I Stole the Alpha's Car (18+)|✔️

Chapter 15

After a breakfast of savory crepes, Jessica was off to work – apparently weekends are big money days for hairstylists. Tori would be going in a little later, which left me with several hours unsupervised until mid afternoon.

So I took a walk.

Locking the door behind me, I pocketed their spare key and directed my steps toward downtown.

I didn't have a set plan, necessarily.

I was just getting the lay of the land.

He'd mentioned The Ivy last night, and maybe I wanted to check it out.

I tried not to think about it too much. About how this whole scenario was a betrayal of what I felt for Evan. My phone said it was a little less than an hour's walk from the apartment. I wasn't in a hurry, so I strolled, taking in the flavor of one of the oldest cities in the US – modern architecture abutting buildings that were over a century old.

You should call Evan.

I hadn't heard back from him since texting him at the bar.

Total radio silence for an entire day.

Maybe it's for the best...

A knife twisted in my heart at the thought, but it didn't change the basic facts.

He wasn't my mate.

I'm not his.

Neither of those would be easy or even possible to accept if I kept acting like we were.

He's still your best friend.

And maybe I can salvage some of that. Maybe.

After.

After what?

I glanced across the street at the odd, brick structure before me.

The Ivy had clearly at one point in the past been at least four separate properties which, when merged, took up almost a quarter of the block. If it had been a private residence, it would have been inhabited by an eccentric multi-billion dollar dowager and her thirteen cats, but it was apparently one of the best hotels in the city.

So, he's staying here...

I would have expected the hotel last night to have been more his speed, with its clean lines and polished steel aesthetic.

He didn't strike me as the "cozy" type.

"Hi."

I spun, coming face to face with the last man that I wanted to see.

Oh, son of a bitch!

"Hi..." I replied, stepping backward, trying to create distance between us.

He followed, keeping pace with me until my back was up against a brick wall and I had nowhere left to flee.

"What brings you here?"

My eyes took in his appearance – his sweatshirt, sweatpants and sweaty face indicating that he'd just come back from a morning run. I knew that, objectively, he smelled disgusting, but some sick part of my brain wanted to pull him close and breathe deep.

Jesus, Lauren. Get a grip!

"Lauren?"

Blinking, I asked, "What?"

"I asked, 'what brings you here'?" His eyes devoured me like he'd never want to look at anything else.

I pulled in a shaky breath. "Curiosity."