The Fling (18+)

Chapter 34

As the door to the house swung open, the crisp chill of the air conditioning hit me in a wave. Glancing up, my eyes fixed on the camera looking down at us.

"He's going to know that we're here, isn't he?"

"Probably," Jess muttered, "but he's stuck a couple thousand feet up in the air, so there's not much he can do about it."

I nodded as I brought our bags in. David had dropped us off and left, taking with him enough plausible deniability to keep Dad from accusing him of helping us. We were going to meet up with him afterward to collect Jessica's stashed belongings.

And after that... who knows?

Locking the door behind us, I followed Jess upstairs, into the large suite she'd shared with my father.

Beelining for the massive, opulent closet, she went to her side and knelt down, pulling open a set of drawers that held various configurations of lace that somehow formed undergarments. I averted my eyes, my cheeks burning red.

But then she pulled the drawers all the way out, taking them off their tracks and setting them aside on the floor.

Curious, I watched as she leaned forward, half disappearing into the empty space she'd made, and reappeared with a slim, black case.

Her laptop.

Jess looked up as though she could hear my thoughts, "I didn't want Robbie to know I had this."

I snorted, "You certainly hid it well. What's it for?"

"It's... it's part of my escape strategy. Once I realized that I wanted out, I started taking commissions for digital art."

"Art? I didn't know you were an artist."

She shrugged, putting the drawers back, "It was just a hobby in high school. I more or less dropped it in college, but I always kept it in mind as a backup plan."

"Hmm. How much did you end up saving?"

"Enough, or nearly enough at least. It's socked away in a savings account I had before I married Robbie - he doesn't know anything about it."

I smiled, "Look at you becoming a success right underneath his nose!"

"Yeah, well, he just thought I spent my days at Pilates or at the salon. Never seemed to occur to him that I had a lot of free time on my hands." Standing, she dusted off her knees and tucked the laptop under one arm. "Come on, I've got some other things I need to grab."

Frowning, I looked at the overflowing racks and drawers behind her, "What about clothes?"

"I don't give a shit about clothes-"

"Jess, the only clothing you'll have when you walk out of here is what's on your back and what's in your suitcase."

She hesitated, "It'd be like stealing."

I pointed behind me, "That shit? That is all gifts. He gave them to you, so now they're yours." Jess eyed the enviable depths of her closet, and I groaned in frustration, "Look, I'm going to go get your suitcase, and we are leaving here with a wardrobe that you can start a new life in, alright?"

Before she could object, I was stalking through the bedroom and down the stairs, As I wrestled with the handle of her luggage, I felt a buzz in my pocket and my heart started jackhammering against my ribs.

Hope and fear intermingled within me, I stopped and pulled it out.

It's Dad.

Grimacing, I opened the message he'd sent, "Ellie, what the hell are you doing?"