Page 72 of The Fire Walker
He gave me a wink. “Like you said, I’m onholidays.”
With a groan, I began to get dressed, conscious of his eyes on me as I slid into a pair of lacy panties and matching bra. He let out a groan when I pulled on a pair of black jeans and ashirt.
“Can I come meet your friends?” he asked as I put on a pair ofboots.
“Sure.”
“Awesome.”
“Well, Couch is just around the corner and down two blocks, so if you want to meet me there, I’ll be hanging out for a littlewhile.”
“Sure,” he smiled as I pulled on my favorite black leather bikerjacket.
“What?” I asked when he didn’t stopsmiling.
“You look fucking sexy in thatjacket.”
Flipping my hair out from the back of it, I made a kissy-face. “Good.”
“I’ll see yousoon.”
“I’ll be waiting.” Giving him another kiss, I scooped up my cell phone and pushed through the front door. Nothing could dampen my spirits today, not when I just left a hot, naked Australian musician in mybed.
I stopped in the stairwell and turned on my cell phone. I’d shut it off the day someone at Galaxy had tried to call me on a blocked number. I didn’t want to deal with that when I was with Dee. I’d quit, so whatever crisis Georgie had, they could just deal with itthemselves.
My phone sprang to life, and instantly, a barrage of messages lit up thescreen.
When I read the first few, my heart sputtered and almost died, my skin instantlyprickling.
I’ve missed you, J. Won’t be long until we have all the time in the worldtogether.
I’ve never forgotten that night. I dream about it every time I close myeyes.
I can’t wait until you’re mine again, and I’ll finally get what I’ve alwayswanted.
Fumbling with my phone, I jammed it into my pocket, refusing to read any more. I knew exactly what they wouldsay.
All those things I’d done in desperation were coming back to haunt me. I’d believed they’d finally gone away. I mean, it had been five years. Five years…today?Wasit today? I began to break out in a coldsweat.
I couldn’t call the cops. Everything would fall apart if I did, and he fucking knew it. I rested a hand against the banister to stop myself from falling down the stairs. Throwing up seemed like a normal response in these kinds of situations, but I drew in a few sharp breaths to calm myself down. Should I delete the messages? Maybe I should keep them as evidence just in case somethinghappened.
I glanced back up the stairs to my apartment door and considered going back in and telling Dee. Nate wouldn’t dare try anything, would he? He got off with a warning and a restraining order. His family had those big shot lawyers bury it, and he still had his life with Ivy League Colleges and CEO jobs. What did he have to gain by harassingme?
The word revenge flashed through my mind, and I dismissed it as soon as itappeared.
I took a deep breath and walked down the rest of the stairs to the tiny lobby. I couldn’t be frightened of him. He had more to lose that I did. I’d been at rock bottom before, and if it happened again, I knew I would bounce back. This time, I had Dee by my side. Dee would protect me. Nate had everything tolose.
When I walked into Couch five minutes later, Ed was at the counter and yelled out as the door closed behind me with athud.
“So?” he asked, leaning over the benchtop.
“So what?” I asked with a grin, the tension bleeding from mylimbs.
“Did you get him,bella?”
Grinning, Iwinked.
He beamed and grabbed my hands. “That’s my girl. I never doubtedit.”
