Page 27 of Blurred Lines

“Violet Miller? She’s worried about a friend of hers. Lauren Rossi? She said that Ms. Rossi came here this morning, and now she’s not answering her phone. Debra put out a call over the address system, but nobody responded.”

Shit, shit, shit!

“I’m meant to check in with Vi every hour,” I whispered. “Part of my anti-stalker strategy.”

“Ms. Rossi did come here,” Cristian called, somehow managing to smirk at the same time. “Tell Ms. Miller she’s fine. Very fine.”

Asshole. Vi was gonna shriek when I told her what had happened. Hell, maybe I’d even send Theo a thank-you note?

My folds were slick, and Cristian’s fingertip skated over my clit as he did that magic thing with his hips. Below us, the folks in the Fitness Zone were oblivious as they went about their workouts, and the reverse voyeurism gave me a kick I hadn’t expected. Now I understood how the people on stage in the basement at Nyx felt. The heady mix of power and vulnerability was one hell of a drug. I spiralled off the cliff once more, and this time when Cristian sat me on his desk, I was spent. He rested his hands on my thighs as he looked lazily up at me from his chair.

“What happens now?” I asked. We’d moved into uncharted territory, and I had no idea how to navigate.

“You should call your friend, and then I’m taking you out for dinner.”

“Dinner?”

“You think I’d leave you hungry? And you need to decide whether we’re staying at my place or your place tonight.”

I hadn’t realised we’d be staying together at all.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea? Moving so fast, I mean.”

“Until the prick sending you snapshots of his dick is out of the picture, I’m in your space. After that, we can reevaluate.”

Okay. I took a deep breath. Okay. For a few blessed hours, I’d forgotten about Mario and his growing obsession. If you want her, you’ll have to go through me first. Cristian hadn’t been kidding, had he?

“Do you have a roommate?” I asked.

“Not unless you count the cat.”

“Aw, you have a cat?”

“I inherited her from the previous owner of the property.”

“Do you live close by?”

He hesitated for a moment. “I have an apartment downtown.”

“Then can we go to your place?”

I was hella curious to see what it looked like.

A shrug. What else? “Sure.”

Cristian sent someone to retrieve my belongings from the locker room, and I borrowed his bathroom for a shower, which took longer than it might have done because he joined me, and so did his tongue. And fair was fair, I wanted a taste too. Guess what? I had a new favourite food.

After that, I womaned up and checked my phone again. Almost fifty messages, but there were only a handful I cared about.

Violet

Call me! Please call me. I’m freaking out here.

Me

Sorry! Lost track of time. I was having hot sex with someone who wasn’t Theo.

Her reply came almost immediately.

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