“I’m not.” I tell her my suspicions about Alicia’s death and how I plan to find out the truth behind it.
After I returned to my building, I asked Paul about the sender of that box in which I found the flash drive, and he said he found it in front of the building during his morning check-ups.
“I get that, I do. And I’m all for bringing your sister justice, but you have to be careful, Aurora. It’s Jonathan King.”
“I know.”
“I don’t think you do. Sometimes, it seems like you underestimate him because you knew him when you were a kid, but in this world, men like Jonathan King crush and move on. They start wars and end them without being hurt. It’s his world, his territory, and his subjects. Just because he’s playing this game doesn’t mean he’ll take it easy on you. He might choose to destroy you any time he wishes to do so.”
I swallow, her words hitting me at my core. Despite my apprehension about Jonathan, the fact that I was immune to him — and every other man — gave me a false sense of power that crumbled to pieces last night.
“I know you’re taking this risk because of your sister, but I don’t want you to let your guard down in front of a man like Jonathan.”
“What if it’s too late, Lay?”
A line forms between her brows. “What do you mean?”
“He…he brought me to orgasm.”
“What the F?” She holds up a hand like she needs to catch her breath. “He took your first O?”
More like wrenched it out of me, unapologetically and without a sliver of doubt.
“What happened to ‘I never get wet’?” she whispers as if someone is eavesdropping. “Did he use lube?”
I shake my head, shame gnawing at my chest. “But that’s not the worst part, Lay. He brought me to orgasm and I felt empty when he let me go. I need help, don’t I?”
“No, you don’t. Granted, I don’t know what it feels like for someone else to give you an orgasm, but orgasms, in general, are a darn good feeling. You probably just wanted more of that.”
Why do I feel like that’s not the case? But I don’t say that out loud in case Layla starts to think I’m sick in the head or something.
“And, mate, if that man gives you anything to enjoy, don’t hesitate to take it. At least he has that whole hot daddy look going on for him. Just…”
“What?”
“Don’t lose yourself to him. Men like Jonathan King have enough intensity to make you forget about who you are when in their company.”
She’s right.
But it’s not like I’ll ever let Jonathan consume me. I might have had second thoughts, but I’ve never strayed away from my initial goal.
“Are you sure you shouldn’t have majored in psychology?” I poke Layla.
“I kind of did. They teach us a lot of psychology in marketing. We have to understand people in order to sell to them.”
I rub her arm. “Thank you for being here for me, Lay. I would’ve gone crazy without you.”
“Anytime. Remember, I don’t care how much Johnny is daddy material. If he bothers you, I’ll kick his arrogant nose.”
We both laugh at the mental image, and for a moment, I pretend everything will be fine.
Six months.
I can survive six months.
After all, I survived sixteen years in the company of a monster.
Problem is, Jonathan is an entirely different monster altogether.