Hosie~ One Shots

Payment Part 3

As they drove through the winding roads away from the school, the tension in the air grew. Josie could feel the weight of Hope's gaze on her, studying her, almost like a predator enjoying the anticipation before the hunt.

Finally, Hope broke the silence. "You've made a smart decision, Josie."

"Did I?" Josie said quietly, staring out of the window.

Hope's smile widened. "I think you know you did. I'm not going to hurt your father or the school. I'm a woman of my word."

"But what about me?" Josie turned to look at her, finally voicing the question that had been burning inside her. "What do you want from me?"

Hope's expression softened for a moment, but her eyes remained intense. "What do I want from you?" she repeated, her tone teasing. "Right now, just your company. I wanted to see what kind of person could create someone like you—someone willing to sacrifice herself for her family. That kind of loyalty is rare."

Josie's throat tightened. "So this is just about my father, then? About the money?"

Hope chuckled softly, her fingers tracing the edge of the seat as she leaned closer. "It started that way. But now... I'm curious about you."

Josie's pulse quickened as she met Hope's gaze.

Josie's heart raced as she locked eyes with Hope. There was something dangerously magnetic about her—like every word, every glance, held the weight of unspoken promises. "Curious about me?" she repeated, her voice catching in her throat.

Hope's gaze never wavered. "You're intriguing, Josie. Most people would have run by now, tried to bargain or plead. But you—" She paused, her voice lowering into something more intimate, "you stood your ground. You're not afraid of me. And I want to know why."

Josie swallowed, feeling the heat of Hope's proximity. Her words cut through the tension, but instead of easing it, they deepened the connection between them. "I don't know if it's about fear," she admitted, her voice soft. "I just... I needed to protect the people I love. I couldn't let you hurt them."

Hope's lips twitched upward in a small, almost approving smile. "I admire that," she said quietly, her tone softer now. "But you didn't answer my question. What about you, Josie? Do you think I'm going to hurt you?"

Josie hesitated, uncertainty swirling in her chest. "I don't know," she said honestly. "I don't know what you want."

Hope leaned back slightly, giving Josie a moment of space. "I told you," she murmured. "For now, all I want is your company. But I won't pretend that's all there is."

The weight of her words pressed down on Josie, thick with meaning. "What else?" she asked, though a part of her already knew. She could feel it in the way Hope looked at her, the way her eyes lingered on her lips, the tension simmering between them like a live wire.

Hope studied her for a moment longer, her gaze searching Josie's face as if she were deciding how much to reveal. "You, Josie," she said softly, her voice almost a whisper. "I want to know you. Who you really are, beneath everything."

Josie blinked, surprised by the honesty in Hope's words. No one had ever spoken to her like that, with such raw curiosity, as though she were more than just another person in their world. As though she mattered in ways she hadn't even realized.

"What if I'm not what you expect?" Josie asked quietly, the vulnerability in her own voice startling her.

Hope's smile softened, her eyes gentle but intense. "I think," she said carefully, "you might be more than I expect."