Page 18 of The Operators

“Troy’s coming to pick me up,” she says before I can finish.

Troy? Troy? Who the fuck is Troy?

???

Thea

“Who the fuck is Troy?” Mack asks, sounding oddly angry.

“Troy? You’ve met him before. We’ve been friends for a while.”

“Why the fuck would he be picking you up at this hour?” he asks, stepping closer to me and setting his hand next to mine on the back of the couch.

“What do you mean?” I shrug. “You guys were being all weird about me going home alone, so I asked him to pick me up.”

“Thea.”

That’s all he says.

“What?”

“I’m not letting some fucker just pick you up. Are you insane?”

I let out a startled laugh. “Are you being serious?”

My smile drops when I realize he’s not joking. “Mack, Troy is my friend, and you’ve met him before,” I repeat again.

“Thea,” he says again. “I’m not letting you get in a car with some dude.”

“Letting me?” I ask with an irritated laugh. I fold my arms over my chest. “I’m doing whatever I want.”

“Thea,” he pleads, and I almost feel bad for him for a moment. “Fine,” he huffs, grabbing my phone from hand.

“What are you doing?” I ask, trying to grab it back.

He holds it above my head out of my reach. “Mack!” I whine.

“I’ll give it back,” he says as he continues tapping his thumbs. “I’m adding location tracking so I can see when you get home, and you have to promise to text me when you get home and again when he leaves.”

“You’re stalking me now?” I ask, knowing I’m pushing further than I should.

He doesn’t hand me my phone back, staring me down. I roll my eyes. “Fine,” I grumble, holding out my hand again.

He finally relents, handing it back. I yank it out of his hand, shoving it into my back pocket. I brush my hair behind my ear, looking down and trying to figure out what’s going on.

Why is he being so weird tonight? I almost had a heart attack earlier when he grabbed onto my leg during the movie. My heartbeat was already pounding against my chest when he cozied right into me when I leaned against him.

But goddamn, that was nothing compared to feeling his hands on me.

The moment I thought it might’ve meant something, he pulled away. I can’t keep reading into things. He’s being his normal protective self. That’s all.

Maybe I should take his advice and get laid myself. It’s too bad Troy truly is only a friend. Not that I’m going to let Mack know that.

“I might stay at Troy’s place though. I sleep in his guest room all the time.”

He exhales in disbelief. His whole body practically sags against the couch. “Thea Marie,” he whispers, almost unable to get it out.

I physically can’t handle the way he’s looking at me right now, especially not after that. He only calls me Thea Marie whenI’ve truly pushed him too far or when he wants me to know he loves me.

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