Page 19 of Vicious Little Darling

I need to finish what I started tonight.

Chapter Ten

EMBER

Ican’t stop thinking about the skull-faced weirdo on the dance floor—who I’m not even sure I cancalla weirdo anymore. I wassofucking turned on. I’m still turned on, so much that I’m desperate to scratch the burning itch pulsing through me. Maybe it’s the alcohol that’s heightened it, but maybe not. I don’t know, but I do know I’m ready to be home alone.

“How much did you have to drink?” Josh’s voice starts to grate on my nerves. “You seem really drunk. Did he spike your drink?” I roll my eyes while he steadies me when the train comes to a stop.

“He didn’t spike my drink,” I reply, trying to keep the annoyance out of my voice. “He only bought me one. I bought the others.”

“Good God,” Josh grunts. “You probably spent forty dollars on drinks.” He holds my arm as he helps me up, shaking his head. “I’ll give you the money back.”

Gritting my teeth, I rip my arm away from him. “Idon’twant your fucking money, Josh. You always treat me like a charity case, and that’s not what I am.”

He falls silent, and then he catches me as I stumble forward. My cheeks redden with embarrassment, and I look away from him.

“I don’t know why you stick around,” I mutter, my words slurring slightly as we head up to the exit. “I’m sure I’m annoying as hell.”

“You’re not annoying,” Josh chuckles. “Frustrating, maybe, but not annoying. Life isn’t cut and dried, you know?” He smiles down at me, his eyes warm and his gaze softening. “I just wish you’d realize that you’re special, Em.”

I snort, shaking my head. “Oh my God. I'm really not. Just shut up.”

We both crack up into laughter, as we exit the train station into the coolness of the night. For some reason, when I’m with Josh, I don’t fear what might be lurking in the dark shadows. There was a time that I actually thought that meant there was something more between us, but then I realized that he was just safe—like a brother or something.

“You should call in sick to work tomorrow,” Josh says carefully. “You’re going to need to sleep this off.”

“Nah,” I shake my head. “That’ll never fly with Rich now that Megan isn’t working all the time like she was before.”

“Right,” Josh sighs. “Well, I have to interview a couple of guys. They’ll probably start around the same time you do. I’m trying toget a good feel of them. I don’t want to hire anyone who’s going to give either of us problems.” There’s a sudden hardness to his tone, and I consider it, but then don’t think any further as we reach my apartment building.

Josh punches in the code for me. “I’m going to walk you all the way up.”

“Why?”

“To make sure you don’t end up sleeping in the hallway or something,” he replies flatly, dragging me inside. I let him lead me, but I trail behind him, my mind wandering to the skull-faced man. My pussy aches, as I recall the way his touch brushed against my underwear. It was strikingly soft and gentle.

I bite down on my lower lip, tripping over a step.

“Jesus, Em,” Josh grunts, catching me. “You need to get to bed.” He huffs with annoyance as we finally reach my apartment door. He pulls out his set of keys and unlocks it with the spare he has. He pushes the door open and helps me inside, before leading me to the bedroom.

“Do you need any help?”

I stagger away from him, my breath hitching as my eyes land on the broken frame sitting on my nightstand. “Sorry… What?”

“Never mind,” he mutters, stepping behind me and tugging on the zipper at the top of my dress. “I’ll just help you, then.”

I can’t pull my eyes away from the picture of my mom and I. It had fallen off the nightstand and busted one day when I was cleaning. I hadn’t gotten a frame for it yet, and so I’d just stuck it in a box under my bed. I’mcertainI didn’t set it on the nightstand.

“Em?” Josh tugs my dress down off my shoulders. “You okay?”

I blink a few times, trying to process everything. “Uh, yeah. Yeah. I’m fine. I got it.” I grab the straps on my arms, and then shoo him out. “You’re good. I’m home safe now. You don’t have to worry about it.”

“Are you sure?”

I turn to face him, noticing the genuine concern etched in his expression. “Yeah, I’m just super tired right now. I got it.”

“Let me at least get you something to change into.” He turns to my dresser and pulls out an oversized T-shirt. “Here. I’ll lock up behind me on the way out.”

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