Page 5 of The Enemy of My Enemy Is… My Fake Boyfriend?

"Come on," I pleaded to my sister somewhere out there, hopefully at home. "Pick up, pick up, pick up."

No such luck. Her voicemail recording started. We usually didn't leave each other messages, but I was out of my mind, so I began to spill all as if she'd answered.

"Oh, my God, Annalise, where are you? I just found out that Chase is a lying, cheating dirtbag. I caught him screwing his assistant Hannah, you know, the sweet innocent naïf that I took under my wing. And now I don't know what to do. I don't know where to go. I didn't confront them. He doesn't know I know. And oh, my God,I need you."

A flash of a yellow taxi caught my eye as it whizzed past on the main street. That was it. I had to catch a cab and go home, change the combination on the door lock, and shut Chase out of my life forever.

Cramming my phone into my purse, I shoved off the wall, propelling myself forward and down the long side street. I'd taken three steps when the sky opened up, rain suddenly pouring down on me.

"Great. Just great."

Hurrying along, my ankle killing me, now I had the added bonus of looking like a drowned rat. Speaking of rats, one darted in front of me like I'd manifested it, causing me to misstep yet again. My heel gave a dangerous wobble before my foot plunged to the ground with a terrible cracking sound.

"Are you serious right now?"

Whipping my shoe off, I wrenched off the partially broken heel and threw it in the gutter. I thought this kind of thing only happened in movies, yet here I was, now hobbling down the sidewalk in my uneven stilettos.

Something emerged from the shadows near me, and I gasped out loud. Pausing my shaky stride, I stood there as a person took shape.

My heart sunk as I realized who it was. Ethan Locke. Wonderful. Just my luck tonight. And he was staring right at me, so it wasn't like I could pass by unnoticed.

I glared at him, ready to kick anyone's ass who stood in my way. "What? What the hell do you want?"

A long pause stretched out between us while I waited for that ever-present smirk to form on his face. But it didn't. Instead, he said something that shocked me.

"Do you need a ride?" he asked quietly.

"No. No, I do not." My voice came out oddly staccato.

Tilting my chin up, ignoring the rain streaming down my face, I detoured around him, my ankle twisting painfully. I sucked in a breath but kept on walking, refusing to show any vulnerability around this man.

The tears threatened, all the emotions inside me boiling up into a full-on storm.

I need to get home. I need to get home.That chant played on repeat in my head.

The smell of cigar smoke invaded my senses again. Was Ethan the one out here puffing on a cigar? That would explain his sinister presence.

A sudden thought hit me like a freight train. Oh, my God, had Ethan heard my message to my sister? Did heknow?

I rushed forward, wishing a sudden sinkhole would appear in front of me and swallow me whole so I could disappear forever.

Reaching the busy street, I looked left for any sign of a cab. And there was one, heading my way! Maybe my luck was turning after all.

Waving my arm, I squinted against the rain and glare of street lights, trying my best to make eye contact. And it must have worked because he seemed to slow down.

Oh, thank God. I could almost taste the comfort of being home.

Squinting some more, my heart thudded as the cab came closer, now speeding up. Frantic, I waved my hand even more.

"Please, please, please stop. Please," I begged.

He kept going, and I jumped back at the last second. But it was too late. Dirty street water hit me like a tidal wave as the cab zoomed through a puddle.

I shrieked, vainly attempting to wipe the gunk from my eyes and face. A horrible thud sounded near my feet as another splash soaked my shoes... or what remained of them.

Glancing down, my purse had fallen, the contents spilling into yet another large puddle.

"Oh, my fucking God. Could this night get any worse?"

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