Page 57 of The Consequence of You
She hops on the spot, vibrating with uncontained excitement.
“Pretty sure Asher is always getting laid.” My voice shakes as I try to pretend the thought of him with somebody else doesn’t bother me.
“Holy shit. Asher settling down. I never thought I’d see the day. And you. No wonder you weren’t interested in Henry from the gym. Those two are absolutely nothing alike.”
“Woah. Stop. Asher and I aren’t together. That’s not what this is.”
“Okay,” my best friend laughs.
“I’m serious. We’ve been… messing about. But it’ll never be anything more than that.” Messing about doesn’t really cover what we’re doing, but my point still stands.
“Does he know that?”
“Yeah. He’s under no illusions.”
Dahlia chews on her bottom lip.
“Well, be careful. I don’t want anyone getting hurt.”
“I’ll be absolutely fine. Don’t worry.” I offer her a reassuring smile, but she doesn’t return it. She tugs at her sleeves and looks away. Uncomfortable realisation hits me square in the chest.
“Shit. You’re not worried about him hurting me, are you? You’re worried about me hurting him.” She shoots me an apologetic look, and I can’t help but feel a little hurt at her implication. “Thanks. Nice to know what you think of me.”
“I’m sorry. Please don’t take that the wrong way. All I meant was, he gives the impression he’s untouchable, like nothing bothers him, but I think it’s a defensive mechanism. Like maybe he’s hiding a softer side. Grayson said he doesn’t really let many people in.”
I rub at my neck. Am I playing with his feelings? I’ve tried to be clear with him from the offset what we are. He seems happy enough with the situation.
“Are you mad at me?” Dahlia gives me her puppy dog eyes, and I give her a reassuring smile back.
“No, of course not. I think you’re reading too much into it though.”
“I saw the way he looked at you, Callie. It wassomething.”
My chest tightens and I turn away. “You have hearts in your eyes, Dahlia. That’s what happens when you’re loved up. You start to see things that aren’t there.”
Except my words feel more than a little hollow, and hers hit more than a little close to home.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
CALLIE
Security at home is still tight. Rossi’s been on edge for weeks, and I haven’t asked him about it again, as I don’t want him feeling torn between me and my father. Luca has been busier than usual. He’s on the phone until late at night, talking in both Italian and English. Many of the conversations sound heated, and I’m tempted to ask them both outright what’s going on, but I know it’s pointless. They won’t tell me.
So, I put up with the tighter measures and do as they ask, ignoring the extra guards I see on the university campus. Ignoring the feeling of being watched as much as I can. The constant feeling of eyes on me. It never goes away. One night, earlier in the week, I closed my bedroom curtains, and I saw something outside, a flash of light and then nothing. But I soon realised it was most likely the guards doing extra patrols.
Things between Asher and I are good. We see each other most nights, even occasionally snatching an hour in-between lectures, and every time has left us both, for want of a better word, satisfied.
My cheeks heat remembering what happened a few days ago when he’d given me a lift home from university after a late-night study session.
He’d parked away from the streetlights, and his windows were, in the main, blacked out, but in the moment I didn’t care. Straddling his lap, I squirmed as his thick denim covered cock rubbed at my throbbing core. Clenching, I tried to find relief, but I needed more. I squeezed my eyes tight as I used him to get myself off but before I could, he gripped my chin.
“Open your fucking eyes, Calliope. If you want to come, you’ll at least have the manners to look me in the eye, so you don’t forget who owns your pleasure,” he growled at me.
It should have been enough to bring me to my senses, to stop me doing this in a public place, but all his deep drawl did was hit me low in the stomach, desire curling and making my core tighten. I met his gaze, and his forest green eyes darkened. He shoved his hand under my skirt, quickly finding me damp and wanting. He licked his lips and rubbed me through the damp silk. Pushing the delicate scrap of fabric to one side he thrust a finger into me roughly. I ground down on him harder, and he thrust in a second finger, stretching me in a way that verged on painful.
“Fuck, you’re so tight, princess,” he hissed, and I felt his hard length swell below me as I tried to relax to accommodate his thick fingers.
His thumb found my clit and it almost had me blowing instantly. He saw my reaction, and eased the pressure off. Of course, the bastard was going to edge me.
