Chapter 11 #2
No wonder I feel like shit, I hardly slept on Saturday night after the fight and then last night was a write-off.
Ben and Adrian are talking nonstop about Sydney versus Melbourne restaurants.
I smile at the notion they consider themselves foodies.
All I want to do is go to a hotel and take a sleeping pill, knock myself out for the rest of this shitty day.
But I have to go to my parents’ for dinner.
Why do I make these stupid arrangements?
It seemed like a good idea at the time. My phone beeps a text.
I’m sore, baby
I immediately smile. It’s her. I reply.
Mission accomplished
I leave it for a second and then text back again.
And for the record so am I.
I smile again, picturing her reading my text. I look up to find Adrian and Ben silent and utterly shocked in their seats.
“What?” I smirk.
“Are you kidding?” Adrian snaps. “You’ve been a total ass all day and one text from Cinderella and you are smiling like an idiot.”
“Shut up. I am not.” But it’s true. I am smiling like an idiot.
“I don’t believe it.” Ben shakes his head. “I never thought I’d see the day.”
I frown. “What do you mean?”
“You’ve done your nuts over this girl,” he tuts.
“I have not…done my nuts over this girl.” I roll my eyes. “Joshua Stanton, the biggest lady prick in all of America, has been freaking out all day waiting for Cinderella to text him, un-fucking-believable.”
Natasha
I smile as I read his text. I bet you’re sore, big boy, if my vagina is any indication.
So, he is speaking to me. I am in my office between patients, sitting at my desk drinking coffee.
I have been overanalyzing him and this situation all day.
I was ropeable this morning when I woke and he was gone, coward.
But then I realized he was probably freaked out and I needed to give him space to adjust to this situation, whatever the hell this situation is.
I am just as confused as he is. A large lead ball has sat in the bottom of my stomach since I woke up and he wasn’t there.
It’s…annoying. I know we have no future, so why am I trying to prolong this stupid affair?
This is just so messed up. Why in the hell is he my cousin?
It’s not natural to be so attracted to a blood relative.
My mind drifts back to last night. He’s amazing.
I smile again. I know he was right there with me during the sex, the whole six amazing hours of it.
No wonder I’m sore, the man is an animal.
The kind of animal that has you begging for seconds.
I know he lost his head as much as I did, but then he left without saying goodbye.
Why? At least I have left the walls for communication open now and he has texted back. Perhaps he’s working?
My boss, Henry, comes into my office.
“Hi Natasha. Just checking that you still want to go with Peter tomorrow?”
I frown as I try to remember what he is talking about. “Where to?”
“Remember he has that appointment at the detention center regarding that bail hearing he’s got coming up. He just needs a witness that’s all. I can send someone else if you are too busy.”
“No, I’ll go. I just forgot about it.” I smile.
“OK good, it will be good experience for you, that’s all.”
Henry is my boss. He’s kind of wonderful.
Although I’m qualified to do this job, I am much younger and less experienced than the other sexual psychologists, but Henry took a liking to me in my internship and offered me a position after I finished university.
I am still on the relatively easy cases but am learning every day.
This job is the opportunity of a lifetime.
I’m grateful that he had the faith in me to give me the opportunity.
“Yeah, sounds good. I’m looking forward to it.” I smile as he leaves the office. Thank god—a distraction. I need to stop obsessing about Mr. Stanton. If he wants to see me, he will have to ring me. I texted him…now he will have to call me. He better call me.
I stare out of the window of the car on the way to the detention center. My mind is constantly flicking between current events and images of Mr. Stanton making love to me. I’m over it. I need to grow up.
“So, Peter, tell me the drill for when we get there.”
He smiles warmly. Peter is in his fifties and one of the most senior qualified psychologists we have.
His silver hair is the only giveaway to how old he is, if not for that he could be in his thirties.
He really looks after himself. He deals with sexual violence and crimes of that nature.
The majority of his clients are male and in prison.
I’m interested in why he needs a witness today.
“I’m seeing Coby Allender.”
I frown. “Why does that name sound familiar?”
He smiles. “He’s the guy that they suspect is a serial killer. He’s being charged with fourteen counts of murder.”
My eyes widen. “Did he do it?”
He shrugs. “Not sure. The man is smarter than any of us. Has the highest IQ of anyone I have ever met. They think he has an accomplice, so they keep sending me in to try and find out. Don’t worry.
You won’t be in the room with us; you will be in a glass interview room behind a mirror.
Although all the sessions are taped, I just need a witness to come with me. Prison policy.”
I nod. “Okay. I can do that.”
We arrive and we are escorted through the office and searched. The place is unnerving, and my heart rate rises just being behind these walls. We are led down a long corridor, which looks like part of a hospital. There we are introduced to two prison wardens.
“This is Natasha Marx. She will be witnessing today.” I smile and shake the hands of the two wardens.
They are tall and strong and exactly like I would picture them in my head.
The first dark guy shakes my hand, “Nice to meet you. George Hamil.” I smile and nod.
The second warden shakes my hand, “Jesten Miller.” I shake his hand and am jolted by a shock of sexual energy.
My eyes fly up to meet his and he smirks a knowing smile. Hmm. I jerk my hand out of his.
“Hello,” I stammer, shocked by my physical reaction to Jesten. He’s tall, blond, big and muscular. Looks like Thor or something. Hmm, the mind boggles. We continue down the hall and George and Peter turn to me.
“You go with Jesten. He will stay with you in the witness room.” I smile nervously at Jesten and he nods warmly. Jeez.
Jesten leads me down another long corridor and opens a door.
We both enter. The room is dark and has seats in a row that look onto another interview room.
I nervously take a seat, he takes the one right next to me.
Bloody hell, he smells good. I smile awkwardly at him as I realize he is the only man other than the beautiful Mr. Stanton that has had a physical effect on me.
“So, your name is Natasha?”
I nod and smile. “Jesten, that’s an unusual name.”
He rolls his eyes. “Yeah, my mum’s a tripper.”
I smile and he winks at me. Hmm, he’s a little bit cute. He has a naughty boy appeal going on.
“You haven’t been here before, have you?”
I frown. “How do you know that?”
“Because we don’t get hot psychologists here often.” His eyes lock on mine. “And I would have remembered you.”
Is he flirting with me? “Um, no I haven’t. This is new for me.”
“I doubt that.”
I frown. “What do you mean?”
“I’m sure you turn on a lot of men you meet.”
“Jesten, are you flirting with me?” I bite my lip to stifle my smile.
“Totally. But you dig it, right?” He gives me a cheeky grin.
Hmm, there is definitely something about this guy.
“I might.” Shit. Did I just say that? I’m flirting back now.
He smiles and winks again as the interview room door opens.
I watch as Peter and George enter the room.
Then I watch as a prisoner in handcuffs enters the room, Coby Allender.
A cold shiver runs down my back. He’s intense and very intelligent, I can tell by the way he looks at Peter.
He looks up at the glass and blows a kiss. I sit back affronted.
“He can’t see you. He’s just trying to fuck with your head,” Jesten says.
I nod nervously. “I know.” It’s working—this situation is freaking me out.
For the next forty minutes I watch as Coby Allender manipulates everything that Peter says.
This man is very bright and super frustrating.
I find I am intrigued by this interview.
It really is interesting. I had considered going back to university part-time to study criminology last year but decided against it.
Maybe I should reconsider. Eventually, I am led out of the room by Jesten and we wait in the hall for Peter.
“So, are you going to give me your number?”
I do wide eyes at him. “No, I’m working. This is totally unprofessional.” I smirk, unable to hide it.
He smiles back. “You’re into me though. I can tell.”
“I am not…into you. You’re into yourself.” I smile broadly at the cheeky hot specimen in front of me.
“Well, I’m into you. Come back for another interview at the prison and we can have another witness date.”
I laugh. “Witness date. Did we just go on a date?”
He laughs and nods. “Yep. Hot, wasn’t it?”
I laugh again. “Totally hot.” I roll my eyes.
Peter comes out. “Ready to go?”
I nod and smile at Jesten. “See you later.”
He smiles and gives me a wink. “You can count on it.” Hmm.
The problem with being involved with a prickface is exactly that. He’s a total prickface who never rings me when I expect him to. It’s nine Tuesday night and I am waiting for the girls at Oscar’s. Abbie arrives first in her work clothes and I instantly feel underdressed in my gym gear.
“Hi, where’s Bridge?” She smiles and I instantly feel better knowing that my beautiful friends will put this into perspective for me. I always feel better after talking things through with them.
“Not here yet,” I answer. She nods and flops into the leather lounge next to me.