Page 70 of Sinful Addiction
“What the hell is happening in there?We can hear you from there.”Vince motions toward Xander’s office down the hall.
Camille sticks her head out and squeezes her eyes shut as if she’s partly to blame for this stupidity.
“You.”I point to her and start to track in her direction.“This has you written all over it.And Ava.Ava!”I shout hoping she hears me loud and clear and comes to sort this shit out.
“Take a step back from Camille, Tony.I’ll fucking shoot you if you touch her, family, boss or not,” Vince warns, his hand on his gun in waiting.
I step back, not wanting to cause him the tension I’m dealing with inside.
“Tony,” Xander warns as he and Ava come out of his office.“Ava filled me in on what she thinks Lacey might have done.Just breathe.”He tries to pacify me.“Hear her out.”
I look around the hall at all the people who’ve had my back in my fucked-up life.Heartbroken.How could they let her do this?
“She’d be in a controlled environment, Tony.You’d have the power to help her through or finish the job if she couldn’t.He wouldn’t be able to touch her,” Ava discloses.
“But Darius could destroy everything.I won’t have her anywhere near him.He may not have killed Leona, but I’m not going to let history repeat itself,” I tell the room.
The moment I finish my sentence I regret it.None of these people know he didn’t kill my sister except for Xander, and I didn’t anticipate telling any of them until I built trust in my brother.
A gentle hand sits on my shoulder, grounding me for the first time since she let that bomb drop.
“Tony,” she says in a whisper.She never calls me Tony.“I’m not her.I have you and Xander.I have Vince and Knox.I have the means to finally lay sleeping dogs to rest.Let me do it.Be the reason I get my revenge.Be the person who helps me make things right in my world.Let me break in your arms and you be the one to piece me back together.He can’t get away with doing this to other girls, women, who knows who else.I want it all to end.Of all people I thought you’d understand,” she speaks softly against my ear.
I turn and bring her into my arms.“I can’t lose you, Lacey.I won’t allow it,” I simply say.“What you’re asking of me… It’s too much.”
“How about we bring this into my office?”Xander states.
I stay holding Lacey in the hall.
I memorize her scent, her touch, her heart's rhythmic beat, the cute noises as she makes herself at home in my arms.I surround her with my vulnerability, showing her in my own way that I too am afraid.When it’s the two of us, I have no walls, no barriers.I also show her she’s my strength.I open up for her to see what no one else does.
“I’m sorry for doing that to you.It was a dick move.I realize that now.”Lacey leans back, seeking forgiveness.How can I stay mad at her for wanting what she wants?
“Promise me we’ll talk about this, and you won’t take matters into your own hands.I know you’re an independent woman, but first and foremost, you’remywoman.I look after what’s mine,” I remind her.
“Okay.”She smiles at me.
We enter Xander’s office, and everyone stops talking.It annoys me.
“What?”I grumble.
They all go back to talking, thinking we might not have resolved our issues.Well, we partially have.The main topic, however, is still up for discussion.
With Lacey perched on my knee, I’m still torn.I don’t want her going into battle on her own, but I’m a hypocrite if I don’t allow her this.The whole purpose is to stop him from hurting innocent people while eliminating a threat to her directly.
“Have you gotten any new messages or mail?”Xander asks Lacey.
“Not since the text message.If Darius is already in communication with him, there shouldn’t be any more, right?”She sounds hopeful.
“It’s a possibility he might still send you something.Especially if he thinks Tony’s not going to be a threat much longer.We need to be ready just in case,” Ava says.
I’ve enjoyed watching her grow into this strong woman.Especially when in situations like these, she cares immensely, and will do anything in her power to shelter the innocent from the evil in this world.It seems like a pot calling kettle kind of moment; her good nature versus Xander’s dark.Ava being the beacon to guide others away from people like us; Xander and me.Irony doesn’t begin to cut it.
“Boss lady’s right.If he thinks Darius has come through for him, he could indeed send more.”
We’re relying on Darius more than I’d care to admit at this point, but there’s no going back.If he wants to make amends, he’ll pull through or he’ll be sharing the same fate with Reginald.
Deep, deep down where sea creatures lurk in the ocean.