Page 5 of Consumed By Desire

Now is absolutely one of those times.

I manage to hold back from explaining the lengths I had to go to because of him. I need to stop telling Owen about my life, even when he’s the one messing it up.

“Great,” I say through gritted teeth. “Thanks for stopping by. I’ve got a lot to do, so you need to leave.”

“I think I’ve got what I came for.” He makes a show out of picking up a sweater that was sitting beside him on the sofa as if that’s his reason for coming by. I’ve never seen it before andit looks brand new. “I’ll come back if I remember anything else I’ve left behind.”

I try to encourage him to move towards the door faster than he is. “Do it soon if you have to. I’m going to be moving out.”

“Uh huh. Later.” He closes the door behind himself, leaving me seething. Did he even hear me? Owen gets under my skin like no one else can.

I call up my calendar app and set a daily reminder, grinning in satisfaction when I’m done. Now I’ve got a countdown for when I’m moving out. I’ll have to endure Owen’s random visits until then but those days are going to be over very soon. I want so much to get his key back but I’ve asked him before and he won’t give it to me.

I’m going to need to have a party to celebrate him being out of my life forever once it finally, finally happens. I can’t waitto start my glittering new life without him intruding in any part of it.

Chapter 3

Elena

My neck hurts from gazing up at the skyscraper to try and see the top of it. It’s so tall, it’s impossible. I check the address once again only to find that I really am in the right place. I’ve walked along West 59th before but I never really thought about it as a place to live. Obviously people do live in this neighborhood. Just not people like me.

Other than being absurdly tall, the building doesn’t look too different from any of its neighbors. It’s not super impressive considering it’s so well-known as a luxury building. I couldn’t find a single image of what the suites look like on the inside either. It’s a little deflating.

Still I make a decision right on the spot. I’m going to change my life completely. Do a total 180. This is going to be my first big step. I can’t wait.

I can feel it in my bones. Moving to Central Park South is absolutely going to mark a brand new beginning for me. Everything’s going to get better from here on out and my glam life with the amazing new job is already starting.

I’m determined to do everything I possibly can to make my future very, very bright. So bright, it’ll be glittering. I’ll be the one Zan chooses to join the staff permanently. Then someday I really will be able to live in a place like this because I own it.

Okay, maybe not exactly quite this grand but somewhere pretty nice. I don’t have any illusions about what my income’sgoing to be. I’m not going to get to multimillionaire status by becoming a journalist.

I can still dream. What matters is that this is my home right now. I’m putting off entering the most brutal rental climate ever for two more months. I know it’s looming. Soon enough I’m going to have to compete with multiple people just to be roommates with three or four others in a one bedroom apartment if I’m lucky, or a studio if I’m not.

Not today.

Starting today I’ll be living in absolute luxury. I’m going to enjoy the hell out of every moment of my new home. For the next two months, I don’t have to worry about the future.

I enter the building with my head held high, even though I’m dragging my well-worn suitcase a little awkwardly along behind me. The lobby’s empty except for a doorman in his dark navy uniform, speaking in low tones on the phone. He gives me a disparaging look but I know he’s been told that I’m moving in today.

I’m sure he can guess who I am since I’m not dressed head to toe in designer labels like anyone else who lives here. I’m also probably going to be at least twenty years younger too. Judging from the man who left the building right before I came in, possibly even forty.

Still I try to act as if I belong right here. Since I’m also trying to juggle carrying two cardboard boxes along with pulling my suitcase along, I’m probably failing completely.

The doorman keeps a close eye on me as I head over to the elevator. As I walk, one of the wonky wheels on my suitcase catches on the edge of a tile and turns the wrong way. My heavy roller bag freezes up and pulls me backwards, causing me to lose my balance slightly.

I give it a hard yank. That normally fixes the problem but I over-correct. The momentum’s enough that the top box that Ihave balanced on the other one slips over before I can catch it. When it hits the floor, the quick half-assed tape job I did falls apart. My possessions tumble out all over the smooth tiled floor with a loud crash and skitter away from me.

Mortified, I dive after my things.

“I can help you with that.” The deep male voice coming from behind me is calm and reassuring. I expect it to be the doorman but a quick glance shows me that he’s still on the phone. That doesn’t stop him one bit from shooting daggers at me with his eyes for making a mess of his pristine lobby. If looks could kill, he’d be getting arrested for my murder right about now.

My cheeks burning, I turn to collect my things as fast as I possibly can. The other man’s already bending down to help me and his expression’s amused.

Fuck. As if I wasn’t embarrassed enough before, he’s got my half-full box of condoms in his hand. He grins as he hands it to me. I grab the box without meeting his eye.

“Thanks,” I mumble as my glance falls to it. Crap.

They’re. Expired.

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