Page 59 of Thorns of Desire

ATHENA

My phone buzzed with a flurry of messages, and Manuel’s name flashed across the screen.

Manuel: I’m still thinking about you.

Manuel: Miss you, amorina.

I rubbed my eyes while grinning like a fool. I hadn’t seen him in four days, since our little rendezvous in his penthouse, but random messages like this continued pouring in.

I couldn’t help the giddiness that came over me. The man was a charmer.

Me: Don’t go all sweet on me. I’ll miss my dirty talker.

Manuel: Next time I see you, be prepared to come while I’m licking your ??.

Me: And here I thought I’d have to resort to begging and let you teabag me in order to get my dirty talker back.

Manuel: I’d rather have your pleasure. So I’m going to fuck you nice and slow until you beg me for release.

My lips parted and arousal shot through me. The man sure had a filthy mouth on him.

“Someone turn on the television,” Raven shouted through the small apartment. I startled, quickly turning my phone off before dropping it into my lap. I couldn’t have my girlfriends seeing these texts.

“Is the TV on yet?” Raven screamed.

Of course, neither Reina nor I moved from our spot on the couch with how accustomed we were to Raven’s bizarre outbursts. Phoenix was out on a date, so there were only three of us in the apartment. Reina was flipping through a fashion magazine, I was deep in the revision stage of my latest draft, and Raven was painting in her bedroom while a show played on her phone. She was big on multitasking.

Raven’s footsteps thundered as she ran across the apartment, frantically searching for the remote.

“It’s under the pillow,” Reina deadpanned, not bothering to lift her eyes. “Same place you always leave it.”

Raven and I exchanged a glance but let it be. Her engagement party was coming up, and with each passing day, she grew more tense.

“Athena’s on television.”

My brows dipped and I waved a hand around in the air. “Hello…? I’m sitting right here.”

She scoffed.

“Ha-ha, smartass. Yourbooksare on television.” She kept pressing buttons, flipping through the channels once the television turned on.

“Get out, our plan actually worked?” Reina lifted her head.

“Myplan worked,” Raven stated proudly. “You guys just helped with the execution.”

“There is noIin team,” Reina pointed out, smiling softly.

I jumped off the couch, barely catching my laptop before it hit the hardwood.

“Can you two discuss whose idea it was later?” I said, trying to grab the remote from Raven. “What channel? Quick!”

Once we found it, we all stared in amazement while my heart raced in my chest. The broadcaster was an enthusiastic woman with flushed cheeks and a wide smile on her face as she raved about the book.

Manhuntingby A.K. Mystique has made chart-topping sales…

HittingFrance Today’s bestselling list…

A thrilling page-turner with a generous helping of spice…