With trembling hands, I pulled up Justin’s details and shot forward as the woman reached the pavement. I hesitated a few seconds before pressing call, wincing at what Gil would say, knowing that I’d once again used Justin for my own devices.

Swallowing hard, I activated the speaker and placed the ringing phone on my lap. Planting both hands on the steering wheel, I crept over the speed limit again, trying to put some space between me and the van.

“Miller speaking.”

The line crackled a little, but relief shot through my heart. “Justin, it’s Olin.”

“O? Everything okay?”

“Um. Not really.” I took a corner sharply, cursing as the van managed to manoeuvre the same path.

“What’s going on?” Justin’s tone slipped from casual to sharp. “You in trouble?”

That was Justin.

He might’ve been the boy everyone liked at school, but it wasn’t because of some misplaced popularity contest or ego. He genuinely cared. He was thoughtful and sweet, and it’d been my broken heart over Gil that had drawn him to me.

I hadn’t actively tried to date another person. But Justin had seen my tears and offered a shoulder to cry on. He tried to make me happy.

Justin was like me.

It made him feel good to help others. And even though we were too similar to date long term, I’d allowed Justin to soothe me and hid my cringes when he’d kissed me. I’d ignored the fact that I had no romantic interest in him because I’d missed Gil so, so much.

Also, knowing Gil saw me with him...well, the vindictiveness was sweet after heartbreak.

Guilt rose.

Guilt for hurting Justin as well as Gil.

Guilt for hurting myself.

“Olin...you can tell me. If you need help, you know I’m always—”

“There for me. I know.” My knuckles turned white on the steering wheel. God, how could I betray Gil’s confidence? How much could I spill without telling everything—including the parts I didn’t know myself?

I accelerated, taking another corner too fast. “I don’t have time to explain, but I’m being chased by someone Gil was protecting me from. I don’t have anywhere to go and daren’t go to Gil’s on my own.”

“Where’s Gilbert?” Justin demanded. “He isn’t with you?”

“He’s, um...elsewhere.”

“Where are you?”

“Driving around, trying to lose unwanted company.”

Justin sucked in a breath. “What do you need from me?”

“I don’t really know. I just need somewhere I can be safe.”

“Come here.”

“Where’s here?”

“My work. I’m the CFO of Abacus Accounting. We’re on the main drag downtown.”

“I don’t think I can get there. How would I park? Where would I get out without this arsehole grabbing me?”

He went silent for a second, then strict control entered his voice. “Go to Gil’s.”

“But I just said—”

“Go to Gilbert’s. I’ll meet you there.”

“I don’t think the two of us will scare this guy away. He hurt Gil last time—” I shut myself up. How much did Justin know of Gil’s life?

But Justin didn’t ask for more details; his mind already on other distractions. “Keep driving for ten minutes, then get to the warehouse. I’ll bring reinforcements.”

He hung up.

Reinforcements?

I slipped through another orange light and looked at the clock.

I had no idea what that meant, but I had ten minutes to kill.

Ten minutes until this ended—for better or for worse.

I shot forward, doing my best to vanish.

* * * * *

The van shadowed my every move as I turned into the warehouse precinct and followed the long drive past other used and derelict buildings to Gil’s painting empire.

I’d done my best to shake my shadow, but I wasn’t quick enough, and he was determined.

I’d waited fifteen minutes before driving to Gil’s, knowing that it was a one-way entrance, and once I was outside warehouse twenty-five, there was no going back.

With my heart thrumming, I inched farther from public view, begging Justin to have a decent welcome committee. My shoulders slouched in gratefulness when I spotted three cars parked outside Gil’s place. Four men in black suits with arms crossed loitered against their expensive sedans.

Thank God.

The van that’d ridden my ass the entire trip, slowed and fell back.

I sped up, putting distance between us as I shot to where Justin stood, and parked swiftly. Launching out of the hatchback with my phone in hand, I jogged to him and turned to face the van.

It hulked in the middle of the road with warehouse debris on either side and evening light dappling it in softness. Standing next to Justin and his friends, I felt like an idiot—as if I’d made up the seriousness of the threat.

Justin reached out and squeezed my hand, giving me a quick smile. “You all good?”

I nodded, unable to take my eyes off the van but equally unable to leave my hand in his. Tugging away slightly, I returned his smile with a huge sigh of gratefulness. “Thanks so much for helping me.”

“Not at all.” He nodded at his friends. “Let’s go pay our unwanted guest a visit, shall we?”

The men, who looked as if they regularly attended a gym but their natural habitat was behind a desk, moved forward in a black-suited crowd with Justin in the middle.

I trailed behind them, peering into the windshield of the van, trying to see past the window’s glare to the driver beyond.

Is it the same guy?

Was Gil being blackmailed by a single person or multiple?

Passing the hatchback with its engine still running, the men balled their hands in an obvious threat. Justin cocked his chin, his profile harsh and cutting in the early evening shadows.

The van didn’t move. A black stain on the horizon. It sat and accepted their threat until only a few metres existed between vehicle and man.

I shook with adrenaline, trembling at confronting the very person who terrified me and made Gil’s life a living hell. I wanted him arrested. I wanted him dealt with so he could stop hurting Gil so badly.

But as Justin struck into a jog and his friends followed, the van’s engine squealed. It shot into reverse, zooming down the road, too fast to be caught.

The guys slowed to a walk. One of them took a photo of the van’s license plate while another chucked a rock in the vehicle’s direction.

The van swerved at the end of the drive and disappeared into traffic.

It happened so fast, I once again felt like an overreacting idiot.

I fell back as Justin spoke to his friends.

The murmur of masculine voices blended well with the buzz of the city and hum of whatever other industries were alive in the unassuming warehouse buildings. I looked down at my phone, moving away.

Should I call Gil again? How much longer could the police keep him?

With my thoughts on Gil, I didn’t look up until the snarl of engines stole my attention, signalling Justin’s mates were leaving. I waved in thanks, wishing I’d been more sociable than worrying over Gil.

I owed them the biggest thank you.

My heart skipped a beat as Justin threw a hand up in farewell, then headed toward me. His eyes held lines of stress, but his mouth quirked into a smile. “You sure you’re okay?”

I nodded, slipping into step with him. “Yes. Thanks again for all your help.”

He shrugged. “That’s what friends are for.”

“Were those guys your friends?”

“I work with them. All good blokes even if they are accountants. One holds a championship in amateur boxing.”

“Impressive.”

“It’s handy when you have someone threatening you.” His gaze narrowed. “Want to tell me what’s going on?”

I bit my lip, throwing a look at Gil’s warehouse. “I don’t know if I can.”

“What are you caught up in?”

A huge exhale escaped me. “Honestly...I don’t know.”

“Your problem or Gil’s?”

I eyed him. “Not my problem to tell.”

“Okay, so it’s Gil’s.”