CHAPTER 105
“Are you still feeling unwell?” I hold my breath as I wait for her answer.
She hesitates. “I was never sick, Alastar. I needed an excuse to leave the party.”
My heart drops. “Why?”
“Because I didn’t want to see you.”
I stay silent, her rejection cutting through me like a knife.
“I see,” I whisper quietly.
More silence.
“I should let you go,” I murmur.
She hesitates. “Is there something you wanted to say, Alastar?”
“It doesn’t matter,” I reply softly.
I know what I want to say. I also know I shouldn’t.
“Goodbye, Emmaline.”
The phone goes dead.
I blow out a steadying breath and place my hands on my head in disappointment as I continue to
pace.
Emerson
I sit at the kitchen table and drink my tea. It’s 6am and I have hardly slept. I feel like shit, to be honest.
When I got home last night I vented to poor Brielle for an hour over the phone about the Irish Fiasco.
Then, after a string of violent strobe lights flashing in my eyes, I finally fell asleep, only to be woken up
when Alastar rang me. I haven’t been able to fall back to sleep since. God, I wanted to see him last night.
I would have given anything to hear him ask to see me-to give me an explanation-to heal my poor,
broken heart. I keep seeing him sitting at the table at the fundraiser so unaffected and so damn freaking
gorgeous.
Vanessa comes out of her room in a rush. “Crap, I slept in.”
I frown. “Where are you going at his hour?”
“I’m filling in for a breakfast shift for someone.”
“What time were you supposed to be there?”All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.
She looks at her watch. “Now.”
She rushes around and grabs her bag, taking her phone from her charger and opening the front door in
a rush. “See you,” she calls. “Fucking hell!” she yells.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” I hear the Irish accent say.
I frown.
“What the heck are you doing?” she snaps. “I nearly tripped over you.”
“I’m sorry. My apologies,” I hear him say as he disappears down the steps.
I stand and rush to the door.
“That weird guy was just asleep on our doorstop.”
“W-who?” I stammer, wide-eyed.
“That Irish knob.” I lean over the stair rail and, sure enough, see Alastar running down the stairs in
double time to escape.
What the fuck?
I take off after him. “Alastar?” I call as I run down the stairs.
He doesn’t stop as he disappears down the staircase.
“Alastar!” I call again. He keeps going and I run faster down the stairs. What the hell was he doing
here?
I hear the front door open and I run down the bottom two flights and burst out into the cool morning air
after him. The sun is just rising and it’s freezing with morning dew blanketing the streets. I look up and
down the street and see him walking away, still in his suit from last night. Fog is steaming in front of his
mouth as he breathes.
“Alastar!” I call. “Stop… Please, stop.”
He freezes and stays facing away from me, his hands in his pockets and his head bowed.
I run up behind him on the street. “What are you doing?” I call.
He turns to face me, but he doesn’t say anything.
I stop and put my hands onto my hips as I try to catch my breath. Holy shit, I am so unfit. I pant like I
am about to have a heart attack.
My eyes search his. “You slept outside my apartment?”
He nods once.
I frown. “Why?”
He hesitates and swallows the lump in his throat. “Because… I miss you.”