Chapter 15
fifteen
Sadie
“I swear I’m going to kill her,” Romy tells me as I lock the door of the shop behind us. We closed up late tonight. Mostly because Romy’s sister outed her TikTok account to her whole family, and she’s currently going through a minor crisis.
“It’s going to be okay,” I promise her. “Remember that Francie didn’t come out to her brothers for years about writing romantasy because she was afraid about what they’d think of her spicy scenes. And now they’re her biggest fans.”
“Only because she sends them a list of the chapters they have to skip.” Romy sighs. “My sister hates that I’m studying for a degree,” she says. “She’s scared I’m going to think I’m better than them and leave them behind.”
Romy has a big family. And she’d tell you herself that they’re all on the border of dysfunctional. But then what family isn’t?
“Is that why she shared it in your family chat?” I ask. Because apparently she sent everybody the link to Romy’s latest reverse harem post.
“Yep. And now she must die.”
We reach Romy’s car and she opens the trunk, letting me load the box of books into the back. Each month she takes a box to the local women’s shelter on the mainland. A mixture of fiction and childrens’ books.
“Well try not to get arrested. I can’t run this place without you,” I say.
“I’m not making any promises. But I’ve read enough dark romance to know where to bury her body where it’ll never be found.”
I laugh under my breath, right as my phone buzzes again in my pocket. It’s ridiculous how fast my pulse reacts, like my heart already knows who it is.
As Romy throws her bag onto the passenger seat, I pull my phone out and sneak a peek at the screen.
Aftercare. I want you to know it’s a thing. No walking away like last time, okay? – Zach
Oh wow, that’s too sweet. And I like it way too much.
Mostly because I’m going to work you so hard you won’t be able to walk. – Zach
I bark out a laugh at that one. He’s so unpredictable. And I like that.
He’s been sending messages all day, apart from a few hours after he went to the mainland. Questions about what I want to wear, how far I’d run, how loud I’d scream when he caught me. I haven’t answered half of them. But I plan to tonight when I’m alone and can concentrate.
Because he’s doing this for me. And I hope he gets something out of it, too. I mean, he should, right? He’s going to hunt me, touch me, and apparently work me so hard I can’t walk.
I can at least return the favor this time.
Romy snaps her fingers in front of my face. “Earth to Sadie.”
I blink. “Sorry. I was just thinking about good burial spots.”
Her eyes soften. “Thank you for letting me vent this afternoon.”
“Any time.” I hug her tight, then step back as she climbs into her car.
When her taillights disappear down Main Street, I shake my head with a smile and pull my phone back out, because I’m enjoying messaging with Zach way too much.
You know, this is starting to feel like a very dirty job interview. I’m worried I’m going to say the wrong thing and lose the position to Amanda from accounts. – Sadie
His reply comes back almost instantaneously.
Amanda from accounts laughs like a horse. And she uses comic sans in her email signature. She’s a definite no from me. The job’s already yours if you want it, beautiful. – Zach
My laugh slips out before I can stop it, loud enough that a couple walking past glance my way. I cover it with a cough, biting back a grin. Of course he’s quick. Of course he’s funny. And damn it, of course he called me beautiful.
Amanda’s going to be devastated. I heard she has a crush on you. – Sadie
That so? Shame she’s blonde. I prefer redheads with smart mouths. – Zach
My breath catches, right there in the middle of Main Street.
Okay, so now I’m blushing. – Sadie
Apparently flirting over text is my thing now.
My phone starts to vibrate, and Zach’s name flashes across the screen.
My stomach flips. He’s calling me?
For a second I just stare at it, torn between answering and throwing the phone into the nearest bush. Then I swipe to accept.
“Hi,” I manage, my voice softer than I mean it to be.
“Hi.” It’s weird how warm hearing his low, gritty voice makes me feel. “Where are you?” he asks.
I look around. “In the street outside the shop.”
There’s a smile in his voice. “Talk dirty to me.”
A laugh bubbles up before I can hold it in. “Stop it. You’re ridiculous.”
“Am I?” he asks, calm and teasing. “Because all I can think about is you’re out there in the open, blushing.”
I glance around like he might actually be watching, which is insane. “I’m in the middle of the street. I can’t start talking dirty.”
“Come on,” he murmurs. “Just one. Let’s see how far you’ll go.”
“And if I don’t?” I tease, because he makes me feel so… I don’t know. Feminine. At his mercy. In the best kind of way.
“Then I’ll be disappointed.” He pauses for a moment.
“You do it first,” I say, because seriously?
He laughs softly. “Okay, I can’t stop thinking about you. About your soft skin and the way it feels when I run my hands all over you. How wet you got for me on the beach. How you pulsed around my fingers. I had to run home and take a very dirty shower.”
Oh, and there it is. I’m squirming. “I should go inside,” I whisper. Because I’m not sure it’s legal to feel like this in public.
“Do you know how fucking hard you make me?” he murmurs. “How much I want to make you come with every part of me until you can’t remember your own name?”
My breath catches.
“Tell me what you want me to do to you,” he tells me. “Be explicit. Say it loud.”
“I can’t,” I whisper.
“Do it. You might like it.”
Well okay then. Maybe he’s right. Maybe pushing my barriers is what I need. I mean, this man is going to hunt me. Saying a few dirty words to him should be easy.
“I want you to touch me. My pussy. I want you to fuck me. I want you to make me come on your…” I pause.
“Come on my dick. Say it.”
I squeeze my eyes shut. “I want to come so hard on you. I want it to ruin my life. I want it to be so painfully sweet I’ll feel you there for days.” I let out a breath. “And I want you to come, too.”
A low sound escapes him, rough and approving. “That’s it,” he says, softer now, the command melting into something that sounds almost like awe. “That’s exactly what I wanted to hear. You have no idea how proud I am of you right now.”
The praise hits harder than I expect. My stomach flips, my skin prickling. I don’t even realize I’ve closed my eyes until I force them open again, dragging in a shaky breath.
And freeze.
Because striding toward me on the sidewalk, hands in his pockets, is Hudson Fitzgerald.
Oh my dear God. Did he hear that?
My heart slams into my ribs.
“Zach,” I whisper into the phone. “Your brother is walking toward me.”
He starts to laugh, the bastard. “Which one?”
“Jesus, he’s frowning at me,” I manage to squeak. “I think I might die.”
“Hudson then,” he says, amusement still in his voice. “Don’t worry, he’s probably too busy thinking about what he’s having for dinner to notice you talking about orgasms.”
“This isn’t funny,” I whisper, turning slightly so my hair falls forward, hoping it hides my face. “You have no idea how loud I was,” my voice trailing off as Hudson comes within spitting distance.
“Oh, I have a very good idea,” Zach murmurs, his voice rolling through the line like a low hum. “Now smile at my brother but stay on the line.”
“Hey,” Hudson says, casual, like he has no idea his brother was dirty talking me into madness seconds ago.
“Hi.” I force a smile, lifting my phone between us. “Just on hold with a supplier,” I manage.
Hudson looks at his watch and raises a brow, like he knows most suppliers will almost certainly be closed at this time.
“Looks like you’re in for the long haul,” he says mildly, but his brow quirks higher.
Before I can respond, Zach’s voice hums in my ear. “Tell him it’s a special supplier,” he says, low and smug. “The kind that deals in very specific… needs.”
My throat goes dry. I give a weak laugh that probably sounds deranged. “Yeah. Very special supplier,” I mumble, nodding like an idiot.
Hudson narrows his eyes. “Right.”
I pull my gaze away. This is shockingly embarrassing.
Yet in a weird way, it’s fun. I hear Zach chuckle again, like he’s planning something even worse.
“Oh, I’m number one in the queue,” I say chirpily.
“I’m going to head up to my apartment so they can hear exactly what I think of their… terrible service.”
“Terrible service,” Zach murmurs in my ear, his voice dark and amused. “Funny, because I was thinking about how good mine’s going to be. I’m going to take my time with you, make sure every second counts. You won’t be able to walk straight after I’m done fixing your… complaint.”
My lips part, but nothing comes out. Heat floods my skin, pooling low in my stomach. I force a bright smile at Hudson, who looks vaguely alarmed now. “Yep. Definitely filing a complaint,” I say, my voice about an octave too high. “Big one. HUGE.”
Hudson gives me a slow blink, like he’s trying to figure out if I’m high on something very illegal. “Okay then. Good luck with that.” He tips his head, shaking it slightly, as he walks away.
The second he’s out of earshot, I let out a strangled breath and bring the phone back to my ear. “I can’t believe you made me do that,” I whisper.
Zach’s laugh rolls through the line, low and smug. “You were perfect. And I bet you’re still blushing.”
“How did you know?” I ask, even though I definitely am. “Don’t tell me you’re here watching me again.” I look around, but there’s definitely no sign of him this time.
“I don’t have to be there to know,” he says, that low rumble in his voice again. “I’m going to hang up,” he says, voice low and steady. “Then you’re going to send me a picture of your blush, so I can look at it later… when I’m thinking about how it’ll feel to chase you.”
“Zach—” I whisper, because God, I’m aching again.
“Do it,” he says, quieter. “Then get some rest. You’ll need it. Because soon…”
He trails off, but I know what he means. Soon I’ll be running. He’ll be chasing me.
The line goes dead before I can say anything else.