Chapter 2 #3
Ignoring the butterflies from Sebastian saying a name I never gave him, I bring my knee up, missing his dick but hitting the side of his leg hard enough for him to let go, and I push away.
I know he let me go on purpose, but I don’t miss the brief flash of surprise on his face.
Putting more space between us, I center my breathing before addressing him again.
“I don’t want your forgiveness. Do you think I care about you? I haven’t thought about you at all,” I lie, quickly moving closer to the door and double-checking my appearance. “Leave me alone, Sebastian. Don’t make me involve my brother.”
“You think I’m afraid of your brother? He’s been two steps behind for a while.
There’s nowhere you can hide from me now,” he calls out as I open the door and check the hallway is clear before leaving him there without a backward glance.
I don’t have the chance to think over what his parting words could mean.
I lock eyes with Jeremy from across the room, and he raises an extra flute of champagne in his hand. Guilt makes my movement slow and sluggish, weighing me down the closer I get to him. I want to head the opposite direction, away from everyone.
As soon as Jeremy faces his bosses again, I decide to do just that, hurrying out of the room.
I don’t look back, not caring if Sebastian notices my exit because I’m strides ahead of him.
If I look back, I might stop and wonder if this is a bad idea.
I might stop and wonder if Jeremy thinks I’m abandoning him under the false pretense of social anxiety.
He wouldn’t blame me, and that makes it worse.
He’s too nice and forgiving and I don’t deserve it.
I try to calm my breathing as I make it to the elevator, and I’m thankful to see it empty as I hurry inside, close the door, and head to the lobby. It gives me time to try to think past the initial panic of what happened in that bathroom and center myself, to focus on what my brother taught me.
My hands are shaking as I pull my phone out and nearly cry when I see it’s dead.
Usually, I’d have a back-up power bank, but I opted not to bring it this evening because of how small the purse is.
Now, of course, the universe wants me to learn that lesson.
I shove the phone back in and rub my thumb over the bracelet, debating if I want to press the button built into the clasp.
Matt said to only ever do it in emergencies, and technically, it’s not…
yet. Dropping my hand, I blow out a breath and steady my shoulders. I can do this.
When the door opens to the lobby, I hurry through to get to the street, determined to get on a subway or a taxi on another block.
I’m thankful the swarm of cameras had been at a separate entrance, and not the main one.
It will give me extra time before Sebastian ultimately comes to find me, if he isn’t already making his way to me.
“Gianna?”
A hand grabs my elbow and I gasp, turning and aiming a curled fist for their throat.
Nico’s brown eyes widen as he lets go of me and cups his neck, gurgling as he tries to breathe.
I hesitate for a second, stunned to see someone I once considered a friend.
He looks the same, but so different. In college, he kept his long dark hair tied up at his neck, but now he’s chopped it all into a fade cut.
He’s gained muscle all over, no longer the lean man I remember.
I slip my heels off and leave them to run out to the dirty sidewalk.
He’d been there to prevent me from leaving; there’s no other reason he would have been waiting.
If Sebastian doesn’t already know I’m gone, he will soon.
I pull my dress up, taking longer strides as I run in the general direction I think a station is.
People throw me judgmental looks as I run past them, but I’m sure it’s nothing they haven’t seen before, and some start to move out of my way.
My lungs struggle to take in air as I push as fast as I can, cursing the tight fabric I draped over my body.
Stabbing pains shoot through my sides as I round another building and pause, glancing around to take in my surroundings.
“Hey lady! You good?”
I face a younger man, watching me with skepticism before tucking his beanie tighter on his head and shoving his hands in his jacket.
Gulping in air, I nod slowly. “Closest train stop?”
He jerks his head to the right. “Follow it down.”
I take off without another thought, only feeling relief when the lit up sign of the station is within sight. Out of the corner of my eye I see a large shape coming to my side. A large arm wraps around me and I let a scream loose before a hand covers my mouth.
“Baby birds love churros,” the man says into my ear, and I let out a sob as I crumble in his hold.
It’s a phrase my brother drilled into my head to remember, a sign that it’s his security detail.
The man adjusts how he’s holding me, so I’m lifted completely off the ground as he carries me to a waiting SUV.
When he sets me in the seat, I slump down and squeeze my eyes shut, succumbing to the crash of the adrenaline that’s been pumping through me.