Page 58 of Harpy

He rolled his shoulders, and I looked at Tituss, who gave me a look that said he was not going to tell him there was a folding massage table in his room. Dane got his own damn table, so I had put those hours in that work-study program to use. I never got certified, but maybe I should have.

He left, and I looked at Tituss, who was now looking around a room he saw for the first time. “Damn. They went all out, didn’t they?”

“I don’t care about this room.” I did. I really did. It was a constant reminder that if I wanted a room like this in my post-college life, I was going to have to figure out a way to provide it for myself because, in my post-college life, Tituss and Dane would be marrying women from old money or sister sororities or whatever business arrangement that would be made.

Apollo’s words came back to me. Build something special here. He…didn’t seem to play by the same rules as everyone else. I gulped. Looked at Tituss and said, “Thank you.”

“Anytime.” He stroked my hair. “We miss you.”

I snickered. “I was there this afternoon.”

“Working. I want you in my bed.” He was serious, and that was another reason I had to stay here in this room, in this bed tonight.

“This weekend.” It was a promise. He nodded. “No game, so—”

“Yeah. Just a party.” He gave me wide eyes and a smile, and I groaned. “Forgot that?”

Chapter Thirty-Two

Harpy

I was in the laundry room when I heard the footsteps. I knew it was Apollo. I just knew it because my body knew it. I wanted him, and I did not want to want him, so I gritted my teeth and turned. He had his own laundry, and I asked, “Is she not—”

“I take care of my personal effects.” He moved to put his clothes into the washer next to mine. “You washing your clothes or theirs?”

“Mine.” I glared at him. “I don’t feel any better about the math.”

“Three to one? I know. I keep trying to make it work in my head—”

“Apollo.” I had closed my eyes because this man was something else.

I felt the touch of his fingers at my neck, and I opened my eyes to find him waiting for me to do that. He stepped closer. I thought he was going to kiss me. He moved his lips next to my ear and said, “I keep thinking about this neck. How delicate it is, but how you stretched eagerly to get his dick down your throat.”

Fuuuuhhhk.

“I’m not a man who likes to share his things. I’m the kind of man who likes to take things from others. Dangle them in front of their faces. Dare them to try and take something back.” His nose and lips touched my ear. “So.”

He stepped back. My heart was thundering in my chest. All sorts of electrical sparks were firing throughout my body. Apollo punched a couple buttons and looked at me. “I think this will be an interesting party on Friday. Where will you go?”

“Here.” Dane made the last couple steps into the laundry room. “She’s coming to the party.”

I had not planned to do that. Had planned to stay in my room and read. “I—”

Dane moved in, wrapped his arms around me, and said, “Up.”

I jumped as he lifted. My legs wrapped around him. I held on and put my head against his shoulder. Breathed in the clean, warm scent of him. He turned to Apollo and said, “So glad you can’t keep your dick out of other people’s mouths. Means I only have to share with one of you. You can come watch if you want to. Learn something. If you need to.”

I tensed. Dane was not Tituss. He started a brawl over someone disrespecting me. I worried about this arrangement. That became a greater fear when Apollo said, “Friday’s a significant day for all of us around here. How’s Essie?”

“Daddy, don’t pay any attention to him. Let’s play.” I smiled up at Dane, and he forced his head to look down at me. He nodded. Apollo was just trying to ruin this moment for us. I didn’t want it to work.

As we were leaving, me still in his arms, he said over his shoulder, “You should check in on her. You seem to be really interested in girls I’ve fucked these days.”

I looked at Apollo as Dane carried me up the stairs. He did not look happy. He sucked in a steadying breath and nodded. Winked at me right before we made the turn, and I couldn’t see him anymore.

To get my head in the current zone, with the angry man taking these stairs like it was no big deal to carry me up them like I was, in fact, a child, I said, “I missed you last night.”

“You only asked for Tituss.” He was pissed at me too, I realized.

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