Page 33 of Billionaire Dragon King’s Rejected Mate

The sudden noise made her jump so hard she nearly dropped it.

Josh’s name lit up on the screen.

She answered immediately, keeping her voice low at first. “Hey, Josh…”

“Hey, you survive the apocalypse over there?” Josh’s voice came through warm and familiar, completely unaware that her pulse was trying to break a land speed record.

“I think someone’s in my apartment,” she said, louder this time so her voice carried down the hallway.

There was a beat of stunned silence.

“What?”

“I heard something,” she said with her eyes still locked on the darkened hallway. “I’m not sure, but this isn’t the storm, Josh.”

“I’m on my way,” he said instantly. “Lock yourself somewhere and call the police.”

She hesitated. Standing there wasn’t helping and the not knowing was even worse.

“Just stay on the phone with me,” she whispered to Josh. “I’m just going to check.”

“Randi, don’t!”

But she was already moving. “It’s okay. I have my gun and my sister made sure I was a certified marksman and knew my way around a weapon.” Her voice was louder and stronger. Anyone listening would hear her. She balanced the phone with her chin while she racked a round into the chamber, a sound that left no doubt what she carried.

Each step toward the hallway felt too loud, even though she knew she was barely making a sound. She flicked on the hall light.

The sudden brightness flooded the space. “No one is in the hallway.”

“I just texted Marissa and told her to call 911. I can’t call without hanging up with you, and I don’t want to do that.” Josh sounded like he was panicking more than she was. “I’m literally running the few blocks to your apartment building.”

She moved down the hall and checked the bathroom. Luckily, she had left the shower curtain pulled back so no one was in the tub. The linen closet door was open but contained just towels and the vacuum she kept meaning to use more often.

“Anything?” Josh asked.

“Not yet,” she said “Only the bedroom left.”

She laid her phone on the floor so she could use both hands on the pistol. She approached her room slower this time and her pulse thudded in her ears. She reached the doorframe and leaned just enough to see inside.

The room looked normal with her unmade bed and the bedside lamp on. But the window was open. She had the type of windows that were pulled open rather than pushed up.

Randi blinked as she watched the rain drench the curtains and soak into the carpet. The screen was askew in the frame and she tried to remember the last time she had actually opened that window.

She reached over and yanked her closet open with one while she kept the gun steady in the other. Nothing but clothes. All the tension drained out of her at once and left her feeling a little ridiculous and a lot relieved.

“Oh my God.” She dissolved into a breathy laugh as she picked her phone up.

“What?” Josh demanded. “What is it?”

“It’s my window,” she answered while she pushed the window shut and engaged the lock. “It’s just that my window was open. Maybe I didn’t have it locked and the wind must’ve pushed it open.”

A pause. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”

“I’ll be there in two minutes.”

Silence settled in when the call ended. Randi leaned against the wall and laughed again as adrenaline receded. She went out to wait for Josh.