Page 155 of Nothing to Fear

Her friend hadn’t stopped calling since she quit.

For the first time, she answered. “Hey.”

“Oh my God! Savvy, what the hell! Where have you been? What happened? I’ve been calling and calling—”

“I know. I know, I’m sorry.” She closed her eyes. “Life’s been a clusterfuck and I… I don’t even know what to say.”

“What happened? Why did you quit work? Why did you stop taking calls? Why did you—”

“Can I come over?” she asked. “I have a lot to tell you.”

FIFTY-THREE

THERE WAS SOMETHING to be said for familiarity. Going to Yvette’s had been kind of renewing. Iain’s trip was extended, so she ended up staying a night, then another, until a week had passed since she’d last been in her apartment. With Iain coming home that night, it was only right she gave the couple their privacy.

And, yes, she really needed to start her life over again. Sitting around forever wasn’t an option. Not for someone like her.

She got a cab back to her place and went inside reminding herself of the lessons she’d learned. If something was too good to be true it—

Darroch.

Why was Darroch Breckenridge sitting at her kitchen island with paperwork spread in front of him?

“You hungry?” he asked without lifting his head. “I haven’t eaten yet.”

How did he know she—wait. “What are you doing here?”

“Waiting for you.”

“Waiting for—I haven’t been here for a week.”

“I have. I’ve looked after the place. Nothing to report.” He tossed down his pen and went to the fridge. “Want a glass of wine?”

Like this was just any normal day. She dumped her bag and went another two steps.

“Darroch. What are you doing here?”

He closed the fridge and put the wine bottle on the counter before meeting her eye. “Waiting for you.”

“You said that. Waiting for me for… what?”

God, he was hot. And it wasn’t just the square jaw and perfect skin. No. She’d seen inside this man and believed for a minute that—what happened to those lessons learned? She hadn’t seen anything and karma didn’t owe her squat.

“To finish our conversation.”

It wasn’t like him to be serious. Where was his smile? Where was his…?

“Our conversation,” she said and immediately shook her head. “What—from the suite? No. I told you we’re not having that conversation. That conversation is finished.”

He opened the cabinet to retrieve glasses. “Cameras are being installed in every hallway, stairwell, and alley of Breckenridge property.”

“Good. If they’d been there before maybe you wouldn’t have got hurt.”

“I’m more interested in your safety.”

“I don’t work for Breckenridge.” Though she had ventured into work with Yvette and been offered her job back by Celeste. Several times. “But I’m happy its people will be safe. Thank you for letting me know.” He put the wine back in the fridge. “You can leave now. And in future, a text will suffice.”

“I texted you this week.”

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