Page 23 of Sinful Addiction
Reaching Lacey—her back to me—I lean into her succulent figure and whisper in her ear, “You may be withdrawing from me, but don’t think for one second I’ll let you go.After all, addictions can last a lifetime if we let them.”
With those parting words, I dress then let myself out.There’s nothing more I can do right now to ensure she won’t hate me besides showing her the respect she deserves by leaving.Knox is on the other side of the door, waiting for me when I throw the door open and march toward the elevator.
“Where to, boss?”I don’t answer because I don’t know.My mind is on the luscious woman I left behind after promising myself I wouldn’t leave.But seeing her retreat from me like that, with so many reservations, threw me.I thought I was giving her what she wanted—affection, honesty, safety—and she ran from me still.
I won’t let this discourage me.I’ll chase her around the world and die before I let her get away.
Tonight though, I let myself be lost.
“I don’t know.Drive around until I figure it out,” I reply bluntly.
We’re pulling up outside Ava and Xander’s house over two hours after leaving Lacey’s.I had a few things to deliberate before I faced the best friend of the woman who pretends she can no longer stand to be around me.
I’m walking through their house toward Xander’s office when boss lady herself rounds the corner, almost colliding with me.When I don’t pay her any attention and continue on my course, her concerned voice bounces off the walls and I finally freeze.Hands clenched at my side, eyes tightly closed, I take four deep breaths to ease the anger simmering inside.I repeat,this is not Ava’s fault,simultaneously until the mood subsides.
“Tony, are you alright?”Her caring tone has the effect of thousands of sharp glass shards stabbing me in the back.I can’t be around her right now.She’s the reason Lacey was able to get away from me in Las Vegas.
I’m careful with my tone when I reply.Xander made it very clear that if I upset Ava again, my life will be nothing but a cold mass buried ten feet under.Under what?Probably concrete.
With every ounce of restraint, I turn to face the angelic woman who is not fooled in the slightest.“I’m fine, boss lady.I’m here to see Xander about a job.”
Before she can respond, I spin on my heel and head in the direction of Xander’s office.
“She pushed you away again, didn’t she?”
That’s all it takes for me to lose my last thread of serenity.My brain doesn’t register what my body is doing until it’s too late.Searing pain throbs through my knuckles where they connected with the drywall.Blood coats the surface where a piece of the wall must have been more solid than the rest.
“What the fuck… Tony?What the hell is going on out here?”Xander’s concerned and confused eyes focus on Ava, then on me, and back on his wife.He’s trying to decide if I put her in danger or upset her.
I turn to look at Ava, who’s slowly moving her head from side to side saying no, but I have no time to explain.
“You…my office…now!”he shouts.
I have no choice but to tuck my tail between my legs and follow him to the place I was heading this whole time.
I wait for what seems an eternity before he comes back into the room.He’s glaring at me with unvoiced questions like I’m some kind of mind reader.
“What?”I’m being an asshole and he knows it.
“What?”He laughs sardonically.“Care to tell me why there’s a hole in my wall and my wife is sticking up for you?What the hell is happening to you?”New concern laces Xander’s voice.It doesn’t faze me however because I know I need advice.
“How am I supposed to stop my demons from destroying me when Darius is back, and Lacey won’t let me in?”
An eyebrow raises skyward while Xander contemplates his next words.“It’s simple.Don’t give Lacey an option to leave.”
“For fuck’s sake, Alexander.Not everyone needs to be kidnapped in order to fall in love.You two are ridiculous.”Ava turns toward me after scolding her husband.“Tony, Lacey is confused.You showed her a glimpse of a part of you neither of you were ready for, yet deep down you knew it would frighten her away.And that’s exactly what she did—again—she ran.It’s what she's good at.She’s petrified she’s not going to be enough for you.She’s scared of her feelings for you, not the other, ah, dominant part of you.If I know my girl well, she’s building a wall around her heart so it can’t be broken.”
“Why do you always have to be so wise?”I hide the seriousness behind a fake laugh.
She raises her hands and shrugs as if she doesn’t know.But we both know better.She’s a maternal person.She genuinely cares about people whether they deserve her kindness or not.
“So, what am I supposed to do?I need to get through to her.There’s no one like her out there.”I take a breath, count to five then exhale.“I sound like a fucking pussy.”I run my hands through my tousled hair.
“Tony, you need to tread carefully.We all know Lacey won’t do anything she doesn’t want to.Not without a fight or flight reaction.”
I know she’s right.
I have a plan.