69

DAMIEN 69

I sat in the middle of the room as I thought back to how she reacted earlier. There was a tracker in the car and the ring she was wearing. At least I could keep track of her in case anything went wrong.

I chewed on the bagel in front of me. The soft resistance of the bagel yielded to the rhythmic motion of my jaw. Each bite released a burst of warmth, the slightly chewy texture offering a comforting contrast to the subtle sweetness. The taste unfolded with each mastication, a simple pleasure in the act of savoring the familiar satisfaction of a freshly chewed bagel.

My phone beeped in my pocket, I placed it on the table and my tracker app beeped again.

I signed into the app and the car was not showing on the radar. I tried her ring and it was not in the same location as the car or the house. She was very far away from it.

I tried the driver’s number but his phone was ringing and he wanted to pick me up.

A subtle knot tightened in my chest as frustration lingered in the air.