Page 51 of The Stranger

My morning is unproductive. It’s safe to say I’ve worked myself into a bit of a state. I’m currently pacing the floor in my office as I wait for an update from Damien. Delilah left the apartment half an hour ago and hopped on a bus. To where? Who the fuck knows?

I pull out my phone.

Me: Any updates?

Damien: Yes, she just entered a clinic in Darlinghurst.

Me: A clinic?

Damien: Yes. The signage out the front reads Better2Know.

I round my desk and take a seat, frantically typing that name into my search bar. When I see that it’s a clinic that specialises in comprehensive sexually transmitted infections, I sit back in my chair and blow out a long breath. No wonder she was reluctant to tell me where she was going.

She’s worried that she caught something from that piece of shit.

Fuck.

I lean forward and grab my phone.

Me: Thanks for the update. You can leave now.

Damien: You don’t want me to wait until she comes out?

Me: No.

As much as I want to be there for her, I need to respect her privacy with this one.

I asked Shay-lee to buzz me when Delilah arrived, and true to her word, she entered the building just before midday.

By the time she reaches my office, I’m sitting behind my desk, pretending to look busy and trying to act like I haven’t been going out of my mind for the past few hours.

“I’m here,” she says, popping her head into my office.

I casually glance up from my screen and observe how pale and spooked she looks. The sight tugs at my heart. Especially considering I now know where she’s been. That ex of hers needs his arse kicked, and I just might be the man to do it.

“You okay?” I ask.

“Yeah,” she answers, forcing out a smile.

“If you’re not feeling the best, Simone and I can handle it here.”

“No, I’m good. I want to stay busy.”

Of course, she does. The last thing she needs is to sit around and worry about what infectious diseases she may have.

Delilah did her best to steer clear of me for the rest of the day, so I gave her what she needed. She remained onmy mind the entire time, though. The more I thought about everything this guy had put her through, the angrier I became. If it were up to me, I’d destroy that motherfucker. Starting by exposing his true self by plastering his infidelities to the world. Women need to know what they’re getting into with this one.

The only satisfaction I got from this ordeal is that Kayne’s doing the same thing to Abigail. Unlike the sympathy I hold towards her sister, though, there’s zero for her. In my eyes, it’s called karma. And what a vengeful bitch she can be.

When five rolled around, Delilah did a rinse and repeat of the previous day. And just like yesterday, I intended to leave with her, but again I stayed behind.

I gave her two hours, and then I headed home.

She is nowhere to be seen when I enter the apartment, but it’s just after seven, so I doubt she’s in bed. I’m heading across the room towards my home office to stow my briefcase when I spy the bottle of wine and an empty wine glass sitting on the kitchen island.

Placing my bag down, I head in that direction. I pick up the bottle and shake it, noting it’s also empty. That’s an awful lot of alcohol for someone of her size and stature. It immediately concerns me, so I head towards her bedroom.

Light shines from the gap at the bottom of her door, so I presume she’s still awake … or passed out. The latter thought only heightened my concern.