Illusions: A prequel novella to Mirage (6 page)

“Can you take me home now please?”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. It’s just late, and I have to be up early.”

He holds my stare. I try to give nothing away, but I feel like he sees right through me anyway. He looks at me as if he knows exactly whom I am—exactly how I feel and think.

“All right, let's go.”

We make it back to the bike, I give him my address, and we take off. I revel in the freedom I feel on the back of his bike, soaking up the last moments with him before I tell him good-bye because I know it will be the last time I let myself see him. When we finally make it back to my apartment, I rush off the bike and make quick work of removing the helmet and handing it back to him. He takes it and hands me my purse.

“Good night, Nathan,” I call as I back away from him, make it up the stairs, and to the front door without falling.

He responds. “Good night, babe.” His face is hard. If I had to guess, I’d say he was borderline angry, but he stays near his bike, making no move to come toward me. Fumbling with the key, I finally get the front door open and move to walk through just as he speaks again. “This isn’t good-bye.”

“Nathan.”

“I mean, it’s fine if you want to tell yourself that, but I don’t think even you believe it.”

“We’ve hung out a few times. This is hardly a relationship worth fighting for. What is your deal? What do you get out of the chase?”

“Good night,” he says with a grin, mounting the bike again and taking off before I can say another word. I’m beginning to think that Nathan doesn’t know how to take no for an answer.

Thank your for reading
ILLUSIONS.
The full-length novel
MIRAGE
will be available on June 22
nd
. You can preorder
MIRAGE
here
.

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