Chapter Twenty-Two
"Dammit," Addison mumbled, running her hand along the wall. She wondered for the hundredth time why Daniel couldn't be a normal person and have a normal apartment on one of the other floors. She could practically feel the eyes of his security team on her as she made her way along the corridor toward his tiny apartment. Which wasn't really an apartment.
She wouldn't even be on the damn security floor if she wasn't so furious. It had been six weeks since she'd seen Daniel. She hadn't even sensed his presence. True to his word, he had disappeared from her life, retreating into his professional shell like their time together had never existed. Only once had she begged Claudia for details, and Claudia had told her Daniel seemed pretty much the same. Surprisingly, it had been Laney that had told her any different.
The younger woman had pulled Addison aside after Claudia had gone back up to the penthouse and told her bluntly that her "boss" was not as unaffected by their breakup as he wanted everyone to think.
"He's far more brutal than before," she’d said. "And that's saying something, considering we didn't think he could get much worse. His training regime makes Genghis Khan look like a pussy cat. Some of the guys wanted me to ask if you could just make nice with him."
Addison opened her mouth to tell Laney what she thought of that suggestion, but Laney interrupted her.
"I saw what he did to you, the way you were after he..." Laney's voice trailed off. She cleared her throat. "Anyway, you need to stay away from him. He's a skilled mercenary and that's about all he's good for. If he gets his hands on you, he could eventually kill you. I don't think a man like that can control himself around someone who fucks with his head the way you do. He’s not worth your life.”
Addison hadn't known what to say. Not that it mattered. Laney had turned around and strode away, leaving a bemused Addison standing in the doorway. She wondered about Laney. The young woman was incredibly private, though she had kindness in her. Laney worked hard to make sure Claudia was never vulnerable and she watched over Addison as much as she could, though it wasn’t her job. Addison sensed she was deeply damaged. Though a silent woman, her spirit was never at rest. It worried Addison.
Addison felt Daniel’s door under her fingertips. Taking a deep breath and gathering her courage, she balled her hand into a fist and banged loudly on his door. She waited for a minute, but there was no answer. She desperately wanted to turn tail and run away, but it had taken too much courage to come up here in the first place. She banged louder. Finally, after another minute, the door jerked open.
The first thing she felt was heat, followed by his surprise at seeing her on his doorstep. His scent was stronger than usual and the damp warmth coming from him suggested he had just gotten out of the shower. Once more, Addison deeply resented the feeling she got in Daniel's presence, of wishing she wasn't blind. Daniel was the only person that could make her wish she could see. She hated feeling so vulnerable around him.
He said nothing, waiting for her to explain her presence.
Addison opened her hand, palm up, and shoved it out toward him.
"Explain," she snapped.
He didn't say anything for a moment, but she felt the tension in his body. Finally, he reached out and, taking her firmly by the wrist, pulled her into his apartment. He slammed the door shut. Addison's breath caught as the back of her hand touched his bare stomach, brushing against the hard muscles and rough hair causing her own stomach to flip.
She tried to jerk her hand away, but he held her tightly, trapping her against him for long seconds. He opened her fingers with his other hand and took the listening devices from her hand before releasing her.
"Are you accusing me of something, Addison?" he asked easily, moving away from her.
Addison crossed her arms angrily over her breasts and glared in his direction. "You know I am!" she snapped. "Jane Sitnikov assures me these belong to you."
His casual manner dropped instantly and he reached out to grip her shoulder. Water drops from his freshly washed hair and beard rained down on her face. "What the fuck do you mean, Sitnikov?"
Addison jerked back, but he continued to hold her tightly. "Let me go!"
He gritted his teeth and growled, shaking her, "Why you hanging around with the Sitnikov bitch? She's too dangerous for you."
Addison gasped. "I hired her to find out who's spying on me. Daniel, you're hurting me!"
Daniel let her go so abruptly that Addison stumbled back a step. She could hear the rustle of his hand thrusting through his hair.
"Why are you spying on me, Daniel?" she asked, conveniently leaving out the part where she had another stalker.
For some reason she didn't want him to know. She cared too much about Daniel still. She couldn't stand the thought that he might already know and just not care enough to help. Or conversely, that he would care too much and try to track down her stalker himself and go all Dexter on him or something. That option… well… that wasn't an option. She simply couldn't have that on her conscience.
Daniel growled at her again and then walked swiftly to the door, jerking it open. "Get out, Addison, and don't come back."
Tears filled her eyes. She had come up to his apartment knowing she wouldn't be welcome, but she thought maybe they could have one civilized conversation. She should have known better. Gathering her dignity, Addison straightened her shoulders and made her way to the door, hoping like hell he hadn't changed anything. It was hard to make a dignified exit while running into things.
Daniel grabbed her arm before she could walk past him. He pulled her in close, so close that she had to bring her arm up to steady herself against his bare chest. He dropped his head into her hair and breathed in her scent as though he couldn't help himself.
"Get rid of Sitnikov," he said quietly. "Or I'll do it in a more permanent way."
He thrust her out the door and slammed it shut.
Two weeks later
