Page 46 of Mile High Baby

After speaking to Dax, I checked in with the team on duty outside the house. They indicated all was clear. I checked my watch. It was nearly nine p.m. My stomach growled, and I realized I hadn’t eaten since that afternoon. I left the nook to find something to eat. I searched the fridge, finding lunch meat and cheese. I prepared a sandwich thinking that I would have liked to have had some of Victoria's food truck meal. I sighed at the reminder of how spectacularly I'd fucked up with her.

I ate my meal in the quiet dark of the kitchen. I liked solitude. I liked the quiet and ability to live my life without a thought or care.

I shook my head wondering why I was having to remind myself of that. Victoria, of course. Fucking hell. Just my luck that the one woman who could have me rethink my life as a bachelor was the one woman I couldn't have.

Frustrated, I finished my sandwich and set out to do the final house check of the night.

I started from the garage level and worked up. I skipped the third floor, telling myself Victoria was fine, but really, I just wanted to be sure she was asleep before I checked her area. What a fucking coward I was. A better man would own up to his bullshit.

Once I completed all floors but the third, I made my way down from the seventh floor to Victoria's rooms. Which should I try first? Hoping she was in her bedroom asleep, I went to her office. The door was ajar and the light was off. I gently pushed open the door, poking my head in. She sat on the window seat in the dark except for the light the moon shone in.

She turned her head toward me and pursed her lips in disgust as she realized it was me invading her quiet. "Seriously. I just wanted fresh air. I wasn't trying to escape."

It took me a moment to realize she was referring to her open window. I was about to nod and leave her alone, but somehow, I ended up in her room.

She arched a brow. “Are you really going to close my window? I’ll close it when I’m done.”

I stopped short, wondering what the hell I was doing in her room.

She watched me, and the irritation morphed into something that looked like panic. She jumped up and rushed to me, taking my forearms in her hands. “Something happened. Is my dad okay?”

Holy hell. Even without trying, I was causing her pain. "Henry is fine."

Her eyes searched my face as if she wanted to verify my words.

"Everything is fine." I swallowed, because that wasn’t totally true. With her standing so close, her warm hands gripping my arms, everything inside me shifted, putting me off kilter. "Well, that's not true."

"What's wrong?”

"I can't stop.”

She continued to look at me in confusion. "Stop what?"

"I can't stop thinking of you. Of wanting you."

16

Victoria

Iam grateful.

I said the words over and over again as I ate delicious Asian tacos, Indian naan-wiches, and several sweet treats. It was nice of Alex to arrange this and for Knightly and Mrs. Tillis to help.

I am grateful.

I poured another glass of wine. I really was thankful, but this was nearly worse than spending all my time cooped up in the house. Yes, it was a lovely warm evening on the terrace with delicious food, fine wine, and music I’d turned on to drown out the fact that I was here by myself. As nice as this was, it was miserable to experience it alone.

I knew there were people who'd kill to have the love of a good parent, great supportive people around, and of course, money, so I was being a brat complaining about being in a gilded cage.

When the elevator opened, my heartbeat kicked up a notch thinking Alex had changed his mind.

Mrs. Tillis exited, and my disappointment turned to self-chastising. That damned man was making me crazy.

“How are you doing? Enjoying the food?"

I put on a smile. "Yes. Thank you for helping with this."

"Of course. We could all see you needed a change of scenery, so when Alex mentioned it we all jumped in. Well, Caroline balked, but she came around. She was the one who suggested the dessert.”