Page 112 of The Surrender

“Fuck, did he hit him?” Abbie casts aside the bag of crisps she’s munching her way through.

“No.” I sigh. “He manhandled me out before it came to that, but there was something not right.”

“How so?” Abbie asks.

“I got the feeling they knew each other.”

“What?” they both whisper.

“I don’t know. It was tense.” I sink farther down into the couch. “Nick was saying something but couldn’t finish because Jude shoved him out of the way.”

“Saying what?”

“He said,He’s not ...” Both girls raise their brows. Both are finishing that sentence like I am.He’s not ... who you think he is.“My new car got vandalised too. Someone scratchedgold-digging bitchinto the paintwork.”

Abbie gasps, outraged. “Who would do that?”

“I think Jude suspects Katherine.”

“Her husband needs to put that woman in a cage.” Charley’s head is shaking.

“What’s Jude going to do about it?” Abbie asks. “Just let her carry on terrorizing you?”

My poor brain isn’t up for this kind of mindfuck today. “I’m not worried about Katherine. I’m more concerned about what happened with Nick.”

“Have you asked Jude?”

“I’ve tried.”

“Then ask Nick,” Charley says.

I tilt my head, not relishing the thought. But maybe she’s right. And for the sake of my sanity ... “Do you think I should?”

“God, yes.”

I sit up straight. Yes. Yes, I should. Because now my mind is taking every moment since I’ve been with Jude and overthinking it. Like thenight last week when Nick showed up at the restaurant we were at when Jude met my friends. He wasn’t tracking me; Lloyd told him we would be there. And now I’m wondering if Jude left the table for a whole different reason. Did he see Nick before me? Does he know Nick? “I’m going to call him now. Thanks for listening to my woes.”

“Let us know, okay?”

I nod and hang up, bracing myself to call Nick. I chicken out four times before I eventually brave dialling him. It goes straight to voicemail, and I contemplate leaving him a message. But ... no. I need to talk to him. Actually, I need to talk to him face-to-face.

Now.

I go back to the bedroom and quietly get dressed, watching Jude sleeping peacefully as I do. He doesn’t stir. After collecting my things, I slip out of his apartment quietly, constantly questioning if I’m doing the right thing. Whether I’m being paranoid. If I’m making somethings out of nothings. Regardless, I need to tell Nick to back off, and I will. He’s taken things too far. Tracking me, the interview at my work.

Way too far. It ends now.

Anouska is in the lobby when I make it there, saving me the trouble of finding her. If she can’t help me, I’m going nowhere. “Hey, Jude’s asleep, and I don’t want to wake him. I don’t suppose you would know where he put my keys after the repairs were made on my car?”

“I have them, give me a second,” she says, smiling as she pops through a door, then reappears a moment later.

“Thank you.” I give her praying hands.

“Is everything alright?” Her head tilts, the questions in her eyes rampant. “I saw you get back earlier.”

I force a smile. So she felt the tension too? Saw the explosions. “Everything’s great.” I don’t hang around, pivoting on my heels and walking out of Arlington Hall. “See you later,” I call, hurrying past Stan, whose smile falters as I go.

“Miss Lazenby,” he says in question. “Do you need any assistance?”