Page 87 of Just Between Us

I won’t tell Doctor Sloane that though.

I run past a few people making their way home from work, and families taking an early evening stroll as I round the corner into an avenue of trees. It’s a pretty well-lit area and behind me I hear someone running, keeping a close distance to me and matching my pace. I sneak a glance back, but they have a black hoodie on and in the dark it’s hard to tell their features but it’s definitely a man.

I think they have been running behind me for a while now. When I’ve increased my pace, they’ve always managed to keep pace as well. I try not to think about it as a podcast about the rise of populism drones in my headphones and by the time I leave the park to make my way back home, the stranger has disappeared.

I take a deep breath and slow down. Most people are home now, and expensive cars line the streets, golden lighting illuminating from their living rooms. Just as I round the corner onto our street, I hear the sound of quick footsteps behind me. I sneak another look back, and it’s the same runner from the park, dressed in the black hoodie that covers half his face.

From my glance, I know he has an athletic build and he’s probably almost as tall as me. I swallow the weird lump in my throat, keeping my nerves at bay. It’s a bit weird that he’s been running so close to me, but it would not be strange if he lived around here too.

I try to calculate the distance between us—maybe a hundred metres and if he were to catch up and try something, I could probably fight him off.

My mind whirrs, weighing up possible scenarios but I decide not to take an unnecessary chance. I take my next left and set off in a quick jog, choosing to take the longer way that takes me through a maze of streets. It will be disorientating if he doesn’t know the area well. It works because he does follow for two more turns but I quickly lose him.

When I make it back home, I’m sweaty and my heart is racing but he has vanished. Only our cars sit on the walkway and our street is almost silent. I make my way to Cole’s office and he’s behind his desk, frowning at his screen.

I stand by the door for a moment, admiring the view. A strand of hair falls over his forehead and into his eyes. He’s in a simple blue t-shirt and sweats and yet, he still manages to look like that. He loses his frown when he looks up at me and my heart does that thing where it trips before it gets itself together again.

“How was the run?” he asks, holding out his arms.

I smile and walk over to him, not caring that I’m all sweaty as I straddle him and kiss him on the corner of his lips. “It was good, but I don’t know at the end I think someone was following me.”

His brow creases. “What?”

I don’t think it’s a big deal, but I tell him anyway. “There was a runner behind me through most of my run in the park. He disappeared for a while but when I was near the house, he was suddenly behind me again. I decided to take a different route home and at some point, I lost him.”

Cole is stiff under me. I can see his mind working. “Did you get a look at his face?”

I shake my head. “Nope, but lots of people around here run the same way.”

It is strange that he appeared again when I was close to home, but this neighbourhood is safe. He’s probably a neighbour or something even if he was acting strange.

I shrug. “Maybe it’s nothing.”

Cole still looks sceptical and knowing him, he’ll have his security detail back on me from tomorrow. He had Daniel’s men following me everywhere when we were apart and as controlling as it might seem, I like that he cares enough about my safety even when we’re not on the best of terms.

Speaking of, I shift slightly, thinking about something. “Have you spoken to Nick about everything?”

Now that I know the truth, my dislike for Nicholas Armas has grown into something uglier. Everything he has done to Cole because of misguided jealousy caused by their parents makes me ill but I can tell it’s hard for Cole to tell me or Kai about it.The only people who have ever known the truth were his grandparents and Kez. All this openness is an adjustment for all of us.

“Not yet,” he says easily. “I think I’m still trying to decide what I want to do about it.”

Something tells me he knows exactly what to do about it and he’s probably done it already. Maybe he doesn’t want to scare me. Maybe I should be because of the rabbit and what he’s done—who he really is—but I’m not and I don’t think Kai is either.

I wonder what that says about us.

I watch him for a moment, hoping I can get something, but Cole doesn’t show anything he doesn’t want to. “Okay,” I whisper, kissing him again. “Oh, I almost forgot. Jenna messaged me today.”

Cole raises an eyebrow. “Is everything okay?”

“It’s Kai’s birthday in a week.”

“And he hasn’t said anything?”

I smile. In a way, Kai and I are the same. We both hate the idea of inconveniencing anyone or having people fuss about us. With Cole, I’ve learned to let that go a little and Kai will too.

“I think he doesn’t want us to make a big deal out of it.”

“Well, he won’t be very happy with me then. I was planning a surprise for you both. We can change it into a birthday surprise.”

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