Duplicity 2 (Duplicity New Adult Romance) Read Online Free Page B

enough?  
    Another trickle. Maybe I should have left it till the morning. Holding up the stick in my hand, I watched it and waited.

CHAPTER FIVE

    Returning to bed, I lay looking at the ceiling for hours, the dark shadows outlining my demons. The handsome stranger did not return to comfort me and I had only my thoughts for company.  
    Hopes, regrets, fears for the future. My eyes were finally closing when the alarm signalled the start of another day here on Planet Earth. My arm stretched out to press the button and silence reality.  
    I stared at the green clock display. Procrastination played a game with me to delay the inevitable. I could only get up on a number ending in 5. If I went over, I had to wait till the next 5. I texted Nick. I had to see him.  
    I didn’t know what to do, or what I was going to say, but hopefully I would know at the time. We had a synchronicity when we were together, when things just clicked. It hadn’t been clicking so much of late, but I had to believe that we still had a chance.
    It ended up being a serious rush to get to ready for work. In between brushing my teeth and pulling on my clothes, I kept checking my phone to see if Nick had responded to my message. Nothing. I would have to call him on the way in. Given his late night antics at the charity auction, it was possible he was still sleeping off the after effects of a night on the tiles.
    The blast of cold morning air invigorated me, and I hurried towards the subway station. The L wouldn’t be so busy at this time.  
    As was my habit in the UK, I looked to the right to check the road was clear, and stepped off the sidewalk. The loud honk of a horn stopped me dead in my tracks, and I was yanked backwards by the arm just before a car whizzed past from the left. My hair flew back in the breeze. I could see the driver shouting at me and making obscene gestures with his hands. Yikes.
    “You really should be more careful, Holly,” said the voice at my side. It belonged to the person who had saved me. “Or you could easily get yourself killed.”
    I turned, to see Don Gribben facing me.
    “Oh, hello,” I gasped, trying to remember how I knew this man. Thankfully it came to me just in time. “Mr. Gribben.”
    “Oh, please, Holly. Just call me Don.”  
    I was still shocked by what had just happened. “Thanks Don,” I smiled at him, “Lucky you were here. I wasn’t concentrating properly.” I shook my head. “I have a lot on my mind.”  
    I was staring, dumbstruck and wary as to why he was here at all.
    Concern was etched across Gribben’s face. “I really don’t think you’re in any fit state to be walking anywhere, Holly. Can I give you a ride to work? I’m on my way to a meeting and can drop you off. My car is just over there.”  
    He nodded towards a shiny, sleek black car on the other side of the road. The engine was running and a uniformed driver sat at the wheel. I couldn’t be sure, but it looked like the car that was driving behind me last night.
    My eyes narrowed. On the face of it, he seemed genuine enough, but there was something about this guy that wasn’t quite right. As if sensing my mistrust, Gribben smiled.  
    “Come on, Holly. I insist. I’m going that way anyway. Here, let me,” and before I knew it he went to steer me forward by the elbow.  
    “What a coincidence,” I replied, shaking my shoulder to free myself from his grip. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m perfectly capable of getting to work by myself.” I stood my ground, waiting for him to leave.
    “Holly,” said Gribben, his voice low and calm. “I think we need to have a little chat, don’t you? About you and Nick.”
    I hesitated, wondering what he was getting at. Nick hadn’t exactly been forthcoming with details about our sex life when introducing me to Gribben the day before.  
    “Nick? I don’t know what you mean,” I stuttered.
    “It’s okay, Holly. I know you both want to protect me. Now, don’t you think we