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10.24 AM
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are you going in that torn–up dress?”
I shot him a death glare. “Excuse me? Did I rip my own dress?”
e
Jack smirked. “I tore the dress. But what about the bite mark on my shoulder? Did I bite myself?”
“You started it, but after that…”
I was speechless. There wasn’t a single part of this conversation I could win.
Jack had always been the king of debates. In college, I could never beat him in an argument.
Sensing my frustration, he leaned in and kissed the sensitive spot on my neck, the one that always made me squirm.
I sighed and closed my eyes.
In my head, I chanted, Free male model… free male model…
As things were heating up, a thought suddenly crossed my mind. I pushed Jack away and turned his face toward me. “You didn’t see anyone else while we were apart, did you?”
I wasn’t about to take back a guy who’d been with someone else.
Jack hesitated for a split second, then scoffed. “You kidding? I barely had time to sleep. Where would I even find another woman?”
I wasn’t entirely convinced, but when Jack got… well, physical… he definitely erased any doubts I had.
Jack acted like he hadn’t been with a woman in years.
By the time we finished, I was sprawled on the bed, panting like I’d run a marathon, barely able to stay conscious.
Fighting to keep my eyes open, I asked, “Why were you so quiet just now?”
Usually, Jack wouldn’t stop with the dirty talk, but tonight he’d been strangely silent.
“I was counting.”
“…What?”
*532.”
The next morning, I woke up first.
I wasn’t used to seeing Jack still asleep next to me.
I tiptoed to the bathroom, grabbed one of his T–shirts and some pants, and went inside to freshen up.
Staring at my reflection, I combed my hair, my mind racing. What had I done last night?
I hadn’t even been drinking, yet I’d acted like I was wasted.
Ugh, what a mess.
I wasn’t about to let Jack rope me back in. Not again.
I splashed cold water on my face, slipped into his clothes, and wrote him a quick note: “Had too much to drink last night. Let’s just pretend it
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10:24 AM
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As for the clothes, they were payment for the dress he’d ruined.
I spent the whole day at work, distracted and out of sorts. My phone kept buzzing with calls and texts from unknown numbers, but I didn’t have
the courage to check them.
As soon as work was over, I went straight to Sarah’s place.
She studied my glowing face and smooth skin, raising an eyebrow. “You look like you just got a deluxe facial treatment.”
I mumbled through a mouthful of mac and cheese, recounting the whole story–minus the steamy details.
Sarah looked at me like I’d lost my mind. “You ran away? Are you serious?! You know how much women pay for a night like that?”
I rolled my eyes. “Sarah, haven’t you heard the saying? No one ever comes back just to love you the way they did before.”
Sarah facepalmed, sighing. “Tik Tok’s ruined you.”
“Look, I’ve cursed Jack out as much as anyone, but honestly? He’s the kind of guy you’d be lucky to find again. Guys like him are rare.”
I kept munching away, unconvinced.
“You’ve just been out of the game too long. Jack raised your standards so high, and he’s shielded you from the horrors of dating these days. Take last night with Mark, for example. That’s what’s out there.”
I knew she was right. Logically, I understood. But there was still a part of me that couldn’t get past it.
“I just don’t feel like Jack really loves me. Why’d he wait a whole year to come find me? It’s like he wandered around, realized no one else would put up with him, and came crawling back because I’m easy to fool.”
Sarah sighed. “Alright, love has to be mutual for it to work. If you can’t get over that, fine. There are other guys out there.”
“But what are you gonna do about Jack? You can’t just leave him hanging after… well, you know.”
I slurped up the last of my food and shrugged. “He’s not going to find me here, is he?”
As if summoned by my words, Sarah’s phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen, eyes wide, and rushed out of the room.
“Anna! Jack’s calling!”
! waved my hands wildly, mouthing, “Tell him I’m not here!”
From the other room, I heard Jack’s calm voice. “I know she’s with you. Put her on the phone.”
Oh God.
Sarah, ever the opportunist, dumped the call on me and bolted from the room.
I picked up the phone, my voice shaking like a kid who’d just been caught sneaking out. “H–Hello?”
Jack’s voice was cold, unreadable. “Unblock me. Send me your address. I’m coming to get you.”
I tried to keep my voice steady. “That won’t be necessary. The note I left explains everything.”
Jack gave a low chuckle. “I can’t pretend nothing happened. Send me your address. I’m on my way.”
“And Anna? Don’t make me find Sarah’s address on my own.”
I squeezed my eyes shut. Of course, Jack could figure it out.
He was a problem, and I didn’t want Sarah caught up in it.
I gave him the name of Sarah’s neighborhood.
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The moment I hung up, I steeled myself. This was going to be the end.
Within minutes, Jack’s car was outside the apartment, honking insistently like some sort of impatient alarm clock.
I quickly threw on a jacket and headed downstairs.
Sarah wanted to come with me for backup, but I stopped her. “It’s fine. I’ll be back soon.”
“Okay, but if things get heated, call me.”
