I push open the door, not finding her there. My phone vibrates in my pocket again but I ignore it, yelling out her name. I exit the mailroom and go in search of her.
The elevator doors open. My gaze snaps up to see Vinnie standing there. He’s bent over holding his knees. He seems really out of breath.
“Sir. I tried to call you.” The poor guy looks panicked. “She left. I couldn’t stop her.”
“Who?” I glance to C’s desk. I know she left. The realization of what Vinnie is eluding to hits me like a ton of bricks. I actually stumble back a foot.
“She got a cab.” He quickly adds, “I don’t know where she went.”
My heart starts to pound. I step onto the elevator and use my master key to override any stops it might have made. I need this ride to be a direct shot to the bottom floor if I have a chance of catching up to Delilah. My mind begins to race with so many questions. Where did she go? Why did she go? I pull out my phone and try calling her. It goes straight to voicemail. I try and track her but it looks like she turned off her phone.
“Fuck!” I slam my fists against the elevator wall, knowing she left. I don’t know how or why, but I feel it. She’s leaving me. What the hell could have changed in the short time since she left my office with her soft laughter and sweet smiles? How could this all have gone to shit in a matter of an hour?
The phone in my other hand rings. I look down, not knowing the number, but I recognize the area code. I answer the phone, thinking maybe it’s Wyatt on the other end.
“I think I have something you’re looking for,” the man on the other end of the line drawls. It’s not Wyatt.
“Colton,” I growl out. That’s the only other person I can think it might be. I asked Wyatt about the man after he’d given me his blessing, needing to know if this Colton is going to be a problem. He told me no but I am still feeling all kinds of territorial when it comes to my girl. How could he not want her? It’s his loss that he ever let her get away to begin with. She is mine now.
“You’ve heard of me?” he says with a laugh in his voice.
“Where is she?” I demand.
“Word is you’ve got plans to come back this way. I reckon you learn some manners before you do. More flies with honey.” With that, the line goes quiet.
“Colton,” I warn.
“Told you I wanted something.”
“As long as it’s not her you can have anything you fucking want.”
“That’s good, because it’s not Delilah I want. I want that smart-mouth assistant of yours.”
15
Delilah
“You okay?” the woman next to me asks. I look up from the airplane safety manual that I’m pretending to read since I can’t play with my phone. I know if I turn it on Drake will know where I am. I am minutes away from takeoff. He shouldn’t care where I am. I am doing what he wanted. Going home.
“I’m fine,” I tell her as I wipe away a tear before glancing over at her. She looks at me like I’m crazy. That’s when I see she has a phone pressed to her ear and she’s not talking to me. She gives me a look that says Leave me alone.
My face heats as embarrassment hits me. Of course she’s not talking to me. I glance back down at the manual, wishing I was home already. No, I wish Drake was here. That I could go back to the happiness I felt before I heard him talking on phone. The pain I felt in that moment was like no other pain I’ve ever experienced before. I should have known better but I didn’t. My heart was crushed and now I’m going home alone to lick my wounds.
I feel my bottom lip start to quiver. I bite it, not wanting to burst into tears. I’ve already embarrassed myself in front of the woman sitting next to me. I don’t want to cry and make a bigger spectacle of myself. I can’t seem to get out of my own head though. I just keep rehashing Drake saying that I needed to go home. Each time I think it the pain in my chest worsens.
“Get up.” My head snaps up at the sound of Drake’s deep voice. “Up,” he says again.
“Holy shit he’s hot,” the woman next to me says. This time I know she’s not talking on the phone. I want to smart off that she can have him but I can’t bring myself to say the words.
I look at Drake and then back to my seatmate. This lady is going to think I am a hot mess. Anger starts to flow through my body at his demand. He’s got some nerve coming on this plane and ordering me around after how he talked about me in that phone conversation. I smile big, showing my dimples, and recline my seat as far back as it goes.