Page 4 of Nowhere to Run

I couldn’t tear myself away.

Couldn’t tear my eyes away from his body.

I’m the reason this happened.

Emma exhaled sharply, dragging her hands through her hair.

“Okay, I have a million questions, but first–why? Why did you go there? This is the guy whotormentedyou for an entire year. And didn’t even stop when he left for college. He sent you those letters foryears.”

I sighed, knowing as well as she did how insane it sounded.

“I don’t know. Maybe I just… wanted closure. To see if I still haunted his mind after all these years.”

Her smirk dripped with disbelief.

“And? Is he still as obsessed with you as ever? What’s he like now? Now that he’s ahardened criminaland all.”

She leaned forward, resting her chin in her hands, hungry for every detail.

My gaze drifted over the familiar pink walls of the shop, their sugary sweetness almost cloying. Such a stark contrast to the steely gray of Adrian’s condo—cold, hard, and commanding, just like him.

My breath hitched as I thought of the night I’d spent with him.

The way he took complete control. How he made me submit. Pushed me past every limit, demanding things I never would have given him in a million years. His voice was like a chain, binding me to him, coiling tighter with every command, forcing me to surrender.

I shuddered, heat rising to my cheeks. An aching pulse stirred low in my stomach as the memories surged, vivid and damning.

“Are you… blushing?”

Emma’s voice snapped me out of my spiraling thoughts.

I pressed a cool hand to my face, desperate to compose myself.

“Sorry, I’m just… a little on edge right now,” I said, my voice cracking.

“He gave me a workout,” I joked, forcing a smirk. “He’s a personal trainer. He offered me a free session.”

Emma tilted her head, skepticism clear.

“Is that why you went? I know you’re a borderline gym bro, but seriously?” She laughed mildly, shaking her head.

“Not really,” I exhaled, toying with the emerald ring on my right hand. One of my gran’s. It was her favorite, given to her by her first boyfriend. Looking at it made me think of her, made me feel more secure. Calmer. I took another deep breath.

“He told me that he wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

Emma’s hands clenched into fists on the table and I could practically feel the heat coming off her.

“What an absolute creep. Well, I hope it was a good ‘training session’”, she said, making air quotes. “He better not have tried anything more.”

My stomach tightened.

This was the moment I’d dreaded. But Emma was my best friend—the only person I trusted completely.

“He… he did,” I said quietly, my voice faltering. “Hesort offorced himself on me.”

Emma’s gasp was instant, her hand flying to her mouth. For a moment, she just stared at me, eyes wide.

“Oh my God. Scarlett.” Her voice was low. Deadly.

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