CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

S age zipped up her boots, grabbed her handbag and headed to the kitchen to grab something for breakfast. She had about ten minutes before the bus arrived.

Fortunately, the stop was just a few houses away.

“Yes, fine, fine. I’ll make sure she gets it,” Tony said, pushing his way inside the house carrying a gift basket. “Jesus, couriers are pushy these days.”

“What are you doing here?” Sage asked, looking at the clock. It was nearly eight.

“I left my swipe card here, so had to come home first.” He groaned and sent her a look, which told her Tony thought it was her fault.

Sage ignored the look and glanced at the wicker basket.

“Oh, here.” He handed it to her.

She placed it on the kitchen bench. She could already smell one item and it was making her mouth water. Hot coffee.

Butterflies tickled the insides of her tummy as she lifted the rose to her nose. Was it from Ari?

Sage had woken feeling a mix of guilt and confusion.

Having sex with Oliver again had been incredible, but it felt as if the fun they’d had together was now over. Sage knew they wouldn’t do it again. Not least because Ari had staked a claim on her.

Whether or not he knew it, he had.

He’d asked her—correction, told her—to cancel her date with Carl and now she had come out of the sex haze that Ari seemed to put her in, she wasn’t sure that was a good idea.

He still hadn’t committed to anything but fucking her. Sage had to admit she loved every second with him, but there was more to a relationship that sex and he left before she woke up. Every damn time.

It was unlikely she and Ari had a future, so she was going on the date with Carl. Heck, he might end up being the man she grew old with. He ticked all the must-haves on her Life List , so she would be a fool to cancel.

Plus, her mother would love him. He was an accountant for crying out loud. She could gush about him to the church ladies for hours.

Sage pulled out the carefully positioned hot drink in a cute reusable cup and placed it on the countertop. Next to it was a square carton with a hot toasted bagel smothered in cream cheese and jelly.

Her mouth watered.

She had missed dinner last night and was starving, but it had been worth it. So worth it.

She lifted the blue folded card with little silver stars, and read: Mia stellina, you are perfect, Ari x

She let out a little gasp.

She hadn’t picked Ari for a romantic.

“No good?” Tony asked, coming out of his bedroom.

“What? Oh, no it’s fine.” She waved him off. When he got to the front door, Sage called out. “Will you be home tonight?”

Tony turned and shook his head. “I’ll stay at Teresa’s again. Look Sage, I was going to wait until the weekend, but I think we’re going to get our own place.”

Hallelujah... wait, mortgage payments.

“Oh.”

“Yeah, sorry, but I think this is just not working out anymore. We’re a proper couple you know, so it’s just different.”

Sage frowned. “I’m sorry, what’s different?”

Irritation ran through her. She knew exactly what Tony meant. Ari was the first man she’d brought home since Tony had moved in. Clearly, what they’d heard through the walls on Saturday had been a little too much for them. Sage knew they had been loud, but Tony’s comment was inappropriate and highly judgmental.

More than that, it stunk of superiority. Why? Because Ari looked dangerous and had tattoos?

Asshole.

“Just, you know. Our relationships,” he replied.

“Still not getting it,” Sage said, letting him spell it out like the complete asshole he was.

“Being around what you’re doing with that man, sorry, but it’s just awkward.”

No Tony. It’s awkward because I had a real man—okay two, but you don’t know about Oliver, so we’ll forget that for now—who made me scream. Loudly. Multiple times. And you and your little girlfriend didn’t like how irrelevant it made your vanilla sex seem.

Sage nearly laughed. She’d had enough of him and was glad he was moving out. If there was any doubt left in his mind, she was about to make it even more awkward.

“I get it. I’ve been hearing you guys for months. Totally... well, I think we both know how different our sex lives are. So sure, best you two find your own place.” Sage sipped her coffee.

Tony went bright red, and she held his stare.

As for whether she was in a proper relationship, well yes, that had hit a nerve. It was just sex with Ari, she knew that. Perhaps things with Carl would be different, but for Tony to point it out was totally rude.

She glanced down at the note and heard the door close firmly.

Asshole.

Sage grabbed the bagel and coffee and ran out the door to catch her bus.

BY THE TIME SHE GOT to the office, the bagel was toast (pun intended), and her coffee tumbler was empty. She placed it on her desk, tucked her phone into her pocket and slid her handbag into the drawer where it was secure.

Even though access to her office was restricted, with thumb print only, there were still a large number of people who could get in. The more restricted areas required retina and she wasn’t permitted in those areas yet.

Sage logged onto her computer and began pulling out her test tubes and samples from yesterday.

Today could be the day she found out about her promotion. If she didn’t hear from them by tomorrow, she’d start to worry.

Now Tony was moving out.

Sage was relieved. The loved-up couple had been slowly driving her insane for months. However, she had a big mortgage to pay, and Tony’s rent was needed. If she got the promotion things would look quite different—it came with a hefty pay rise.

Ping. Ari Moretti.

Sage’s heart tap-danced in her chest when she saw his name on the screen. She smiled stupidly and quickly swiped.

Buongiorno, gorgeous.

Good morning, thank you for breakfast.

It was my pleasure. I love knowing you’re fed and happy.

Sage smiled. How sweet.

...

She waited for him to send whatever he was typing.

Would you like to fulfil one of my fantasies tonight?

Sage coughed in surprise and a colleague glanced over. She patted her chest and mouthed sorry.

There was only four of them in this sterile room and they weren’t the rowdiest bunch of people. She was looking forward to moving on with her career and working with new people. Hopefully.

Her eyes dropped back to the messages. Would she?

Should I be nervous?

I have a feeling you will enjoy it. Have a good day, mia stellina.

You too x

Oh no!

She’d sent a kiss. Dammit. It had been automatic. Now Ari was going to think she was in love with him and probably run a mile. Ugh, maybe she should have said something sexier? She had no idea how to stext. Or was it sext?

God.

What did one say when signing off to a lover? Nice penis and have a nice day? She palmed her forehead and tucked her phone back into her pocket.

Better she focus on science. At least she was good at that.

Sage rinsed her Tupperware container under the water while her BioZen colleagues milled around, making, or eating, their lunch in the cafeteria.

“Sage!” Talia called out.

“Oh hey, you’re back. I thought you were away another week,” Sage said to her work friend. The two had hit it off immediately when they had started the same day. Talia worked in administration, but they’d both had to do the two-day induction together which had cemented their friendship.

“It’s been two weeks, girl.” Talia laughed. “Look at this tan. The Caribbean was amazing.” She had recently married her college sweetheart and the two of them had disappeared to the tropics for a honeymoon.

Sage was jealous.

What she wouldn’t do for a holiday in the sun. A vision of Ari lying on the sand, wet after swimming in the ocean, filled her mind.

Holy shit.

They’d never make it out of the room if they were in the tropics together, with his gorgeous muscular body.

“What have I missed?” Talia said, walking down the hallway with her.

Sage bit her lower lip and grinned.

“Oh my God, what?” Talia whispered. “Spill.”

If there was one person on earth she could tell, it was Talia. They two of them swapped their naughty books, as they called them, and swooned over new book boyfriends. But it had taken a work function and about four glasses of wine before they’d opened up about some of the sexier stuff.

They’d dared each other to try some of the things and the next day giggled about it. Talia had a husband to try them with, but he wasn’t open to it. And Sage was single.

Still, from time to time, they still joked around. Now Sage had a story to tell.

“Okay, come in here.” She giggled and pulled Talia into a storage cupboard.

Talia’s eyes widened. “Now I’m really intrigued.”

Sage blushed as she found the words to explain what she’d done. “I slept with—”

“Someone? Oh my God, who?”

“Well, two someone’s,” Sage replied.

Talia stared at her and then slowly, her eyes widened. “Noooo.”

Sage nodded, a small smirk on her lips.

“No!”

“Yup. Twice.” She grinned, feeling really proud of herself.

“Holy. Shit,” Talia said. “Tell me everything!”

Sage shared the story of how she met Ari and Oliver and the past few days of her life. She left out the part about her growing feelings for Ari and she didn’t mention Carl.

“I need to see a photo,” Talia said.

A photo? Sage had never thought to take a photo of Ari or Oliver.

“I don’t have one, sorry,” she said. “I’ll get one tonight.”

“Are you seeing both of them?”

Sage shook her head. “No, just Ari.”

“Are they friends or roommates?” Talia asked, and Sage realized she didn’t know all that much about either of them.

“No. It’s... well, I don’t know. They live in Medina.”

Talia’s eyes flew wide. “Oh. Do you think they’re ultra-rich guys into weird stuff? Be careful Sage.”

She frowned.

“Ari wouldn’t hurt me,” Sage said, knowing in her soul it was true. “He’s quite protective in a way.”

Talia pressed her lips together in that pretend smile friends gave you when they want to say you are an idiot.

Maybe she was. Sage was glad she had her date with Carl. It made her feel less stupid.

“Let’s catch up tomorrow for lunch. I have to get back to the lab. Nice tan by the way.” Sage grinned and raced off.

When she opened the office door, Sandy Longstar, Senior Scientist of Project Callan, was standing near her desk.

“Here she is,” one of her colleagues said.

“Sage.” Sandy smiled professionally at her, then held out her arm. “Follow me, please.”

Her heart pounded. She knew this was about her promotion. In moments, she’d find out if she was successful or not.

They stepped into Sandy’s office, and she closed the door.

“Thank you for applying for the new associate scientist position in Project Callan,” Sandy said. “Management were very impressed with your interview.”

Thump, thump, thump.

“We’d like to offer you the position,” Sandy said.

Holy sh—

“However, there are a few more steps we need to take before it’s official.”

What steps?

“First, we need you to look through this contract and sign it. If you’d like to review it overnight, then you are most welcome,” Sandy said.

Nope, she would sign anything right now.

“Wow, thank you very much. It should be fine. I can just take a few minutes, then sign it,” Sage said, knowing she sounded eager but didn’t care.

Sandy smiled at her.

“Once you’ve done that, we’ll show you around the Project Callan laboratory and offices,” Sandy said. “It’s important you understand the strict level of security in this top-secret project, so please read the contract carefully.”

Sage nodded.

“We’re working with governments around the world, and I can share with you now that we’ve undertaken a thorough security check on both you and your family.”

Oh? That seemed extreme given she already had a contract with BioZen.

“I see.” She felt less sure.

Sandy handed her a large white envelope. “There are two copies in here. Please read and sign, then pop back in here when you are ready. I’ll be here the rest of the afternoon.”

“Thank you.” Sage left, holding the envelope in her hand like it held her future in it.

Perhaps it did.

She found a small breakaway meeting room and shut herself in and began going through the documents. After reading all twelve pages, all she could ascertain was she was unable to share anything she saw, heard, or discussed outside the walls of the department. Not even with her colleagues. She would be given a higher security clearance.

She knew what that meant.

A chip.

As a scientist she was reluctant to agree to that, but then again, this was the way of the world now and she didn’t really have a choice.

There were a lot of other rules, which seemed odd, but in the end, she signed and dropped it off to Sandy.

“Fantastic,” Sandy said, shaking her hand. “Welcome to the team, Sage. What I am about to show you is going to change your life.”

Sage tilted her head in interest but chewed her lip as Sandy walked to the door.

“Follow me.”