Do You Still Love Me When We Meet Again? (Aubrey and Damon) novel Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Cloudbreak Heights.

Aubrey carved out time on the weekend to move in by herself.

She worked until midnight, so exhausted her bones felt like they were about to crumble.

She took a shower and collapsed into bed.

Half–asleep, she heard movement outside her door.

As a single woman who had lived alone for years, her ingrained vigilance immediately kicked in, snapping her instantly awake.

She grabbed her phone and checked the time.

130 AM.

The perfect time for a thief to strike.

3ripped by fear, Aubrey pulled on a light jacket, fished a stun gun from her bag, and cautiously approached the door.

She pressed her ear to the door, and a loud, insistent banging immediately followed, making her jump back two steps with a startled gasp.

1 thief dared to knock? How brazen was that?

Could it be Sierra?

Aubrey’s panicked heart hammered against her ribs, her palms slick with sweat as she gripped the stun gun. “Who’s there?” she yelled, her voice rembling.

Come out here.”

From behind the door, a familiar male voice responded, deep, gentle, and utterly magnetic.

t sounded like Damon.

Aubrey was stunned, utterly convinced she’d misheard. “Who are you, really?” she demanded, her voice shaking with a mix of fear and confusion. “How

Lid

you get into my

ny house! I’ve already called the police, so leave now if you know what’s good for you.”

It’s Damon Come out and talk.”

This time, Aubrey was absolutely certain the man on the other side of the door was Damon

ihe was utterly bewildered. Dropping the stun gun, she snatched up her phone and frantically dialed Sierra

From the other end of the line, Sierra mumbled, her voice thick with sleep and a heavy dose of morning grumpiness. “What do you want, darling? It‘ ive thirty in the morning! My husband just got home, and he didn’t even wake me up, but your call did.”

sharp pang of unease washed over Aubrey. “Damon is outside my door right now. What in the world is going on?”

How should I know?! Go ask him!”

It’s your house, and you don’t know?”

ierra yelled groggily, “Husband, why is Damon at the house in Cloudleak Heights?”

yan’s voice drifted faintly from the phone “Honey, I forgot to tell you, about half a month ago, I rented the place to Damon, He paid six mosha rent spons”

Oh, alar “Sierra snapped awake instantly, bolting spright, her voice tight wish panis “Aulney, this is bad. My husband already reared the place na Darnoon half a monti ago

Aubrey felt utterly manli

Sierra then snapped at Ryan, “Doesn’t Damon have his own placet Why would be rent our apartment?”

Ryan replied,“He’s probably fed up with Skylar houding him He can’t alake les, so he just wants somewhere quiet.”

“A few days ago, I rented the apartment to my ben filend. We even signel

“Who?”

< Chapter 17

Bree

The couple on the other end of the line were stunned into silence.

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Hearing their conversation, Aubrey felt utterly exasperated. “You two need to get up now and come over here. Fix this.”

“Okay, I’m getting up right now. I’ll be over there to kick Damon out,” Sierra declared, her voice bristling with determination.

Aubrey hung up the phone, got up, washed her face, brushed her teeth, and changed out of her pajamas. She pulled on a fall–weight gray casual hoodie and walked out of the room.

Every corner of the living room was filled with items she’d moved in. A box of law books still sat beside the coffee table.

Outside, the sky was a dull gray, as if shrouded in a thick layer of fog. The living room lights were off, leaving the apartment steeped in a hazy twilight.

Jamon lounged casually on the sofa, flipping idly through her books. Perhaps it was seeing her name on the spines that allowed him to face her, his intruder, with such calm composure.

Aubrey took a moment to compose herself, then walked over and sank into the armchair.

t had been a month since their last bitter parting.

They were strangers, their paths never meant to cross, yet here they were again, tangled in this awkward mess. It truly was a twisted, damnable fate.

Jamon, clad in a black jacket, looked travel–worn, a faint shadow of fatigue dusting his striking features.

de must have just returned from a business trip, probably on a

on a red–eye.

He closed the book, his gaze lifting to Aubrey. His deep, dark eyes held an unwavering calm as he spoke, his voice even. “Moved in yesterday?”

Aubrey nodded. “Yeah.”

You didn’t know I lived here?”

No, I didn’t. Sierra said the house was empty.”

Move out,” Damon stated, his tone absolute.

subrey took a deep breath, pressing her lips into a faint, challenging smile.“Sierra and I signed a one–year lease. I’m not moving. Why don’t you move? You have your own place, after all.”

Jamon tossed the book back into the box Tll let you live in my other house, at the same price as your current lease.”

subrey shook her head. T’m not going.” This wasn’t about the apartment, nor was it a question of money.

iving here made it easier to track Caleb’s mother. She’d wanted to move into this neighborhood six months ago, but the rent was steep, and available roperties were scarce, so her plans had been on hold until now.

laving finally stumbled upon Sierra’s apartment vacant and available to her at half price, there was no way she was going to move out

ind besides, Skylar lived right across from Damon’s place. How irritating would it be to constantly run into her?

Jamon pulled out his phone, opened a chat thread, and held it up for Aubrey to see. “You’re a lawyer. You should know better than me that digital onversations and transfer records all have legal standing, right?”

subrey remained silent.

Jamon continued, “I moved into this place half a month ago and paid six month rent up front. There’s a first–come, first–served rule for everything

ou’re essentially trying to outright steal it from me now,”

Aubrey took a steadying breath, nervously tugging at the drawstrings of her hodie. “This house belongs to Sierra Isigned a lease agreement directly vith her, making my claim perfectly legal and valid. If you want to fight me for it, you might not win”

Jamon couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle, turning his head to gaze out the window. He propped has chin on his hand, pressing his lips into a thin ine, a wave of weary, headache inducing exasperation washing over him.

Aubrey swallowed her pride, her voice softening to a desperate plea “Damon, I desperately need this apartment. You’re not short on money, and your save plenty of other properties. Your company even provides from employee losing Ican compensate you for any loss, even help you find a better place. Please, can you just mive our?”

Jaman narrowed his eyes, slowly looking at her. His deep black eyes were untealable. For a long moment, he all, his voice flat, “No.”

‘Alright,” Aubrey sighed, slumping back against the sofa, her head falling forward in defeat. “Since we can’t agree, we’ll just wait for the landlord.” She

< Chapter 17

pulled our her phone, texting Sierra to get here immediately.

Half an hour later.

Sierra and Ryan showed up.

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They stormed in, already arguing. Sierra kept railing at him, demanding to know why he’d rented the place out two weeks ago without a word to her. Ryan, flustered, explained he’d been too busy and forgotten, his apologies spilling out in a rush.

Just past six AM, the living room was a warzone of shouts

Damon watched the couple’s argument unfold with an unnerving calm. I’m not moving. You two can figure it out,” he stated, his words igniting the already volatile situation into a full–blown blaze.

Aubrey, utterly flustered, jumped in, trying desperately to mediate the escalating argument.

Sierra’s voice was sharp, her stance unwavering.“I need to rent this apartment to my best friend. I don’t care how you do it, just get your buddy out!”

Damon won’t move,” Ryan argued, his voice laced with frustration. “And I already took six months‘ rent from him. Do you want me to be the kind of man who betrays his best friend and goes back on his word?”

1 don’t care!” Sierra retorted, her eyes flashing. “Are you choosing your buddy or me? You have to pick one!”

Ryan’s face crumpled, and he shot Damon a desperate, pleading look “Bro, you see how my wife’s got me backed into a corner here. Why don’t meet us halfway? Let Aubrey stay. There are two bedrooms, you two could just share the apartment. It’d save you both some serious cash.”

Damon merely shrugged, a picture of utter nonchalance, “I’ll accept sharing the apartment.”

Aubrey shot to her feet, a tremor in her voice. I’m not sharing the apartment.”

you just

Sierra, her voice thick with sobs, glared at him. “Did you hear that? My best friend doesn’t want to share! If you don’t kick Damon out, I swear, I’m livorcing you today!”

Ryan exploded, his patience finally snapping. “You constantly throw ‘divorce‘ in my face! Fine, let’s do it! Today, I’ll stand by my brother to the bitter and, and we can go get that divorce right now!”

is a coward!”

Sierra’s face was streaked with tears.“Let’s go then! Whoever backs down now is a

Aubrey panicked, a wave of guilt washing over her. She never intended for any of this to happen. She quickly grabbed Sierra’s hand. “Sierra, don’t be so mpulsive! I’ll move out. Please, don’t fight with Ryan anymore, and definitely don’t get divorced over something so trivial!”

Sierra’s face twisted in grievance. “You are not moving out! Why should you be the one to back down? If you leave, it’ll look like I couldn’t even stand up for my best friend! I’ll be even more determined to divorce him!”

Aubrey’s mind reeled, terrified she was destroying her best friend’s marriage. She quickly tried to reassure Sierra, “Okay, I won’t back down. I’lsay sere, and co–renting is fine too. Just please, stop talking about divorce.”

sierra pouted, then turned and threw her arms around Aubrey, burying her face in her shoulder as she whispered sally. Tim sorry, Bree. I’ve put you hrough so much.”

Aubrey’s heart felt heavy. She gently patted Sierra’s back, terrified she’d be the one to tear them apart. “No, it’s okay. I put you in a difficult position, li’s Try faul

< Chapter 18

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Chapter 18