Page 18 of Coveted By Cupid

Quietly, I move to the kitchen. A splash of red catches my attention. There, sticking out of the garbage can against the wall, is a bunch of red roses—fresh ones, from the look of it.

My brows pinch together. Why would Vanessa throw away a perfectly fine bouquet of roses?

I scratch my chin, trying to make sense of it when it hits me. Perhaps the flowers were unwanted, as in someone she doesn’t like gave them to her.

Is it some guy with a crush? An ex? A stalker?

My mind spins with culprits, and I don’t like any of the options. Whoever is bothering her, it ends now.

Needing more clues who could have given her the roses, I rummage through the rest of the trash but find nothing. After I quickly wash my hands in the kitchen sink, I keep looking.

I move around the small island of her kitchen, noticing a stack of mail. I quickly glance through the pile of mostly open envelopes. A credit card bill, a clipper coupon leaflet, and a torn-in-half envelope with her name scribbled across the front.

Curious, I pull out the torn paper halves, placing them together to read the letter.

Vanessa,

What can I say? I’m an idiot. I’m so sorry for straying and for how you found out. You know Riley meant nothing. She is nothing. I don’t know why I did it.

You know how I’ve been stressed with finances and paying for school? Well, a few months back, Riley introduced me to this guy she knows who could help me make a ton of money fast. Unfortunately, I got involved in something way over my head, and I’m not sure how long I can keep doing it.

Between work and struggling to keep up in classes, I guess I fell into a depression. You’ve been so busy with classes, clinic hours, and work, I didn’t feel like I could burden you with my shit.

So I started venting to Riley. She was there and easy to talk to. I know you told me not to blame you for my fuckups, but I needed someone and you wouldn’t understand what I was going through. It’s no excuse for what I did, but I swear what you saw was a one-off. My boss gave me an impossible assignment, and I was stressed. I went to your place, and Riley followed me because she was worried about me. I let myself into your apartment, hoping you were back from your exam and you weren’t. Riley stayed with me, waiting for you to come before leaving me alone.

Well, we started talking and one thing led to another…I regret all of it. I never meant for you to walk in on us because it was never planned to begin with.

The stress got to me, and it led me to the biggest screw-up of my life. I love you, Vanessa. I understand you hate me and never want to speak with me again, but I’m begging you to give me another chance. If you say yes, I swear I’ll never stray again.

I’ll buy you a new couch, just give me a chance.

XOXO

Boden

An ex—I fucking called it. He’s probably the one who gave her the roses. Her studying on the floor instead of the couch makes a lot more sense if he fucked another woman on it. The nerve of this asshole screwing another in her sanctuary is astounding.

My nose scrunches as I read his name again. What kind of Gen Z name is Boden? It just sounds weak.

Hmm, on second thought, it’s a fitting name for the fool. He had a dream girl and threw her away for an easy lay. Pathetic.

At least now I know who to look out for and who I’ll fuck up if he continues to harass Vanessa.

Setting the torn letter aside, I move past the kitchen into the bedroom end of the studio apartment. She has a platform bed with a burgundy duvet. And there in the center of her bed, like a forgotten item left out, is a…what the hell is it?

Curious, I tilt my head and step closer.

The item looks like one of those facial pore suction thingies I see all the time in ads on social media. But I don’t have the first clue why it would be in the middle of her bed.

I pick up the item, turning it over in my hands, before hitting the button on the back.

The thing immediately revs, pulsing and shaking in hands like it’s about to rocket off.

My, my, my! Vanessa is a dirty girl, and I’m more than thrilled about it.

I chuckle, turning off the vibrator as I sit down on her bed.

When did she last use this? Today? Before I arrived?