The Internet Told Him to Leave Me, but He’s Still Holding Me Chapter 04

The Internet Told Him to Leave Me, but He’s Still Holding Me Chapter 04

After getting ready, I headed to The Gilded Nail.

The owner was sweet and gorgeous—and a world-class chatterbox.

The second I walk in, she glanced behind me a few times.

“Huh? Your boyfriend didn’t come with you today?”

I shook my head.

“He had a business dinner.”

Once, I’d accidentally ruined a fresh set and cried for hours.

To cheer me up, Damon had dropped a few thousand dollars on a salon account for me.

Even that wasn’t enough.

I always picked elaborate designs that took hours to finish, so I’d make Damon sit beside me the entire time.

After a while, the owner got to know him.

About ten minutes into my appointment, the owner smiled.

“You’re not texting your boyfriend?”

I blinked.

She laughed. “The last time you two came together, he stepped out for bubble tea.”

“He was only gone a few minutes, and you kept blowing up his phone.”

“He’s busy. I shouldn’t bother him.”

So everyone had noticed.

I really was that clingy. I had to change.

Maybe she picked up on my mood because she quickly changed the subject.

“Oh, by the way—want a boba? My brother’s stopping by later. I’ll have him grab us one.”

I was about to say no, but my throat felt a little dry.

“Sure. Thanks.”

“No problem.”

Half an hour later, a good-looking guy walked in.

“Hey, Miss.”

I turned toward the voice and froze. Jasper Hale.

He paused when he saw me too, then broke into an easy smile.

“Nerissa? I didn’t know you were here.”

Jasper was a year below me in college.

Back in my sophomore year, even after Damon and I started dating, girls still slipped him love letters.

I’d spent forever returning every single one and making it crystal clear he was taken.

When I came back, Damon was standing outside the academic building with his usual unreadable expression.

There was another pink love letter in his hand.

I nearly lost it.

I snatched the letter, looked up the name, and ended up tracking down Jasper.

I still remember staring at this tall, clean-cut guy—nearly as tall as Damon—and just about losing my mind.

Jasper had been unbelievably easygoing.

He set my drink in front of me, poked the straw through the lid, and slid it over.

“Thanks.”

I took an awkward sip.

Drinking boba bought by your boyfriend’s former admirer felt… weird.

By the time my nails were done, it was already after seven.

I checked my phone.

Other than sending me the address for his business dinner, Damon hadn’t texted again.

Normally, I would’ve started pestering him to come pick me up long before then.

I stepped outside. The evening sky had turned gray.

Out of habit, I looked around. No familiar car. No familiar face.

I looked down and pulled out my phone to call a rideshare.

A bright, familiar voice spoke beside me.

“Nerissa, I drove here today. Want me to give you a ride home?”

As if he was worried I’d feel awkward, he pointed back toward the salon.

“My sister’s waiting for the next shift to come in. We’ll all head out together.”

I glanced at my phone.

The ride had already been matched.

Just as I was about to decline, the driver canceled.

Damn it.

Whatever. With his sister coming too, it probably wouldn’t be awkward.

I nodded. “Thanks.”

Jasper beamed.

Was helping people really enough to make someone that happy?

Especially after I’d basically stolen the guy he’d liked.

He really was ridiculously nice.

Jasper led me to his car while his sister waited for her replacement to arrive before joining us.

I was just reaching for the passenger door when a chill ran down my spine.

On instinct, I looked back.

Under the dim streetlights sat a black sports car.

Damon was leaning against the driver’s door, still wearing the same clothes he’d left in that morning.

The phone in his hand lit up, then went dark. His gaze was ice-cold and never left us.

At that moment, my own phone buzzed. I looked down.

[Baby, are you trying to kill me?]