Page 34 of Undisputed Chaos
But something about Adrian made me want to be honest and strip away the layers to show him the girl beneath.
I sent the photo, then stood watching the city lights blink on one by one, my heart pounding in a rhythm that felt like freedom.
@AdrianCatalyst
There she is. My beautiful angel showing me her true colors.
I can see the hunger in your eyes, Isla. You're being honest. You’re perfect when you stop pretending to be innocent.
I sank onto my balcony lounger, legs suddenly weak. The praise washed over me like honey, settling deep in my chest, in places that had been cold and empty for so long. I traced my fingers over his words, reading them again and again.
Perfect when you stop pretending to be innocent.
No one had ever looked at the girl beneath the filters and careful captions and called her perfect for her darkness.
Especially not Noah, who had claimed to love me but had always fallen short.
I typed and deleted a dozen responses before settling on the simplest truth.
@IslaBelleflower
You make me want to be honest.
@AdrianCatalyst
Good. Because I want all of you. Every truth. Every secret. Every filthy desire you've never said aloud.
I'm going to pull them out of you one by one until there's nothing left to hide
I curled deeper into my chair, wrapping my arms around myself as if I could hold onto this feeling, this strange, exhilarating mix of being seen and being wanted, exactly as I was.
A final message appeared on my screen:
@AdrianCatalyst
Sweet dreams, angel. Tomorrow, I have another task for you.
I traced the words with my fingertip, a smile spreading across myface that felt different from the one I practiced for photos. Wider, wilder, more real.
"Sweet dreams," I whispered back to the night, to the city, to the man who was somewhere out there thinking of me, watching for me, leaving breadcrumbs for me to follow deeper into his world.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Isla
Iwoke to the warmth of the late summer, my body still humming with the thrill of last night's exchange.
The memory of sending Adrian that photo, me in my midnight blue slip dress, backlit by twilight, sent a fresh wave of butterflies through my stomach.
I rolled over, heart racing as I reached for my phone.
@AdrianCatalyst
Good morning, angel. Ready for your next lesson in honesty?
I bit my lip, both nervous and excited about what he might ask of me today.
He sent a photo.
