Page 25 of Ditching the Dragon (Fated Dates)

The room is pristine with white sheets and spotless tiles. It’s generic, with a queen-sized bed and a dresser with a TV and desk, and utterly beige. It may not be The Botanical, but it’s more than livable.

I plug the phone in but leave it off to charge faster and flip on the TV for something to do.

After the final Jeopardy question, the local news banners flash across the screen. One of the nightly news anchors with hurricane-proof hair sits behind the curved desk and speaks into the camera.

“A forest fire originating in Hunt Park is still being extinguished by firefighters hours after it began,”the news anchor informs viewers.

Holy shit!That’s right next to Parsens. I can see Hunt Park from my windows. I turn on the phone to shoot off a text to Violet, both to give her the new number and make sure she’s okay. She should have been back at the office hours ago after dropping off my phone and car.

“Authorities believe an accelerant was used based on the area of ignition and heat levels. Anyone with information is asked to contact the PD162. In other news, an angel investor has been saving local small businesses in the Central Slope area...”

The TV drones on, but I don’t pay it much mind. Instead, I lay awkwardly on my side where the phone cord reaches and telepathically urge Violet to respond.

And, because best friend ESP has been perfected between us, it immediately rings.

“Vi, are you okay?” I ask.

“Hi, gorgeous,” Wick answers.

Fuck.

“Where is Violet?” I grit out.

“She’s fine. She gave me her phone.”

“Violet would never part with her phone.”

“She would if I bought her the newest model.”

“She already has the latest model. She brags about it all the time. What did you do to my best friend?”

“The phone she clapped and hopped around excitedly for doesn’t come out until next month.”

Alright, that does sound like her.

“Then how do you—you know what, it doesn’t matter. Let me talk to her.”

Weak mattress springs groan on the other end of the line. Where is he? He doesn’t seem the type to go cheap on a bed.

“She isn’t here, Annie. She’s off playing with her new phone in her new car.”

“New car?You can’t just buy my best friend!”

“I’m not buying her. As you noted, you are not a possession. Let’s consider it an investment. For what it’s worth, she resisted for quite a while.”

“Sure, it only took a new phone and car to convince her to betray me. Some friend.”

“I may have also detained her for an hour or two.”

“Definedetained.”

“Nothing untoward, but she did sit in an empty room for an extended period of time until I thought she’d hear me out.”

“That’s all it took?”

“I think you know her well enough to know that’s torture all on its own. You’re not the only one I’ve researched.”

“I still can’t believe she betrayed me over boredom.”

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