"Baby, please don't judge him. He lost someone and has never gotten over it," I try to explain. When I turn to look at her, she has a look of shock on her face and is still looking at Joshua. "Baby, are you okay?"
"Uh, yeah, I'm fine. Who did he lose?"
"Some girl he thinks he loved. Something about one day and he knew. He calls her Angel. I don't know anything else." She still looks like she's in shock. "He doesn't do this very often. He’s just having a rough time lately. In the last six months something has set him off." She nods and looks out the window to the pub as I pull away and head back to my flat.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
MAYA
I'm sitting at the bar in Duncan's kitchen nursing my coffee. I woke up early after another nightmare—this one was different from the usual, Ana was screaming for me to help her.
I left Duncan sleeping and ran on the treadmill in the study. I tried to sort out why my nightmare changed, something set me off last night. I’ve been spoiled. Although I do feel safe in his arms and want to stay with him, I can't. I can't expose him to my problems.
I need to figure out what I'm going to do about the Joshua revelation. If Duncan knew, he'd kill him. I also know that Joshua had his chance and ruined it. That explains Ana's behavior at lunch yesterday.
I decide to text Greg and check in with him.
Me
Lawrence is following me.
Greg
Okay. What do you want to do?
Me
I have an idea. I'll be in touch.
Greg
I'm in meetings all day and have an event tonight.
Me
What event?
Greg
Can't tell you. Love you, sweetheart.
I hate it when he gets all secretive with me. I continue to sit here at the bar, waiting until a decent hour in the States to call the condo association about the doorman problem. This latest fuck up with him is probably going to cost him his job, but I don't like just anybody having access to my home. I need to be on guard because of my job and now this second stalker. I also have been a bit paranoid through the years.
I sense movement and look to my left where the bedrooms are located near the front door hallway. I expect Duncan to be looking for me. Instead, Joshua walks out of the guest room. He's in a pair of low-slung shorts and nothing else. His chest is chiseled and full of muscles. He might be the boss, but he's in as good of shape as Duncan. I cough so I don't startle him.
"Oh, hey! Um, I guess I ruined your night, sorry." He coughs.
"You stay here often?" I want to say more. I want to question him.
"Yes, even though my condo is a couple of floors up, sometimes I sleep it off here."
"You go on benders a lot?"
"Not really!" He sounds defensive.
"Really, that's all you're going to say,Lieutenant?" I sneer, I know I'm a bitch, but damn him.
He fucked it all up and now he must feel guilty or something to go on this many benders. He stops at my statement and looksat me carefully. He then looks back toward the master bedroom.
