Page 27 of Sweet Hate

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Twenty-Four Hours Later…

I’m really starting to worry. Please let me know you’re OK.

One Week Later…

Axeman?

10

AXEL

Me

I’ll be at the bakery at 10 a.m. tomorrow.

Hurricane

OK, thanks. I’ll leave the back door unlocked.

Me

No, that’s not safe. I’ll call you when I’m outside.

Hurricane

I’ve managed to keep myself safe in a big bad city for the last few years just fine.

Back door will be unlocked.

Me

NO.

Hurricane

I don’t know who you think you are, but you don’t get to tell me NO. You better cut that shit out right now. Just do your job, Verona.

Besides, I won’t be there. I have a prior engagement.

Me

Where are you going?

Hurricane

Back door will be unlocked.

The hell?

Whatengagement?

I stand there, letting the cold rake over me, hoping it’ll freeze the part of me still stupid enough to want her—my new normal these days. I’ve been fighting constant visions of her kissing some blank faced dude since her infuriating messages yesterday. The thought of her touching another man has me in a chokehold.

I have no business feeling this shit.

I close my eyes and tip my head back under the spray while I roughly scrub the shampoo and those visions out of my mind. She’s everywhere. I even smell like her. I’ve got no idea how that’s happening. I wish I could dismiss it as the guys screwing with me by switching out my shower gel, but clearly I'm just losing my mind.

What the hell is going on with me?

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