Until You (Off-Limits)

It took me close to a week, but I finally found the time to check out the latest watchlist entry on the Nemesis Platform, and part of me wishes I hadn’t.

It’s him. The guy that killed Aria and Noah’s parents.

He might have been listed anonymously, but that’s too many coincidences. The bad breakup. Nyx telling me she had a big day coming up right before Aria’s first day at work. And now this.

I can’t ignore it any longer. I can’t keep lying to myself. I’ve suspected Nyx’s identity for a while now, and if I’m truly honest with myself, I knew from the moment I saw her finish a query using patterns I’d only ever seen in two places before: in Brad’s software, and on the Nemesis Platform.

Fucking hell… is this some sort of joke? A twist of fate? I don’t know what it is, but what I do know is that Aria and Nyx are the same person. The girl of my dreams… is my best friend’s little sister.

I’ve been fantasizing about her, fuck. Some of the shit I’ve said to her, telling her I wanted her lips around my cock, that I’d make her moan my name. Shit.

I tense when Aria walks into the living room, another one of her big T-shirts on, a towel raised to her wet hair. “Hey, Gray,” she says, walking up to me, and I click away the information I found.

Should I tell her? I should say something, but what? The things I’ve said to her as Ash, damn. She’d be horrified if she knew it was me. The idea of her looking at me with disgust in her eyes has me gritting my teeth.

Besides… I’m not a hundred percent sure, am I?

Aria sits down on the sofa beside me and grabs her laptop. She doesn’t even notice me staring at her. Could she be Nyx? If I’m honest, I’ve been imagining Aria’s face every time I think of Nyx. Part of me already expected it to be her, wanted it even.

Lately, our conversations have gotten more and more inappropriate, and there’s no going back. There’s no way for us to pretend it never happened, that she didn’t turn me on, that I didn’t tell her I want to fuck her.

My phone buzzes, and I jump. My heart races when I realize it’s a notification from the Nemesis Platform.

Nyx: I have a pun for you. It’s a good one this time. Are you ready? Ash… you’re my density.

I glance at Aria to find her staring at her screen, a small smile on her face and a twinkle in her eyes.

Nyx: Get it? Destiny? Density? It’s a nerdy pun for you.

Aria laughs, and my heart skips a beat. “What’s so funny?” I ask her. She freezes, as though she’s only just remembering that I’m sitting here.

“Oh Gray, it’s nothing,” she says, a faint blush staining her cheeks pink. She looks beautiful, sitting on the sofa with me, her hair still wet, not a trace of makeup on her face. She’s fucking breathtaking, and she’s so far out of reach. I can’t ever go there with Noah’s little sister… but Nyx… I could have the part of Aria that is Nyx.

Aria looks back at her screen and bites down on her lip. I see the impatience in her eyes, and it tugs at my heartstrings. All this time I’ve been wondering about Nyx, wondering if she enjoys our conversations as much as I do. Now I know.

I glance down at my phone as I type a reply, a faint smile on my face. I’m feeling conflicted, but I can’t resist either. I’m addicted to Nyx.

Ash: Baby, how do you keep getting worse at this? Seriously, try Google. It’s the only thing that can save you at this point.

Aria giggles, her eyes meeting mine briefly before she looks down at her screen. “Sorry,” she murmurs, before she starts to type.

Nyx: …that WAS from Google.

Ash: Wow. I have no words.

Aria bursts out laughing, and I move closer to her. She slams her laptop closed before I get close enough to see what she’s up to, and I lean back beside her, my thigh grazing against hers. She tenses, and I wrap my arm around the back of the sofa, over her head.

“What’s got you giggling like that?” I ask, part of me wondering if it might just come up. I’m not a superstitious man, but tonight I’m looking for a sign. Do I tell her, or not?

Aria turns to look at me, her face flushed. “Oh, I was texting a friend. It’s really nothing,” she says, a hint of guilt in her eyes.

I nod, my eyes roaming over her face. She’s stunning, and those lips of hers… yeah, they’ve starred in all my recent fantasies of Nyx. Lately, things have been different between us. We haven’t crossed any lines, but there’s definitely an attraction. Is she feeling conflicted about it the way I was? I felt guilty texting Nyx while imagining Aria, and maybe she feels the same way.

“How has work been? Have you adapted well?” I ask, trying to find something to talk about; a way to explain why I suddenly moved closer to her. Besides, we’ve barely had time to talk lately. We’ve both been far too busy with work. Aria and I try to eat together at night, but usually we’re both sitting at the dining table with our laptops out, and more often than not, she disappears into her bedroom straight after. I guess that’s what made it easier to miss the signs.

Thinking of her lying in bed just a few steps away during all the late-night conversations we’ve had recently, fuck.

Aria looks up at me and smiles, making my heart skip a beat. “It’s honestly been so great,” she tells me. I lean in and brush a wet strand of hair out of her face, and she bites down on her lip, looking a little flustered. “I can’t thank you enough. A fresh start is exactly what I needed, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. I’ll work hard, Gray. You won’t regret hiring me.”

I smile and shake my head. “I know I won’t, Ari. I wouldn’t have hired you if I thought you would disappoint me.”

She nods, her gaze solemn, and it fucking guts me. Sometimes I think there’s more, but right now? Right now she’s looking at me like I’m nothing more than her brother’s best friend, as though I’m merely her boss. I shouldn’t want her to see me any differently, but now I know who she is, I want more. I want her smiles, her laughter, her passion.

I want everything she gives Ash.