Page 28 of Smoke and Mirrors

He chuckles and nods. “I like you, you’re cute. What’s your name?”

I smile sticking out my hand for him to shake. “I’m Lily, nice to meet you.”

“I’m Bradt, like Brad but with a ‘t’ at the end. Nice to meet you, too.” He shakes my hand, and I tilt my head.

“Odd name, but it suits you.”

He smirks again, and there’s something in that smirk that unsettles me. “It really does suit me. Well, I best be off, Lily. It was great to meet you. Have a good run.”

“Thanks, Bradt. See you around.”

He nods and steps off without looking back. I furrow my brows, chewing on my bottom lip wondering what that was all about, but I take a deep breath and look forward, planting one foot in front of the other as thoughts of Kace flood back into my brain at full force.

***

My run was good—it cleared my head. And even though I had that strange encounter with Bradt, it’s helped ease the tension from my body. Walking down the hallway toward my apartment, I step past Kace’s door and stare at it. My chest tightens and my breath quickens as memories flood my mind of the incredible kiss we shared.

I can’t do it.

I just can’t.

I don’t need his kind of drama in my life.

I need more than he can give. The bullet, the mystery, it’s too much drama for little old me. So I continue to walk toward my door as I hear Daisy begin to growl inside Kace’s apartment. Stopping in my stride, I look back at his door wondering why she’d be growling and think whether or not I should knock on his door to make sure everything’s all right.

Her growling intensifies, and my heart rate quickens. My feet move before I think whether this is a good idea or not. I knock on his door three times quickly and softly lean against the door to listen, but all I can hear is Daisy as she switches from growling to barking.

My mind flashes to all types of possibilities and endless questions as no one answers the door. The main one being—is Kace hurt inside and can’t answer the door?

I race back to my apartment and fling open the door. The door frame shudders as I slam the door shut behind me. I run out to my balcony and look over to Kace’s balcony to see a man climbing over the edge, then stand up and reach for Kace’s door.

I’m stunned. I recognize the clothing and then the face of the man straight away. My chest heaves as my breathing diminishes. After the initial shock wears off, I pick up a flowerpot and throw it at him full-force hitting him on his shoulder. Soil and the orchid fall to the tiled floor as the ceramic pot shatters all over the balcony. He grunts as he turns to face me, while I pick up any random object I can find and start hurling it at him.

“You…” I scream out.

“Lily… stop!” he calls out while I hurl another pot plant at him. But he dodges and weaves away with skill and accuracy like I’ve never seen before.

“You followed me,” I scream out incredulously. “Who are you, Bradt?”

Chapter Nine

LILY

The back door to Kace’s apartment pulls back, and Kace rushes out just as I throw a half-empty cup at Bradt. Again he dodges it with extraordinary skill. Furrowing my brows, I huff. I wish he would stop doing that.

“Luca? What the fuck is going on?” Kace asks.

I jolt back in surprise as Bradt smirks at me and chews on his bottom lip.

“Luca? Your name is Bradt?”

He shrugs and tilts his head. “Umm… about that… Bradt isn’t my name. I made it up. Bradt is a surname of Dutch origin, and it means deceit and fraud.”

I furrow my brows and shake my head while I stand here in total shock wondering what the hell is going on.

Kace rolls his eyes and huffs. “Fuck my life. What the hell have you done now?”

While glaring at Bradt, or Luca, whatever the hell his name is, I slant my posture to the side placing my hand on my hip. “Well? Are you going to explain?”

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