The Contract

Chapter 125-The Real Talk

TRAVIS'S P.O.V

I felt the space beside me deepen, and I shifted. The other side sank further, pulling me out of sleep. My eyes blinked open as a low sigh escaped my lips.

She jumped over me to the other side of the bed and got up, her movements hurried. I turned to watch her pick up her clothes, my vision still unclear.

Rubbing my eyes, I sat up, catching her grabbing her phone. Her eyes shot to mine, locking us in an unspoken standoff.

The silence between us was almost deafening, the weight of what happened pressing down on both of us.

“Pearl, you’re not running again, are you?” I finally asked, letting out an exasperated sigh.

“Bye,” she drawled nonchalantly, rushing out like a thief caught in the act.

I sighed again, resigned but not surprised. Slipping into my footwear, I grabbed my phone and followed her. It was too damn early for her games.

Throwing her door open, I found her frozen mid-step. She turned back around, holding her clothes to her chest like a shield. Her hair was a mess, yet somehow she still managed to look effortlessly beautiful. It irritated me.

“What’s up with you bolting? It’s starting to feel like a habit,” I said, leaning against the doorway, my hands in my pockets.

“Look at the time, Travis,” she said, gesturing toward the clock. It was nearly 9 a.m.

“Does it matter? We’re already late,” I replied, stepping closer. “We still need to talk, Pearl. You can’t keep running from this.”

“I’m not running!”

I shot her a deadpan look. “You literally bolted out of there like it was a one-night stand.”

A faint smile tugged at her lips. “Come to think of it, wasn’t that the talk?”

I smirked despite myself. “A real talk.”

“Alright, let’s take turns. You begin,” she encouraged.

It took a beat before I started. “You know we’re breaking the terms of the contract, right?”

“Yeah, having sex wasn’t exactly in the conditions,” she agreed, a sly glint in her eyes.

“If we keep this up, the lines will be…” I trailed off, my gaze dropping to her lips, then her neck.

“Blurred? Erased? Invisible?” she offered, her tone teasing.

“What do you think?”

“You’re very right. We shouldn’t keep this up. It won’t make me hate you less,” she said, her voice laced with defiance.

“Don’t you think we’re past that?” I asked, intrigued by how she never let her guard down.

Her eyes narrowed. “Oh, come off it, Travis. Nothing can change the way I feel about you,” she reminded, a challenging smirk playing on her lips.

“How could I forget?” I murmured.

“Great—”

“But it’s quite the opposite. One night, you’re screaming my name, and the next, you’re back to hating me,” I reminded her.

She laughed softly, looking away. “So, what’s your best idea? Should I fall at your feet in love?”

I smiled, brushing her hair back from her face. “We both know you’re above that.”

Her gaze lingered on mine. “Stay hating me. I love the callous side,” I confessed, my fingers grazing her neck lightly.

“You’ll be late, Pearl,” I said, stepping away to give her space.