Page 33 of Ordinary Secrets

I hook my thumb toward the door. “So, you gonna leave, or what?”

“Seriously?” She gives me a look like I’ve just smeared mud all over her shirt. “Can’t youfeelmy pain? I thoughtyou,of all people, would understand.”

Of course I can feel her pain, and it’s exactly why I don’t want her here.

“I want to get fucked like an animal, Trey. And you’re the only man who’s ever rough enough with me to do it right.”

“Jess, you can’t just break into my house and demand that I fuck you. Especially when you haven’t spoken to me in over five months. Plus, you went through my shit.” I point a stern finger at the empty chips bags on the floor.

“I’m sorry, okay? I couldn’t talk to you back then because of my boyfriend. He didn’t like me talking to any of my exes. As for tonight, I didn’t want to be alone. It’s not my fault you weren’t home when I arrived. I didn’t think you’d care as long as I made it up to you...”

With her bestscrew me nowface, she hooks her fingers through my belt loops and yanks me in. As soon as she flips her emotions to make me feel what she wants me to feel, I’m a goner. Within seconds, my energy feeds off hers, and it’s not long before she’s won the fight. Her erotic emotions take over my mind, and the next thing I know, she’s beneath me—topless.

As I kiss her neck, I wonder if I would still want this if I weren’t feeling what she’s feeling. It’s hard to know. While I rip my shirt over my head, I decide it doesn’t matter. As long as she wants this, that’s all that matters.

It doesn’t take me long to finish. It’s been at least a month. I lie on my back, panting as I pull the rubber off and toss it into the air. When I point a finger at it, it flies across my bedroom, landing into a little trash bin in the corner.

Jess scoots toward me and props her head on my shoulder. Then she rests a hand over my chest as she lets out a little exhale. My body stiffens. She knows how much I hate cuddling, yet shedoes it to me anyway. I know how much she hates when I shove her away, so I make sure to do it extra rough this time.

On my way to the bathroom, in the corner of my eye, I see her roll her eyes like she’s disappointed. Call me an ass, but it’s not like I’ve never warned her. As if it’ll make things better, I offer her a little shrug. “You know I don’t like cud?—”

“Yeah, yeah,” she says. “I know.”

After we’re both cleaned off and dressed, Jess asks for a loan. Without hesitation, I grab my wallet and offer her two thousand dollars, knowing I’ll never get it back. We’ve gotten to the point in our relationship that when she asks to “borrow” money, we both know it’s a gift. I’ve never asked for the money back, and she’s never offered. I wouldn’t accept it anyway.

Jess struggles a lot financially. Her father walked away before she was born, and her mother died of a z-drug overdose before her second birthday. The way she grew up consisted of hopping around from foster home to foster home where nobody wanted her and even fewer people cared.

I’d probably be in the same financial situation if my parents weren’t the researchers who discovered how to turn Healers’ tears into usable products that keep their healing abilities. Royalties for Healing Water, Healing Goo, and Healing Spray are like a never-ending gold mine. Lucky for me, I’m the main person reaping the benefits.

Jess waves to me from the Uber as it drives away. I’m not even back in my house before I’ve got my phone out.

Yes!I’ve got a text from the woman I’ve been waiting to hear from.

I figured if I added myself into your phone as Ari, you’d get confused.

I smile. Arealsmile. Not one of those fake ones I use out in public.

I am a man. We are easily confused creatures.

My phone buzzes within seconds. I’d like to think she was on the other end, waiting for me to text back.

I’m very familiar with your kind.

You excited for dinner tomorrow?

Yes. Dinner. With a new FRIEND.

OK, friend. Let’s carpool. I’ll come pick you up.

I can meet you at the restaurant. Thanks tho.

You don’t even know where we’re going.

I would if you told me.

It’s a surprise! What’s your address?

I’ve been to her apartment before—plenty of times. I’m always parked on the street, hunched in my car, studying her routine. I’ve never beeninsideher apartment though, and that’s where I need to get. Seeing her living space might help me know her better. There’s only so much a background check and Google searches can tell me, which is nothing of value. Her background check was pretty blank, and all I got from Google were pictures of people who weren’t her. She doesn’t have any social media for me to scroll through, either. It’s like she’s purposely making this harder for me.

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