Chapter 98. Day Five: The Real Puppeteer (3)

“Hey Nathan,” she said, coming up to the front door.

Nothing underneath that coat. Oh the things he could do to her. The wounds she could soothe in him. But she did something to him. The game, the chase, none of it was fun anymore. Didn’t seem to matter when another man got to take her home in two days.

“Thank you, for everything you have done for me over the last few days. For what it is worth, I liked the trickster. The challenge. The liar. With you around, I never felt lonely. So if you ever want to talk about whatever, come and find me,” she said, offering him a warm smile.

He could not quite return it with as much zeal. There was contentment in her eyes. No lingering resentment. Maybe he did not give her up for nothing after all. With only a bow and a nod, he left her behind.

***

Meanwhile, Aaron expertly slipped back into the main house, careful not to be noticed. Years of experience making it into places without being noticed meant he knew how to