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It’s all I manage to say, and it’s useless. My words are carried off with the wind as Colter guides Zeke inside, trying to calm his building meltdown. It’s my fault for never telling him about his father. I was a coward and now I’m about to pay for it.
“It’ll be okay,” I repeat for myself.
It’s probably the biggest lie I’ve ever told.
* * *
“Here, drink this.”
A glass of water enters my vision, and I take it from Colter. My shaky hand spills some, but I manage to bring it to my mouth. I take three large gulps before pulling it away. It does nothing to settle my stomach, but at least now my mouth isn’t so dry.
Colter sets the glass down on the desk and then sits next to me on the couch, his brows creased and his lips pulled into a frown.
“Are you okay?”
I glance at him and then the wall.No. I’m not. The question doesn’t even deserve an answer.
I take a breath and let it out, rubbing my hands over my numb face. Colter puts the throw blanket from the couch over my shoulders, and I clutch it before leaning forward.
“Did you send me flowers?” I ask, closing my eyes.
Colter sighs. “No, I didn’t.”
“What about pay my rent?”
I open my eyes and look his way. He shakes his head.
“Right,” I say, looking at the carpet.
I should’ve known better. It’s exactly something Devin would do, fuck with me before making his presence known. He isn’t a wolf or a bear. He’s a cat, and I am his mouse. He needs to play with me, let me think I have some sort of chance before he gets bored and decides to end it. End me. The rent is his way of mocking me, showing me what a failure I am without him.
What about Zeke? Will Devin kill me and take Zeke home? Will he force me back to a life with him? I’m sure it’s more fun for him that I don’t know the answer to that.
“He texted me,” Colter says, pulling me from my thoughts. “Last night, while you were asleep. I thought it was Lorenzo, but today when I confronted him he denied it. Lorenzo also said he never had anyone following you.” Colter takes a breath. “I’m not certain this is Devin, but I would rather we not take the chance.”
It is Devin.I’mcertain.
“Is Lorenzo what happened to your face?” My eyes lower to his hand, curled at his waist while his other hand cups it. “And your hand?”
“Yes” he breathes. “But we resolved our misunderstanding.”
The memory of the black Nissan following me before Colter showed up at my apartment forms in the front of my mind, and chills race over my skin.
“Youfollowed me, right? Or had someone in a black Nissan do it? Back before you found out I didn’t sell you to the press.”
Colter rubs his jaw, a frustrated breath easing in and out of his nostrils. “No. That’s the same car I saw parked across the street at the diner. If I had to guess, I’d say it was a PI.”
I nod in agreement. A minute ticks by with Colter looking toward the wall as he thinks. What about, I’m not sure.
“I can’t have the police pick him up. You were right about that. He’s filed a kidnapping charge against you that will easily hold up in court, so I’m not sure why he hasn’t gone to them himself.”
“You already know.” I scoff. “You’re not an idiot, Colter. You know exactly why he wouldn’t do that. He wants to hurt me, himself. It would be no fun to let a court do it.”
“What did he do to you?” He asks, his eyes trained on the wall. He says it so seriously that it catches me off guard. A lump forms in my throat, and I let it sit there.
Colter meets my eyes. “It’s alright if you don’t want to tell me. I understand.”
I say nothing.
