SHE MY BEST FRIEND.

ORION.

"Tell me more about him, please!"

Athena's whine grated on my nerves for what felt like the hundredth time, and I let out a deep sigh as I scrolled through my phone, trying to ignore her. We were eating lunch on my kitchen island, the casual atmosphere a stark contrast to the tension building inside me as she talks about him.

"There's nothing more to tell, Tina," I replied, trying to sound nonchalant despite the turmoil brewing inside.

Athena's eyes sparkled with mischief as she ground out her next words, "Come on...don't be like that, I've seen the texts. I know he's definitely into you." Her voice was laced with a knowing tone, as if she'd uncovered some deep, dark secret.

I rolled my eyes inwardly, thinking, Well, no shit, Sherlock! The man had literally told me he wanted to do "very bad things" to me. It wasn't exactly subtle. But I bit my tongue, hesitant to share the explicit details with Athena. She might be my best friend, but some things were better left unsaid.

I attempted to downplay the situation, trying to sound nonchalant. "You're thinking crazy stuff, Tina. I've never been with a guy and he's just messing around," I said, hoping to deflect her probing questions.

But Athena was having none of it. She drew out her next words with a hint of sarcasm and teasing, "So... you're rejecting him because you haven't been with a guy and not because you don't want to fuck him?" Her voice was laced with amusement, and I could feel my face heating up with embarrassment.

I gasped, trying to play the role of the scandalized friend. "Language, Tina!" I exclaimed, trying to sound shocked.

Athena just giggled like a schoolgirl, clearly enjoying my discomfort. She sauntered over to the fridge, pulling out a drink as she continued to chuckle. I sighed again, feeling like I was trapped in some kind of bizarre, flirtation-fueled vortex with Harro.

As I stood at the sink, scrubbing away at the plates, Athena's relentless questioning about Harro continued. It was a typical Saturday afternoon at my penthouse, with the two of us lounging around and catching up. But Athena's curiosity about Harro had reached new heights, and I couldn't help but laugh at her dramatics.

"Will you see him tomorrow?" she asked, taking a sip of her juice as she leaned against the kitchen counter. I chuckled, knowing that I couldn't avoid Harro even if I wanted to, he's made sure of that.

"It's a company party to celebrate the successful merger, Tina," I replied, rinsing off the soap. "Everyone will be there, so it'll be impossible not to see him." Athena let out a dramatic groan, throwing her head back in mock despair.

"I can't believe this is happening when I'm out of town," she fake-pouted, making me laugh. I shook my head, smiling as I continued to do the dishes. Little did Athena know, I was just as curious about Harro as she was. And tomorrow's party was going to be awkward for sure.

As I finished up the dishes, my mind wandered to the party tomorrow night. I was genuinely disappointed that Athena wouldn't be able to make it as my plus one. We always had an amazing time together, and her presence was a great buffer against the usual crowd of women who flocked to me at these events.

People often assumed we were a couple, and it was easy to see why. We'd been inseparable since childhood, and our families had always been close. But despite our strong bond, Athena and I had never been able to make it work as a romantic couple.

We'd tried dating in high school, and it had been a sweet, innocent experience. We'd even shared our first kiss, but as time went on, we'd both realized that something was missing. We'd broken up, but our friendship had only grown stronger.

Now, we found ourselves in a peculiar situation. Our families were eager to see us settle down, and they'd begun to hint at arranging marriages for us. To avoid this fate, we'd started pretending to be a couple, at least when our families were around. It was a delicate balancing act, but it seemed to be working for now.

As I thought about Athena's travels and our infrequent hangouts, I felt a pang of loneliness. Tomorrow night's party would be a lot less fun without her by my side. But I knew I'd have to navigate the evening on my own, and that included dealing with Harro's presence.

As Athena prepared to leave, I walked her to the elevator, exchanging warm smiles and well-wishes for her trip. "Call me when you get home?" I asked, and she nodded, blowing me a kiss as the elevator doors closed.

I headed back to my sitting room, feeling a sense of calm wash over me after our relaxing afternoon together. But my tranquility was short-lived, as my phone chimed, signaling an incoming text. I glanced at the screen, and my heart skipped a beat as I saw Harro's name.

My eyes widened as I read the message, my cheeks flushing a deep pink. The words were bold, suggestive, and left little to the imagination. I felt a shiver run down my spine as I realized what this was, indeed, he was sexting me.

My mind racing, I wondered what I had gotten myself into. Harro's message was unmistakable, and I couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement mixed with a dash of trepidation. Did he mean what he said? I've never been with a guy but I'm not against the idea. And how would I respond to this provocative message?

As I stood there, my phone still clutched in my hand, I couldn't help but feel a sense of confusion mixed with curiosity. I knew that ignoring Harro wouldn't make him go away; I'd already tried that, and it had only seemed to fuel his pursuit.

His reputation preceded him, and I wondered if he was the type of person who would lose interest once he'd achieved his goal. Would he leave me alone once he'd gotten what he wanted? And, more importantly, would I be okay with that?

Harro's words echoed in my mind: "I want you." But what did that entail? What did he want from me, exactly? The uncertainty was driving me crazy, and I found myself plagued by questions.

Despite my initial reservations, I had to admit that Harro's relentless pursuit had become somewhat...enjoyable. I looked forward to his calls and messages, even though I still pretended to be annoyed when he contacted me. It was a strange feeling, one that I couldn't quite explain.

As I stood there, lost in thought, I realized that I was torn. Part of me wanted to give in to Harro's advances, to see where this thing between us might go. But another part of me was hesitant, unsure if I was ready for the potential consequences of getting involved with someone with his reputation.