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Two sets of footsteps are right behind me, both heavier than mine, telling me they’re both men. I already knew at least one of them was from their voice, but confirming both are likely larger and stronger than me has my already labored breathing picking up. One man I can take. Two…not so much.

I am so fucked.

But I can’t give up.

At this pace, I’m only another minute, maybe two, from my apartment.

Except that means leading them straight to where I live. If they don’t already know.

Fuck.

This is where living alone is tricky.

I try to think of somewhere else I can go, anywhere, but I have no friends, no family. I have no one that would give a fuck if these assholes poached me off the street and killed me, and that’s a cold, sobering realization.

The diner I sometimes grab dinner at comes into view, and I don’t hesitate, quickly closing the distance between me and the door, and throw it open. I step inside and shove the doorshut behind me, taking in the surprised expressions on the other patrons’ faces.

“Are you okay, honey?” Beatrice asks. The older woman has owned this place for decades and always remembers my order when I come in.

I shake my head, my breathing becoming panicked and rough. Oh god. I can’t have a panic attack here. There’s no way I can allow all these people to see me weak.

She hurries around the counter and wraps her arm around my waist, helping me further into the aging diner. It may not look like much, but it’s always busy, and the food is fucking fantastic for a greasy spoon. “Come sit down. I’ll get you some water.” She looks around at everyone staring and gives them a pointed glare, which has their attention turning back to their meals. “Nosy fuckers.”

A startled laugh tumbles from my throat, and she gives me a soft smile.

Once she’s sure I’m not going to fall off the stool she helped me climb onto, she steps behind the counter and busies herself getting me a glass of water as well as a soda, sliding them both over the worn counter toward me.

I flick a glance over my shoulder, but the van is nowhere to be found. Hopefully that means they’ve fucked off, but I’ve never been lucky enough to let myself hope.

“Thank you,” I murmur, wrapping my hand around the water and taking a few quick sips.

“Have some soda. The sugar should help a little.”

I nod and do as she says, my hand trembling as I bring the straw to my mouth and take a healthy sip of the sweet, carbonated drink.

“Can I get you something to eat? Or can I call someone for you?”

I shake my head. “I’m okay. I just got a fright.” It was more than that, but I don’t need everyone in here to know my business.

She assesses me for a moment before the bell above the door rings, and she glances up, a soft smile on her face. “I think this one might be here for you.”

I flick a look over my shoulder and find Orion’s dark eyes staring at me. His suit is rumpled, his hair messier than usual, and the emotions swirling around in his onyx gaze take my breath away. Worry, panic even, as he takes me in, zeroing in on my shaking hands.

Oh, I’m in some trouble.

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

ORION

As soon as she ended our call, I knew something was wrong.

The issue is, even though I knew exactly where she was and what she was doing, I was on the other side of town getting some things for the apartment to make it feel more like home for her.

I broke more traffic laws than I ever want to admit getting over here, but the cops are smart enough to ignore my car when it flies by.

“What happened?” I ask as softly as I can manage, but from the way she flinches, I know I didn’t succeed.

Ember’s body trembles slightly, her hand shaking around the glass of Coke she has halfway to her mouth. Whatever happened must have more than shaken my girl, because as far as I’ve seen in all the months I’ve been following her, the only thing that actually frightens her is getting into a car.