13 I need to talk to you

Philip had saved Sofie from Elandra and got a beating for it. This prevented him from working for the past week and opened up his schedule. But Sofie did not take advantage of it. She had different plans. Plans to save him right back from Elandra. And tomorrow was her chance to do it, to free him, during his date with Ms Hunt.

Sofie connected to the camera in Philip's room; like she had done twice daily for the past week. Like the other times, his door stayed closed today as well. No other women would enjoy his company. It should mean nothing to her. But Sofie felt a dominating satisfaction, knowing that there had been no one else since he was with her.

She was about to log off when Philip stepped into the frame. His injuries had faded, only a light pink hue on his cheek and nose were the proof of his daring trickery. But something was amiss. Philip had a haunted expression on his face. Something was keeping him up at night.

He leaned his back against the wall and looked into the camera.

"Why are you playing games?" he asked quietly.

There was a bitterness in his voice and Sofie felt her blood run cold. He has found the last camera and was about to kill her only link into his world. If he did, she would be flying blind for her mission tomorrow. She had no means to find out which restaurant they were planning to go to nor when they would leave. She took a deep breath to slow her racing thoughts. If she missed him tomorrow, their connection would go cold.

"I know you've been watching," he said, letting his eyes drop to the floor. "You've logged into the camera for the last week." Through the screen he looked straight at her, sending an arrow to her core. "Watching me from a distance, instead of coming here. Why?"

She wasn't playing games. She wanted to come. But it would have completed their contract and ended their interactions. And Sofie was not ready for that.

"But since you are here," he said lightly shaking his head as if to rid himself of any sentimentalities, "and because it is my last night off. Let's make the most of it. What do you say?"

He intensely stared at the lamp on the side table. He was looking for the slight flicker from the camera's power surge when logging off.

"You are still here." A dangerous smile crept onto his face. "I take it you are game then."

He unbuttoned his shirt, just like he did the first time she watched him. But this time it was for her and for her only. Her pulse quickened. The shirt fell off his muscular chest in one fluid movement.

"You know how much it turns me on... you watching me. Right?", he said as if they were in a true conversation. His triceps tighten as he unzipped his pants and let them drop to the ground.

Sofie watched his every move, mesmerized by his confidence. He was beautiful and he knew it. There was no hesitance or needless show. He was like a greek statue, classical and understated, yet commanding in every way.

"Won't you join me?"

Sofie's breath hitched. It was one thing to admire his flawless physique but quite another to admit how much he could excite her, being miles away and merely talking to her. But seeing how he lost himself in the moment was so enticing, it dragged her with him like an avalanche. In the dark of her room her hand had found its way into her pants, circling through her wetness.

"Just thinking about how you were riding me... It makes me so hard."

He was stroking himself slowly, savouring how the pleasure was building up. His head fell against the wall and a low rumble came from his chest.

"How you touched me."

He let his other hand glide over his abdomen and the muscles twitch under his touch. Sofie drank in the memory of how his skin felt under her palm, its texture and the powerful core below. She wanted to touch him again.

"How you enjoyed being with me... But not in the way my clients do. With you it was truer. Because you knew that I loved being with you, didn't you?"

Sofie bit back a moan as she let a finger slide inside of her. Hearing him say that he loved being with her made her heart race. Her body was yearning for him, needing his arms wrapped around her, inhaling his scent.

His breathing had become rugged and he had picked up speed himself.

"I want to feel your body move against me… Your breasts bounce… Your hips thrust... I want you so badly."

She could not hold back any longer. With a couple of harder strikes she tumbled over the edge and waves of satisfaction made her legs tremble.

She only vaguely heard him say, "being with you... is the only thing... that matters to me," before he too found his release.

Sofie's heart rate slowly returned to normal when Philip approached the camera.

"Will I see you tomorrow, lunchtime? It's the last chance for us to be together before I... go back to work."

He pressed his lips together and turned to leave. A frustrated sigh came from his chest and he paused.

"Sofie…"

He whispered her name as if it was torturing him and let his hand run through his blond hair. He debated something with himself, before he looked at the camera with determination.

"I need to speak to you," he said before the connection was lost.

She knew he was taking the camera apart to call her old number. 'This number is not assigned.' That's what he was hearing, right now. She could only imagine the dismay he must be feeling; the helplessness of not being able to reach out to her. It took everything she had not to call the SIM herself.

Was it cruel? Maybe. And if so, it was cruel for both. But she simply could not risk her plan being leaked. Elandra would have him under surveillance after what he pulled in the meadow. Besides, if he was as desperate as he made out to be then that would work for her tomorrow. It would help persuade him to leave Elandra for good. With that comfort she closed her laptop and went to bed.

The next day, she waited at the restaurant with nervous excitement. Everything was in place to execute her ambush. But when there was no sign of Philip, even two hours into the assumed time, Sofie's excitement gave way to dread.

Is this the wrong place? All she knew was they were meeting at a hyped new restaurant in West End. From her research, Bamborino was the only one fitting the bill. Or is it the wrong day? Without the camera, she could not check whether he was with Ms Hunt today or whether they had left. 'Our regular time in two weeks' could mean anything, she had only their last date at Elandra to go on.

Panic started to rise in her. This had been reckless. She had put all her eggs in one basket. She gave up the opportunity to be with Philip to ensure today would go smoothly. But if she had gotten it wrong, it was all for nothing.

Like several times before, a black limousine came to a halt in front of Bamborino and the paparazzi jumped to attention. Lining up near the car, their flashlights rattled as a woman stepped out of the car. It was Ms Hunt.

Sofie's body relaxed. Thank god. She did not want to admit it but she had been looking forward to seeing Philip tonight. To explain her absence to him. To hear him say 'I want you'. And to say 'I want you' back. But most of all, to continue their tryst.

Ms Hunt smiled at the paparazzi. She was wearing tight black leggings and a crop top that revealed her toned midriff. Her body was wrapped in a richly decorated silken sari making her stand out as the unique beauty she was. Her skin reflected the flashlights like velvet toffee and her black hair was pulled back in a ponytail. In this outfit she looked younger; the same age as Philip.

"Ms Hunt, over here," one of the paparazzi shouted, "Who are you with, Ms Hunt?"

"My future husband."

She laughed and placed a hand on Philip's chest to show off her oversized engagement ring. Philip wrapped his arms around her and gave the camera his most radiant smile.

Sofie's initial relief morphed into seething rage. Ms Hunt had been plotting this when she arranged for Philip to meet her in public. 'I want to be seen with you', she heard Ms Hunt's voice croon. You wanted more than just to be seen, didn't you? She could picture the headline in tomorrow's papers: "UK's most eligible Bachelorette off the market" or "Shock-engagement: who's Ms Hunt's mystery man". They would conveniently replace the bad news about the royal commission and how the stock value of her company was plummeting.

'It's just for show,' a pathetic part of Sofie's brain tried to reassure her as she watched them disappear into the restaurant. But being arm in arm and with Philip stealing a fleeting kiss from her as they passed through the door, they looked like a freshly engaged couple in love.

Sofie gripped the cold wall of the house entrance she was hiding in to steady herself. Was this why Philip wanted to talk to her last night? Tell her he was getting engaged. Maybe wanting her to object. To claim him for herself. She probably would have done it because it was all she wanted to do now. But it was too late. He had made his decision about the future. And she was not part of it.

But that's not what you're here for, remember?

That's right. He might not need saving from Elandra anymore, but she certainly still needed his information. It is simpler that way. Less confusing because now it was only work.

With a renewed determination she entered the restaurant and headed straight for their table.