Page 98 of Hacking His Code

“Hold up…my mother would never let me back into the house if she knew I consorted withtheScarlet Primrose.”

More than one person is listening in on our interaction, chuckling at how she’s looking at me up and down.

“I wouldn’t mind taking you under my wing, if ya know what I mean.” She gives me a sultry wink.

“Mother!” Gabriel says in horror. His face grows pale.

“Do you think I’d really pass up an opportunity to get under Ernestine’s skin?” she says. “If she were here, she’d be laying it on thick for you too.”

“But you haven’t so much as dated since Father died.”

Their interactions are comical, but all I can think of is Arinessa, who appears to be making the rounds, getting ready to leave.

I wait for the perfect moment before I approach, after she’s said her final goodbye.

This is your one shot. Don’t fuck this up.

“Arinessa?”

She stops, pivoting on her feet to face me. “Yes?”

“If there’s ever something you need, please let me know.”

She looks me up and down, her face unreadable. I don’t know if perhaps I’ve been too forward. After all, she essentially cut me out of her life.

Finally, I say, “I’ll let you get on with your life now. Take care.”

As I begin to turn, Ari clears her throat, and I return my attention to her.

“I can meet my own needs, thank you very much, but there are a few wants you could help me with,” she says, biting her lower lip.

Stunned, it takes me a moment to find my words.

“Would you care to resume this conversation back at my place?”

She smiles, her eyes roving up and down my body. “I’d like that.”

Arinessa

I’m done playing games.

From now on, I’m going for what I want.

We arrive at the Davies’ estate, and on our way to Hunter’s suite, we see Ernestine and Rand in the hall.

Ernestine’s brow lifts in surprise. “Arinessa?”

Drunk on excitement, I rush toward her, taking her into a hug. “It’s good to see you again.”

She looks skeptically over at Rand. “It’s good to see you too.”

Hunter’s hand finds the small of my back. “I have a feeling you’ll be seeing a lot more of her going forward. I hope you’re okay with that.”

Ernestine smiles with her lips but questions with her eyes. “She’s welcome here any time.”

I remember watching her with Neon, bright and lively on the screen. A woman with bold ambitions and a fiery personality.

So little in common with the woman standing before me. But there’s a reason for that, and I have a feeling we’ll be addressing it soon.