reach. I’m done. I’m not doing it.”
I take a deep breath. It’s actually kind of liberating to just acknowledge my failure. My last act of defiance is to refuse to give the bastard what he wants. I’ve got roughly three weeks of freedom left, and I intend to enjoy them to the fullest.
It’s not giving up. It’s called accepting reality—recognizing my own limitations. Taking happiness where I can find it.
Movement overhead catches my attention. It sounds like my upstairs neighbor just knocked something over. If Darren really is the one spying on me, then he’s probably listening to everything I’m saying right now. Is he the one who left the note? Probably, at the boss’s instructions. His lackeys tend to be loyal beyond reason. I’m sure the boss pays enough to buy anyone’s loyalty.
My lips burn with the memory of the kiss we shared at my door. Was that at the boss’s instruction too? Even if it was, the tug I felt between us had to be real, right? I swallow the desire building within me. It’s been a long time since I did anything strictly because I wanted to. Spy or not, my body wants the alpha who pinned me against the door and claimed my lips.
Hell, now that I’m resigned to my fate, there’s really no reason to hold back anymore, is there?
Steeling myself, I yank open my front door and charge back outside. I’m barefoot, but I really don’t care. My mission is two-fold, and I’m too worked up to be deterred by the feeling of cold cement underfoot.
As I crest the top of the stairs, the door to Darren’s apartment flies open. He stops short, his eyes lock with mine as the color drains from his face.
Suspicions confirmed.
“You didn’t expect me to leave that fast, did you?” I force myself to walk the rest of the way to his front door. “You must’ve been worried when I ran out the door without warning. Thought I was going to the cops?”
Darren frowns and looks away. Then he opens his mouth to speak, but I silence him with a word.
“Don’t.” I stop just in front of him. “Don’t you dare deny any of it. I don’t need to be insulted like that.”
When he meets my gaze again, his expression is surprisingly mournful. “Don’t worry. This will all be over tomorrow morning,” he assures me. “You don’t owe me anything, but if you can wait until tomorrow morning to call the police, I’d be grateful.”
“Why would I call the cops?” I retort. “You probably already know my hands are tied. I can’t do anything against you or him.” I purposely avoid using names.
No one uses the boss’s name. It’s too risky.
Darren lifts his gaze and looks around with uncertainty. “We shouldn’t talk about this out here. Either come in or go home.” He steps back from the door.
“I didn’t come here to talk.” I step confidently into the apartment. I’ve been in worse situations with scarier people. At least this is a situation I chose for myself.
“Then why are you here?” Darren asks, closing the door behind me. “You clearly figured out that I’m the one who left that note. You obviously know who I work for. There’s nothing more to discuss.”
“You know that’s not true,” I say. “When you kissed me yesterday, that wasn’t all an act, was it?”
He looks back at me, his brow knitting together as if he’s trying to puzzle out my motivations. “Of course it was.”
“Why don’t I believe you?”
“That’s your own problem. It’s true.” He turns away from me and retreats farther into the apartment. “I was told to spy on you, so I did. I bugged your apartment, put a tracker on your car, and I’ve been following you for weeks. He told me to distract you, so I did that too.”
“And what about what you said outside?” I counter. “What did you mean? How will this all be over?”
“You just gave me an opportunity, and I took it.” He shrugs and drops onto the sofa as if I’m not even there. “By tomorrow evening, I expect the bastard will be in cuffs.”
I march into the living room and stand in front of him. “And what about us?’
“There is no us.” He looks up at me, but I can see the doubt in his eyes.
“Well, maybe there should be.”
He grits his teeth in frustration. After a moment of consideration, he grabs my wrists and tugs me toward him.
I stumble forward, climbing onto