Page 26 of Unruly
“It’s your account, yes?”
“Yeah, but I’ve never seen this much money in my life.”
“Given the responsibilities, it’s close to impossible to keep a regular job as a Chaser, so our program provides a salary and living costs to make sure you can focus on your tasks.”
“Whoa.”
“So, you can certainly loan money to your ex if you wish to.”
I chuckle. “Yeah, still no, but this is fucking awesome. I’ve been struggling so long I don’t know what it feels like not to.”
Farnsworth’s expression softens. “We take good care of our Chasers because we demand a lot from them. We encourage Chasers to take full advantage of any downtime for traveling or self-care, whatever suits you.”
“Amazing. I could even get a nicer place.”
“Up to you.”
“Thank you. Really.”
He nods. “I did nothing. You changed your Fate by saying yes.”
I don’t know what to say, so I just look at my account balance once more before closing the app. “I guess we should refocus now and get back to work?”
“Yes, see if you can find chapters twelve to seventeen online. Those are the missing pages. Maybe there’s a reason.”
“I’ll start there.”
As we shift into work mode, my mind replays everything that’s happened in the last twenty-four hours. I guess it’s been that long. Kind of hard to tell.
Farnsworth interests me. Is he a virgin or just seriously out of practice? Would he be up for some fun if it was offered to him or does he expect to have a relationship first? What would he do if a hot guy approached him? What if I was the hot guy? It might be fun to unravel him and see what’s beyond his buttoned-up exterior.
That’s an idea I should definitely not pursue. Just because it’s been way too long since I’ve blown a load with a cute guy, doesn’t mean Farnsworth would be at all into me. And hooking up would probably complicate matters a whole lot.
Looks like it’ll be me and my hand again tonight. Or maybe I’ll get real scandalous and get the toys out. Fucking myself with Farnsworth in the next room is a fantasy I can get on board with.
Chapter 7
Farnsworth
Booty call.
Something about the phrase tickles my brain in a fun way. It’s been a long time since I’ve indulged in learning the current slang of the Above, and this is a reminder that there is joy in doing so.
Another thing that stands out is how free Borja is to do as he pleases with other men. I was certainly aware that men can date each other in the modern era, but I suppose I assumed the intimate parts still only happened once a formal commitment had been made.
What would it be like to experience physical pleasure just for the fun of it? My body heats at the scandalous thought. It’s been so long I hardly remember what it feels like to touch another man in that way. I have a rare opportunity to do so, being in the Above, but am I brave enough to try?
Would Borja help me find a suitable partner? Could I ask him to? My eyes flick over to him where he’s sitting with his gaze intently focused on his phone screen. He’s a remarkably handsome man but crossing that line with him would be an act of very poor judgment.
Subtly, I shake my head. Best to push those thoughts away and focus on the task at hand.
“Got it,” Borja announces, his face lighting up. “A whole PDF of the book.”
“Excellent. What are the missing chapters about?”
“Chapter twelve: Conversations with the Dead, A Guide to Séances. Chapter thirteen: Summoning Spirits Beyond the Veil. Chapter fourteen: Mediumship, Tuning Your Intuition. Chapter fifteen: Cursed and Haunted Objects. Chapter sixteen: The Afterlife and Beyond. Chapter Seventeen: When Trouble Brews, Banishing the spirits from the living.”
“Hmm. Interesting. Those chapters were torn from the book, which either means someone wanted to study those chapters or someone didn’t want others to be able to.”
