THE BILLIONAIRE'S GIRLFRIEND

During the rest of her shift, Malora couldn't stop stating at the front door as if expecting him to walk in at anytime. Each jingle of the ball made her jump so much that Aaron asked if she was on something, then proceeded to report her to Andrea who asked her to leave early.

After getting her bag and coat from the worker's quarters, Malora slipped out of the diner through the back door and into the alley beside it. There she leaned against the wall to catch her breath. She knew she had to called Matt to apologize for the abrupt way she left him sitting at the front window while she rushed into the bathroom to throw up what little food she ate that morning, which turned out to be coffee, anyway. By the time she returned, he'd gone without finishing his coffee or muffin.

She rubbed a hand down her face and pushed away from the wall. Malora slowly walked out of the alley, expecting someone to jump out of the shadows and grab her, but she made it safely out without any incident. In fact, there was no sign of the Bentley on the street anywhere, but that didn't mean he wasn't around. Or was she hallucinating?

Shoving the thought of him firmly in her mental visit-it-later box, Malora retrieved her phone from her coat pocket and dialled Mika's number. It rang twice before it was finally answered.

"Hey, Mika."

"Hey, yourself stranger," came the sleepy response. "Some of us are still sleeping, you know."

Malora snorted. "As a result of late night, I believe."

"Whatevs." Malora could almost see her rolling her eyes. "There better be a reason why you woke me from my beauty sleep."

"He found me." She cut straight to the heart of the matter, not in the mood to beat around the bush.

She obviously didn't need to tell Mika who that is because she screamed down the phone nearly turning Malora deaf. "What the fuck?!"

"Mika," she hissed. "Can you warn me next time if you're going to scream like a banshee?" She dodged the vegetable cart rolling down the cobbled walkway and almost bumped into an old woman who gave her the finger before she could even apologized. "Bitch," Malora murmured under her breath.

"I believe you did not just call me that," came Mika's dry voice.

"An old woman just gave me the finger, what is this world coming to?"

They both chuckled, then became sober. Malora waited for her friend to gather her thoughts before speaking. Mika always knew what to do in situations like this. She'd been the one to choose Kinlochbervie for Malora to hide out, while assuring her that he would never find her, if he looked, and she could be close to London just in case her sister and nephew came back. It had worked so far. Until now.

"What did he say to you?"

"I haven't seen him yet. Just his driver who came to deliver an envelope."

There was a moment of silence from Mika, and Malora waited, allowing her friend to let that tidbit of information sink in, because she hadn't been able to digest it either. She'd always thought of what she'd do when she saw him—grovel, curse him, cry over their babies—but none prepared her for the approach he would take. It was like a play between cat and mouse. Everyone knew which was the predator and prey.