Page 22 of Play With Me
If you’re not going to cooperate with me, then I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing here.
Memories of the last time we were in this room together resurface unwittingly. Anders is a confusing puzzle I can’t seem to figure out. His words and actions are constantly at war. He says he doesn’t want me, but can’t stop himself from touching me whenever I offer myself up to him. Iknow I shouldn’t mix business with pleasure. But every time he insists he won’t touch me again, I’m filled with this unbridled need to make him eat his words.
Me neither. Why don’t you go home? Or can you not stay away?
The three dots that signal he’s typing appear almost immediately, sending a thrill through my body that has my nipples hardening. We may tell each other we don’t want the other, but playing with Anders is the most alive I’ve felt in a long time.
Mick’s hand drops to the surface of my desk with a loud boom, making me jump. Tearing my eyes away from my phone, I glare at him. “What?”
“I asked you who you saw,” he grits out, matching my look of annoyance. “What the fuck is going on with you?”
“I’m tired, Mick. I’m tired of you thinking you own me and can dictate who I see and where I go. I’m tired of you thinking you have any say in what I do with my life. I don’t know how many times I have to tell you there is nothing between us anymore.”
His jadeite eyes narrow. “Yet you continue fucking me. Yeah, there’s really nothing between us anymore.”
“Mick, I’m not having this conversation with you right now.” My phone buzzes again, distracting me once more.
It’s literally my job not to stay away from you right now.
“Is the detective someone I should be worried about?” Mick’s voice sounds right over my shoulder. Goosebumps break out on my bare skin as he startles me. I swipe up to close out the message thread and toss my phone on the desk before he can read any more.
“Fuck no. I can’t stand that fucking guy,” I lie. I’ll keep the fact that Anders and I slept together, and continue to do questionable things, to myself for as long as I can. As much as I may not believe a damn word that comes out of his mouth, for some reason, I trust him. The last thing I need is for Mick to fire him and hire someone else that I’ll hate more.
Not to mention, I refuse toperformat the club with a random person. At least with Anders, I know what I’m getting myself into.
Mick’s hands cradle my shoulders, rubbing them lightly as he hums into the crook of my neck. “Stop denying me, Mellie.”
“Get a divorce, Mick.” I know he won’t, and honestly, I don’t want him to. Too many years have passed, too many things have happened. I know with absolute certainty that I don’t want to be with Mick anymore. Even though my body still reacts to him. Even though there is a deep-seated need within me to please him.
“You know I can’t do that.” One of his hands skims over my shoulder, lightly trailing over my vest and descending toward my breast. Where his touch once made me melt, I now freeze as Anders’ face flashes through my mind briefly.
Whirling my chair to escape his touch, I stand, crossing the room to put distance between us. “Then I’m sure you understand why I’m still unwilling to be your mistress.”
Low, throaty chuckles leave his mouth as he heads toward the still-open door, causing my nerves to buzz angrily. “I’m willing to wait, tiny dancer. You always come back to me. Be careful tonight. Hopefully, you and the detective have figured out how you’re going to put on a believable show without tearing each other's throats out.”
I don’t tell him I’ve been actively ignoring Anders since I last saw him a few days ago. Mick’s words spark an idea, though, and as he leaves, I grab my phone to pull up my message thread with Anders.
This isn’t a joke, Carmela. Someone has threatened your life. You’d think you’d take this shit a little more seriously.
There’s a pinch in my chest as I read what he’s written. All I am is a job to him, and he’d probably talk to anyone else this way, but for some reason, Iread his words in a tone I’m not sure he meant for them to be read in.
Careful, smooth guy. You sound like you might actually care.
Meet me in my office at Désirer at eight. We need to discuss the plan for tonight. I have some ideas.
Oh, joy.
And don’t tell me what to do. It’s you who should be listening to me.
I try to force it down, but a smile stretches across my lips. Sinking into my chair again, I send him one more message before turning the vibration off on my notifications, darkening the screen, and turning my phone over so I can’t be distracted.
Bad doggy. Your mistress gave you an order. Better obey, or you’ll find yourself chained up in the doghouse tonight.
Anders
My anger simmers just beneath the surface of my skin, my blood at a rolling boil as I head to Carmela’s office. If she isn’t going to take the threat to her life seriously, why should I? Or Martin and Nikolai, or anyone, for that matter?
This is a job, but when the other two called to tell me they lost her this morning, I nearly had a panic attack. I’m supposed to stay calm in my line of work, but the thought of Carmela in danger had my skin buzzing with electrified anxiety while my insides twisted as if someone were literally squeezing my organs.