Page 59 of Playing My Rivals

She jerks her head, causing her auburn hair to fall over her shoulder, and fakes a laugh. “Yeah, right. I could say the same about Ava, but I’ll leave that for another day.”

Now I know he’s saying something about me based on what Dori told me he knows.

“If you say so, Hunter. I’ve got to go now. I’ve got important matters to handle.” She hangs up the phone and releases a heavy breath.

I raise my eyebrows, knowing I have the perfect opening. “That didn’t sound like a pleasant conversation. Do you want to talk about it?”

“No.” Her gaze moves around the room as if she’s searching for something.

I slide some files into my briefcase and slam it shut. I can’t help her if she keeps everything bottled up. My stomach tightens in knots made up of frustration.

I shake my head and do what I always do. Give her space. “Okay, then. I’ll get out of your way.”

She taps on her desk with a pen and scribbles something on a piece of paper. As I’m on my way out, she stands.

“I’ve got to go downstairs to see Melanie. I’ll walk with you.” Dori joins me and we go to the elevator.

I don’t say anything. As soon as we’re on the elevator alone, she brushes against me and slides the piece of paper into my pants pocket. My eyes fall to the motion and then I glance at her.

She remains staring at the elevator doors. They slide open to Melanie’s floor. Dori steps out and marches away without looking back. The doors close and I remove the piece of paper. I open it and read it.

It says:

I think he’s watching us somehow.

My fingers curl around it and I crumble it up in my fist.

I tried to warn you, but you said he wouldn’t do such a thing.

My mind weaves through all the possible things he’s seen or heard between Dori and me. It ramps up my nerves that much more than they already are. I’m jumpy as fuck and on high alert. I scan every area, searching for something or someone out of place.

If only we had been honest from the start, none of this would be happening. I try to come up with a way to fix it the rest of the way home.

I turn the corner and in front of my building sits the same motorcycle that I saw the guy on this morning. My gut tightens. I glance around but don’t see the man in the leather jacket.

A thought comes to mind. If Hunter hired this guy to follow me and is at home sick, then this guy could be here giving him an update. I stroll up to the front desk.

Our lead security guy is watching over things. “Jamison. You’re back early today.”

“I’m working from home the rest of the week.” I belly up to the counter. “Do you mind if I take a look through the guest log?”

“Sure. It seems it’s a popular thing to do today.” He reaches behind the counter and pulls out the log.

“Why do you say that?”

“No less than an hour ago, Hunter Efron asked to do the same thing.”

My nerves fire, and my eyebrows come together. “Yeah? What was Hunter looking for?”

“He was calculating all the times Dorothy Fisher checked in. Something about her taking care of his place while he’s out of town.” The guard gestures to the book. “She’s your friend, too. Right?”

Hunter’s checking up on Dori.

My face drains of color. “Uh…yeah. We work together.”

I place the guest log on the counter and try to keep myself together. Hunter has to know Dori came by my place now.

How much of this does she know?

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