Page 196 of No Need to Run

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“Okay.”

And then he’s gone.

Suddenly, the bar stool feels too small.

The space beside me feels too quiet. Too empty.

I sit there for a minute.

Five minutes later, I'm ordering another shot.

I know it’s a bad idea, but I toss it down anyway because my brain won’t shut up.

Every thought keeps circling back to her.

Her smile.

The way she looks at me like she already knows something I don’t.

“She’s stalking me.”

I blink.

Did I just say that out loud?

The bartender glances over.

I wave him off. “I’m fine.”

I'm very obviously not fine.

I lean back in the chair.

“If she’s stalking me, there should be proof.”

I know what I have to do.

42

DREW

I standand immediately regret it. The room tilts slightly.

Fucking whiskey.

No wonder I don’t drinkit.

I grab the edge of the bar.

“I’m fine.”

I’m not.

Once everything settles, I head for the door while ordering an Uber.

“Where to?”the Uber driver asks.

I give him Violet’s address.

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