Female Novel
Chapter 1028
Chapter 79 : The Future Orb
“You want me to what!?" I cried, gaping at Lucas.
He moved around our room, getting dressed and gathering supplies for his trip to the Northern Librarywith Xander.
“You said it yourself. Stone is doing a lot better in this reality than in ours. I bet there's a reason forthat."
“Yeah, because this is a different reality," I reminded him.
I sat in bed, the covers tucked around my hips. Lucas was crazy if he thought I was going to try to getcloser to Stone.
That man was intolerable and after last night, I didn't think I could stand to see him again in this realityor any other.
“Sasha, we need to find the orb. So far, everyone we've encountered in this time loop has had a similarlife to the ones we know."
“What about Donovan? He was living a lot better in this reality."
Lucas pursed his lips. “Donovan was still an ass who was trying to control you. He wasn't living anybetter. We just hadn't met for me to keep him away from you."
I sighed. Lucas had a point. The Stone we met last night was drastically different and far wealthier than
the one from our reality. It was hard to believe that a different timeline could benefit him so much unlesshe'd consciously changed things to be a certain way.
“I can't keep Xander waiting. Sasha, I trust you, and I think you'll be able to get some good informationfrom him. He was interested in you before."
“Lucas, he has supermodels dripping off of him like sweat."
Lucas chuckled. “Well, he probably has to pay them. If you show the least bit of interest, I'm sure he'llbe intrigued."
“You really want me to pretend to like him or be into him?"
Lucas grimaced and shook his head. “I don't want that at all. And you can bet that if he so much as laysa finger on you, I'll snap it off. Just be nice."
“You're going to owe me for this, big time. I couldn't stand Stone before and now, he's even worse."
Lucas grinned. He cupped my face and leaned in, kissing my forehead.
“Oh, I promise I'll make it up to you."
He brushed his nose against mine and touched our lips together.
My breath caught in my throat and my stomach twisted. My thighs trembled as the heat in my coreblossomed. I reached for Lucas, but he pulled away.
“The king is waiting for me. But I promise, I'll make it up to you."
I groaned when the door closed and flopped back on the pillows. Lucas got to go dig through anancient temple and I had to cozy up to some creep.
Next time, I'd make him do the cozying.
As I got dressed, I put on a pair of leggings that clearly outlined my hips and a soft T-shirt with a low-cutV-neck. I knew my outfit would catch the attention of a guy like Stone without making it seem like I wastrying to get his attention.
I gave myself a once-over in the mirror before heading through the palace. I hoped Lena could tell mewhere to find Stone Hamline.
As I walked down the main hallway, an office door opened and none other than Stone appeared. Hehummed to himself, carefully locking his door.
“Oh!" He paused when he saw me. “I know you."
“Y-you do?"
Dammit, was this whole operation blown before I even got started? Had Stone and I crossed paths inthis reality? That might complicate things.
I took a nervous half-step back.
Stone smirked and waggled his eyebrows at me. “You were at the networking gather last night."
I sighed with relief and nodded. “I was. You made quite the entrance."
I smiled flirtatiously and wound a tendril of hair around my pointer finger. It was easy to flirt with a guylike Stone. He already expected women to fall all over him.
“What can I say? I love it when all eyes are on me." He chuckled and held his hand out. “I'm StoneHamline."
“Sasha Wentworth." I shook his hand, keeping my flirty smile in place.
My stomach kept churning at every little look I gave him, but I had do what I had to do.
“I was surprised to see some new faces. It's not every day that the king and queen let new people intotheir inner circle. You must have done something impressive to catch their attention."
“Well, yes. We made quite a name for ourselves in the Light Realm and decided to expand ourarchitecture firm here. King Xander and Queen Lena were kind enough to help us out."
“'We?' Oh, you mean the man that was with you?" Stone frowned, and I knew exactly what he wasthinking.
“Yes, my business partner," I said quickly, hoping that would keep him interested in me. “He providesthe funding and I provide the brilliant ideas."
I licked my lips slowly and smiled playfully. Stone's eyes locked onto my lips.
“The two of you must work very… closely together," he challenged.
I shrugged. “Like I said, we're a team. He's made me very wealthy, and I've made the name of his firmknown throughout the Light Realm."
“I see. Then the two of you are just business partners?"
I nodded and gave Stone a sultry look. “I don't like to mix business with pleasure. But I don't mind alittle pleasure on the side."
Stone smirked and clutched his chest. “A woman after my own heart. Still, I'm surprised that I've neverheard of you or your partner. I know everyone worth knowing in the Light and Dark Realms."
I bit my lower lip and leaned in, running a finger down Stone's chest. “Obviously not everyone." Iwinked.
His jaw dropped slightly and I could see the lust in his eyes. I had him now.
“Are you busy?" I asked breathily.
He glanced from side to side. “Actually, yes. I'm on my way to see the queen. As the department headof the Royal Engineers, I have a lot of paperwork to go through with her."
“Oh." I bowed my head and made sure to look like I was really disappointed.
Department head of the Royal Engineers? Stone definitely had better fortunes in this timeline. In my
world, the king and queen didn't think highly enough of him to make him a head engineer, least of all ofthe Royal Engineers.
Lucas was right. He must have done something, like use the orb. I just needed to get to his place andlook around for it.
“Don't look so sad, sweetie. I prefer my pleasure at night, anyway. Once I'm done with the queen, I canshow you a good time."
“Promise?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Oh yeah. I'll take you back to my place and show you how good life can be when you're living at thetop."
I nodded. “I'd like that a lot. I bet you could show me something I've never seen before. Tonight, then?"
Stone nodded; eyes glued to me. I turned away from him and added some swish in my hips as I lefthim in the hall.
There was no doubt in my mind that I could get whatever I wanted out of him now.
As soon as I was around the corner, I groaned and shook off the skeevy feeling all over my body. Myskin crawled in every direction and I felt like I needed a shower. This wasn't how I wanted to spend myday.
I went back to the guest room and took a shower. Then I spent time carefully picking out my outfit fortonight. I wanted to be seductive without being slutty.
After I got dressed, I tucked a knife up my sleeve. I wasn't planning on getting in a fight, but somethingtold me Stone liked to take what he wanted, even if I didn't want to give it. I wanted to make sure I hada way to defend myself if things got out of hand.
Stone pulled up in a fancy car outside the palace. He came around to the passenger door and openedit for me.
“Ready for a night you'll never forget?"
I smiled and nodded. “Of course. What a nice car." I ran my fingers over the hood.
Stone watched my every move. I could only imagine what he was thinking about, but I really didn't wantto.
“All perks of the job, babe."
Stone drove me into the capital and to his house. It was more like a mansion. He'd obviously done wellfor himself.
The entire ride to his house, Stone droned on about the projects that got him noticed by the palace andthat he'd used to help him make a name for himself.
I mostly tuned him out. How much could one guy really say about himself? Apparently, Stone could saya lot.
As soon as we got inside, I felt the presence of the orb. It washed over me and I gasped, a shudder
running down my spine.
“Are you alright, Sasha?" Stone touched my shoulder.
I nodded and mustered a smile. “Yeah. Your house is gorgeous. I'm surprised in your good taste." Inodded to the closest painting.
Stone chuckled and grabbed a bottle of wine. He poured us each a glass of wine. He handed me oneand smirked.
“So, tell me about some of the projects that put you on the map." He sat on the couch and beckonedme to sit with him.
Slowly, I sat down and set my untouched wine aside.
“The first project that put me on the map was a restoration project, actually," I said. “My team restored atemple with exact recreations of the architecture from the time it was built. A lot of people didn't thinkwe could do it, but we did and that's when everything changed."
Apparently, Lucas wasn't the only one who could come up with a bullshit backstory on the spot. I was alittle proud of myself for it.
“Hey… I've got to use the little girl's room. Can you point me in the right direction?"
“Upstairs. The first door on the right. It isn't the master bathroom, but you'll get to see that later."
He winked at me as I got up.
I withheld my cringe until I was on the second floor. Just to lessen suspicions, I opened the bathroomdoor and closed it but I stayed in the hall.
The orb was much closer to me on the second floor. I could feel it calling to me like lighthouse throughfog. novelbin
I took my shoes off and tiptoed down the hall to the master bedroom. Knowing Stone, he probably keptit in his bedroom. I went in, and the orb was definitely there.
Quickly and quietly, I began searching the drawers. When that didn't give me anything, I looked underthe pillows and around the bedsheets. Tucked under a corner of the mattress, I found the orb.
Relief wash through me and I picked it up.
“Well, well. I knew you were up to something. I never thought you'd go after the orb." Stone entered thebedroom and shut the door.
“This doesn't belong to you! You're messing with time."
“Pfft. I'm just looking out for myself, sweetheart, whatever it takes."
“And you don't care who gets hurt in the process? You don't care whose lives you ruin?"
Stone sneered. “Nope! It is all about me."
He lunged at me and grabbed at the orb. I curled my fingers around it protectively.
“I'm not giving it to you."
Stone tackled me and pinned me down. I couldn't go for my knife and hold onto the orb at the sametime....
He grabbed my hand and pried my fingers off.
“Don't worry. Soon, none of this will matter to you."
He held up the orb and a blinding white light flashed around me.
The world disappeared.