friends grabbing food, just as it had with Mara—minus the figure who exits a building nearby, his head held high as though he doesn’t have a care in the world. He’s alone, and I don’t know why the fact surprises me so much.
Mara hasn’t texted me back yet, so I have no way of knowing if her seduction attempts succeeded this time or not. Is she up in his apartment right now, lounging on his couch, waiting for him to come back?
He’s not wearing a haphazardly thrown together outfit, but instead a typical black shirt and jeans. His hair hangs loosely, obscuring his eyes, and he doesn’t notice me at first. Not until he’s almost completely passed the shop.
Our eyes meet, and I stiffen. The sensation I feel is a shock—electricity crackling between us as his brow furrows, his mouth tightening into a hard line. But he keeps walking…
And I turn to Liam, maintaining my easy smile. I listen to more of his stories. I nod along as though enthralled. I try to ignore, even forget, and pretend that this is fine, and my life is fine, and the world could truly be so simple. So nice.
Maybe it’s not too selfish to hope for as much. Too petty. Spiteful. I could genuinely enjoy this.
Liam doesn’t tell me to fuck off when we finish eating. He doesn’t make references to sex or his dick as I follow him outside. It’s chilly out, and when I shiver, he offers me his coat.
“This weather is a mess this time of year,” he teases with a smile. But when he slips an arm around me, I don’t resist. If anything, I lean into the embrace, racking my brain to describe what he feels like…
It doesn’t take long to, and the results devastate me more than I would have ever expected. I feel nothing. No sparks emanate from his touch. No searing heat radiates in his breath. No anger. No rage. No conflicting, enthralling, electrifying emotions.
I feel like myself. Boring, enduring, sheltered Hannah. I’m no animal in his orbit, and he’s a pleasant, predictable presence who would never goad me to that point.
“You okay?” he asks, eyeing me from the bridge of his nose.
I nod, still holding my fake grin. My mouth hurts from forcing the expression for so long. “I’m fine.”
“Well, here you are,” he says when we reach my building. “I’ll tell Bran you’re safe before he calls out the cavalry.”
“Thank you,” I croak as reality returns. For all I know, Bran is already inside, waiting for me.
But there’s no point in running forever.
I do everything I can to steel myself as I head upstairs, holding my breath the entire time. I reach my door and test the handle.
It’s locked. Once I get it open, I’m shocked to discover that everything is still in place. My furniture. My tulips. His camera. A blinking red light alludes to the fact that it’s on and recording. He’s watching. Waiting for me.
I barely register crossing over to it and swiping it off my TV, sending it crashing to the floor. It’s not broken. I could salvage it, but I don’t. A cry rips from my lips as I stomp on the tiny metal body until the insides spill out. Again. Again. Again.
The second my phone rings, I answer it, my breathing heavy. “Stay away from me. I mean it. I’m not moving, and if you ever touch me again… I’ll tell. I swear to God, I will.”
“Hannah…”
“I love you,” I insist, my voice breaking. “I do. But you can’t control me anymore.”
I hang up, slumping against my windowsill. Tears burn behind my eyelids as I stare from the glass, desperate for a view of the scenery I usually take comfort in. But it’s tainted tonight.
A stranger doesn’t belong here, standing across the street, his eyes on my window—on me.
“Hannah?” The voice accompanies a knock on my door. Alarmed, I turn to it, my heart thumping. Could Branden be on the other side? No…he wouldn’t knock. When I finally creep to the door and open it, I find Liam waiting for me.
“You have my jacket,” he explains, smiling. “And normally, I’d love to let you keep it, but I think I left my wallet in it.”
“Oh!” I laugh, and sure enough, I shrug his jacket from my shoulders and find a leather wallet in the pocket.
“Thanks.” Taking it, he starts to leave. “You should keep the jacket. I have another at home. See ya, Hannah.”