Liv: Has Mr. Knight put his dick in you yet?
I nearly choke on my own spit when I read her message. I manage to play it off as a cough when Asher looks at me. This girl is going to be the death of me. God love her, but she is so far off base it’s not even funny. I hold my phone closer to my face and turn my body slightly so he can’t look over and see the screen. I feel like a teenager trying to hide notes from my neighboring desk mates. I type out a quick reply.
Me: You’re lucky Asher didn’t see that message. Are you trying to get me fired? And I’m not answering your question because it’s ridiculous. Now go hump Tony or something and leave my sex life alone.
I still can’t believe she blatantly asked me that. But then again, we are talking about Liv here. There’s nothing she wouldn’t say or do.
I pull up the private number’s message.
Unknown: Do you know who your secret admirer is? Sterling you say? Oh, I know. Enjoy your time together while it lasts, because yours is running out.
A shiver of fear races down my spine at the cryptic message. I fumble to catch my phone before it falls when my palms become sweaty. Who could have possibly sent this, and what do they mean?
Enjoy your time together while it lasts, because yours is running out.
Is that some sort of threat? Why would someone threaten me? And what is at the end of that threat? How does he know who Sterling is? My heart races as I look back down at my phone, trying to get more from the message than what was
given.
“What’s wrong?” Asher asks, and I jump in my seat, completely forgetting that he’s sitting beside me. When I look over at him, I find him with a frown on his face.
Should I tell him? It’s really not his concern, but maybe someone else should know. Maybe he can help me figure out what to do or what it means. But then again, it could just be a prank or some kind of scare tactic. I could just be overreacting. I’d hate to make myself look like a bigger fool than I already have.
I decide to hold off for now, and hope whoever sent the message has had their fun and moves on.
I back out of my messages, place my phone on my lap and answer. “Nothing.”
He doesn’t believe me. I can see it in his eyes. I hold his stare, not backing down in hopes that he’ll drop it. Obviously, I have zero luck today.
“Give me your phone,” he demands, holding out his hand.
I grab my phone and lean back a little in my seat, away from him.
“Why?”
“Because obviously something’s on there that has you upset. Your hands were shaking as you were reading whatever you were looking at. Now, hand me your phone.”
I inwardly cringe at the scowl marring his face. I don’t back down, though. It’s none of his business what’s on my phone. If I wanted him to know, I would have told him. I may be acting stubborn, but I’ve had enough of today. Asher already has my nerves on edge. It’s time I grow a backbone, and now seems like the perfect time.
“No.”
He arches a brow, surprised at my blunt refusal. A second later, I let out a squeal when he reaches across me and snatches my phone from my hands. I don’t even try to grab it back, knowing it’s useless. So much for my backbone. It lasted all of two seconds. It’s obviously frail and brittle.
I’m pathetic.
I bite my lip as I watch Asher thump my screen to bring up my messages. Lord, please don’t let him open my conversation with Liv. This day has already been stressful enough. I’m not sure how much more I can take. I can’t see which one he’s reading, so I watch his face closely for clues. A tic forms on his jaw and when he turns to look at me, I shrink back in my seat at the unconcealed rage I see.
“Do you know who fucking sent this?” he growls, the timber of his voice causing me to quake in my seat. I’ve never seen this look on Asher before. It’s intense, and scary as hell.
I shake my head, then say for good measure, “No.”
My eyes flicker down at his hands. One’s balled into a fist sitting on his thigh, while the other is clutching my phone, gripping it so tight I’m surprised it’s still in one piece.
“Have you gotten any other messages like this?”
Again, I shake my head. “That’s the first, but it has to be a joke, right? Someone’s just fooling around with me. They have to be. I know a handful of people, and that’s it. None of them would send me something like that.”
His eyes narrow slightly when he asks, “Do you really believe that?”