Page 100 of Phoenix

Chapter 24

Case

Case,

I know you probably hate me right now, and for that I’m so sorry. I just didn’t know what else to do. You scare me. You terrify me, actually. You’re this good-looking, intense, amazingly sweet, perfect human being, and you love me, but...I had to go.

I changed my flight and I’m flying back to California today. By the time you read this, I’ll probably already be in the air, so don’t try to stop me.

I live with resentment every day toward my father for going back into that building the night of the fire. And resentment toward my mother for following him in.

You like to be the hero. Hell, it’s your job to be the hero, but knowing you could leave me forever by stepping into a dangerous situation is something my heart won’t let me do.

I couldn’t live with resenting you, and I couldn’t live with losing you.

You deserve better than that. You deserve someone better than me.

Please don’t contact me. That will only make this harder than it needs to be.

I love you, Case.

You need to know that.

Stay safe.

Phoenix.

I sit on the side of my bed, reading the note I found on the pillow beside me this morning, for the tenth time.

She loves me...and she’s gone.

I replay last night over and over in my mind, trying to find a place where it all went wrong, but there is nothing.

Last night was perfect. More than perfect.

The pool, what she did for me, making love in the pool, then making love here in my bed again, and then falling asleep together. I traced my fingers up and down her spine until I fell asleep.

Clearly sometime after that, she ghosted me, again.

I check the time on my phone.

9:45 a.m.

Grayson is absolutely awake, so I open my contacts, click his name then put him on speakerphone.

“Hello?” he answers after three rings.

“She’s gone, isn’t she?” I ask, not even specifying whom I’m talking about.

He takes a breath. “Yes, she is. She took an Uber to the airport at six o’clock this morning. Mills tried to make her change her mind, but she said work needed her.”

I slide my hand through my hair, tugging at it in frustration. “Fuck’s sake.”

“What happened, man? What’s going on?” he asks.

I ponder that question before I answer, because really, I have no goddamn idea what is going on. I thought everything was great. I thought it was on the up and up, but clearly, I was mistaken.

“I think I fucked up,” I say, as I scrub my hand over my face.

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