Chapter 17
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
I slide into the booth across from Colleen at the café, my hands still trembling slightly as I pull the crumpled letter from my purse.
"Read this."
Colleen's bruises have faded to yellow-green shadows. She unfolds the letter, and I watch her eyes move across the page. Her jaw tightens.
"Christ, Liza." She sets it down like it might contaminate her. “Is this Daniel?"
"Who else?" I stab at my salad without appetite. "He cornered me in the lobby last time I came to see you. Threatened to evict you if I ever set foot in the building again."
"He what?" Color floods her cheeks. "That manipulative prick."
"You should've seen his face. Cold. Like I was nothing." I push lettuce around my plate. "Like he never even loved me."
Colleen leans forward, voice dropping. "Liza, listen to me. I've been in that building for three years. I've watched him operate." She taps the letter. "This isn't just control issues. Daniel's a psychopath."
I laugh—nervous, hollow. "Come on."
"I'm dead serious." Her fingers drum on the table. "Psychopaths are charming, calculating. They don't feel remorse. Everything's transactional." She counts on her fingers. "He isolated you. Made you dependent. The second you stepped out of line, he turned vicious without a shred of guilt."
My stomach knots. "You really think—"
"I've seen him smile at tenants while serving eviction notices. Watched him humiliate the maintenance guy until the man cried, then offer him a raise like nothing had happened." Her eyes fix mine. "We both need to be careful."
The weight of her words settles over me. "Yeah. Careful."
Colleen straightens, exhaling. "Anyway. I'm done waiting for the cops to find Claudia."
"What're you going to do?"
"Whatever it takes. Her boyfriend—the dealer—he's the key. Obviously, she didn’t run away with him because he’s in town. If I could just get my hands on his phone…"
Something clicks. "Actually, I know someone. He's this guy who bartended with me for a bit. He was studying computer science. He's insane with tech stuff. Phones, computers, all of it. I could talk to him about hacking the phone if you find a way to get it."
Colleen's eyes light up. "Seriously?"
"Let me talk to him. If we can get the boyfriend's phone, maybe we can figure out what’s happened.”
She reaches across the table and squeezes my hand. "Thank you."
I squeeze back, but Daniel's letter burns in my peripheral vision.
Karma will find you.
"So how do you plan to get the phone?"
Colleen's smile turns syrupy sweet, the kind that makes my insides tighten.
"Funny you should ask…”
"Oh no." I shake my head. "Whatever you're thinking—"
"Hear me out." She leans in, conspiratorial. "He's never met you. And Liza, you look so young. With the right outfit? You could pass for nineteen, easy."
My fork clatters against the plate. "You want me to do what exactly?”
"Just befriend him. Get close enough to swipe the phone." She says it like she's asking me to pick up milk. "You're charming. He won't suspect a thing."
"Are you insane?" I glance around the café and lower my voice. "I can't just—Colleen, how far am I supposed to go with this guy? I'm taken, you know."
She laughs, waving a hand. "Not far. Hopefully."
"Hopefully?"
"Look, you'd just need to flirt a little and distract him long enough to grab the phone.
" Her expression softens, desperate. "I wouldn't ask if I had any other choice. The cops are no help. They keep saying they’re on the case, but nothing happens.
My niece could be in danger—or worse—and I'm running out of time. "
The weight in her voice guts me. I think of Claudia's face in the photo Colleen showed me months ago. Fifteen. Dark hair. Sad eyes.
I rub my temples. "This is a terrible idea."
"I know."
"Julian's going to flip."
"Don't tell him." Colleen reaches for my hand again. "Please, Liza. You're the only person I can trust with this."
I stare at the letter on the table. Karma will find you.
Maybe this is it. Maybe this is how I balance the scales.
"Fine." The word escapes before I can stop it. "But you owe me. Big time."
Colleen exhales, relief flooding her features. "Thank you. God, thank you."
"When?"
"Soon. I'll scope out his usual spots, let you know." She squeezes my hand. "You won't regret this."
"I already do."
Colleen smiles and winks at me. "You're the best, you know."
We fall into silence for a beat. I'm still thinking about Daniel, despite myself. He's gotten to me. My chest tightens, and I feel the familiar burn behind my eyes.
"What is it?" Colleen asks, concern etched on her face.
"I just—" My voice cracks. "I feel so betrayed."
"Oh, sweetie…"
"And also stupid, you know? I’m such an idiot."
Colleen's expression shifts, all the conspiracy draining away. "Hey. No."
"He played me. From the very beginning." I press my palms against my eyes, willing the tears back. "The whole thing with my rent, asking me out right when I was vulnerable. I thought I was so lucky. This hot, successful, older guy who wanted me." I laugh bitterly. "What a joke."
"Liza, look at me."
I drop my hands. Her face is fierce, protective.
"You are not stupid. Not even close." She leans across the table. "Men like Daniel? They're professionals. They study people, find the weak spots, and exploit them with surgical precision. It's what they do. What they're good at."
"But I should've seen—"
"No." Her voice cuts sharply. "Daniel's a master manipulator.
I'm sure he's been doing this his whole life.
You never stood a chance against someone that calculated.
" She sits back, shaking her head. "I've watched him work.
The way he schmoozes the tenants when he wants something, then turns ice-cold the second they're not useful anymore.
He's dangerous, Liza. Genuinely dangerous. "
I swallow hard, the knot in my throat refusing to budge.
"You're lucky you got out when you did." Colleen's hand finds mine again. "Most people don't. They stay until there's nothing left of them." Her voice softens. "But you? You saw through his bullshit. You left. That takes strength."
"Doesn't feel like strength."
"Well, it is." She squeezes my fingers. "And now you've got Julian. A good man who actually deserves you."
I manage a weak smile. "Yeah."
"So don't let Daniel rent space in your head. He's not worth it." Her eyes hold mine. "Enjoy Julian. Enjoy being free. And for what it's worth?" She grins. "I always thought you were too good for that pompous asshole anyway."
A real laugh breaks through. Small, but genuine.
"Thanks, Colleen."
"Anytime, sweetheart. Now eat your salad before it gets soggy."
The rain hammers against the windows.
Julian sits on the edge of the bed, eyes tracking my every movement as I sway to the rhythm in my head. I slip off my cardigan—slow, deliberate. His throat works as he swallows.
"You're killing me," he murmurs.
"Good."
The jeans come next, pooling at my ankles. I step out of them, watching his pupils dilate in the dim lamplight. Thunder rumbles somewhere distant, and I peel my shirt over my head.
The teddy underneath is soft against my skin, the white one I bought special for him, delicate lace tracing patterns across my skin. His breath catches.
"Liza…"
I crawl onto the bed, straddling his lap. His hands find my waist, fingers pressing into bare skin like he's afraid I'll disappear.
"You're so fucking sexy," he whispers against my collarbone.
I thread my fingers through his hair and kiss him—hard, hungry, trying to erase everything else. But even as his mouth moves against mine, even as his hands roam and I lose myself in the heat of him, Daniel's face flashes behind my closed eyelids.
You're a slut who can't be trusted.
Julian's touch is gentle and sweet. Everything Daniel's wasn't.
Things are about to change around here.
I kiss Julian harder, more urgently, desperately trying to drown out Daniel's poisonous voice echoing in my head. My fingers tighten in his hair as I pour everything into the kiss—all my fears, all my need, all my desperate hopes that this moment can erase the others.