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“Tate,” Jude barks out, stealing my attention again. “Hey, that’s it. Look at me. I think you’re having a panic attack.”
“His car looks like a murder scene,” a voice—Dempsey—counters back in my defense. “I think he’s allowed to freak the fuck out.”
Jude ignores Dempsey and hauls me against his warm, solid chest. I sink against him, inhaling his cinnamon scent. Memories of last night and this morning dance inside my head. Jude strokes my back and whispers soft assurances. I could get lost in his protective, comforting embrace.
But then my mind jerks me out of his safety and back into panic mode.
Sean couldn’t have known I was here. I was so careful. Hell, I didn’t even turn on my computer or phone once since I’ve been here. He’s successfully found me plenty of times before and I think it has something to do with his buddy at the police department.
The last time the body shop fixed my car, I had them look for any kind of tracker, too. I’m almost a hundred percent sure he’s tracking me via my phone somehow. I didn’t turn it on, though.
I turn statue-still as a thought comes to me.
A memory.
The night I was forced to stay here, I found Jude lurking in my room near my suitcase. Did he…No.Surely he didn’t turn my phone on and spy on me.
Surely not.
Surely to God not.
He doesn’t even know my passcode to get into my phone.
He’s a freaking hacker, idiot. You’ve seen his wall of monitors in his office!
Which means he’s a lot more resourceful than Sean.
Being in his arms suddenly doesn’t feel so safe. It feels like a prison—his steely arms holding me inside.
I knew, in my gut, he was too much like Sean. I knew it, acknowledged it, and then straight up ignored it. Why? Because this is my pattern. I find the most dangerous, toxic man and entangle myself with him. I crawl right into their claws, let them cut me so fucking deep, and then wonder why I can’t escape.
Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!
I need therapy.
Not everyone else.
Me.
I start to push away from Jude’s chest, but he tightens his grip. It’s so stifling and hot. I just want to get the hell away from him—away from everything and everyone.
“L-Let me go,” I croak out, pushing against him again.
“No.”
I look up at him and make a grab for his mask. He shoves away from me likeI’mthe monster. Serves him right!
Dempsey watches with a frown, eyes darting between us. “You okay, Tate?”
“No,” I snap, stabbing a finger at Jude. “This is all his fault.”
Jude grunts in disagreement and Dempsey’s eyebrows rise in confusion. I bolt back through the front door, nearly knocking over Violet in the process. She babbles something to me, but I can’t listen. I need to get away.
Because not only is Jude a problem—a huge fucking problem—but Sean won’t stop at a vandalized car. He’ll start messing with everyone here just to get at me. I can’t imagine being responsible for him destroying their property, or worse yet, hurting them in some way. No way.
I race up the stairs, making my way straight to my room. Blinking back tears, I snatch my suitcase up and toss it on the bed. Then I begin hastily throwing my clothes and belongings into the suitcase. I don’t have much, so it goes rather quickly.
I’m just zipping up the suitcase when the wood creaks in my doorway. From my peripheral, I see Jude standing in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest. Ignoring him, I make a grab for my cat, but he darts out of reach.
