I gape after him as he walks back inside the café and disappears, buzzing like a bee on its way to the sweetest and most dangerous flower of all.
12
Josh
Holyshit.IkissedAlistair… I’ve lost my mind, clearly. And did I just agree to go to his stupid party?
I trace my lips, shivering at the zapping sensation still lingering there. There’s something wrong with me. I shouldn’t have let him do that, but he caught me by surprise. And he tasted so nice, so titillating.
Turning the corner, I push my back against the coarse wall and take a few moments to get my bearings. This is a dangerous game. If I am not careful, I’ll be the one to lose. To give into his charm, to surrender to his pull.
No! Snap out of it, Josh!You can’t let that happen because so much is riding on this. You need to be one step ahead of him, to be in control. Don’t get carried away now just because he ticks all your boxes.
I know that. This was… It won’t happen again, it can’t. I need to stick to the plan of seducing him so I can either make him do what I want or find enough dirt to force him to.
Yes, that’s it. I let him kiss me because it serves me. He’s interested, and I can use that.
Still, even as I make my way back to the office, I can’t shake off the aftermath. My body just won’t calm down, my heart rate still galloping.
Alistair Devon plays dirty. So I can’t be blamed for doing the same, right? The end justifies the means and all that.
I do wonder why he agreed to talk to the commission so easily. The call with his dad seemed to have agitated him, so maybe that’s the reason. Parents can be a pain in the ass, though I do find myself hoping that it’s nothing serious, like a sudden health issue. I wouldn’t wish that even on my worst enemy.
My phone pings with a text notification just as I reach the Union building. A smile catches me by surprise as I take out my device and check who it is from. It’s an unknown number, but it could really only be one person.
Unknown number:Hi, this is Alistair Devon. Just making sure that this is indeed Joshua Anderson, Workers First Union Rep, and not some random phone sex number that charges extortionate amounts for a single text. Please confirm.
Chuckling, I save his number. If we ignored his bossy attitude and the fact that he likes to get his way, he’s a bit of a dork. In an endearing way that annoys me a little. It contrasts his rich bad boy image, suggesting there is a lot more to him than I’ve seen. It makes me curious.
I deliberate with myself whether to reply, ultimately giving in as I pause in front of my office’s door.
Me:I am sure you can afford the extortionate amount.
Alistair, Nr1 Enemy:I might have to call off the chocolate fountain, though. To make up for it.
Me:Don’t you dare, or I’m not coming.
I begin typing another message, suggesting that he could cut down on the alcohol and mood-enhancing substances I am sure there will be plenty of, but delete thetext before I send it. Because he shouldn’t. I accepted his invitation so I could snoop around his house, and what better way to find blackmailing material than at a party of inebriated rich people? This is my chance. Everything is falling into place on its own.
Alistair, Nr1 Enemy:Fountain will be there, I promise. Looking forward to seeing you again, Joshua :).
I lock my phone and push it inside my pocket so fast you’d think it caught fire. My cheeks certainly have, and I hate it. This is just a game, a way for me to get what I need. I shouldn’t let him affect me like this.
“Hey, Josh. Something good happen?” Lily chirps at me, poking me in the side.
I turn around a bit too quickly, giving myself whiplash. “Huh? What?”
She shrugs, hugging the folder with documents. She must’ve been out to meet with a client.
“You were smiling, so I thought something nice must have happened.”
Ugh, this is so embarrassing. I can’t exactly tell her that the reason I am in a good mood is that Alistair agreed to help me after we mouthfucked for a bit.
No, no, that’s not what happened. And you can omit the kissing part. You were also having a business meeting, sort of, so there is no need to be self-conscious.
“The negotiations went better than I expected,” I say without elaborating, but then reconsider whether I should keep this from her or not. After all, she could actually help me. “With Alistair Devon. He invited me to his party.”
Her eyes widen. “He did? OMG, that’s your chance to take him down! All you need is a bit of dirt. You got this!”
