Two Can Play (Celeste and Dominic) novel Chapter 155

Chapter 155

I reached for my phone and saw a text message from Dominic. It was an address, a location I did not fully recognize, followed by a brief note: “I have granted you access. Use your fingerprints when you arrive.”

I stared at the message, my brow furrowing. My fingerprints? How did he get my fingerprints? I had never given him my fingerprints. And why would he go through the trouble of setting that up? The question nagged at me, curiosity flickering through the gloom of my mood, and I felt the corners of my mouth twitch despite myself.

“Wow, Dominic,” I murmured to the empty room. “You get more interesting by the day.”

But the smile did not last. It faded as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by the familiar weight of what I had to do.

I got out of bed and went through my morning routine, showering, brushing my teeth, combing my hair. I planned to focus my attention on work until it was time to leave. I did not want to allow any distractions. But when I walked into the main lab, I felt the eyes on me immediately.

The staff who had been there the night before, who had seen Julian on his knees surrounded by a hundred bouquets, who had witnessed the entire spectacle, they were all staring. Some whispered, their voices low enough that I could not make out the words but loud enough that I knew they were talking about me.

Pat appeared at my side, her voice low and steady. “You know how the world works. It is normal for people to whisper. Give them a few days and it will all die down.”

“I know,” I said, keeping my eyes fixed on the equipment in front of me. “I know my situation makes for juicy gossip. I really cannot control what people say. It is just the looks of pity that are getting to me. They are making me upset and embarrassed.”

meant more to me than I wanted to admit.

At three o’clock, I began to get ready. I had agreed to be at Dominic’s place at four, and I did not want to be late. I pulled out my makeup bag and stared at it, the tubes and brushes and palettes that I had used to make myself beautiful for him before I put them in my drawer. What was the need? I was not going there to attract him. I was going there to put an end to our affair. There was no reason to look beautiful for that conversation. I changed my mind three more times before finally shoving the whole bag into my purse anyway, just in case.

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