Page 55 of Surrender

I think about asking Hugh not to tell Silvan about the run-in on Newbury Street, but I’m realistic about where Hugh’s loyalties lie, so I don’t bother.

Chapter Fourteen

Silvan

I watch my phone for hours. During the quick flight home and then the ride back to the house; before I shower and as soon as I get out.

I’m waiting for a goodnight text of sorts, but one never comes.

I suppose my hopes were a little high, but it would have been easier to plan the rest of my night if my lovely Sophie had told me what the fuckshewas doing. It’s pertinent information, but like any pertinent information, I can get it another way.

Hugh told me she’d be spending the night at her mom’s, so the cameras I had installed in her dorm while I had the place empty are of no use to me. I toggle between feeds to make sure she didn’t just say that to throw me off her scent, but once I’ve confirmed she didn’t make it back to her dorm, I formulate my plan.

When I was in her room the other night, I didn’t plant anything. Wasn’t prepared. I didn’t know I’d meet her, let alone that I would feel the need to monitor her every move once I did.

I’ll have to work with a limited toolbox tonight and prepare better for next time.

Before I leave the house, I collect a few things to take with me.

Spy pen? Of course. In fact, I grab two. One for her school bag, one for the desk in her bedroom. These are cheap onesjust to use in a pinch, but they’ll do until I get some better equipment.

My grandfather was a big believer in having gadgets like these as soon as they came available to him. Before tech was as advanced as it is now, he and his father before him had sneakier ways of making insurance policies for themselves, making sure they had evidence they could use against their friends should those friendships ever go sour.

I’m not looking for anything to use against Sophie, it’s just the only way I can find out things I want to know about her since she refuses to spend time with me voluntarily.

Plus, all right, I want to keep an eye out for any potential competition.

Not that I consider other men to truly be competition, but if she has any little crushes on anyone else that might be preventing her from spending time with me… well, I’ll have to handle them.

Once I have what I need, I head out.

I don’t drive much, but I drive myself tonight. I park in the street and walk to her house just in case anyone’s awake.

I check around the dark house to ensure no one’s hidden in some back room. It would be a fucking catastrophe to get caught by her mom, but I was in and out easy enough the other night, so as long as no one’s awake, I’m not too worried about it.

I draw my lockpick set out of my left pocket and finesse the cheap lock. It’s no challenge at all, but I’ve been picking locks since I was ten years old with an “inappropriate” crush on our maid’s daughter. Her mom bought a lock for their door when I kept sneaking in, so I had to figure out how to get past it without a key.

The daughter liked me, but the maid didn’t. She didn’t work there for much longer after that.

Sophie’s house is dark when I slip inside. I lock the door behind me since we’re in a shitty neighborhood, and I wouldn’t want any unsavory characters getting into my girl’s house while she and her mom are asleep.

I make my way down the dark hall and carefully twist the knob to let myself into Sophie’s bedroom.

The room is dark, but I still brace for the sound of her voice, perhaps a startled cry if she wasn’t completely asleep yet.

She is, though.

It’s late.

I close her door and turn the lock to make sure we’re not interrupted.

I feel at peace just knowing I’m in the same room with her.

Once my eyes adjust, I walk closer to the bed so I can look at her. It’s too dark to see her face. All I can make out is the shape of her lovely body beneath the covers.

I wonder what she would do if I climbed into that bed with her and wrapped my arms around her waist. If I pulled her back against my body, her perfect ass wiggling against my cock as she sleepily settled in.

That’s probably not how it would go.

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