𝐹𝑟𝑒𝑒 𝑋𝑜𝑛𝑒

𝑋𝑋𝑋𝐼

What should've been a long drive felt far too short. Time really does fly when you're happy, and right now, it felt like it was rushing past us, not giving me nearly enough. I wasn't ready to say goodbye, even though she kept promising we'd see each other again. Over and over, she'd tell me it wouldn't be long.

In the back of her driver's sleek black Cadillac Escalade, her arm wrapped protectively around my shoulders, her hand gripping me with an intensity that made my heart race. Our lips met, soft and unhurried, exchanging kisses I wanted to make last. I didn't know how long it would be before I could feel her warmth again, so I tried to savor every second, memorizing the feel of her against me.

Then, the car slowed, and finally, I felt it come to a full stop. My heart sank as I realized where we were, right in front of my apartment.

"Alright, mama," she whispered, pulling back just a bit. I leaned in for one more, making her laugh softly as she indulged me with a slow, lingering kiss.

"You'll hear from me soon, I promise," she murmured, her words brushing against my lips, our noses nearly touching.

"Okay," I whispered back, feeling the warmth of her so close. "I'll be waiting for your call."

"While you do that," she teased, leaning closer until her lips were right by my ear, her breath warm as she whispered a series of wicked, whispered promises about everything she wanted me to do, even when she wasn't here to see. Her hand moved gently down to the small of my back, grounding me in the moment. I giggled, feeling my cheeks flush, unable to stop smiling.

"Think about me while you do it," she murmured with a smirk.

"Okay, baby," I said, stealing a quick kiss before she could pull away.

"Alright, I'll walk you to the door," she said, reaching to open the car door. But a thought stopped me, I couldn't risk Emily seeing us together. I didn't want her to know I'd moved on, and I didn't want to risk blowing Janet's cover.

I grabbed Janet's hand to stop her, and she looked at me, puzzled. "What are you doing?" she asked, eyebrows raised.

"You don't want people to see you, right? Not yet," I teased.

"Right, not yet," she agreed, giving me a mischievous squeeze. She leaned in close, her voice soft. "I love you."

"I love you more," I whispered, squeezing her hand before sliding over to exit from the other side of the car.

Before leaving, I turned to blow her a kiss, and she caught it, smiling. Joey helped me out of the car, steadying me as I stepped onto the sidewalk.

I took a deep breath, stepping onto the sidewalk and then upstairs, my heart pounding as I approached the door. I paced in front of it, hands over my face, trying to steel myself. Emily could be on the other side, and just the thought of facing her made my stomach twist.

Then, out of nowhere, I jumped at the sound of a door opening behind me. Spinning around, I saw my neighbor, a small, elderly Asian man, smiling and shaking his head as he watched me recover from the scare. He chuckled softly as he walked past on his way to the elevator, leaving me alone again in the hallway, where the silence felt even heavier.

I sighed, composing myself before reaching for the door handle. It was time to face whatever was waiting inside.

I slipped my key into the lock and pushed the door open, stepping inside with a growing sense of dread. As I scanned the room, disbelief washed over me. The place was a complete mess, nothing like how I'd left it. Throw pillows were scattered across the floor, some overturned, others tossed haphazardly. My clothes were strewn everywhere, flung across the couch, the coffee table, even draped over the lamp.