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he wondered if he was right or if he was making a huge mistake, a mistake that he was only going to compound when he left today and didn’t come back.
    No. I decided to stay away from her, and I’m going to do it—even if it kills me.
    When Sarah had told him she was moving to Kinky, Deke had come to a conclusion—he had to let her go. It was time. She was strong enough to survive without his interferences. No more taking care of her or watching her every move. She had to lead her life without him in it.
    It wasn’t as though he would be in much contact with Sarah anyway. She wasn’t allowed inside the play areas of The Edge without a membership, and he had no plans to provide her with one. Even outside of those areas in the club, she was restricted in where she could go and with whom she could associate. So there was no reason for her to visit him. God knew he wasn’t going to seek her out.
    Besides, his self-denial wouldn’t be that different from the past year. He hadn’t spent much time with her since she’d moved into the club. Every time she came around, he put her at arm’s length, practically running away like some insipid weakling.
    But not anymore. Now he didn’t have to see her or talk to her. He didn’t have to smell her or touch her. He didn’t even have to breathe the same air as her. A sharp arrow of agonizing pain shot through Deke’s chest. But he refused to acknowledge it.
    Shutting down every thought in his mind, Deke pretended he didn’t give a damn about anything or anyone. He acted as though the air breezing by him gently didn’t have a nip to it. He ignored the whispered words Adam and Sarah exchanged after they got out of the luxury sedan and shut the door behind them. He merely made his way through the parking lot, focusing on the monotonous sound of his black wingtips against the pavement.
    When that didn’t help, he lengthened his gait and hustled inside the apartment building. As soon as he crossed the threshold, Deke headed straight for the stairs. He wasn’t in the mood to take an elevator ride with Adam and Sarah, not even when it was only a couple of floors.
    Luckily, it didn’t take him two minutes to jog up the steps. And before long, he was in front of her apartment. B1. God, he already hated B1.
    Deke stuck the key into the lock and unlocked the door then turned the knob. Before he could go inside, a woman’s loud voice echoed through the hallway. “Hey Deke,” Ansley Lockhart hollered, clearly not caring that everyone on the second floor could more than likely hear her. “Where’s the fire?”
    Caught unaware, Deke dropped his hand to his side and hauled himself around. Scowling at the honey-blonde bombshell, he snapped, “I’m in a hurry to get back to The Edge.” Arching one eyebrow, he tacked on, “Aren’t you supposed to be working today?”
    The always-irreverent Ansley snorted. “Some of us actually have lives outside of The Edge.” She grinned. “Go figure.”
    Deke considered responding acerbically to Ansley, but the ding of the elevator kept him from saying a word. As Adam and Sarah emerged from the lift, Deke jerked the keys out of the lock and grabbed the doorknob again. He pushed open the door then ducked inside, silently hoping Ansley would vanish as quickly as she’d come.
    Predictably, she didn’t. She followed him inside then said with a hint of amusement underlying in her tone, “Ah, I see. You’re avoiding—”
    “Don’t,” Deke growled.
    She chuckled. “Wasn’t going to.”
    Bull. He knew better. “Sure you weren’t,” Deke replied, his voice openly exhibiting his disbelief, as he trudged through Sarah’s chaotic living room. Dodging more cardboard boxes than he could count, he cursed every one that crossed his path. Then he cursed the woman tagging along behind him, following him around like some irritating puppy.
    “So, bossman,” Ansley whispered while Deke and Sarah let themselves into the apartment through the door