Page 182 of Wish

Jamie’s vibe changed instantly. “Shirley’s is closed.”

“He’s not home. His cell phone’s there.”

“We’ll meet you,” Jamie said, then disconnected the call.

“Faster,” I told Win, everything inside me screaming that something was wrong. “It’s her,” I muttered, “She did something to him.”

I appreciated that Win didn’t try to reason with me or point out I was overreacting. With Wes’s track record, there was no point.

“I never should have given him the night off.” I groaned, thinking of the tail who usually followed Wes. “I told him to go straight home. Why doesn’t he ever listen?”

Once again, Win didn’t say anything, just pressed farther onto the gas.

35

Wes

Her tongue wascold and aggressive. The second it forced past my lax lips, everything inside me seized up. Despite the sluggish weight in my limbs, the heavy fog making it hard to think, and the way I seemed to struggle for control, I jumped up.

She gave a surprised shout when her body slapped the floor, and I sprang to my feet, chest heavy, body swaying. Everything around me seemed a little blurry, but I fought for control, for clarity.

This was something I never saw coming. Not in one million years. Part of me couldn’t even fully acknowledge it because it was so outrageous.

This was outrageous, right? A woman drugging a man to take advantage of him.

Mostly, you heard about guys doing shit like this to women. Which, by the way, was completely wrong and sick. I never really thought about it being the other way around.

“You’re freaking out,” Veronica said, standing from the floor.

I stepped back from her. “Are you fucking kidding me?” I barked. “You fucking drugged my coffee under the guise of apologizing. What the hell kind of person does that? I came here tohelpyou.”

“I know. Even after the way I acted, you came anyway. It just proves you’re it for me. I’ve been watching you a long time, Wes.”

I swayed. “What?”

She nodded. “I can be pretty invisible when I want to be. I did worry you saw me that night in your window, the night after your accident.”

I gaped. “That wasyou?” Holy fuck, it was her button I’d found! I hadn’t been seeing things.

“I was so worried about you after the accident. I just wanted to be close in case you needed me.”

She was unhinged. Certifiable. A freaking stalker.

Fumbling around, I jammed my hand into my jeans for my phone. I was calling the cops.

The screen was blurry when I lit it up. Every time I hit the button, it moved away from my finger. “Come on,” I muttered, hitting the screen again.

“What are you doing?”

“Calling the cops.” I hit the button again. This time, it asked me for my password. “Fuck.”

“I can’t let you do that,” she said, stepping closer.

The phone in my hand rang. Through blurred vision, I could make out an X.Max.I swiped at the screen to answer and missed. I swore, then swiped at it again.

The phone was snatched away from me, and she threw it across the room where it hit the wall with a distinctcrack.

“No phones until you give us a chance.”

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