I decide to call off work and head home. Half of my workday has already passed, and I doubt anything productive will come from forcing myself to work with the mood I'm in and the thoughts racing through my mind.

Once home, I phone Nellie. She picks up on the first ring.

"Hello."

"Hey, Nellie. How are you?"

"I'm alright, yourself? Wait, aren't you supposed to be at work?"

"I'm not feeling it today. I want to go out and have some fun."

"Oh, so that's why you called me. Meaning I'm the one who's always out and about with nothing better to do?"

"No, that's not what I mean—"

"Gotcha!" she giggles. "There's this house party I'm going to tonight. I thought about inviting you earlier but figured you'd say no. You in?"

"Of course. Anything to get out of the house and away from my thoughts."

"Alright, I'll text you the address. Talk to you later. Love you."

"Love you too," I say, ending the call.

I grab a bag of chips from the kitchen cabinet and head to the living room, searching for a true crime podcast on YouTube. After scrolling for a while, I land on something I haven't seen before. Settling in, I take a handful of chips and hit play.

I wake up still in my work clothes at nightfall, no idea when I dozed off. A new episode of the podcast is playing. Instant regret hits me, and I groan at the thought of having to go out. Why did I make plans with Nellie in the first place? Rubbing my eyes, I stumble upstairs to freshen up.

I quickly shower and look for an outfit. I settle on a silver halter top with a plunging neckline, paired with a matching mini skirt. Straightening my hair, I let it fall smoothly below my shoulders, adding hoop earrings, a few bracelets, and my silver necklace with the initial "K." Black knee-length boots complete the look.

I grab my phone and put the party's location into the Uber app, ordering a ride. When it arrives, I text Nellie, letting her know I'm on my way. She replies, telling me to call her once I arrive so she can meet me at the gate.

The car ride is short, and I pull up to the house within minutes. I call Nellie, and she greets me with a wide smile as she steps out of the gate. We enter the house hand in hand.

The party has a chill vibe—some people are dancing, while others gather in small groups with drinks in hand. Nellie takes me over to introduce me to her friends. I awkwardly say hi and introduce myself before taking a seat. A few drinks in, Nellie scoots closer to me and whispers in my ear, "Don't make it obvious, but there's a guy checking you out at three o'clock."

I move my eyes slowly and spot a six-foot-tall Samoan man with hazel eyes and jet-black hair tied into a ponytail. His tight maroon T-shirt hugs his body, highlighting his biceps, and his right arm is tattooed down to his wrist. We lock eyes, and I slowly twirl my tongue around the straw of my drink before taking a sip.

He strides over confidently, and introduces himself as Chase before offering his hand to dance. Nellie squeals like a schoolgirl, and I smack her arm, giving her a warning glare before taking his hand. He leads me to the makeshift dance floor as Sean Paul's "No Lie" begins to play. I grab his hands, placing them on my hips, the alcohol in my system giving me a surge of confidence. I whine my waist to the rhythm of the song, running my hands through my hair.

His grip tightens, and he pulls me closer. Turning me around, he bends me over slightly, one hand on my lower back and the other gripping my waist as I grind against him. Our bodies move together in a slow, passionate rhythm, his hands exploring every inch of me. We're so entwined, it's impossible to tell where my body ends and his begins.

As the song ends, our chests rise and fall in sync, both of us panting, feeling the heat between us. A cheer followed by the sound of applause draws my attention to a small that had formed around us. I lean into him trying to hide my embarrassment.

He leads me out of the crowd to through a dimly lit hallway till we reach a bathroom. The loud music fades ones were inside. He wastes no time and goes in for a kiss and I respond wrapping my arms around his neck deepening it. He props me onto the sinks cabinet without breaking the kiss. His slips his hand into my blouse a begins to leave a trail of kisses starting from my jaw down to my neck. 

My eyes open and they start to wander around the washroom along with my thoughts. Thoughts of how easy it would be to kill him here and now and what bathroom items would best suit the job flicker through my mind. I chastise myself and try to focus on what's going on in the present but my mind keeps wondering back. I push him off me hard and he stumbles back slightly dazed. I walk out and he follows closely behind calling out my name inquiring what wrong he had done.

When I get to living room I quickly look around for Nellie but find no sign of her. Annoyed with her disappearance I step out the door. I hail the first taxi I see and hop right in. The last thing I see before the taxi drives away is Chase on the compound looking exasperated with his hands on his waist.

Once home I hand the driver a couple of five dollar bills without bothering to check the charge for the ride on the meter. Once inside I take a warm shower and get into bed. I drift to sleep, the image of a certain Samoan man in my mind.

I make sure to arrive at work bright and early the next day, eager to make up for the work I missed the day before. My heels click on the tiled floor as I step out of the elevator into the hallway. There's a sudden shift in the air, and a deafening silence falls over the space. Everyone has stopped whatever tasks they were engaged in. Receiver phones hang suspended in midair, and fingers hover over keyboards. The usual office chatter has been replaced by whispers.

All eyes are on me. 

News of me being a person of interest in Jack's case has clearly already reached the firm. I stand tall, square my shoulders and continue to walk confidently to my office, their eyes following my every move. The tension in the room is so thick you could cut it with a knife. Quickening my steps, I head straight to my office, shutting the door securely behind me.

I take a seat and let out an exasperated sigh while rubbing my temples. This is going to be a long week.