I sigh, knowing she’s going to absolutely freak out.
I give her a replay of everything. The drinking. Seeing Stuart. Dominic having him arrested. And finally, my drunkenattempt at seducing Dominic, which turned into mutual masturbation.
She stares at me silent for the first time in her entire life.
“Are you there? Did the screen freeze?”
Her throat clears, eyes wide, before swallowing loudly.
“I’m here. Just processing.”
I breathe out an exhale. “I know, it’s a lot to unpack.”
“I’m coming back. I can’t stay here knowing someone is after you. It’s getting scary, Elle.”
I stop pacing, my heart tugging at the sound of her concern. I love her for it. But I can’t let her put her life on hold for me.
“No. You can’t. You’ve got shows almost every night—you’re finally living your dream!”
She frowns. “There will be other opportunities.”
“You’ve worked too hard to let all of it go to waste now. I swear, if things get worse, I’ll tell you. But Dominic’s on it, and my family is looking out for me too.”
She glares at the screen like she wants to fight me on it. “I hate this.”
“I know you do.”
“I hate that I’m not there. I hate that this freak is still out there. And I really hate that I missing out on watching Dominic wear you down.”
I let out a half-laugh, half-groan.
She smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “Promise me you’ll keep your location on. And text me when you get home. From anywhere.”
“I promise,” I say softly. “I’ll be safe.”
She hesitates, then nods slowly. “Okay. I’ll stay. For now. But don’t make me regret it.”
“Never.”
There’s a beat of silence, the kind that says everything without needing to be said.
“Okay,” she murmurs. “I’ll let you go.”
“Love you.”
“Love you more.”
The screen goes dark, and I sit there for a second, staring at my reflection in the black screen.
Then I toss the phone on the couch and I immediately dive into stress cleaning. Dominic is working night shift and left a few hours ago. It’ll be my first time staying alone at night since this whole thing started, and despite the patrol car parked out front, I don’t feel nearly as safe as I do when Dominic is home.
After breakfast, I had a couple to meet with. We did cake tastings and met with the florist to pick out their centerpieces.
I assumed Dominic would tag along, but instead a deputy, whose name I didn’t catch, patrolled the winery. I was oddly disappointed.
I felt like maybe he was avoiding me, and after what happened last night, it was kind of messing with my head.
By the time I got home, he was already on his way out the door, leaving me unsure of what to do with myself.
