Chapter 23

RULE #22: IF YOU WANT IT, TAKE IT.

Presh

"Maybe instead of going out, we can get takeaways and hang out at your place," Bandi says, as he puts his hand on my thigh while I drive.

He had a friend drop him at his dad's, which makes me wonder if this was his plan all along. My skin prickles just from his touch.

I can't tell if Bandi's changed, I've changed, or the entire dynamic between us has. But there's no chemistry, no sparks, nothing left of what we had before. This guy I used to be so smitten with, who I let bring me down so low… can't hurt me anymore.

I don't feel like the same girl he broke up with, and maybe I'm not. I feel like this new version of me. The one Musa helped build back up.

God, even the thought of his name makes me feel queasy. We had a moment, and I'm pretty sure we were about to have an even bigger one, but then Bandi showed up and Musa couldn't hand me over fast enough. It hurt, especially after that whole you have no idea what I want to do to you speech. The second his son walked through that door, my hope shattered.

"Umm… that sounds good. Pizza?"

"Sure. We can just order from your place."

"Okay," I reply with a forced smile.

"So, you really like working for my dad?" he asks.

"Yeah. I do. And he says I could easily work my way up into management."

Bandi scoffs. "Not with that business, I hope."