Page 24 of The Big Scoop

I walked quickly, threading my way through the people. I bumped a street performer who was juggling and heard Italian curses being thrown my way as I continued on. Gwen had her back to me, and I was closing in on her, but just as I was getting close, a street vendor called out something to her, causing her to turn her head—and she saw me.

And when she did, she started running again.

13

Gwen

“Go, go, go, go, go, go, go,” I hissed to myself as I ran through the crowd and up the street. The bus station wasn’t far now. I could take it to the airport and get the hell out of here, but not if Harrison got to me first.

He’s actually chasing me! I thought as I ran. But why!?

I glanced over my shoulder; he was gaining on me. I thought for a second about shouting to a random person that I was being chased by a murderer or something, but

I didn’t want to get the cops involved. I also didn’t want to face the wrath of a vengeful billionaire after accusing him of being violent and dangerous.

So I kept running.

My chest was burning. I realized just how out of shape I was as I took a short flight of steps to the next road.

I guess sex isn’t that great of cardio as we’d like to think.

I looked over my shoulder again, expecting to see Harrison coming up the stairs behind me, but he wasn’t there.

Did I lose him? I thought as I kept running.

I could see the bus stop now; it was just up the road. I’d be there in twenty seconds and then I’d be out of here and would have the world’s longest flight home to think about how much of a sucker I was and how big of a mistake I’d made.

“Gwen!”

Harrison leapt out in front of me and I slammed right into him. It was like running into a tree.

I fell backwards and would have landed flat on my ass if he hadn’t caught me around the waist with one arm like we were dancing. I looked up into his eyes, and even though I was panicked and furious, felt butterflies in my stomach when I saw him gazing down at me.

“Let me go,” I told him firmly.

“Just let me talk to you for a minute—”

“Let me go!” I snapped.

Harrison sighed and lifted me to my feet. “Fine. But will you please just let me explain.”

I gave him a dirty look and reached down for my bag, but he already had his hand on it and quickly pulled it away from me before I could grab it.

“Harrison—”

“Gwen, just listen to me—”

“Give me my bag, Harrison!” I shouted, drawing the attention of a few people standing near us. “Give me my bag so I can get out of here.”

“I’ll give you your bag, Gwen,” he replied. “But only after you hear me out.”

“Why do I want to hear you out!?” I snapped, getting right up in his face. “It’ll just be more lies! Because that’s what you are, Harrison! You’re a liar and a con man who used me to get what he wanted. You sweet-talked me, you romanced me, you fucked me, and then you got me out here so that Audrey could handle your dirty business back in New Hampshire without me on your case.”

“That’s not what happened—”

“Oh, no?” I laughed. “You’re going to deny it now? You want to deny that you bought the Macadam Pines?

“No.”

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