“You know, for someone who wants to get back with me so badly, you sure do say that a lot.” I grab my napkin and wipe my mouth. “It seems you’re more focused on trying to convince me to be with you, and for no reason I can figure out, then actually wanting to be with me.” I get up, grabbing my things. “What’s wrong, Harrison? Does your stepsister not want your dick anymore?” I growl under my breath, then storm away. I burst right through the doors, stepping out into the rain and walking until my anger burns off. I didn’t say what I wanted to say to him, not in exact words, but I think I got my point across.
That’s the problem with Harrison though. You have to be direct, and I don’t think I was. Not enough for him tounderstand. So, I went through all of this for nothing. He’ll be calling me again before the night is through. Showing up at the office and asking me to dinner.
After walking for a few moments, I stop to look around, my body dripping with water, and I laugh. I just laugh until my stomach hurts, because how absurd is this? Once I calm myself, I keep walking. Everything I’m in will surely be ruined, even my cell phone at this rate, but I don’t care. I have enough money to buy a new one. It’s freezing, and I’m shaking, but still, I don’t care. I just don’t care.
“Hey, hey! Miss Sinclair!” I narrow my eyes, looking around at hearing my name called through the rush of rain. There’s a car on the side of the street, Garrett hanging out of it and waving his arm.
“Garrett!” I call, waving back with a smile.
“Why are you walking in the rain? I’m supposed to bring you home!”
He hurries out of the car, putting up the umbrella on his way.
“Put it away, Garrett. It won’t do any good.”
He chuckles, and I laugh. When I get into the car, he hands me his coat and blasts the heat. I shiver all the way home.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Elliot
I busy myself with work for as long as I can, but nothing I do will fully pull my thoughts from the fact Seraphine is having dinner with my son right now.
It infuriates me.
Reading through reports, I find there isn’t a single thing I’ve comprehended once I get to the end. I move onto others, hoping it’s just a fluke and maybe that particular report was more boring than the others. As if any of them would be fascinating.
It’s nearly 7:30 when I give into my irritation and gather my things, leaving the office. It’s a miracle I lasted this long.
As I pull out of the parking lot, I don’t head home. Even though it’s downpouring, I find myself heading toward Seraphine’s, needing to see her. Needing to know she’s still mine, even though she’s never told me so. So, I at least need to know she isn’t his, hasn’t given into him.
What I feel toward my son should be shameful, and maybe there is a bit of that lingering beneath my skin. More than anything, it’s a primal need that’s urging me on. A lion doesn’t take familial bonds into consideration. Nor does a bear or a wolf or even an elephant, though many think they’re such docile creatures. Bull elephants expel their sons from the herd at a certain age and will become competitive during mating season.
I’ve never considered myself animalistic, and the only time aggression has shown its face is when it comes to my work—not until meeting Seraphine, anyway. She brings out these primitive instincts in me that I’m unsure how to control. Honestly, I’m not sure I can control them at all. So, I do the next best thing—give in to them.
Is an animal more cruel after it’s been caged or when it’s allowed to roam free?
I park in the underground lot, in her space, with the intention of staying here as long as she will allow me. Realizing I don’t have the key to get into the building from this elevator, since there isn’t a guard, I walk out into the rain, hurry around the block, and enter through the front door.
“Mr. Caldwell,” the doorman says with surprise. “I’m so sorry, sir. I wasn’t made aware you were coming. I would have—”
“It’s fine,” I say calmly. “This was a last-minute trip.”
“Can I get you a towel to dry off?”
“No, thank you. I’m heading up to a friend’s apartment. I’m sure they will take care of me.”
Seraphine better take care of me. Or at least let me take care of her.
“As you wish, sir,” he says, but sounds uncertain. Worried, perhaps. Like if his boss finds out about this, he won’t be happy. I’ll have to reach out to Michelle and let her know to reach out to the building manager and get it handled. This isn’t the doorman’s fault and shouldn’t be made to be so.
Once on the elevator, I shrug out of my jacket and drape it over my arm, using my hand to shake the water from my hair, then use the reflection on the elevator to comb it back into place. It doesn’t quite stay the way it was before, but that’s fine. With any luck, Seraphine will mess it up more.
I step out of the elevator onto her floor. When I reach the end of the hall, I hear frustrated voices. I turn the corner, eyes wide when I see Harrison in front of Seraphine’s door. It’s open, with her inside enough that I can’t see her. I consider turning around to leave, coming back later so I don’t make a scene, until I notice that Harrison is gripping her wrist, and his tone is rougher than I’d like.
I move quickly toward them and I’m about ten feet away when Harrison glances in my direction. He does a double take.
“What are you doing here?” he accuses.
