Page 5 of Insatiable

STACEY

SIX YEARS LATER

Ipull the duvet away, slowly and quietly, and slide my legs out of the bed first. He stirs and reaches across the mattress, but I’m out and on my feet before he can touch me.

My dress and underwear are scattered across the floor, my heels probably on his stairs or in the living room. A Tinder date that began in the pub, something to keep me busy. After a few drinks and endless flirting, he invited me back here.

Is it bad that I can’t quite remember his name? He’s either Bryan or Byron. They do sound the same. I’ll need to check his profile before I delete the app.

I notice a few missed calls on my phone from my best friend Lu, one from my other best friend Tylar and several messages from my stepbrother, demanding to know my whereabouts.

I groan, rubbing my temples to try to ease my headache, then open Luciella’s contact and type out a message.

Me: Can you pick me up? I’m atBranchton. There’s a row of houses across from a church. Do you know the place?

I tiptoe down the steps with my heels and jacket to hand until I reach the bottom, sitting on the bottom step.

My phone vibrates.

Lu: On my way. Be there in five.

Thank God.

I know my friends are going to want the details. I can already hear the high-pitched squeals they’ll make when they hear I finally had sex after months of not being the slightest bit interested.

The last person I slept with told me that as much as I’m a lovely girl, he couldn’t meet up again. Weirdly enough, he went missing a few days later, and still is.

Being called alovely girlat the age of twenty-one annoyed the hell out of me.

There’s a car horn sounding outside, and I sigh in relief.

Luciella’s stepfather bought her the car for getting into university. Ty is planning on taking over her family’s dance studio.

I’m still trying to find myself, and I’m okay with that. I’m in no rush to sort my shit out. I’m a dancer and an aerialist, an instructor three nights a week for kids’ and adults’ classes, and we train for shows and competitions.

My mum died when I was thirteen, and when my dad fell in love with Nora Fields, he moved us to this town to live with her and her two boys, Kyle and Chris.

My dad died two years ago, but Nora and her sons insist on me staying there until I save up enough money to move out; she kept all the inheritance that was supposed to be for me.

I don’t need to pay dig money, which is good, despite the utter nightmare of living in that house. It means I can focus on my goals.

It’s nearly the break of dawn as I step outside. The black Audi R8 waiting has me freezing. The tinted windows hide the driver, but I know exactly who it is, and the fine hairs on the back of my neck rise, my heartbeat accelerating.

The alloys are shiny, as if they’ve been freshly polished, and the headlights nearly blind me. I grimace, wondering if I can turn around and walk away.

Lu is going to catch a slap when I see her later.

The horn sounds again, making my shoulders tense.

“Unbelievable,” I mutter under my breath, seeing no other way to get home since an Uber will take forever to get to this side of town.

With my heels dangling from my fingers, messy hair, and make-up far from fresh, I feel nervous. Out of everyone who could pick me up after a one-night stand, he’s the last person I want.

Unhurriedly, I make my way to the car, opening the passenger door and throwing myself into the seat. I don’t look at him – I keep my eyes forward, tossing my heels on the floor in front of me as I attempt to put my belt on. It retracts twice, and I blow out a breath when I finally manage to click it in.

I try to ignore the addictive scent of mint, cigarettes and Tom Ford’s Noir. The same aftershave he’s used for years. I try to ignorehim, but his presence is everywhere, even after two years of silence between us.

I cross my arms in front of me, glancing at him sideways. “Lu said she was picking me up.”

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