Page 148 of Love Me Stalk Me
I’m taken aback by his vehemence. "Okay...but I need to talk to you."
He sighs again, louder this time. The sound grates against my ear.
"Fine," he says. "I'll come to you. Give me thirty minutes."
He hangs up. I drop my phone onto my desk and exhale. The thud echoes, punctuating the finality of what I've just set in motion.
Thirty minutes.
I just have to get through the next thirty minutes. I try to distract myself. I open my laptop, click through emails. I answer a few urgent ones. I send off a schedule confirmation. I refresh my inbox. I check the time.
It's been four minutes.
Oh my God.
I push back from my desk and start pacing. My office feels too small now, the walls closing in on me with each passing second. My heart races, a rapid drumbeat against my ribs that I can't slow down. My blouse sticks to the small of my back, damp with nervous sweat.
It's just Evan. It's just a breakup. It's not a big deal.
Except, it is.
Because I've been with him for years.
Because no matter how awful he is, this is still...an ending.
And even though I know it needs to happen?—
I hate the way guilt starts creeping in anyway, wrapping around my thoughts like an unwelcome vine.
Somehow time passes and eventually my office phone rings. I jump, startled by the sudden noise. I scramble to grab it, clearing my throat before answering. It's one of the security guys. Ramirez.
"Hey," he says. "There's a guy here asking for you."
"Yeah," I say, steadying myself. "Can you escort him up to my office?"
"No problem."
I hang up,press my palms against my desk, and take a deep breath. The door opens with a soft creak, and Evan steps inside. I exhale.
Ramirez lingers at the door, not moving yet. His eyes dart from me, then to Evan, then back again. "You sure you're okay, Ms. Russo?" he asks, his voice calm and professional, but there's concern there too.
Evan huffs out a breath, scoffing. "Oh, for fuck's sake."
I force a small smile. "Yes, Ramirez. Thank you. You can go."
He doesn't move right away. He just gives me a long look. Like he knows something's off. I stand there, willing him to just leave, because the longer he’s here, the longer this will take. Finally, he nods and steps out, closing the door behind him. The latch clicks into place.
And then it's just us.
Me and Evan.
One last time.
Evan folds his arms, scowling. "What the fuck was that?" he snaps. His cologne—too strong, too spicy—fills the small space, making it even harder to breathe.
He gestures toward the door, still visibly annoyed. "You had me escorted by security, Izzy. Like I'm some fucking criminal."
I press my lips together, feeling them go dry under the pressure.
