AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Disappointment floods me when I see it’s not from Lycus, but from my boss.
Mr Mortimer
Client has had a family emergency and needs to reschedule the morning’s meeting, so take the week off. See you a week on Monday.
Relieved to have some unexpected time off, I drop my phone onto the couch and sink into it, feeling drained and defeated. Lycus’s absence weighs heavily on my mind, overshadowing any sense of relaxation that the week off might bring. I can’t help wondering what could have happened to him, why he never made it onto that flight.
The unanswered questions gnaw at me, leaving me restless and unable to focus on anything else. The silence in my apartment amplifies the worry inside me, and I find myself pacing back and forth, desperate for any sign or sound that could provide a clue about Lycus’s whereabouts.
Even my four cheese pizza with extra cheese doesn’t soothe me. In fact, it makes me feel ten times worse because it just reminds me of the last time I ordered it – when Lycus broke into my apartment, kissed me and left me high and dry. He still owes me a replacement pizza.
The food loses its flavour again and I’m starting to worry that Lycus has ruined cheese for me for good.
With nothing else to do, I give up and head to bed, hating that with an unexpected week off, I’ll now have to wait even longer to see Lycus again and to get answers about his missing whereabouts.
ChapterTwenty-Two
Lycus
Istep out of the shower, water droplets cascading down my body and onto the tiled floor. The steam fills the bathroom, blurring the reflection in the mirror. It doesn’t matter that I showered before my nap, after waking up to Angelica grinding on my fingers and chasing her own release, I needed another long hot shower to work out my frustration.
As I reach for my towel, anticipation courses through my veins. Today is the day. I’m planning to tell Angelica everything, to pour out my feelings and confess how deeply I’ve fallen for her. Preferable, while we’re on the plane together, where she has no choice but to hear me out.
But as I wrap the towel around my waist and step into the bedroom, I realise that she’s gone. Panic tightens its grip on my chest, squeezing the air from my lungs.
She’s run again.
A surge of frustration rises within me, mingling with disappointment and confusion. How could she leave without a word? Without giving us a chance to talk?
I quickly pull on a pair of jeans and a shirt, hastily gathering my belongings into my bag. The sound of zippers closing echoes in the empty room a moment later. Anger fuels my movements as I storm out of the hotel room, determined to find her.
When I get to the parking garage and see that her rental is gone, I sigh. She’s already left for the airport, but it’s not like she can out run me. We’re booked on the same flight after all.
I throw my bag onto the backseat of the car and slide into the driver’s side. There’s still plenty of time to get to the airport and actually, I don’t blame Angelica for leaving.
She’s clearly embarrassed about what happened this morning, but she’s also probably trying to avoid a repeat of what happened the last time – namely, being so late she nearly missed the fight and held everyone up.
I grip the steering wheel, my knuckles turning white as I navigate through the city streets. The anger that had consumed me earlier now begins to morph into worry. Angelica running away like this, it’s not healthy. She’s always been a fiery spirit, but in the short time that we’ve been around each other, she’s never exhibited such flighty behaviour.
My mind races, conjuring up worst-case scenarios. Could she be in trouble? Did something happen to her? The mere thought sends a jolt of panic through my veins. I push the pedal to the floor, urging the car to go faster, disregarding traffic rules and honking cars.
As I approach an intersection, adrenaline coursing through my veins, everything seems to slow down. A large truck barrels towards me from my right, its horn blaring desperately. My reflexes kick in just in time as I yank the steering wheel to the left, swerving to avoid the truck.
But it’s not enough.
The deafening sound of metal colliding fills my ears as I feel a bone-crushing impact shatter through the car. Pain sears through my body as I am flung forward, my head slamming against the steering wheel before the airbag even has the chance to deploy.
Darkness engulfs me, pulling me into unconsciousness.
I awaken to a haze of pain and disorientation. My head throbs with every heartbeat, and a dull ache pulses through my body. Blinking against the harsh light filtering through the cracked windshield, I struggle to make sense of my surroundings.
The airbag has deflated, leaving a residue of smoke and the acrid smell of burnt rubber lingering in the air. With trembling hands, I reach for the door handle, pushing against the dented metal until it gives way with a groan.
I release my seatbelt with difficulty and as I stumble out of the wrecked car, my vision swims and my legs threaten to buckle beneath me.
Surveying the scene, I see that the intersection is now a chaos of twisted metal and shattered glass. The truck that had nearly collided with me is parked haphazardly nearby, its driver frantically speaking into a cell phone, while pacing back and forth. Shouts and sirens fill the air, drawing closer with each passing moment.
But amidst the chaos, there’s no sign of Angelica. Panic claws at my chest once more, reigniting the fear that had gripped me before the crash. Did she witness the accident? Is she hurt? Or worse, did she get caught up in the collision?
