Page 14 of Corrupt Me

“Cryptic as always.”

Bailey has a few freckles splattered across her nose and cheeks like a small constellation—twelve, to be exact. As she tilts her head, watching something intently, I can’t help but notice how adorably cute they are.

“That asshole. I knew it,” she mutters.

“What?” I turn to see what she’s looking at. Eric grabs her phone, his fingers flying over the screen.

“Now we know. Let me take care of him quickly,” I offer, eager to unleash my pent-up anger on him.

At first, I was angry because he took her on a date, but now I am even more furious that he’s using her. It will be a pleasure to dismantle him.

“No. I’ll finish this date and do whatever it takes.”

“Whatever it takes,” my voice drops so low she gulps, aware she messed up.

“Stop repeating what I say.”

“Then stop spewing nonsense.”

She opens her mouth, but I back her into the wall, my palms resting on each side of her face. Never in my life have I felt this need to touch someone.

“I dare you to tell me what ‘whatever it takes’ actually entails.”

She tips her chin up, those crystalline eyes of hers boring into me. “I really don’t understand you.”

That makes two of us.

“Tell me, Bailey, if we’re doing whatever it takes, you wouldn’t mind me fucking my way to get information?”

“No,” she stammers. The little liar. “I have to go back.”

“You won’t end it?”

“No, because we need to be a step ahead of them. This is what we wanted, Hunter.”

I know she’s right, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.

My arms fall to my sides, and I jerk my chin toward Eric. Bailey hesitates, an unsure look on her face, before she walks back to the booth, leaving me with that strange tightness in my chest.

While I don’t return to their table, I stay at the bar and order a glass of whiskey. That guy just won’t shut up. Who would want to hear his own voice when Bailey’s is so soft and melodic?

A girl slides onto the seat next to me. This is getting boring—fast. But girls approaching me is how I’ve kept up my playboy reputation, helping me keep my demons hidden.

Bailey notices her. A smirk arches the corners of my lips as Bailey glares at me, then shifts her attention back to Eric.

“Hi, I’m Sasha,” she says, and I turn my gaze to her. Brown hair, full lips, eyes with a playful spark. I am not interested at all, but Bailey pissed me off by not going home and just letting me take care of the fucker. So, I pretend to give Sasha all my attention.

It doesn’t take long before the small talk moves into flirtatious territory. She inches toward me, and just the thought of her touching me sends a shudder down my spine. I inch away, putting a little more distance between us, all so stealthily done that no one would notice. I’ve perfected the move over time. Taking her up on her offer would be so easy, but I know exactly what would happen. Bile would rise in my throat, memories of Alice’s nails digging into my skin and calling me a “good boy” while I’d try to fuck this girl to drown out my past. Looking back, every sexual encounter has been the same—a struggle to stay afloat.

Bailey meets my eyes, wrenching me back from that nightmare and into the present. Fire blazes in her aquamarine eyes, lighting me up. I pretend to flirt with Sasha, and Bailey cocks a brow in challenge.

Placing her palms on her cheeks, she laughs at whatever the wanker says. He’s not that funny, is he? Is she delusional, flirting with the enemy like this? She has zero self-preservation instincts. No wonder I am constantly on edge with her, feeling the need to keep her ass alive.

“So, are you with someone?” Sasha asks.

I open my mouth to say no, but strangely, what comes out is, “It’s complicated.”

She sighs. “I know all about complicated.”

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