“What are you doing Ky?” she breathed in defeat, her eyes dropping to the floor.
I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. I pulled out the seat across from where she was sitting and simply looked at her. She looked tired, and I knew I was the cause of her restless night. Her blue eyes had lost the spark and her will to communicate had diminished.
The door flew open and Josh, Roger, and the rest of the team moved in and sat around the boardroom table, but my eyes were locked firmly on the girl being engulfed by nerves opposite me.
Roger Anderson ran the weekly meeting with a shit-eating grin on his face, and I knew it was all because of Eden Rivers. She said all the right things and presented the photos that she thought would work best for the cover; she informed the team of what would be next then dropped the bombshell that she would be finished by December 28th. My head had flung up when she announced it, and just as I was about to state exactly how I felt about it, Josh’s foot kicked mine. The sharp shake of his head ceased my brief moment of insanity.
Once the meeting wrapped up, Roger guided Eden out of the room without another look at me, and I knew I had royally fucked up.
"Where did Eden disappear to last night?" Josh asked as he closed his laptop and turned to face me.
"She went home.”
“Okay, let me rephrase the question. Why did she go home?”
“She told me she wanted to be with me?"
"Be with you?" His brow shot up in question. Honestly sometimes I wondered if my brother had any clue.
"She wanted me to fuck her," I groaned, rubbing my face with my hands. Even saying it out loud caused my cock to ache and tell me what a fucked-up move I’d made.
"And you didn't because?"
"Because I'm an asshole."
He walked toward the door laughing. “You are going to get a major case of blue balls before this month is over.”
“I’ve had blue balls since I first saw her in Delights.”
I slipped into my office and collapsed into my chair, my frustrated sigh hitting the air. My mind was everywhere but work, yet I knew I had a shitload waiting. My usual work hours had ceased to exist since Eden had arrived. I was halfway through organizing my next trip to Los Angeles when I heard heels getting louder as they moved down the hall in front of my office. They slowed as they got closer to my door, and they all but stopped. I held my breath and waited for my door to open but it didn’t. The heels took off faster and disappeared; I knew she had disappeared into the elevator and out of the office without a word.
••••
I arrived home just after six pm to a pitch-black apartment and emptiness lingered in the air. A storm pounded outside and the lightning strikes caused flashes of light to jab through the space. I threw my keys, wallet, and phone on the dining table and turned on lights. There was absolutely no sign of Eden. Her boots weren’t by the door, her Kindle wasn’t left on the couch, and her favorite coffee mug wasn’t on the table. It was like she had never been here.
Panic raced through me as I walked through the empty apartment finding no signs of her. She hadn’t answered my calls or my texts after she left the office, and the longer she was away, the more I worried. Jeremy fucking Davis was out there and the thought alone sent me spiraling into a world of fear and unease.
On the way home, I did my daily check-in with Douglas. I swear he must have been getting sick of my constant bombardment of text, emails, and calls but his response today was no different from any other day. Jeremy had been attending his parole appointments, and he wasn’t doing anything to warrant worry. Like fuck I wouldn’t worry. The guy who had raped Eden was loitering in the shadows, and I knew he wouldn’t stay hidden for long. The messages she had been receiving seemed to have stopped which concerned me. None of it sat well with me, and it caused my stomach to twist when I thought about it. Jeremy wouldn’t be happy with this new development and wouldn’t be happy with my involvement. He was a dangerous fucker at the best of times and serving four years for something he didn’t believe was wrong would only mean one thing.
Retaliation.
Eden had her demons that I wished I could destroy in an instance, but that would be my ultimate redemption.
For years my nightmares had been consuming me one day at a time, twisting and tormenting me with the belief that I didn’t deserve an ounce of happiness; it was a nightmare I chose to believe. All it took was the appearance of the girl in the red jacket to barrel into my life like a second beginning and now I seemed to be living for the first time with the consideration that maybe there was hope in my future.
I awoke to an empty bed, an empty apartment, and an even emptier heart. My mind had to have been playing tricks with me; was he really in bed with me last night? Had he really said those words to me? My heart was heavy, and my confidence shattered. I felt like I was being pushed back to the girl who had first arrived. Ky didn’t want me; did I have too much baggage for him? I deserved this, I wanted this, I needed this.
I had practically begged him to take me last night.
It confused me.
It frightened me.
It set me on fire.
I shook the thoughts from my head and threw back the covers. I had a meeting to attend at Anderson Publications and then I would be spending some time getting reacquainted with a deliciously sexy girl called Victoria.
Stumbling out into the vast living room, I was less than comforted by the silence that lingered in the air. The room was shadowed by the darkness of the clouds hanging in the sky that penetrated through the windows. Stormy weather to suit a stormy mood it seemed. I searched the room for my purse and found the red leather sitting on the kitchen island. My eyes latched onto the empty coffee mug beside the coffeemaker that was filled with freshly brewed coffee. A note leaned against the white porcelain of the mug that was meant for me.
I poured myself a fresh mug and fiddled with the note, flipping it over in my hands before I finally found the courage to read his words.
Had a couple of things I need to get sorted. Will be back later today. Ky.
I took the note back to my room and sat on the edge of the bed. The feeling of being dismissed hit me, but then something shocking swept through me—determination, courage, and confidence. If he didn’t want me then I needed to move on. That was the plan. I had to stick with it.
••••
My arms ached from the bags containing the expensive yet deliciously gorgeous lingerie I had purchased, and I was buzzing from the numerous coffees I had consumed during my epic shopping marathon. I hadn’t spoken to Ky while I was at Anderson Publications and I had fled the building before he could get to me, maybe that’s why I had spent a fortune shopping. I felt so much better though. There was nothing like buying a skimpy pair of panties that no one will ever see to brighten up your mood. As I stepped up to Ky’s door, I fumbled around in my purse for the key but was startled when the door flew open and an anxious Ky stood there, taking up the entire door frame.
“Where the hell have you been?” His voice was laced with panic as his eyes darted over my face in concern.
“I’ve been shopping in the city.” I stood in the hall. “What’s wrong?”
He shook his head and stepped away from the door. “You just can’t disappear like that.”
“I didn’t disappear, I just went shopping. Why are you so worried anyway?”
I moved into the living room and placed my bags next to the couch then turned back toward him. His eyes burned back at me, they were so dark tonight.
“I… just… please tell me where you go in the future.” His reaction confused me. “I don’t like the thought of anything happening to you and with him out there it scares me okay.”