Chapter 15
Audrey Tripp
The urge to look over my shoulder again rages through me, but I pull my coat collar tighter around my throat and shift my small gym bag to my front as I step off the curb onto the sidewalk.
This section of town looks worse than my apartment, but the two-story brick building ahead feels like the safest place in the entire city.
It’s been my only true sanctuary ever since I found it eight years ago. It’s where I met Brook. She’s helped me conquer so many of my fears.
So has Mr. Carter, the grouchy old gym buff who might have been a top secret soldier in some overseas war when he was in his prime.
He runs a tight ship. I trust his abilities more than I do the fancy security system at work.
I rush across the street and skirt around to the front of the building before swinging open the door. The sound of the little bell chiming warms my heart even as the scent of disinfectant and old rubber hits my nostrils.
The cracked linoleum and down for maintenance sign on the elevator only add to the appeal.
It matches the broken little girl inside of me who worries she’ll never be accepted ever again, but if Mr. Carter, Brook, and all the other gym goers can love it as much as they do, then maybe I’m not a lost cause.
Before I even take two steps into the building, Mr. Carter’s gruff voice calls out from his office.
I unzip the first few inches of my coat and start down the hall.
“Mr. Carter, I need your help. Someone is following me.”
He emerges from his office the second I say the word help wearing his typical scowl and military green sweats.
“You’re late. The girls already started,” he says with a chin jerk toward the back of the building.
When I don’t move aside, he stops a few paces in front of me.
With my heart in my throat, I meet his weathered eyes. The promise of death lurking in them—at whoever dares make me feel unsafe—soothes my soul.
“It’s probably my…” I struggle for a moment, not sure how to describe Brennan so Mr. Carter won’t kill him, and settle on, “boss. Some things have happened at work, and he’s just trying to keep me safe, but I’m not sure if it’s him or not.”
Mr. Carter grunts and nods for me to join the class before heading to the front. He turns into the side hall instead of going out the front door.
I can’t force my legs to carry me deeper into the building even though I long to see my friends.
Less than five minutes later, Brennan walks through the front door with Mr. Carter a few steps behind him. He stops in his tracks when he sees me. I cross my arms over my chest and glare.
“You broke your promise,” I accuse.
Even though I knew he would, since I goaded him before I walked out of his office on Friday, irrational hurt pierces through my chest.
“I’m sorry, Audrey. I was worried for your safety.”
I shake my head.
“Stop worrying about me and start worrying about yourself,” I snarl with a glance at Mr. Carter.
Brennan has the decency to look contrite. He steps to the side and turns, forming a triangle of the three of us.
“I think the only reason I’m not dead right now is because I didn’t fight back when I admitted I was following you,” he says.
“He wasn’t the only one on your tail,” Mr. Carter grunts.
He opens the door to his office and gestures toward the monitors lining the back wall. Not a single one is on.
“From Brook’s new man,” Mr. Carter says by way of explanation.
“You’re not using them?” I ask.
He shrugs and grunts, “They’re recording. Screens give me a headache.” He gives Brennan a cold once-over before addressing me. “Take the tapes and go.”
My brain finally catches up. Mr. Carter believes someone else was following me. I turn to Brennan.
“Did you have other people tailing us?” I ask.
He shakes his head. I turn back to Mr. Carter.
“Was it a female?”
He nods.
My stomach drops.
“We have to get out of here. Now. And in a way that makes her think I’m never coming back.
If Ms. Baker knew how important this place is to me…
I can’t be the reason anyone here gets hurt.
” I curse the fear in my voice, but the adrenaline thrumming through my veins makes controlling my tone impossible.
This gym means too much to me.
“I’ll get the footage from Matteo—this security system automatically backs up to a cloud system, so we don’t need to worry about the on-site tapes,” Brennan explains as he shrugs out of his coat.
His simple black t-shirt stretches over his muscular chest. My mouth waters. I blink and swallow as he settles the coat around my shoulders. His delicious cinnamon-and-clove scent wraps around me.
“I’ll make sure Audrey gets home safely.”
He pulls my hair out of its ponytail and fluffs it around my shoulders before tucking me against his side.
“Pretend to cry a little, baby doll. Not real tears, though. Neither of us can handle that,” he murmurs.
My heart gives a prolonged squeeze at the softness in his gaze.
All traces of gentleness leave his face when he lifts his attention to my favorite wizened old man.
“If you’ll follow us out, Mr. Carter, I’m sure that’ll be enough to deter them.”
With a grunt and nod, Mr. Carter agrees.
I wrap an arm around Brennan’s waist and curl toward him as he pushes the front door open and maneuvers us through. As he pivots us in the direction we intend to take, I catch the surprise on Mr. Carter’s face as he stares at my death grip on Brennan’s jacket.
With his imposing silhouette backlit by the open door, I send silent prayers of thanks to the man who introduced me to Brook and saved me from self-destructing during the lowest time in my life.
As Brennan leads me down the sidewalk, another of my defenses shatters. He may not understand why I cherish the old gym so much, but he took my words at face value and did everything in his power to ensure it was protected.
I’ll never be able to repay him. Even though part of me still hates him for deserting my mother and me thirteen years ago, I understand what happened afterward wasn’t his fault.
He kept his word and had no part in his father’s life after he left.
I believe he genuinely thought he was protecting me by leaving.
But the moment he sees my mother or learns the truth, he’ll have no choice but to leave me again.
With the reminder fresh in my thoughts, I refuse to enter my apartment building with him. I can’t let him into the tiny hovel I’ve sheltered in for years. It’s the only place in my life he hasn’t invaded.
“Let me stay with you tonight,” he urges.
I shake my head and straight-arm him away from me with a hand to his sternum.
“No.”
“Are you really so heartless you’ll leave me to fend for myself on the streets all night?”
I scoff and poke his chest.
“Says the man with a penthouse in the city’s most expensive district and a luxury car no doubt parked nearby.”
He pouts. Actually pouts with his bottom lip sticking out and big, puppy dog eyes behind his glasses.
“I can’t sleep without you in my arms, Audrey. Last night—”
“Will be the same as tonight. Thanks for helping me at the gym, but I’m pissed at you—and you know I have every right to be. You broke your promise and followed me.”
I shove my finger into his chest before stepping back and daring him to deny it.
His expression falls. I wait for him to come up with some new argument, but instead he rubs his nape and nods.
“You’re right, I broke your trust. I’m sorry.”
I blink, step back, and look him up and down with skeptical eyes.
There’s always a catch when things are too easy with him.
“What do you want?” I snarl.
“A goodnight kiss.”
When every fiber of my being jumps in eager joy, I know I won’t be able to resist.
“Fine,” I snap.
I step forward, hook my arm around his nape, and tug him down as I rise onto tiptoe.
Intending to give him a chaste peck on the cheek, I squeak when he tugs me fully against him and captures my lips with his.
Bent backward in his arms, I forget we stand in the middle of the dirty sidewalk with strangers scurrying past and a potential stalker watching from some unknown alley.
His familiar scent and the diabolical teasing of his tongue lure me into deepening the kiss.
When he lifts his head, I struggle to catch my breath.
“Goodnight, my future wife,” he murmurs.
Emotions clog my throat. He tucks my hair behind my ear before turning and guiding me through the doors of my apartment building.
I step onto the elevator in a daze, but my senses rush into high gear when the doors shut between us.
Usually I take the stairs to some random floor first, then sometimes take the elevator, but the cramped space always smells of beer and vomit, so most days I avoid it. After selecting the floor above mine, I walk down a flight of stairs before reaching my apartment.
I lock the door behind me, set my bags in their normal place, and pull my phone from my purse. Despite my insistence to keep Brennan away, I stop and stare at my bed. The disheveled pile of blankets I’ve used as my sanctuary for over a decade no longer holds the same appeal.
I miss my big brother’s comforting arms.
Except he’s not my big brother anymore. He’s my fake fiancé.
I still can’t believe he proposed. It must have been a moment of insanity. He was only using me to rid himself of the clingy rich bitch.
The thought hurts. My heart aches.
I want him. Even if our time together is short—he’ll abandon me again when he finds out the truth—denying what we both want is stupid.
But it’s too late tonight. If I back down after putting up so much resistance, the jerk will think he can get away with anything.
When I see him tomorrow—because I know he’ll find a way to cross my path at some point—I won’t fight so hard.
Maybe.
Old habits die hard.
In a twisted way, arguing with him makes me feel alive. I cherish the unconventional bond between us.
I sigh, shower, and check emails on my phone as I eat a cup of instant ramen. Even though it’s early, I climb into bed and hide under the covers.