Page 38 of Before Dawn

I scoffed. “I don’t want his penis anywhere near me.”

“Make sure,” she said, narrowing her eyes. “As a matter of fact, sleep with no one. Keep your dry spell going.”

“You’re no fun since you’ve been hooking up with your hot tycoon,” I teased, rolling my eyes.

She grinned, unable to hide her happiness, and launched into a recap of her latest moments with him—awkward office encounters, insane amount of spending, his thoughtful gestures, and a certain turning point in an alleyway.

From the way she spoke, it was clear: he was the one.

“I kissed a guy once, or ten times, and now you think I’m hooking up?” she said, feigning innocence.

She couldn’t fool me.

I laughed. “You should breakyourdry spell. You want him, and he sure as hell wants you.”

She rolled her eyes. “This isn’t about me. This is about you and that bitch boy. Break it off, no sex, and then you can pursue Mikkel.”

I think I stopped breathing.

How the hell did she even know about Mikkel?

What was even there toknow?

I had deliberately never mentioned him because there was nothing to mention—just fleeting, short-lived moments and an undeniable, magnetic pull.

Yeah. No. Big. Deal.

“I’m not going to pursue Mikkel,” I said, forcing my voice to stay even.

“Sure,” she replied, too casually, but skepticism danced in her eyes.

“What?”

“Nothing.” She shrugged. “Just please remember the goal.”

I could have argued, but the last thing I wanted was to drag this conversation out.

“Got it. Bye, Azzy,” I said, turning to leave.

“Call me!”

“I will,” I replied, my voice softening as I disappeared through the doorway, my luggage rolling behind me.

But just as I stepped out, something struck me. Without thinking, I ran back inside.

“Azzaria!”

She groaned, rubbing her temple. “You’re gonna miss your flight at this rate.”

“Let magic happen between you and Dillon,” I said, a hopeful smile tugging at my lips before dashing off again.

The ride to the airport felt longer than it was, frustration simmering beneath my skin as Joshua’s relentless texts flooded my screen.If only he was this persistent while we were dating.My fingers stabbed at my phone, muttered curses slipping out as I silenced notifications one by one.

But the unease didn’t fade.

The anxiety of flying pressed in on me, tightening like a fist around my lungs. Every step closer to my gate made my chest heavier. My palms were damp. The overhead announcements buzzed in my ears, blending with the rush of travelers. My mind spun through worst-case scenarios. What if the plane hit turbulence? What if something went wrong midair?

My breaths quickened.

---