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Jealous? Me?
That’s ridiculous. I’m not some possessive boyfriend—I’ve never been possessive.
“Of course not,” I growl, but even I hear the strain in it. “He’s out of line.”
“You’re unbelievable.” Dameon shakes his head with a low chuckle. “Besides, I’m pretty sure Nathan’s not even interested in Cora. He’s more into… your flavor.” He gestures toward me with a casual flick of his hand.
I freeze. “What?”
“Yeah,” Dameon says with a shrug. “He dated a friend of mine, Shaun, a few years back. They broke up, but… you know, they were together for a while.”
I stare at him, the tightness in my chest easing a fraction, but my pride is too damn stubborn to let it show. Instead, I tilt back in my chair, gaze sliding away from Dameon’s shrewd smirk. “And you’re just telling me this now?”
He snorts, strolling back to the couch and flopping down. “What? His love life never came up before.” He shrugs, clearly enjoying himself. “I figured you’d be secure enough in your own ego not to care.”
I grumble “fucker” under my breath, shifting in my chair, filled with an unexpected sense of relief that I refuse to fully acknowledge.
Why should it matter? I’ve never been territorial. I play with a goddess, enjoy their submission, then move on. Simple.
But Cora’s different. This past week, I’ve watched her every move, tracking her like a hunter fixated on his prey. It’s unnerving how much she consumes my thoughts—the way her tongue slips out when she’s deep in concentration, the soft focus in her eyes when she chews on the end of her pen. The way she smiles when Nathan makes her laugh…
“Are you going to report him for harassment, then?”
My fingers, tapping impatiently on the desk, go still. I glance at him. “Fuck off.”
Dameon laughs, a deep sound that grates on my nerves. “You’re full of shit, you know that? Come on, just admit it—you’ve got a thing for her.”
“Drop it,” I warn.
He sighs, standing up and stretching lazily. “Fine, fine. But seriously, you need to relax. How about we head to Eden tomorrow night? Grab a drink. We could both blow off some steam.”
I hesitate. I can’t keep going like this, watching her from afar, letting jealousy seep into my mind like poison. I need to regain control.
Dameon’s right. Jealousy coils in my gut, unfamiliar and unwelcome. It doesn’t fit—it never has. The best way to shake it off is to find someone new to play with.
“Yeah,” I finally say, nodding. “Maybe you’re right.”
“Great,” he says, making his way to the door. “I’ll check to see if Zac and Carter can make it too.” He stops in the doorway, fixing me with that infuriating grin. “And, James? Ease up on the Cora surveillance. You’re starting to look like a creep.”
I shoot him a glare that would make anyone else shrivel, but Dameon just chuckles and disappears down the hallway.
Alone, I turn back to my screen, my finger hovering over the mouse. I pull up the CCTV feed one last time, watching Cora’s eyes light up in conversation with a colleague, oblivious to how much space she occupies in my mind.
With a definite click, I close the feed, slide back in my chair, and drum my fingers rhythmically on the armrests.
Tomorrow night, this ends.
Chapter seventeen
Cora
“What are we watching?”I drop onto the couch beside Dad, stifling a yawn that threatens to crack my jaw. My body feels wrung out—heavy limbs, aching muscles, exhaustion draping around me like a weighted blanket.
“Bluey,”Leo mumbles, not bothering to tear his eyes from the screen. He’s sitting cross-legged on the floor, a bowl of potato chips in his lap, and I’m pretty sure half of them have already found their way into the carpet. He’s completely absorbed, eyes glued to the Heeler family as if the cartoon might vanish if he blinks.
I loveBlueytoo—thank God someone finally made a kids’ show that’s actually watchable for adults—but even its charm isn’t enough to hold my attention for long. My eyelids burn, itching to close, but I fight the pull and sink deeper into the cushions.
This week was a total clusterfuck—far more taxing than I anticipated. The first week at a new job is always draining, but this? Navigating a new workplace is one thing, but throw in an ultimatum, high expectations, and the emotional hurricane of running into Leo’s father, and it’s a recipe for burnout.