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“John!” I called out to my manager, who was seated at the end of the bar. He looked up, sensing the urgency in my voice. “Where is Anna?” I demanded.
He shrugged, concern etching his face. “I don’t know, man. I haven’t seen her tonight. Why? What’s going on?” he responded, his confusion mirroring my own.
She didn’t stay. She didn’t trust me. As if on cue, my phone chimed, signaling a new message. My heart sank as I read the words that appeared on the screen.
Wilder. I need some time and space to figure out what I want in life. I love you, but love may not be enough this time. Please don’t contact me, I’ll text you later.” The words stung, echoing in my mind.
Desperation clawed at my chest. The thought of Anna being in danger, especially after what happened with Matthew, had me on edge. I wanted her back. I wanted to protect her. As I read her message again, I hesitated with my response. The uncertainty gnawed at me as I grappled with the decision. Should I honor her request for space? Or should I follow my instincts, disregarding her plea in an attempt to shield her from potential danger?
With Quinn’s presence in town, I felt it was my responsibility to safeguard Anna, regardless of her wishes. I would give her until tomorrow and then until I had a plan, I would have eyes on her regardless.
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Chapter 22
ANNA
I lay there, on the cold and damp concrete floor, shivering with the chill that seeped into my bones. The darkness engulfed me, making it impossible to see anything around me clearly. Faint voices reached my ears, but they sounded distant and muffled as if they were coming from another world.
Desperate for help, I mustered all my strength and tried to yell, but my voice came out weak and raspy. My throat felt dry and scratchy, begging for a sip of water.
Then, the door creaked open, and a man entered the room. I felt a sharp sting in my arm as if a needle had been injected into me. Exhaustion overcame me once more, and I drifted back into unconsciousness, unable to fight it any longer.
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Chapter 23
WILDER
Anna wasn’t answering my texts or calls. She could ask for her fucking space, but she could have it later when Quinn wasn’t here. Knocking on her door with no response resulted in me standing in the hallway like an ass. Luna was barking in the apartment, which was odd but I didn’t have a key to check on her. And I definitely wasn’t going to get into Anna’s good graces by knocking down her door.
So I sat outside the building and waited on the steps.
“Dude, what the fuck was that shit?” A purse came flying at my head. I threw my hands up to protect myself. Alexis stood in front of me, fuming.
“Watch it, Alexis.” I stood and glared at her. Anna could get away with chastising me, but Alexis didn’t have that privilege. Alexis at least took a second to think about how to respond. I relented sitting down. “I screwed up with Anna.”
“Damn right, you screwed up. You will never lay another hand on her.”
“You’re right. Never again. I just need to make sure she’s alright. She isn’t here.”
Alexis waited for a beat, attempting to decide if I was telling the truth. “You look like shit.” She said eyeing my wrinkled suit and bloodshot eyes.
“I haven’t slept. My brother showed up unexpectedly last night, and let’s just say he’s not the most honorable person. He saw Anna and me together, and now there’s a storm brewing within the family.” I hesitated. “I love her, I need to make sure we could be okay again.”
Alexis’s expression softened, “You said you loved her.”
“I do. Very much.”
Her eyes held a glimmer of understanding. “You know, she loves you too,” Alexis revealed, her voice tinged with empathy. “She’s been miserable lately, going through some rough times. In fact, I was on my way to check on her. We were supposed to meet for lunch, but she never showed up.”
“She didn’t call or text to let you know she wasn’t coming?”
Realization dawned on her, “What kind of trouble is going on with your brother, Wilder?”
“Bad trouble.” A knot tightened in my chest, and my mind raced with worst-case scenarios. “I don’t know if he knows how much I love her. But, there’s a possibility that if he thought I wasn’t cooperating, he might use her as leverage.” I looked down at my feet, ashamed that I even put her in this position. I couldn’t bear to meet her gaze, overwhelmed with guilt for dragging Anna into this dangerous world. I knew the risks that came with my life.
“Are you cooperating?” Alexis asked.
