It takes all of thirty minutes after Tom and Grimm leave for my stomach to freefall with guilt. I didn’t want to fight with him.
Hell, I didn’t even want to argue.
Logically, I know nothing should be going on between us, but I got caught up in the moment and a part of me wanted him to throw caution to the wind and pickme.
I scoff, the noise loud as disgust replaces the guilt.
I don’t need a man to pick me.
I can take care of myself.
And my needs.
Thank you very much.
The news that Tom and Grimm were going to see Dahlia didn’t help either, her name like a tiny snowball rolling down a hill in my mind. Every rotation gains speed and space until it’s an avalanche of past memories and no way to stop them.
Restlessness pumps through my veins as I walk the length of my office and back, a little path in the carpet where I’ve shuffled my feet along.
What are they doing?
Have they seen her?
Are they talking to her now?
It all feels too heavy after having such a great day being pampered and then seeing all the kids and their families. It was a dream and now I’m practically out of my mind with stress and nerves as I wait for answers.
I just need to get out of here.
Tom’s words are a nagging echo in my mind, but I’m crawling out of my skin right now. Surely it wouldn’t hurt if I went for a quick drive around the block.
This isn’t downtown Chicago.
I’ll keep the doors locked and I won’t stop for anything except the necessary road signs.
“Don’t leave while Jace is here.”
Ugh.
The few times I’ve walked downstairs, Jace has been glued to his computer, and while I know I couldask him to take a break, he’s busy.
Because of me.
And I just need some normalcy right now.
Besides, nothing happened with the announcement of my Sloane Daniels book. Royce had been just as frustrated as Tom, hence Jace currently being hunched over his computer as he looks for something they missed. Something that will help solve this case.
But maybe there’s nothing to solve.
Maybe it was a freak incident that got blown out of proportion.
Reasonable conclusion.
Decision made, I sneak down the stairs, grabbing my purse and keys before tiptoeing out the garage door and closing itbehind me as quietly as I can. My timing was perfect as Jace had just put in earbuds to take a phone call.
Tom is going to kill me.
Jace probably will too.
