Page 64 of Ring Me

Chapter 20

Sick Like You

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IREFUSED TO DEBASEmyself by texting Conner.

But... I was okay with opening the RingMe app and doing a little reconnaissance on him. Since we'd messaged on it before, I knew I'd be able to see when he'd last logged in. I wasn't sure what that would tell me, but I was itching with an irrational desire to have some insight into what he was doing.

Don't get involved,I warned myself.Remember how he tricked you.

Of course I wouldn't get involved.

This wasn't engaging him. Just... looking.

Looking was okay.

I frowned in confusion, scrolling through my chat box with mounting unease. His messages were gone. His profile was gone.

Conner had vanished.

Flopping onto my couch, I held my phone over my head and just stared.Did he delete his account?I wondered. My insides were rolling around like snakes fighting for their lives.I could text him and check in.

No.

That was pointless.

As much as I wanted to talk to Conner, I had to remind myself he'd hidden so much from me.If you call him, you can ask him why.

Dammit! I had to stop this wishful thinking. This was the same toxic rationalizing that had kept me making excuses for Ben. I was done letting people use me. Reasons didn't matter.

My stomach growled, and I pounced, happy to have a new task to focus on. I ordered delivery while scrolling through Netflix to find something brain-numbing to watch.

I was halfway through a second episode of Cake Disasters when someone knocked on my apartment door. “Yes,” I cheered, doing a happy dance, hips shimmying as I hurried to twist the doorknob. “Pad thai, here I come.”

I opened my door, but it wasn't the delivery driver standing in my hallway. Ben had one hand in the pocket of his denim, his other fist curled around the knotted top of a plastic bag with a paper receipt stapled to it.

“What timing, hm?” he asked. “I was walking through the lobby when the driver came to the front desk, asking for you. You know your elevator is out of order? He was relieved I was willing to tip himandcarry the food up all those stairs so he could handle his other deliveries. Mark off two good deeds for me today, Karma.”

I took far too long to speak. “Ben? Why the hell are you here?”

“To talk to you.” Lifting the carton, he swung it lightly. “There's enough in here to share. Let's sit and have a meal.”

“No, no! You need to leave.”

“Or what? You'll call your big bull of a man on me?” Looking around my apartment, he chuckled. “I don't remember you ever being this messy, or this...” He wrinkled his nose as he studied my sweat pants and baggy tee shirt. “Are you in pajamas? It's 4 pm, Maya.”

“Get out. Now.”

Ignoring me, he stepped in and shut the door with his foot. “Why are you acting like this, I just want to talk.”

“Last time you tried, I made it clear I didn't want to waste my time.”

“Laser tag. Yeah. I also recall you wereengagedthen, but now...” He stared at my hand. “No ring.”

“That's none of your business.”

“Maya, let's stop with the charade.” He set the bag of food on the table by my couch, walking further inside. My heart was racing nervously. “You won. You made me jealous.”

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