“Get up,” Daniel said coldly.
Addison blinked in confusion, trying to clear her head a little. She brought her hands up slowly and tried to sit up, but started to slide sideways. She had to grab the bench quickly to stop herself from falling. Daniel made an annoyed sound and grabbed her by the arm, yanking her off the bench.
“Ow!” Addison gasped as her knee banged unexpectedly against a metal side.
He let go of her arm as soon as he could. She heard him zip himself back into his jeans. She knew he hadn’t come. Understanding, and shame, began to dawn. He’d said repeatedly that she didn’t control him. Which to him meant she was a whore that couldn’t control her own body around him, while he could control his base urges.
She could feel a blush begin to suffuse her cheeks. She wasn’t ashamed of her sexuality, but she hated the way he’d just treated her. She began straightening her own clothes, knowing if she didn’t he would do it for her. And at the moment she couldn’t stand the thought of his touching her. After she deemed herself decent enough (who was she kidding, she probably looked like Stephen King’s Carrie, minus the pig’s blood), she turned on her heel and began feeling her way carefully toward the exit.
“Addison,” his icy voice stopped her.
She couldn’t help the flare of hope that leaped in her traitorous heart.
“My only regret is never having gotten into that tight little asshole before we finished.”
Addison wondered how much a hitman cost and if she had enough shady friends now that one of them might be able to contract one out for her.
Chapter Twenty
Claudia felt pretty sure that if she could freeze this particular moment in her life then she could be happy forever. She was curled up on the couch where Tyson had just tucked a quilted blanket around her legs and was stoking a fire in the fireplace. She still marvelled at how odd it was to have a fireplace in the penthouse of a very tall building, but he assured her it was perfectly normal. Claudia decided she would have to finagle her way into a few more penthouses just to make sure. Her fiancé was a billionaire. He could just buy them for her so she could check them out.
She giggled to herself and waved a hand at him as he quirked a brow at her from his position crouched next to the fireplace. She was definitely getting used to spending his money. Right from the first, she hadn’t been shy with his many dollars. She’d been pissed that he’d essentially kidnapped her and, determined to get her bang for his buck, so to speak, had engaged in every expensive activity she could think of.
These days she settled for shopping sprees, business courses and planning their wedding. It made him happy when she spent his money, which made her happy.
Her phone chirped cheerfully from her pocket – a text. Claudia smiled. She and Anya were supposed to go out to a new club in about an hour. Anya was probably doing an outfit check or something. She tended toward biker chic, while Claudia went a little more classic sexy. They balanced each other quite well.
Pulling her phone from her pocket, Claudia frowned as she saw it was Laney. She was most definitely not going to be doing an outfit check for girls night. Laney would be wearing her usual braided hair, T-shirt, cargo pants and military style boots. So far as Claudia knew, Laney didn’t really change it up, except to occasionally wear black, green or white T-shirts. Claudia was 90% certain she would get punched in the face if she suggested Laney wear a little make-up.
Claudia gasped and stood up, letting the quilt drop to the floor. Concern knitted her brow as she read her text. She heard Tyson move to stand next to her.
“Let me see,” his soothing voice rumbled.
She tilted the phone so he could read Laney’s text.
LANEY Addison in trouble. Crying on 25th floor outside security. Can’t get her up. Please come
“Oh no!” Claudia said, panic lacing her voice. “She went out with Daniel tonight, he must have done something horrible.”
“Okay,” Tyson said easily, rubbing Claudia’s back. “Let’s go get her.”
They hurried out the door while Claudia texted Laney to let her know that they were on their way. Rather than wait for the elevator, they took the stairs. Claudia could hear Addison’s heart-wrenching sobs as they approached the floor below the penthouse. She was collapsed against the door to the security wing, in a heap of torn golden crinoline, with her head bent into the cradle of her arms on her lap. Her long hair was a tangled mess cascading down her back.
Laney was crouched behind Addison doing a poor job of trying to soothe the crying woman without actually talking to or touching her. She looked massively relieved when Claudia and Tyson arrived and jumped back to give them room.
“Oh, my darling,” Claudia said, sitting next to Addison on the steps. “What happened?”
Addison stiffened at first when Claudia put an arm around her and hugged Addison’s waist, but then she collapsed against Claudia’s warmth and leaned her head against the other woman’s leg. Claudia rubbed her back and shoulder gently and listened as Addison told her between hiccups and sobs what had happened over the course of the evening at the opera house.
“I felt so bad!” she moaned, through the tears. “I followed him back here to apologize and… and tell him that I would never make him do that again. But he was so angry with me. He… he just attacked me…”
“He attacked you?” Claudia said sharply, looking up at Tyson, who was frowning.
“Not… not like that. Never like that,” Addison assured her, pushing herself up to look at Claudia earnestly. Her eyes were as unfocused as always, but she still got the message across.
“He doesn’t have to force me. I melt as soon as he touches me. He has other ways of humiliating me… of making sure I leave and never come back,” she said miserably.
“I see,” Claudia whispered, hugging Addison to her tightly.
