“I don’t love you, Erica!” Addison snapped. “I don’t even like you. I never did and I never will.”
Erica sobbed and begged for Addison to reconsider. She tried to get Addison to unchain her so they could run away together. As she listened, Addison realized how truly unhinged Erica was. Addison actually considered just walking away and leaving Erica to Daniel’s mercy. But she knew Daniel would have none. He would have less than none. After what he did to those guys who accidentally shot at Addison while trying to capture Claudia, there was no way he was going to go light on the woman that purposefully caused Addison so much horror and pain. Addison’s conscience couldn’t allow her to leave Erica in Daniel’s hands.
She could call the police and let them sort it out. She knew as soon as she had the thought that she wasn't going to do that. She couldn’t allow Daniel to be arrested because of her. Even if he did manage to escape arrest, he would be separated from Addison and on the run for kidnapping Erica, which she didn’t want either. The only other option she had was to let Erica go and hope the woman didn’t turn on her. Luckily, with Daniel protecting her, she knew it was unlikely that Erica would ever be able to get to her again.
“Stop talking or I really will shoot you, Erica,” Addison snapped.
While both delusional and psychotic, Erica still seemed to have a healthy respect for bullets. She stopped speaking and waited for Addison to continue. “I won't be going anywhere with you, ever. You hurt me yesterday, but I don’t really want to see you dead. At least not as dead as Daniel would make you.”
The cage rattled as Erica shuddered.
“Exactly. Think about that for a moment. I’ve been told what he does to people and you’ve seen for yourself that he doesn’t differentiate between men and women when it comes to revenge. No one has ever escaped his vengeance except through the grave, and that’s only when he’s done playing with them,” Addison lowered her voice to really get her ominous point across. “So, if I had a second chance to get away from his vengeance, I would take it and run as fast and as far as I could. I would not say good-bye to my friends and I would not pack my belongings. I would change my name and move to another state. I would never look back and I most certainly would never contact his girlfriend again. Are you understanding me, Erica?”
“Yes, I understand!” Erica wailed. “P… please. I’ll go, I’ll never come back.”
Addison was sure that Erica finally understood the gravity of her situation. She picked the keys up off of the desk, hoping that they would fit the cuffs chaining Addison’s arms and legs to the cage. She held onto the gun while she set about unlocking Erica. It was awkward, but she wasn’t taking any chances. She was going to put holes in Erica if she made any false moves.
Erica fell forward onto the floor once the last padlock came loose. Addison jumped back and reached for the table, picking up the massive blade. She held the blade out in one hand, the gun in the other hand and circled Erica. She kicked at the other woman and snapped, “Get up! I want you out of here, now!”
“Okay, I’m going!” Erica said breathlessly, half crawling, half running for the door.
Addison stalked behind her, listening intently. Erica reached the door and shoved it open. “Erica!” she yelled at her.
The other woman paused in the door.
“Your safest bet is to cross into Mexico if you can manage it without a passport. Get lost in another country, where he’ll hopefully lose interest. I’m serious Erica, he won’t give up. But I’ll do my best to convince him.”
“Thank you,” Erica said, gratefully.
“I’m only doing this because I don’t actually think you intended to murder me last night. It was just an unhappy coincidence that you nearly managed it. But if you ever come back here, I’ll kill you myself. Or wrap you up with a bow and hand you over to Daniel. Now go.”
The door slammed shut and Erica was gone.
Addison put her weapons down on the table and shakily collapsed onto the mat. She put her head in her hands and cried. She hoped she was doing the right thing. It felt right. She wasn’t really scared that Erica was going to come back. She was pretty sure she managed to impress on Erica how very disposable the girl was if she did come back. Plus, she had Daniel to protect her as well. Sniffling, Addison stood up and decided she better make her way back downstairs before she was forced to explain to Daniel how she came to be standing next to the empty spot where Erica used to be.
Daniel was patient. It was what made him such a good hunter. He waited in the basement garage for Addison to wake up and realize he wasn't with her. He listened, gratified, as she called his cell phone and received no answer. Then he waited as she made her way upstairs to the security floor to find him. He watched the security footage on his laptop as she confronted Erica Pennington. Though he knew she wouldn’t shoot the blond bitch, he smiled as she pointed the loaded gun at her stalker.
As predicted, after some pacing and conversation, Addison finally unlocked Erica and let her go. She looked like a fucking savage queen, blind and beautiful, holding out a gun and machete, threatening her attacker. He was so fucking proud, he wanted to run upstairs and kiss her senseless. He packed his laptop away and strode to the bottom of the stairs where Erica would appear. He had men on the outside of the garage ensuring that no one would interrupt. Moments later, the blond woman flew through the door, right into his waiting arms.
He turned her easily around and, before she could scream, placed her in a choke hold. She tried to struggle, but he easily knocked her flailing limbs aside. He felt tears touch his arm where she struggled to breath and clawed at his skin. He lifted her off the ground until her ear was next to his mouth.
“We have something in common, bitch,” he whispered as her struggles grew weaker. “We both love my girl and want to make her happy. I knew she needed you off her conscience, so I let her think she let you go.”
Erica’s unconscious body slumped against his. He shoved her away in disgust, before lifting and tossing her carelessly in the trunk of a waiting vehicle. “Let’s go for a drive.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
3 months later
"Are we on a date?" Addison asked mischievously. "Because I'm not really the dating type, you know."
Daniel grunted as he pulled the truck to a stop. He turned to her and tapped her cheek with two fingers. "Watch it, woman, or I'll push you out of my truck and let you find your own way back."
She grinned and waited while he made his way around the truck to help her out. It usually annoyed her when people did things for her that she could do for herself, but it was different with Daniel. He was a single unit, a solitary man, with Addison as the only exception. He did things for her because he wanted to, not because she was blind.
She went into his arms and laughed in surprise as he lifted her right out of the truck and up into the air before lowering her slowly down his length. He placed her next to his solid body and took her hand, smoothing her slim fingers along his strong forearm. She inhaled his scent, savouring the wonderful subtle male smell that was so uniquely him. She would recognize it anywhere.
"Won't you tell me where we are?" she asked curiously. "You know I hate surprises.”
