Page 9 of Look What You Made Me Do

There, in the center of my bed, is a single flower, the thick white pedals contrasting sharply with my navy blue comforter.

It’s a gardenia flower.

What the…?

Thatdefinitelywasn’t there when I left this evening.

CHAPTER THREE

Wyn

My first instinctis to run back outside and flag Christian down, but I can already hear his car speeding off into the night.

Stepping forward, I clutch my phone in my hand and glance around. My place is tiny—a kitchenette to the left, a small closet, a dresser, a queen bed, and a bathroom. That’s it. My closet door is open, so if anyone is hiding in here, then they’re a fucking contortionist and crammed into one of my two cabinets. Unless…my gaze shifts to the closed bathroom door.

It was open when I left. It’s just me here, so I never close it.

My heart hammers against my ribs so hard, my entire body is vibrating.Fuck.What do I do?

I glance down at my phone and consider calling someone. But Alexis is still at the party, and she doesn’t have her phone. So I dial the number of someone Iknowwill answer.

“Hey, Wyn,” Lux’s calming voice comes over the receiver. Since she and Roman have gotten together, and both resigned from the Burning Crown, they’realwayshome, and they’reusually doing one of three things: watching TV, cooking, or fucking.

My back is pressed against the front door, my free hand on the knob, ready to bolt if someone comes bursting out of that bathroom. “Hey, Lux, can you stay on the phone with me for a sec?”

Her cheerful tone switches to alarm. “Why? What’s wrong?”

I push out a breath. I’d have her come over, but she’s all the way across town, and there’s no way I’m standing out in the dark to wait. “I’ll explain in a second, just…be ready to call 911 if I scream.”

“Wait,what?Wyn, tell me what’s going on.”

But I’m already creeping forward. Fortunately, my apartment is the size of a cracker, so in just a few steps, I’m already standing in front of the bathroom. Placing my hand on the door handle, I suck in a deep breath, and twist, flinging the door open before I can chicken out.

“Wyn…” Lux’s voice is in my ear as I step into the bathroom, and open the shower curtain. The relief is instant. No one is there.

“Oh, my God,” I breathe into the phone, bending over to gather myself. “Shit.”

“I swear to God, Wyn, if you don’t tell me what’s going on, I’m going over there.”

She’s pissed now, and I don’t blame her. After the year she’s had, the poor thing is on high alert at all times, and I basically call her up and tell her nothing, except that she might need to call 911. That would freak anyone out.

“Sorry,” I say, moving to the windows, and French doors to make sure they’re locked and they are. If someone got in, they must have come through the front door. In my rush to leave this evening, did I forget to lock it?

I explain everything to Lux, who is thoroughly freaked out on my behalf.

“Why don’t you come sleep here tonight? Roman won’t mind.”

Oh, right, like I’m going to invade their love nest? I’d rather sleep on the couch at Rush House, and with all the fluids that thing has seen, it’s practically a science experiment at this point. But even that would be preferable to sleeping over at their place and suffering through their PDA and cutesy remarks to each other. Gag.

“No, thanks, I’m okay,” I say. “There must be a logical explanation for it.”

“Likewhat?” she asks incredulously.

I shrug, even though she can’t see me. “I don’t know, what if the building manager had to come in and check for a gas leak or something?”

“Most building managers leave a note on your door, not a piece of fucking shrubbery on your bed.”

I yawn. “I’m okay, I swear. Thanks for being on standby.”

---