Page 21 of Corrupted Pleasure

I tsked her. “Maybe it was an accident that you walked into my room. But it wasn’t an accident that you stayed and watched.”

She closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them. She looked calmer now, stronger with resolution simmering beneath her surface.

“What do you want then?” she asked.

Did she really have to ask?

“You.”

CHAPTER8

Davina

THREE MONTHS LATER

For weeks after that night three months ago, I was on pins and needles, waiting for Liam Brennan to cash in on the debt I owed him. But a month went by, then another few weeks, and nothing. I finally decided he must have just wanted to teach me a lesson and had never meant to follow through. Much to my disappointment.

So I decided to continue my life, trying my best to forget the Irish mobster. I had gotten back together with Garrett, my on again, off again boyfriend. He, at least, had been actively pursuing me to get back together. Unlike a certain Irish mobster who probably forgot I existed the moment I walked out of that kitchen.

It was almost midnight on Sunday night when I pulled into the driveway of Garrett’s home. I guess it’d be officially my home too. Soon. Most of my stuff was moved to his place two weeks ago.

After taking a break from each other, we decided to give our relationship another go. We got back together six weeks ago. With graduation coming up, he wanted me to move in with him. While I moved my stuff over, I still stayed at the dorm most nights. It was more convenient and the girls were way more fun than sitting at Garrett’s place.

After all, scheming about world domination was more important than a boyfriend. Right? And we studied too. So I had a perfect excuse. If I was smart, I’d have stayed back at the dorm tonight too and been sound asleep by now.

But I knew avoiding Garrett wasn’t actually a good start to our cohabitating. And I haven’t had sex in weeks. Six weeks to be exact. After we first got back together, life kept getting in the way. And so did the fantasies about Mr. Brennan. The way he pumped himself in the shower.

Now that we’d decided to get serious about our relationship, Mr. Brennan would forever remain a fantasy. Cheating was a hard no for me.

But tonight was the night to break my six week sex drought. No more fantasizing about Juliette’s father. And Garrett better deliver.

I turned off the key in the ignition, the motor of my little Honda Civic going quiet.

Rubbing my burning eyes, after hours of studying, I opened the door to my car and stepped out into the cool night air. I still had a few days until the last of my finals were complete.

And then this will be home, I thought silently.

I still struggled with that idea. Wynter would go back to California; Juliette would follow. Ivy was trying to decide what she’d do. She didn’t want to go back to Ireland and be married off. The girls tried to convince me to move to California, but housing there was ridiculously expensive.

We even contemplated sharing an apartment except I didn’t have enough to cover my share for the first few months of rent until I’d be able to find a job there. And I didn’t want to be so broke that I’d go a long time without seeing grandpa. The girls insisted they’d cover it, but it made me feel inadequate.

So here I was. Nothing like committing yourself to someone in exchange for housing. I liked Garrett. I just didn’t know if I loved him. Guess I’d find out after I fully moved in.

I stretched after being cooped up in the Honda. Glancing around, I noticed Garrett’s car was missing, but that wasn’t strange given his work hours. Though he said he’d get off work earlier than normal today.

My eyes locked on the sleek, red Tesla parked at the curb in front of the house. It had me raising a brow in question. Maybe it belonged to one of our neighbors. It certainly didn’t belong in Garrett’s driveway. Shrugging it off, I made my way to the front door, pushing my key into the lock and turning it.

Garrett said since I had the key to his home, it was my home now too. To be honest, I struggled with that concept. It didn’t feel like home. My dorm felt more like home. My grandfather’s place was home. I suspected it had something to do with my relationship with the people I shared the space with, but I kept ignoring the niggling thoughts in the back of my head.

I always overthought things way too much. Life wasn’t a fairy tale. If it was, my parents would have planned for me and been overjoyed to have me. Instead, they got rid of the responsibility. Thankfully, I had my grandfather who took care of me and was the most loving parent.

I walked through the door. All the lights on the first floor were off, the moon shining through the many large windows outlining my path. Though it struck me as odd that Garrett turned off all the lights. He regularly left at least one light on.

I walked through the foyer, then up the stairs, and with each step I took, the dread in the pit of my stomach grew.

Something is off.

Every single fiber of me screamed the warning. My brain had alarms going off, red flags and sirens blaring.Turn around. Turn around.