Lone Wolf (Wilde Brothers Ranch #6)- Scarlett Grove Page 0,22

I can do to repay you for your hospitality.”

Shane and Montana left Dylan to relax in the guest bedroom. There was a twin-sized bed pushed against one wall and a desk pushed against the other. They had only been in Denver since the beginning of the school year, but there were paintings and photographs on the walls and curtains on the window. The room had a comfortable, homey feel to it.

Dylan lay down and relaxed on the bed, glad that he had someone to stay with through this challenging moment in his life. If anyone could help him, it would be Shane and Montana. The two of them had gone through more than any couple should ever have to experience. And he was genuinely excited about helping his brother with his novel.

He kicked off his shoes and stripped down to his boxers before climbing into bed and turning off the light.

When he woke up the next day, he was full of determination, with the slight hint of dread at the edges of his frayed consciousness. He showered, dressed, and met Shane and Montana in the kitchen, where they were eating breakfast. Montana was just about to leave for class, but Shane had been up since early that morning, writing at the kitchen table.

“I'll see you tonight.” Montana leaned down to kiss Shane on the lips. “Try not to stress too much about the work. I'll pick up some groceries on the way home.”

“Thanks, babe,” Shane said. “I'm just out of my element here.” Montana closed the door behind her.

“It's a nice house, but it's a far cry from your off-the-grid cabin in the woods,” Dylan said. “I can imagine that it's hard for you to concentrate here.”

“That's putting it mildly. What are your plans for today?” Shane asked.

“I was going to go to Annie’s apartment to confront her.”

“You think that’s the best way to go about it?”

“How else can I do it?”

“You have her address. Maybe you could send her a letter.”

“I never thought of that. But now that I'm here, I don't want to wait any longer. I’ve been waiting for months, and I can't stand it anymore.”

“It's up to you. But you need to be prepared for rejection if you don't give her a warning.”

“I need to be prepared for rejection either way,” Dylan said.

Shane let out a long sigh. “You know what they say, Dylan. Fate works in mysterious ways. I know that everything is going to work out for you in the end. You just have to stay strong.”

“I know, brother. I keep telling myself that.” Dylan stood from the table and started to the door. “I’ll read those pages when I get back later.”

Shane opened up his laptop and squinted at the screen. “I'll take all the help I can get.”

Dylan slipped out of the house, feeling numb from all the blood pumping away from his limbs and into his head. He slid behind the wheel of his car and entered the GPS coordinates for Annie's building. He followed the directions through the narrow streets and arrived at her door within a few minutes. She was less than two miles away from Shane's house.

He remembered what his brother had said: “Fate works in mysterious ways.” Considering Annie was so close to his brother, it certainly suggested that to him now. But he still didn't know why she'd run away. He took a deep breath and let it out. He had to talk to her. There was no point in putting it off any longer. He climbed out of the car, wishing he’d brought her flowers or something like that. But then he decided that would be presumptuous. All he could hope now was that she was actually home.

Zander had told him that she worked out of her apartment as a freelancer, which was in keeping with the story that she’d told him. The chances of her being there were high. He went to the front door of the apartment complex and pressed a button on the buzzer.

A second later, the front door buzzed open, and he was inside the building. Part of him felt like he was doing something wrong as he climbed the stairs to her floor. But what choice did he have? He had to find her. He had to talk to her. He had to find out if she was okay.

He walked down the hallway toward her door as if walking through water. The hall stretched out in front of him, and