Page 104 of Diamonds

“Nonsense.”She gets to her feet and leaves the kitchen.She returns with two T-shirts with faded patterns and two pairs of gray sweatpants.“These are some old clothes of mine and Jonathan’s.”She looks to me.“Alissa, I’m about the same size as you, so this should fit you perfectly.”

I take the clothes.“Brilliant.Thank you so much, Laurie.This is really generous.”

“They’re old clothes.Hardly an inconvenience.”She turns to Maddox.“Jonathan isn’t quite as broad as you, so your clothes might be a little tight.But they’ll get you home.You two were dressed to the nines last night.You’ll hardly want to put all those fancy clothes back on.”

“Thank you.I’ll have these cleaned and sent back up to you once we’re home.”

“Save yourself the trouble.Hold onto them or just toss them.Better yet, donate them to Goodwill.That’s where they were probably headed anyway.”

“Will do.”Maddox turns to me.“Alissa, do you want to take a shower before we head out?We’ll check out both of our places.If they aren’t ransacked, we’re probably safe to sleep in our own homes tonight.If they are”—his face darkens—“we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”

I finish off my coffee.“I can wait until we get back to take a shower.”

“Sounds good.”Maddox crosses back to the table and gives Laurie a hug.“Thank you again so much, Laurie.I really appreciate it.”

“Anytime.What are old friends for?”

“I’m happy to return the favor if you ever find yourself in need of a place to stay Uptown.”

She nods.“I’ll put on a coat and take you out to your car.I’m supposed to take a little stroll every day, for the baby.”She leans down, scratches the goldendoodle’s ears.“Jabba, go on a walk?”

The dog jumps up on her.

“Whoa.Careful of the baby.”She rubs her belly.“Beware the Jabba walk, my son.”

I narrow my eyes.“What?”

She looks up at me and cracks up.“Sorry!You must think I’ve lost my mind.Just a little joke I have.Pregnancy brain and everything.”

Maddox grins.“Of course.Congrats on the life you’ve built, Laurie.”

Laurie gives him another hug.“Same to you, Maddox.”

Maddox and I head upstairs, collect our things, and scoot out the door.Laurie walks us as far as Maddox’s car—he parked a few doors down just in case we were followed—and we make our way back to my apartment.

Once we’re there, Maddox opens the car door for me and walks me up.

My breath catches as we approach my door.What is waiting for us behind my door?Best-case scenario, it’s been ransacked.All of my personal possessions thrown about, broken, maybe even stolen.

Worst-case scenario… Someone’s waiting for us.

“Give me your key, Alissa,” Maddox says.

I reach into my purse, fish it out, and hand it to him with trembling fingers.

“If anything goes wrong, it’s the same rules as last night.Run.Get the hell out of here.Get somewhere safe.In public.Then call the cops.”

I draw in an uneasy breath.“All right.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

If that’s what he wants, I’ll do it.But I don’t know if I’ll have the nerve to leave his side if something goes awry.

He places the key in my lock, and I hear the deadbolt disengage with athunk.

He slowly pries the door open.It creaks loudly, echoing all the way down the wooden stairs leading to my door.