Page 31 of Full Out Fiend

I don’t trust myself not to break down. Or get physically sick in their presence and give my secret away before I have a chance to tell the one person who needs to know first.

Shuffling farther into the bar, I keep my attention fixed on the group. I maintain my distance, grateful that the shoulder-to-shoulder crowd engulfs me.

I reluctantly turn my back when I reach the bar—if any of them look up and directly across the way, they’ll spot me. Thankfully, one of the bartenders catches my eye right away. We do that awkward silent questioning thing. When he tilts his chin in my direction, I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding.

He thinks he knows who I am. I bet he can help me.

I give him the smallest nod, swallowing past the lump in my throat and willing my words not to waver as he leans forward to hear me over the cacophony that surrounds us.

“Hey. This is awkward, but do you know that guy down there? The tall blond. At the end of the bar?”

“Fielding?”

Relief washes over me. “Yes. Fielding. Thank God. Okay, this is going to sound so weird, and I promise I’m not some sort of stalker, but I really need to talk to him. Privately. Anywhere but here.”

“You must be Daphne.”

Mouth agape, I pause. What am I missing? How does this bartender know my name?

“He’s been trying to find you for weeks,” he continues. “He rushed here as soon as I told him your redheaded friend was back. Hell, what are the chances you show up, too?”

A small thrill shoots through me, but it’s dampened by wariness. I had no expectations of Fielding wanting to contact me or keep in touch. Melissa made damn sure my presence was required tonight.

I’m still lost in thought when the bartender speaks again. “Here, let me give you his number. If you go out the front door and turn left, there’s a little alley—”

I cut him off before he can finish his train of thought. “Thank you. Thank you so much,” I gush. “You’re a lifesaver…”

“Cole,” he supplies, his kind smile making his eyes crease as he holds out his phone, Fielding’s contact info displayed on the screen. I quickly punch the numbers into my own phone, then send Fielding a text.

Daphne: This is Daphne. Cole just gave me your number. I need to talk to you. Meet me outside in the alley as soon as you can.

I hit send and lift my gaze, desperate for this to work.

Across the room, Fielding fishes out his phone and glances down, the glow from the screen illuminating his enormous, lagoon-blue eyes. A second later, he lifts his head and frantically scans the crowd.

I offer Cole one more appreciative smile, then head out the front door and turn into the narrow brick alley where our worlds collided a month ago.

All I can do now is wait. Wait and try to calm the adrenaline rushing through my veins. Wait and pray there’s nothing left in my queasy stomach for me to throw up as I head into an impossibly hard conversation I never expected to have with the one-night stand I never wanted to forget.

Chapter 20

Fielding

IttooklongerthanI hoped to get away. Once Andrew explained to his brother who I was—then proceeded to ignore us all, looking for video footage from the aforementioned incident at his house last summer—I was finally able to mutter “I’m out of here” and slip away toward the back door.

Thank God neither of them tried to take things further.

I already had a strong opinion about Anthony based on what he did to Daphne. Knowing who he’s related to only triples the animosity I have toward him.

Out of all the assholes in this goddamn town, why did it have to be an Adley?

So many things about this situation are fucked. Daphne will inevitably find out about the party and the fight. I honestly don’t remember many details from that night, but Maddie and my brother have filled in most of the gaps. Along with the videos that still exist on the Internet.

It clearly wasn’t my finest moment. But it also wasn’t my lowest, either.

None of that matters right now.

What does matter is that the woman I’ve been desperately looking for found me—and I’m about to see her in person for the first time in almost a month.