Conflicted Desire by Ava Starke

Author:Ava Starke [Starke, Ava]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-9986837-3-7
Publisher: Ava Starke

It was one o’clock in the morning when we arrived at Alex’s place. When I’d left for the ball, my dress had felt like an extension of me; but now after all of the sitting, standing, and talking, the tired fabric was starting to fall away from my body in gaping swoops. Toward the end of the night, I’d struggled to find enough hidden moments to pull the strapless gown back up into place. I couldn’t wait to get it off, and I wasted no time in doing so once we walked through the door.

To preserve the piece as much as possible, I’d worn a black-fitted slip beneath the dress, and now in Alex’s apartment that was what I walked around in. “I’m not going to last very long,” I said, hinting at my desire to go to sleep. I hoped Alex would be too tired to make an intimate move.

“Me too, let’s go to bed. I think I might have a shower first though.”

“I’m not sure I have the energy for a shower,” I replied.

Alex headed straight back to the master bedroom, and I followed. I placed my small overnight bag near my side of the bed and watched him drop his phone, keys, and coins onto his nightstand. Perfect, I thought to myself.

“I’ll just be a second,” he said before disappearing into the bathroom. I listened for the sound of water; and when it started, I guessed it was only the sink. He was brushing his teeth.

Sitting on the side of the bed, I rifled through my clutch looking for the tiny drive Theo had slipped into my purse while Alex embraced Natalia to congratulate her. He’d explained a few days before that all I had to do was stick the drive into the port of my target’s phone. It would take thirty seconds to clone the phone remotely and sync. Surely, Alex’s shower would last more than thirty seconds. With the drive placed into the elastic of my slip, I waited until I heard the sound of the shower.

Theo still didn’t know whose phone I was cloning; and even when he slipped me the drive, I hadn’t been sure I would use it. It wasn’t like me to act against a partner, and the idea of reading Alex’s phone made me feel like a predator. There were also legal ramifications that were hard to discount.

However, Alex’s reaction to Theo and his messaging in the car made me realize I needed to know what was going on — once and for all — regardless of the consequences. Ignorance is a weak excuse for staying in a questionable situation.

On top of the ethically nefarious allegations against Alex, I needed to know who he was before I’d ever be capable of completely giving my heart to him.

Minutes ticked by, and I began to worry Alex had changed his mind. I didn’t have the courage to try the drive without knowing if he’d be occupied or not. Finally, the water of the shower began to run; and I heard the shower door open and close.

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