KNOCK KNOCK
JESS
I sat on the pool’s edge, letting the cool water lap at my legs. The party hummed around me–laughter, splashing, and the faint sizzle of burgers on the grill. I leaned back on my hands and closed my eyes momentarily, enjoying the pool and the fact that the blazing sun finally set.
Then, a shadow fell over me. I opened my eyes to find Luke standing nearby, his gaze fixed squarely on me. He crouched down, his face suddenly close to mine, and leaned in.
“You’re good enough to eat,” he murmured, his deep voice low and filled with mischief.
Heat crawled up my neck, and I froze, my breath hitching. Before I could form a response, he smirked and straightened, turning on his heel and walking away as if he hadn’t just sent my pulse into overdrive.
Lara looked over at us, “Don’t,” I said, shooting her a warning look as my face burned.
She held up her hands, but her smirk didn’t waver. “Oh, I wasn’t going to say anything.”
Before I could reply, Josh’s voice boomed from the grill. “Food’s almost ready!”
Laura popped to her feet. “I’ll grab plates and napkins.”
1 198 Vouchers
“No, I’ll do it, I said quickly, getting up and brushing off my legs. “I need to pee again–surprise, surprise–and this baby is making my body feel like a furnace. I need to be in the aircon for five minutes”
Laura raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. “You sure?”
I nodded, waving her off. “Yeah. Besides, you should probably go check the pool house. I think Sarah’s in there, and she needs to eat with how much she’s been working lately.”
Laura grinned knowingly. “Look at you, already acting like a
mom
I groaned, throwing my hands up. “Whatever. Just go before Josh turns the serving table into a beer pong station.”
She laughed, shaking her head as she headed toward the pool house. Meanwhile, I made my way to the main house, weaving through the clusters of people scattered across the patio.
The cool air of the house hit me as soon as I stepped inside, a welcome relief from the relentless summer heat. I momentarily paused in the quiet entryway, letting the party buzz fade behind
- me.
A soft knock echoed from upstairs as I headed through the quiet main house toward the kitchen. I froze mid–step, tilting my head to listen. I thought I’d imagined it for a moment, but then it came again—a faint, deliberate sound.
“What the…” I muttered under my breath, my brow furrowing. Maybe it was just a raccoon or something. This house backed up to enough trees that it wasn’t unheard of. Still, curiosity tugged at me.
I started up the stairs, my bare feet silent against the wood. Each creak of the old house felt like a ghost of the past, memories swirling around me as climbed.
This used to be my house. I was not upset that it was hers now -they deserved it. Josh had worked hard to renovate it for Sarah, and seeing how much she loved it was enough to make me happy.
But still, I couldn’t help the pang of nostalgia. Every corner held memories: nights spent laughing with Laura in my old room, sneaking down to the kitchen for late–night snacks, Luke banging on the door when I’d taken too long in the shower.
Now, Luke and I lived next door in the house his father built to be next to my father. It was perfect for us, but…sometimes, I missed this place.
Shaking off the sentimental thoughts, I reached the top of the stairs. The hallway stretched before me, dim and quiet, the faint knock coming again from one of the bedrooms. My pulse quickened slightly, though I told myself it was probably nothing.
“Hello?” I called softly, my voice barely above a whisper.
The house didn’t answer.
Taking a breath, I moved toward the sound.
It was coming from the guest bathroom.
I hesitated at the top of the stairs, my pulse quickening as I strained to listen. The soft knocking had stopped, replaced by something else entirely–a faint, rhythmic sound. Panting?
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I shook my head, nerves prickling at the base of my neck. No
way,
And yet, despite all the alarms screaming in my head to just turn around, I crept forward. My steps were careful and slow as if any sound I made would shatter whatever fragile thread of control I had left.
The faint panting turned into low, muffled moans, the kind that made my stomach twist in ways couldn’t quite explain.
I should have left. Turned around. Walked back downstairs and chalked it up to my imagination.
But I didn’t.
The guest bathroom door was cracked open just enough for a sliver of light to spill into the dark bedroom beyond. The glow was soft and golden, stretching out like an invitation—or a ⚫ warning.
The moaning grew clearer now, mixed with sharp, ragged breaths.
My fingers clenched into fists at my sides. What the hell?
Cautiously, I leaned closer, my eyes narrowing as I peeked through the gap in the door-
