🤍 Jessica's POV 🤍
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8sWFIREAUa
As the page finishes loading, my gaze snags on the photograph beneath it, and everything else fades into static.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYYoWS01qcL
My breath hitches.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNlfu7B4Z54
"Holy Jezebel," I whisper.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwMvcmlSc3y
Roman Valentus.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLtnji4cwnJ
The man staring back at me isn't just handsome. He is dangerous.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxkomEMK1DT
The kind of handsome that doesn't just turn heads—it stops time. He looks like a Greek god sculpted by someone with a vendetta against mortal men.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSpVl7iIcrH
His jet-black hair is thick and slightly tousled, framing his face in a way that makes him look so powerful and untamed.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaJhDxSMhZm
That's bad.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpmiriRdoyZ
His eyes are like midnight—so dark, yet sexy and alluring.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNM8UYhvYCX
Oh God, this is bad bad.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhgf3keDkCI
Thick, arched brows sit majestically on top, and his jawline is so sharp and defined it could literally cut glass.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5L3OOVATV5
He looks like a man who never begs or wavers. He only takes.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmO0XCQiQpq
And I'm staring. Like an idiot.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4XetPZg6Sv
I feel something tingle between my thighs and mentally curse myself for being so affected by this man, who looks like a potential Casanova. Cause look at him!
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFPw9ywqCKz
Footsteps coming down snap me out of my trance. Rachel walks into the bakery, tying her hair into a messy bun as she heads straight for the fridge.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9jl1nuIwi4
"Please tell me there's still some..."
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMNRI64DX6x
She stops mid-sentence. I feel, more than see, her head snap toward me, and I don't even have to look to know her eyes have landed on the laptop screen.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm8VFueYcav
"Whoa..."
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNVCRSRMT6B
I stiffen as she comes closer and leans over my shoulder.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHgwbuKqOw9
"Who is this fine-ass hercules?"
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxIMW4SjeAG
Oh, boy.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfvk78yRMLj
"No one." I immediately move to close the tab, but Rachel is quicker.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjsAsE73EIa
She snatches my hand from the mouse. "Not so fast, bitch. I need to see this"
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGERxn5a5sb
I roll my eyes.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡahYXkdrX5B
She lets out a sound that's somewhere between a gasp and a whimper.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQcdnh3TCxC
"Roman Valentus. Oh my God. He's such a sexy creature! Bet he's really big down—"
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Ho2wgDYgP
I grit my teeth. "Aht aht. Enough, you horny-ass woman."
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS1Y7rZmGgy
"Are you sure he's human?" She licks her lips, eyes still glued to the screen. "Look at that face. That jaw. Those eyes! He looks like—like a vampire king who lures women into his castle just to ruin them"
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOGgKwkbzA2
"Yep." I agree, honestly, before I can stop myself.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOEpH7O56wL
"Right?!"
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3xplD9po4z
I fix myself, leaning back in my chair casually. "No. You're being dramatic."
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHMFIX34kCS
Rachel tears her gaze from the screen and gapes at me like I've personally offended her.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPGnhcRQqDU
"Dramatic? Jessica, do you need to see an optician? The man could eat me for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and I wouldn't be satisfied."
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6HFhIEg9xg
Oh God. I can't with this girl.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxEJ8Dvu7B5
I force a shrug. "Eh. He's okay. Just not my cup of tea. You've been reading too many romance novels."
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfih0nGtdzt
She fake-gasps, clutching her chest like I've just insulted her entire bloodline.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPg43YWvYFj
"You're lying. Take that back!"
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFNOUAeTl4v
I grab my drink, avoiding her gaze. "I'm serious. He's fine, sure. But he just has that... broody, cold CEO look. Nothing special."
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmq3XJ731hE
"Nothing special? That's it. You're definitely lying."
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ33mc8KlOrW
Yes, I am. But who's gonna check me?
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ882phy08S0
I shrug in an *I-don't-care* manner, as if my heart hadn't just done a triple axel over a single photograph.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ84cM1gh7Or
As she keeps gushing—something about how he probably 'ruins lives for fun'—I find my eyes drifting back to the screen, to those piercing midnight eyes that make my legs weak.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0o1zdYSKl
God. Those big, strong, veiny hands.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTRsQTzBZ3w
Maybe she's right. Maybe Roman Valentus is ruinously, unfairly beautiful.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡil604SClhM
The kind that should come with a fucking warning label.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡijbQx86hr3
But there's no way in hell I'm going to admit it. Or show it.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0C5yrJsM1p
Rachel yanks open the fridge, her head disappearing inside.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ519UliFNJp
"What brought you there, anyway?" she asks, rummaging through the fridge.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtAjpnay1K4
"They have a job opening for marketers," I reply, skidding right back to the job listing page before those eyes arrest me again.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMtsw8xU5xV
Rachel emerges with a bottle of iced lemonade, her lips curling into a mischievous smirk.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJp0loogGXt
"So you get to work for Mr. Please fuck-my-ass, you lucky gal"
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhP3xq5hZSi
I shoot her a look. "Language, sissy! And no. I haven't even applied yet."
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Gb88xDBKC
She arches a perfectly sculpted brow, her expression dripping with disbelief.
"Um... And why the hell not?"
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo0GT9PG0FB
I lean back in my chair, letting out a long sigh.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg742sJoYUt
"Because it's Valentus Technologies, Rachel. They're a global empire. My chances of getting hired are somewhere between 'snowball in hell' and 'winning the lottery.'"
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQNOSYoKnLh
"What's with all this pessimistic talk? How do you know you won't get in if you don't even try?"
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXwqWA2jPsM
I chuckle, raising my hands in mock surrender. "Alright, fine. I'll apply. Happy?"
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMctve72cOE
That seems to satisfy her. Her grin widens, and she leans down to press a quick kiss to my cheek.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGSJjxNkRcU
"Ecstatic!"
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQAXJpE3obt
With that, she saunters back upstairs, her messy bun loosening.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbDAOvPLD9Y
Yeah. Not applying.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpZrmEhymiW
I sigh, close my laptop, and stretch my arms above my head. Just as I reach for my phone, the soft chime of the doorbell rings, pulling me back into work mode.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb9BklY7MtT
Instinctively, I straighten my apron, plaster on my best customer-service smile, and turn to greet the new customer.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs1NPtYO9LC
The man who walks in looks to be in his early thirties, short, and dressed in a simple T-shirt and jeans. He has a phone pressed to his ear, speaking rapidly in Bulgarian.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxAjCMQ7Kg9
My smile widens instinctively.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvJx9I3Ygo6
A fellow Bulgarian? That's rare around here.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMxkRvgAtU4
Is this pride I feel in my chest?
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi52gMS9vus
But then I catch the words spilling out of his mouth. And my smile wavers.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ68ltoutCl5
"Te toku-shto se nanesokha, a tya izglezhda kato edin ot onezi mrŭsni bogatashi. Mislya, che moga da vzema dopŭlnitelni $5000 ot neya za prozortsite. Mislish li, che shte go kupi?"
They just moved in, and she looks like one of those filthy rich ones. I think I can get an extra $5000 from her for the windows. Think she'll buy it?
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWdncen4WIH
My stomach twists.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn5jjQVtL7Y
Five thousand dollars?!
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLV0LgM2vP9
This man is sick. A full-blown con artist!
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6FQSOAKDL0
That's more than some people make in a month. And he's scheming to squeeze it out of someone just because they look 'filthy rich.'
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3pRGDGAArK
The hell is wrong with people these days?
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh9iO0KWKd1
He lets out a low laugh, wrapping up his call with a casual, "Chao, choveche." Bye, man.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxnYn8BGQpp
'Chao, choveche' my ass, you bloody swindler.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXwbWRM3IwC
I exhale slowly, forcing my smile back on as he approaches the counter, pretending I haven't heard a wink of him plotting daylight robbery.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ea3DO2SPq
"Hi. What can I get you?" I ask, my voice sweet as maple syrup.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwWx3Q5oBOK
I fix his order, hand it over, and watch as he leaves, my eyes tracking his every move through the window.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsfywfZ2Lrj
He crosses the street and enters one of the residential houses—the one that's been empty for months.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpjhaHTSxEN
Seconds later, a moving truck rumbles past, pulling away from the curb.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ77cVno5fZj
Someone just moved in.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4vJfKbWrRf
I'm guessing they're the unlucky ones about to get swindled by this scumbag.
227Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF2UueNuvTG
Looks like I've got new neighbors to say hello to.
ns216.73.216.94da2
