Page 61 of Corrupt Me

“To go over to his place.”

“What did you reply?”

Eyes locked, neither of us ends the staring battle. Meanwhile, I do a breathing exercise to calm down.

“What happened to your date?” she asks. She wants to play this fucking game? Let’s do it.

“Waiting for me to call her.”

“Such a lucky guy, aren’t you? Having all the girls get on their knees for you.”

“Jealous, kitten? Want to get on your knees for me?” I should have shot myself in the head when I had the chance.

“Would you like me to?” she rasps, and I swear every syllable drips with seduction.

Retreat. Bloody retreat.

“Stop.”

“You started it.”

Yeah, call me out on my idiocy. I deserve it.

She tilts her head, lost in thought. “Maybe we should do that after Felix is caught. Go on dates, live our lives.”

I crack my neck. A murderous energy courses through my veins—I could uproot the world and throw it off its axis.

“That’s a fabulous idea.”

“We’re going to be friends after all,” she says in a meek voice, her smile not genuine.

“We don’t have to be friends, Bailey. We are what we are…”

She nods, and I know I should leave. Instead, I rub my temples. A headache pulses behind them again.

She stands up and comes to me, moving between my spread legs. She places her hands on my cheeks and tips my head up. “What’s wrong?”

“I slept like shit and have a headache. At times, it’s too much…”

She hugs me, and I give in, pressing her to my chest tight enough to mold her to me. Her soft touch as she caresses my temples instantly soothes me.

“Do you want to sleep here? Maybe we can help each other, sleep I mean.”

“That’s not a good idea.”

Why the fuck don’t I leave already? I stay rooted in place as she walks into her bathroom and returns with a white pill and a glass of water.

“For the headache.”

“I trust you. If you kill me, who would you annoy this much?”

She snorts a laugh, stretching out her hand to me. I wash the pill down and return the empty glass to the bathroom.

Leaning against the bathroom door, she shifts on her feet but never breaks eye contact. I knew taking her virginity was a bad idea. One I will never regret, and while I can’t offer her much, I can fucking man up and be there if she needs me.

Pulling my shirt off me, I jerk my chin toward the bed. “Get in.”

The smile grazing her lips is so radiant she appears almost ethereal.

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