Page 6 of Fetch

My stomach knots. Do I feel safer? Or relieved? A twinge of guilt twists in my gut because what I really feel is joy. Pure fucking joy knowing that fucker was splattered on the pavement. That must make me a disturbed individual. I still find it hard to believe he killed himself. But what other explanation is there? No one saw what he did to me. And even if someone did, I doubt they would risk their own freedom to kill for a girl they never met.

“Okay, subject change, please,” Juniper hisses. “No more talk of dead guys.”

I sigh again. I’m lucky she’s got my back. I’m too polite for my own good. “Sounds good to me.”

We play for a few more hours until everyone starts yawning. Skat and RageMachine both have to be up early for work tomorrow. I hang back with Juniper for a few more minutes after the other two leave the group chat.

“Are you really okay, Roxy?”

I’m in shock and still processing. I don’t want to think about what could’ve happened if that door hadn’t burst open.

I take a swig of my wine. “I’m fine. I want to pretend like it never happened. Because nothing really did happen.”

She sighs loudly into her headset. “Okay, Roxy. I’m here if you ever want to talk about it though.”

“I know,” I murmur.

“Well, I gotta cut out too. Milo called in sick, so they’ve got me opening the record store tomorrow,” she huffs out.

“It’s all good, babe. I’m going to finish up a couple of quests and head to bed soon too. I’ll bring you a coffee tomorrow, and we can talk shit about Milo in front of Coast.”

“That’s why you’re my bestie. Love you, girlie.”

“Love you too.”

I pour another glass of wine and sink farther into my couch cushions. I have my headset halfway off when a new notification pops up on my screen.

ComeFindJack11 is inviting you to a private group chat.

Oh, shit. I swallow down a big gulp of wine. My belly flutters. He intimidates the fuck out of me. “Fuck it.” I blow out a deep breath and accept the invite.

“You left me hanging there for a minute,” Jack drawls.

“Sorry,” I say through a nervous chuckle. “I was getting something to drink.”

“Oh, yeah? What are you drinking tonight, Jill?”

Fuck. His fucking voice. He should be narrating smutty audiobooks. “Nothing good. Just some cheap white wine.”

“Mmm. A good buddy of mine owns a winery. I’ll have to get you a bottle sometime. It’s the good stuff.”

The heat in my body rises. “Yeah, sure. Maybe.” Part of me is intrigued. But then I remember he’s a stranger on the internet. He could be a stalker or a serial killer.

“Relax, Jill. I’m not trying to get your address… yet.” His laugh is deep and smoky.

“Very funny,” I quip back. “So, what are you doing up so late?”

His avatar spawns into my location and circles mine. “I don’t sleep much. And you? What’s your excuse?”

“Same. And tomorrow’s my day off, so I can sleep in. Lucky for you, I’m an insomniac.” I grab the bottle off the kitchen counter and pour more wine. Something about him makes me want to feel light and dizzy. I haven’t flirted with a man in a while.

He laughs again. “Yeah, it is. I’m glad I caught you before you logged off. Now I’m gonna keep you up all fucking night.”

A tingle flickers between my thighs. I press my legs together and clench. “So sure of yourself, aren’t you.”

“Mmm. I always get what I want,” he rasps.

Good lord. I stifle a whimper. “We’ll see about that.”

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