Defending Derek
I embraced Anna with a bear hug. “Stay here in case I need a place to sleep again; I can’t take you with me.” And since I don’t want you to suffer the same fate as me, I added to myself.
I suspect that she would have followed me if she had the chance, but I was almost out the door when she spoke out. When Derek put my number into his phone, fortunately, I had already stolen his. When I got into my vehicle, his phone was already buzzing.