Page 27 of Ditching the Dragon (Fated Dates)

“Clean but boring.”

“The Botanical will gladly roll out the red carpet for us again.”

“I’m not . . . ” My voice drops off.

“Annie?” his smoky, resonating base asks through the phone.

“I’m going, Wick. Don’t chase me.”

“Then don’t run.”

“You know I can’t do that.”

“Keep the phone at least. Disable the GPS. I don’t like you being out in the world without being able to reach me.”

“You aren’t my keeper. I can do what I want. I can leave and find another one night stand to hide me.”

“Any man who touches you will be ash the moment he removes his hand,” he seethes.

Oop, not the right thing to say.

“I’m going, Wickham.”

“Annie—” is all he gets out before I end the call.

I need to pack my meager belongings, convince the clerk to refund me for the unused days, and find another place willing to give me a room.

But first, I stare at the phone and debate what to do with it.

I should leave it behind. He already knows I’ve been here, so there’s no danger in tossing it.

But instead, I poke through the settings and disable the GPS tracking. I open the text chain with Violet.

The response is instantaneous.

Chapter Eight

The clerk refunds me for the whole week. When I bum rush the counter, her fingers fly over the screen before she cranks the register and hands me a stack of bills.

If Wick’s headed here, then I need to be anywhere else.

My feet skim over the sidewalk as I scurry to Violet’s car.

Actually, I know exactly where to go.

I’m still in my work slacks and heels. I need to be better equipped if I’m going on the run in truth.

And Wick isn’t at my apartment anymore.

The whole drive, I develop a mental list of the things I’ll need on the run. Passport as a precaution, the roll of cash in my unmatched sock ball, clothes—the list goes on. It chants in my mind like a meditation to keep the anxiety at bay.

I park in my neighbor’s reserved spot by the front door and pray she doesn’t come home from the restaurant early.

As I charge up to my second floor apartment, I pass my super headed into his office.

“Hey, Annie!” he calls out. “Did your boyfriend catch you?”

“Who?” I puff as I vault two stairs at a time.

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