Page 33 of Rage's Heart

Inside, the house felt different now. Like something was missing. Or more specifically someone was missing.

The only proof she’d been there at all was the note she left on the kitchen counter.

Thanks for this morning.

– M

That was it?

Four fucking words?

Annoyed, I crumpled the note in my fist.

Fuck it.

Maybe it was for the best that she was gone.

Chapter Ten

Mac

“I’d kiss you as the lights went out! Swaying as the room burned down! Yeah, we were dancing! Like it was the first time, first time!” I belted out the lyrics of theTaylor Swift song with zero regard for my neighbors as I swung my hips to the beat, wielding my Swiffer duster like a microphone.

After three straight ten-hour shifts at the hospital, I finally had a day off, and I was making the most of it by doing the least relaxing thing imaginable—deep cleaning the apartment while Sarah and Chad were gone for the night.

The wireless earbuds pumped the music directly into my brain as I danced across the living room in my comfy cotton shorts and oversized t-shirt that had seen better days.

I was doing any and every thing humanly possible to avoid thinking about the fact that it’d been four days since I snuck out of Rage’s house, leaving nothing but a note behind. Four days of overthinking, over-analyzing, and absolutely refusing to text him first.

What was I supposed to say, anyway? Hey, thanks for the mind-blowing sex and sorry I bailed while you were out doing biker stuff?

When the song changed to another T. Swift jam, I cranked up the volume and spun around with the duster in hand and kept on shaking my booty as I sang along. “I go on too many dates! But I can’t make ’em stay! That’s what people say… mmm…“

My hip bumped the coffee table, sending a stack of magazines tumbling to the floor. “Shit!“ I laughed, bending to scoop them up at the same time a loud knock on the door cut through the lyrical pep talk Taylor was giving me about shaking it off.

Yanking out my earbuds, I tiptoed to the peephole and quickly jumped back after peering through.

Shit! Shit, shit, shit!

Rage was standing on the other side of my door with his arms crossed over his broad chest and a semi-pissed off look on his face.

Heart hammering, I looked down at my outfit and frowned. Of course, he’d show up when I was in a ratty clothes with no bra, and my hair a mess

The knocking stared up again.

Taking a deep breath, I flipped the deadbolt and cracked the door open, trying to pretend that my entire body wasn’t buzzing at seeing him again.

“Well, well, well,” he drawled, those full lips quirking into a knowing smirk. “If it isn’t Taylor Swift’s number one fan.”

Heat flooded my cheeks. “Oh, God. You heard me.”

“Baby, I think the entire building heard you.” His eyes traveled leisurely down my body, lingering on my bare legs.

I crossed my arms over my chest, painfully aware of my lack of support underneath the thin cotton. “What are you doing here?”

“Came to check on you,” he said simply, leaning against the doorframe. “After you disappeared.”

The accusation hung between us, making me squirm. “I left a note.”

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