Page 181 of Fallen Rook

In my defense, he was technically fired.

Also, I was pretty sure he’d let it slide.

Everything was ready. There was dinner on the table. Lit candles. Soft music playing. The lights were dimmed. I was just putting on the final touches and tossing salt onto the steamed asparagus when I heard the elevator dinging open from outside the door.

I dashed into Tom’s bedroom, jumped onto the bed, grabbed the whipped cream can (keto, sugar-free; he’d just entered his fifth decade, and we needed to be diligent), and sprayed it all over my cock.

Oh, did I mention I was naked?

I was totally naked.

Just me, the whipped cream, and minus the black cloud that used to follow me everywhere I went.

The shame. The embarrassment. The self-loathing for who and what I was.

The sound of the mechanical door lock swiveling rang in the air when I reached for the flower bouquet I’d brought over, plucked a rose, and jammed it between my teeth.

Motherfucker.

It was thorny as fuck. My lip split, bleeding all over my neck and chest. It was all over his sheets, too.

“Enzo?” I heard the uncertainty in his voice from the living room. Like he still wasn’t sure if it was me who’d done this. Was there another man waiting in the wings for him? There better not be. I’d just come back from a killing spree. I needed a break. But I’d do what needed to be done.

I heard him padding across the living room. He sure was taking a long-ass time…

“Butterfly…” His raspy, low voice halted. “Give me a second to find you. Your candles are burning down the curtains, and I need to extinguish the fire.”

Fuck!

I knew I should’ve waited until we actually ate before lighting those scented little shits. Stupid Tierney. It was her idea. That pyromaniac always had a thing for burning shit down.

As if on cue, the scent of charred fabric crawled into my nostrils. I heard Tom throwing open the windows and the hiss of the fire extinguisher.

I didn’t leave the bed. Partly because I wouldn’t let this little hiccup of burning down his apartment ruin my surprise. But mostly because if I was going to die of mortification, at least it would be somewhere comfortable.

Eventually, he did appear at the doorway, panting. Beads of sweat decorated his forehead.

Holy shit, how had he become hotter in the span of a day? Was this normal? Was anyone looking into the phenomenon? Tom in one of his smart suits and vest was wicked. Tom with a black turtleneck and matching slacks, however, could change population growth rates. I bet women got knocked up on the street just by giving him a double take.

He stared at me with that dark, lazy expression of his that made me fuzzy on the inside.

“Ask me again,” he said.

“What?”

“When did I fall in love with you.”

My heart beat out of whack, twisting wildly in my chest. I swallowed hard.

“When did you fall in love with me, Tom?”

“The moment you first made me smile. I knew that if you managed that, you’d be able to make me do anything.”

“Tom…” My breath became faster, choppier. “That happened the day after we kissed.”

“I know.”

“I thought you hated me.”