He Didn’t Kidnap Me. Not Exactly novel Chapter 170

Chapter 170

(Daisy’s POV)

The first thing I became aware of when I woke up was silence.

Not the uncomfortable silence that had haunted the apartme these past few days, nor the tense silence that had existed between DeLuca and me before everything finally started making sense.

This was simply morning silence, broken only by the faint hum of traffic somewhere outside and the steady breathing coming my left hand side.

I slowly opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling. And for a moment, I didn’t move.

Yesterday had been weird.

That was the simplest way to put it.

Weird. Shocking and confusing.

A complete disaster and a complete miracle somehow rolled into one day.

My gaze drifted toward Lillian in her bed. She had finally been able to get her own bed so the slumber chaos between us was over now.

She was still asleep. Peaceful. Exactly the way she had always looked.

And yet every time I thought about our conversation from yesterday, I found myself replaying it from beginning to end and noticing things I hadn’t clearly noticed in the moment.

The intensity.

The insistence.

The way she had pushed and pushed and pushed for me not to reconcile with DeLuca.

Just thinking about it made something uncomfortable stir inside my chest.

Twenty-four hours ago, I would have laughed if someone had suggested Lillian could be involved in any of this.

Now?

Now I couldn’t laugh anymore.

I still didn’t want to believe it.

That part hadn’t changed.

But my certainty had. And that was the problem.

With a sigh, I sat upright and rubbed a hand over my face.

[ Baby’t been able to speak with DeLuca again after my and Lilian’s conversation because doing so would’ve ruined the plan. If Lillian was watching, then she needed to believe we were still at odds with each other.

As ridiculous as the whole thing soosided, I’d agreed to it, and because of that I’d spent the rest of the night alone with my thoughts.

Unfortunately, my thoughts had been terrible company.

Eventually exhaustion had won and I’d fallen asleep. Now than was awake, however, there was only one thing I wanted to do.

Talk to DeLuca.

Carefully slipping out of bed, I made sure not to wake Lillian before quietly crossing the room. I eased the door open, stepped into the hallway, and closed it behind me with as little noise as possible.

The apartment remained silent.

For some reason, that made me smile.

A few days ago, the idea of voluntarily seeking DeLuca out would’ve sounded ridiculous.

Now I was standing outside his room before I’d even brushed my teeth.

Life was strange.

I gave his door a light knock.

No answer.

After waiting a moment, I pushed it open slightly.

“Deluca?”

Nothing

I opened it wider to see that the room was empty. Immediately, my smile faded.

*Seriously?”

I stepped inside and looked around anyway, as though he might magically appear if I searched hard enough. The bed had already been made and there was absolutely no sign of him.

He’d already left.

A small wave of annoyance immediately surfaced.

Apparently we fixed one life-altering misunderstanding, uncovered a potential conspiracy involving my roommate, admitted feelings, and made a secret plan together, only for him to disappear before I woke up.

Typical.

Muttering under my breath, I returned to my room and grabbed my phone from the nightstand.

The annoyance-lasted exactly three seconds, because waiting on my screen was a message.

From DeLuca.

I opened it immediately.

*Coach wanted us here early. Today he announces who team Captain will be.”

I read the message twice before continuing.

“I think I have a good chance.”

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