s ears prickled with caution. “What did George say?”
Erin smiled, small and hopeful. “He said when you were with Dominic in his quarantine room while he was being sedated, Monty said that it was fine if Dominic made a move on you. No one would get in trouble.”
Rayna blinked, too stunned to properly process what Erin had said.
Why…why would Monty have said that?
Was it in case the Board found out about what had happened in the quarantine room? To take the blame away from her, from them all, and place it on Dominic? Because Monty couldn’t have meant to imply anythingafterthat incident would be fine too, there was no way.
“See,” said Kelly. “You’re worrying about nothing. Just pick Dominic and stop torturing the poor guy.”
“No,” Rayna muttered and began shaking her head. “I don’t believe Monty said that exactly. And even if he did, he didn’t say my actions wouldn’t be punished. And why should I risk losing my job for the sake of a man? For sex? Am I supposed to have that little respect for my career?”
Silence.
And it seemed like her point finally got through to them.
“Fine. You’re right.” Kelly sighed. “No amount of dicking is worth that much. No matter how good it is. Not that you know if it is anyway.” She sucked in a breath through her teeth. “Well, I guess that’s that then. Hope Jake makes you feel more than Dominic does. Bye.”
Kelly’s face disappeared from the bottom of Rayna’s phone, and Erin’s pursed-lip expression expanded to take up the full screen.
