“Piper, I love you.”
“You don’t even know me,” she insists.
“I know you better than I know myself.” I can’t help it. I reach for her again.
“No. Don’t. Stop talking.” She jerks back. “Do not follow me. Do not try to find me. Do not contact me. I never want to see you ever again. Just leave me alone.”
And then she literally runs from me. The way I knew that she would. The very thing I was afraid would happen.
Through the door and into the bright daylight.
And it’s all my fault.
I want to go after her. Grab her, drag her back here. Spread her across my bed and make her come until she agrees to be with me forever, but I can’t.
So I curl up in my empty bed, where the sheets still smell like my mate, my everything—and let myself mourn.
12
PIPER
Crap. Crap. Crap, crap, crap.
The brightness of daylight shocks me when I walk outside. After spending so many hours in his dim apartment, the light is almost blinding. I have been such an idiot.
I might throw up. I have a stalker, and I slept with him. I spent a whole day, fucking him and cuddling him and coming for him.
I cried in front of him. I don’t remember if I ever cried like that in front of Colin.
Ant was nice and kind and funny and cute, and my heart squeezes while I literally run from his condo. Crap. This is what I deserve for trying to be casual. Trying to enjoy one night of fun. Letting my hopes raise, just so I can fuck a guy who has apparently been following me for weeks.
Crap, crap, crap.
I walk at least ten blocks in a blind rage before I calm down enough to take in my surroundings and realize I have no idea where I am. It’s a beautiful fall day. Quiet. Chilly. Crisp. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up as a shadow passes overhead. My stomach leaps into my throat. I duck under abuilding’s awning and search the sky for a Mothman-shaped figure. It’s just a flock of geese.
He wouldn’t follow me again, right? Not in the daylight. Not after we fought.
I don’t know anymore. He seemed so nice, trustworthy, not like the kind of person who stalks you. Under the safety of the awning, I pull out my phone and order a lift home. During the ride, I text my squad.
Me: I have so much I need to tell you.
Me: Stuff got crazy.
Me: Ant isn’t who I thought he is.
I stare at my phone, waiting for a response. Nothing comes. They must be busy, I know they’d answer if they saw my text. It’s still early on a Sunday and my friends have lives. Anam is probably sleeping late after a wild night out. Kelly and Jeremy are probably having brunch together like the adorable couple that they are. I hate the idea of interrupting either of their mornings to complain about my ridiculous mistake.
The car is pulling up outside my apartment before I realize this might be a terrible idea. Ant knows where I live. He has my address. This might not be the safest place.
Another wrench in the matrix—a familiar car waits in front of my apartment. My Mom is here.
Crap. It’s still my niece’s birthday. Mom was going to give me a ride to the birthday party.Shewanted to make sure that I actually left the house. What am I going to do? I cannot say out loud, to my flesh and blood mother, that I spent a weekend fucking and sucking a potentially dangerous stranger.
“Where have you been?” Mom exits her car when she sees me on the sidewalk.
“Good morning, Mom! How are you?” I announce pointedly, while tucking my wrinkled shirttails into my wrinkled skirt, hoping to make my disheveled appearance less obvious.
She purses her lips. “You’re late.”
