Page 22 of Wanted

“Well, you still should have told me somehow,” I spit out, stillglancing at the people walking by.

“Fuck you,” she whispered, drawing my attention to herimmediately. Sara had only told me to go fuck myself one other time. I deservedher anger, but her words hurt just as much as the first time.

Her voice choked up and I saw her try and catch her breath. BeforeI could react, she raised her hand and wiped away a lone tear.

My heart broke.

I wanted to comfort her and explain everything but it didn’tfully make a whole hell of a lot of sense to me, so I remained silent. After sometime had passed, she spoke again in a much calmer tone. “Why did you come heretoday? It wasn’t about Megan, because you didn’t even know about her until youwalked in.”

“Yeah, I know.” I couldn’t keep the sarcasm from my retort. Ourencounter was not what I’d envisioned. As I sat next to her, the last thing Iwanted to tell her was that I was going away for work.It may have gone over smoother had we not gotteninto an argument, but now it was going to add to the ever-growing tension bouncingback and forth between us. “I have to go away for a few days, Sara. I have todeal—” She cut me off before I even finished speaking.

“With some business issue, yeah, I know. Same old excuse.” Shegripped the handle as she prepared to leave. With her back turned toward me, sheasked, “Is there anything else?”

Before she was able to escape, I reached for her wrist and haltedher movements.

“Sara, look at me,” I demanded. She didn’t comply at first butwhen I tried to tug her into me, she turned her head in my direction. I knew ifI pulled her into my arms, the tears which were gathering behind her saddenedeyes would spill over, causing both of us to break. I never wanted to hurt her.Ever. But apparently it was exactly what I was doing.

“I love you.” I utteredthe words, hoping to bring some sort of solace to the both of us, but it hadthe reverse effect. Another lone tear broke free and slid down her flushedcheek.

She pulled free from my grip, opened the door then slammed itshut, rattling not only the window but my very soul.

~15~

Sara

Hurrying back inside, I was so distracted with my interactionwith Alek I almost ran right into Megan. Thankfully, she maneuvered out of myway quick enough so neither one of us was knocked on our ass.

The look on my face must have been enough to silence her fromasking me anything. I mumbled an apology and rushed past her to the back room.

“Whoa,” Matt warned as Ialmost barreled into him.Two for two sofar.

“Sorry. I… need a minute.” I pushed my way into the small breakroom and plopped down in one of the chairs. Thankfully, Matt saw the look on myface and left me alone with my wandering thoughts.

Unfortunately, Megan was too new to give me the same consideration.

She came around the corner and poked her head in to see how I wasdoing. “Are you okay, Sara? Is there anything I can do for you?”

I smiled as pleasantly as I could and tried my best to mask myannoyance at being bothered. Internally, I chastised myself. She was onlytrying to be nice; plus, I would have done the same thing in her shoes. “No,”was my simple and short answer.

“Who was that guy? He didn’t seem very nice.”

Apparently, she’s not done.

I was shocked to see she wore an expression of dislike for thegreat Alek Devera. Women never reacted to him in such a way. I wished they did,but normally they were falling all over themselves, vying for hisattention.Maybe she wasn’t attracted tomen.Before the thought fully formed, Iquickly dismissed it, simply from her reaction when I introduced her to Matt. Shepretty much undressed him with her eyes as she watched him walk away.I wasn’t saying I wanted my new employee goingafter Alek…I simply found her reaction to him surprising.

“He’s my boyfriend.” I found my words sounded odd to me. Technically,Alekwasmy boyfriend, but it didn’treally feel like it as of late.

Megan’s response was a quick bellow of air and a roll of her eyes.Obviously, she wasn’t a fan. Well, neither was I right then, but I wasn’t aboutto air my dirty laundry. Especially to a virtual stranger.

When she continued to linger in the doorway, I had no choice butto ask her to leave. “Megan, can you please give me a minute to collect mythoughts?”

“Oh, sorry. Sure thing, Sara. Let me know if you need anything,okay?” I nodded in response as she turned around and walked away.

An hour had ticked by when I’d decided not to spend any more timewallowing in self-pity. I grabbed my phone and dialed Alexa’s number.

“Hellooooo,” she answered playfully.

“Hey, are you free tonight? Because I really need to go out andlet off some steam.”

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