Page 59 of In The Dark

Now, with her hair a mess and the faintest bruises showing on her thighs from Lia’s grip, Jo didn’t know whether to cry or laugh. She wanted Amelia, it was no secret, but what the hell did it say about her when she was walking into the dark for someone else just to feel her?

Her phone buzzed from the coffee table as Ada’s name lit up the screen.

“Hey.”

“Well, good morning,” Ada sang, far too chipper for this hour. “Why do you sound like you’ve just committed a crime?”

Jo rolled onto her back and pressed the heel of her hand to her forehead. “Because it sort of feels like I did.”

“Oh no.” Ada’s voice flattened. “What did you do?”

“First of all, I was right, and Liawasat the club. Secondly, she agreed to roleplay with me.”

Ada giggled. “I love you so much, but knowing you roleplayed with some stranger in the dark is hilarious. I’m sorry, but it is.”

“Why? What’s so hilarious about it?” Jo frowned. She didn’t need this today. “You go in there and let strangers do fucking all kinds of things to you, but when I ask someone to roleplay, it’s hilarious! Fucking thanks.”

“N-no. I didn’t mean it like that.” Ada sighed. “But before you came to Satin with me, you never would have just blurtedsomething like that out. It’s not a criticism, not at all, I just didn’t expect it.”

“Fair enough.” Jo curled further into the couch, her face half-buried in the blanket. “Sorry.”

“I could have worded it better. That one was on me.”

Jo chewed her lip. “I…asked her to be Amelia.”

The line went silent. Whatever mood Ada had been in seconds ago, it had all but vanished. And then… “You’ve lost your mind, babe.”

“Yeah. Tell me something I don’t know.”

“But…” Ada cleared her throat. “It’s also kind of genius.”

Jo’s brows drew together. “Wait, what?”

“I mean, if you can’t have Amelia in real life, whynotuse the anonymous sex goddess to pretend it’s her?” Ada snorted. “You’ve created the ultimate fantasy scenario. I’m both impressed and slightly horrified.”

Jo groaned. “I feel awful about it.”

“Why?”

“Because I have to meet Amelia tomorrow to talk about everything, and I’m terrified I won’t be able to look her in the eye without picturing her on top of me.”

Ada cackled. “Well, that’s one way to spice up a serious talk.”

“Don’t,” Jo warned, though she couldn’t help the laugh that escaped her. “Please, don’t.”

“I’m just saying, if the conversation goes south, you can always go back to Lia and ask her to be Amelia forever.”

Jo forced the blanket harder against her face. “Oh, my God!”

“I mean, it solves your problem if nothing else.”

“Seriously, stop now.” Jo flung back the blanket and sat up. “This isn’t funny, no matter how much I wish it could be.”

“Oh, come on. This is hilarious.”

“No, it’s a mess, and it’s getting worse by the day.”

“You’re right,” Ada agreed, “but that’s very on-brand for you at the moment.”