Page 84 of Demo
I shook my head and sniffed. “No,” I said, just as low. “It’s definitely not just a dance.”
A moment passed, and then it was me who felt wet tears drip onto my bare shoulder. Tears that didn’t belong to me. And I heard the faintest plea. “I don’t want to be sad anymore.”
That was the breaking point.
“Tell Bram and Em it was a beautiful wedding,” I said, before I used every bit of strength I had in me to untangle myself from the man I still loved and push away from him.
“Lizzie, please,” he begged as he held onto my hand as long as he could, our arms fully stretched out before our fingers finally slipped from one another’s.
I didn’t look back at him. I made my way to the table to grab my purse, then rushed outside and ran down the street, around the corner and to my car. I turned the ignition and pulled away before Knox could have a chance to come find me.
After all, I was the one who was lost.
Chapter 23
LYZBETH
Iwakeinabed that feels like a cloud. I am still fully clothed, and my eyes feel like the lids are suctioned right to my eyeballs, since I slept in my contact lenses.
It’s barely light out, and I realize I’m the first one up, so I decide to make up the bed and hightail it out of Monty and Catherine’s house before they wake up. I don’t need them offering me clothes and making me breakfast. They’ve already done enough for me, letting me spend the night.
I hop in my car and make my way home.
I’m looking at the time on my phone to see if I can squeeze in a little more shut eye before I have to get into the shower as I ascend the stairs to my apartment and make my way to the door. Then as I go to push the key in, the door opens.
Because it’s not shut.
In fact, I can see scratch marks around the keyhole, indicating it’s been picked.
I take a step back and look around the hallway. For what, I’m not sure.
I should just barge in and see what holy hell awaits me. Whomever entered must be gone by now, since daylight has already broken. But I can’t seem to get my feet to move. My gut is swirling with insecurity as I stay rooted in place.
The most glaring anomaly here is the absence of barking. Where the hell is my damn dog?
Shit.
SHIT!
What I should do is get back in the car and go back to Monty’s, but that makes me feel needy and I hate that. I certainly can’t call 9-1-1 since that is a direct line to the police department, and, well, they are probably the culprits.
I know I should call Knox, since this kind of involves him now—now that our apartment has been broken into. But I don’t want to.
Bringing my phone to life, I descend the stairs as I find the contact I know will be here right away, no questions asked.
It rings once and goes right to voicemail, which I expected, considering our last exchange. I immediately redial and she picks right up, like I knew she would.
“This better be an emergency because I’m not in the mood for any more judgy insults,” Dee says, sleep still in her voice.
“I need help,” I squeak out through a ragged breath.
I hear her shuffle on the other end.
“Someone broke into my apartment. Two members of the police department stopped by the office last night and made a scene, so I slept at Monty’s. I just got home, and the lock on the door has been picked. I’m too scared to go in alone, and I’m too proud to call Knox, and I don’t know what to—”
“I’ll be right there!” Dee booms through the phone. I can hear keys jingling through the line, and more shuffling. “Don’t go inside without me. Hold your keys like a claw—put a key between each finger and make a fist so if someone comes you can scrape their eyes out.”
The phone disconnects.
