The worst part? She wanted more.
But beneath the heat still pulsing in her skin, a chill crept in.
How did he find me in that alley?
He’d been intense ever since the rose. Since the car. Since the glass.
But that timing? That wasn’t a coincidence.
She grabbed her phone. Hesitated only once beforeher fingers flew.
You left me at my door all heated. But I’m curious… how’d you know I was in that alley?
She tossed the phone on the couch and started pacing.
The light buzzed.
Gideon: I’m guessing “Hey, are you okay?” is out of the question first?
She huffed. Typical. Deflective.
I’m fine. Answer me.
Gideon: Arden…
Don’t “Arden” me. Spill it: how’d you know I was there?
Beat.
After the rose petals, the broken windows… I couldn’t shake the feeling someone was targeting you.
I asked Christian’s team to keep tabs. For your safety.
She stared at the words.
So he’d… had her followed?
Her stomach knotted.
Her mouth went dry.
No. No, no, no.
She wasn’t doing this again. Not withhim.
Not with someone she was beginning to let in.
Her phone trembled in her hand as she paced the room, heart beating out a warning she hadn’t wanted to hear. The heat from the alley hadn’t even cooled before this new kind of fury rose up, blistering and raw.
Not paranoid. Not imagining things.
Watched.
And the worst part? He hadn’t said a word.
Her fingers flew across the screen, messy and fast, edits abandoned halfwaythrough.
Are you fucking kidding me?
