Bossy(44)
The click of the door might as well have been a slam.
I feel like I did something wrong, but I don’t know what I could go back and change, aside from never laying eyes on her in the first place. But fine, if she wants to act like she’s so high and mighty and wasn’t just right there with me begging for my cock, I’ll let her pretend.
It’ll make it all the sweeter the next time.
Claire
I don’t know who I’m more annoyed at, Declan, or myself.
That first night I had an excuse. I was on the rebound. He was super hot. The math was easy. But even knowing what an ass he is, I went back for more. And he’s still super hot.
It was amazing. Again.
Except I’m nobody’s dirty little office secret, and I sure as hell won’t be anybody’s on-the-job perk. I need to start thinking of him as an addiction. Recognize and accept that my judgment is totally whacked around him, and move on as quickly as possible before I go in for my next fix.
Maybe I need some rules too.
Rule number one: Stop sleeping with my stepbrother.
Rule number two: Re-read rule number one every morning.
My phone rings, and like the idiot I am, I take it without checking who it is. “Hello?”
“Claire. It’s me.”
Rule number three: Block my ex-boyfriend’s contact in my phone.
Okay, that isn’t so much a rule as it is something I should’ve done ages ago, but maybe it would be a good basic rule of thumb going forward for all ex-boyfriends, so I’ll leave it.
“I told you to stop calling me. That night at your parents’ was the last time.” I groan in frustration. Was Michael always this dense? “Don’t make me take out a restraining order.”
He laughs softly, and there’s a sliver of menace in the sound that raises the hair on my arms. “I wouldn’t do that.”
What kind of creepy movie line bullshit is this? “No? Tell me one good reason why not?”
“I’ve been watching a movie a lot lately. It’s a really good movie. The star is fucking gorgeous.”
“So what? I don’t see what this has to do with me.” I should just hang up on him.
“You’ve always been too modest. Don’t you remember your big debut?”
“Remember what? I don’t remember any—” I go silent, because suddenly I do, and it’s bad. Like really bad. “You promised to delete that right afterwards.” I feel sick to my stomach.
“You’re so beautiful. I couldn’t bring myself to do it.” He laughs again, and this time I know why it sounds so mean. “You know what? It’s really embarrassing, but I’ve jerked off to that movie a whole bunch of times. What’s not to love? Your beautiful face, your wet mouth. God, that clip’s so fucking hot.”
Oh Claire, come on. If you love me, you’ll do it. I love you. I’ll never let anyone see this.
I’d never been comfortable with what he’d asked me to do. Not once. Now I know why. I’d been so stupid. So naïve. I’d thought I was in love. With a deep sigh, I ask the inevitable question. “What do you want?”
“I want you back.” So simple and yet so impossible.
There’s no way, and him making this call just confirms why. “I can’t. It’s too late. You know that.”
“It’s not too late.” His voice gets agitated. Angry. “You can come back, and we’ll be happy again. Living together like before. Why is it too late?”
“Michael.” I don’t even know where to start. If he can’t even see the problem, how do I make him? “You cheated on me. In our own bed, even. I can’t trust you anymore. Not to mention you’re trying to blackmail me into loving you.”
For a long moment he’s silent. Did he hang up? No, his breathing’s still there. Finally, he speaks. “It’s not my fault you drove me to this, and trust can be rebuilt. In fact, do you know one thing you can trust me one hundred percent on? That I will send this clip to anyone who might be interested if you don’t give me a chance. I hate doing this to you, but you’re not giving me a choice.”
He’s lost it. He’s finally gone off the deep end. “Can you hear yourself? If you try anything I’ll call the police.”
“No, you won’t.” The certainty in his voice is unnerving. “I’ll send this right to your new boss. How do you think stepdaddy dearest will feel about your little internship then? How about the Admissions Department at Stanford? Your mom. Your friends from college. We were together for a long time, Claire. I know all of them.” He pauses. “Your new stepbrother. I’ll make a special cut just for him. I bet he’ll love it as much as I do.”