Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
Addison stood in shocked bewilderment, shivers coursing through her chilled body.
She desperately hoped that any moment now she would hear the sound of Daniel's footsteps rapidly approaching and feel the slightly painful but bittersweet touch of his hands on her body.
She knew better. When Daniel left her alone, he didn't come back.
This time was no different. He wanted her to know he didn't get emotionally attached.
Addison tried to swallow her sobs and used the heel of her hand to wipe away some of the damage to her face.
She silently cursed Claudia for insisting she wear more make-up than usual.
Both women could have guessed that an evening that involved taking Daniel Mercer to an opera house ballroom was going to end in tears.
Addison shook her head cynically and impatiently lifted the edge of her skirt to stem the flow of tears.
She hoped the dress was ruined, it would teach Claudia to help Addison in her quest to tame Daniel into some semblance of civilized.
"Addie, is everything okay?" A high-pitched voice interrupted Addison's one-person pity party, causing her to jump.
Addison immediately recognized Erica’s grating voice.
She had to remind herself not to get annoyed, as Erica hadn't yet done anything to annoy her, though she knew it was only a matter of seconds.
She dropped the layer of skirt she had been using as a handkerchief and straightened.
She knew from the sharp intake of breath Erica took that she probably looked awful.
Thanks Daniel, she thought, a few minutes with him out on the balcony and I’ll look like I've been savaged by a wild animal.
"I'm fine, Erica," she said as steadily as she could manage. "I just need to get home. Would you mind helping me find a way past the ballroom without being seen?"
She really hated asking Erica for anything, the other girl was the type to grasp onto small favours as something far more meaningful than they actually were, but Addison did not need to be explaining her current state of disrepair to the several acquaintances she had in there that would demand an explanation.
Plus, she really didn't feel like socializing any more tonight.
She just wanted to get home. And go check on Daniel, her traitorous brain whispered.
"Of course!" Erica said, a little too excited. She seized Addison's arm and pulled her forward.
Addison swallowed the annoyed exclamation that bubbled up at being led around like a cow by the other woman.
She had to remind herself that Erica was an unusually enthusiastic person, if a bit strange, which is what made her such a good assistant to the Maestro.
Addison conveniently didn't add the part that Maestro probably would've fired Erica ages ago if she weren't union.
She hesitated when she could hear the murmur of voices getting louder, but true to her word, Erica steered her around the ballroom without meeting any of the people.
She led Addison down two flights of stairs and through a set of doors.
A rush of cool evening air met Addison's flushed cheeks.
She released a sigh and squeezed Erica's hand.
"I can handle things from here," she said. "Thank you so much for helping me leave."
Addison turned away from Erica and stealthily reached into the bodice of her gown to pull out a twenty she had tucked in there earlier in the evening when she'd been getting ready.
She didn't like carrying purses when she went out in the evenings, they were too hard to keep track of when she was drinking or dancing.
She'd learned from experience to always carry cab money and identification somewhere on her person and leave her purse at home.
She was pulling the bill from between her breasts when Erica grabbed hold of her elbow and pulled her back around.
Addison stumbled a little and bumped into the taller woman.
Erica steadied her and Addison had a momentary flash of surprise at the other woman's unusual strength.
Addison wasn't petite, she should've at least knocked Erica back a few steps.
Addison reached for patience and shook her arm a little, indicating she would prefer not to have assistance. Of course, Erica didn't take the hint. She seemed to lack that basic understanding of personal space.
"I drove my car, it's right around the corner," Erica said, in her high-pitched overly excited voice. "I'll give you a ride home!"
She started pulling Addison down the sidewalk before Addison could refuse the offer.
Addison had no choice but to go with her or risk tripping and falling.
She was about to open her mouth to tell Erica she would prefer to take a cab, but decided to suck it up and accept the ride.
Spending a few awkward minutes with Erica was worth the expediency of getting home quicker and not having to hail a cab without being able to actually see them.
"Thank you," Addison said as graciously as possible.
Moments later, Erica bundled her into a low-riding two-door sedan that revved too loudly for Addison's liking.
She thought maybe it needed a tune-up or something and thought longingly of Daniel's truck.
A flash of concern swept over her. She knew she should be angry that he abandoned her, but she felt in her heart that he wouldn't have done it if something wasn't really wrong with him.
She blamed herself for forcing him into a situation he couldn't control.
She thought he would be okay though. He accompanied King all the time and, as far as she knew, never had episodes like this.
Only King didn't throw his equilibrium off the way Addison did.
She hoped Daniel didn't hate her for it.
He'd warned her against treating him like some kind of boyfriend and, of course, she hadn't listened.
She hadn't wanted to believe he was right.
Because if he was, what did that make their relationship? Nothing more than great sex?
"Who was that guy you were with?" Erica asked.
Addison was surprised Erica even noticed she'd had a date for the evening. Daniel had spent about two minutes at her side, not even long enough to meet any of Addison's acquaintances.
"His name is Daniel," Addison replied. "He had to leave early."
She knew her explanation sounded lame and didn't account for the miserable state of her dress, but Erica was kind enough not to say anything.
Addison rubbed her hands up and down her arms. She heard rustling and then the heat was turned higher.
Erica patted her hand. She knew Erica was just a touchy kind of person, but it got on Addison's nerves.
"He's handsome," Erica said conversationally.
"Not really in a classic sense though. More in a sharp, brutal kind of way.
He definitely didn't belong in a place like the opera house, that was clear as day.
People kept their distance from him. It was sort of weird, they like, flowed around where he was standing.
It was like they could sense he was a mean bastard or something. "
Addison's jaw dropped. She couldn't believe Erica's gall.
She was sitting there insulting Addison's date like they were best friends and she had every right to say nasty things about him.
At the same time, she wanted to hear more.
Most people had enough sensitivity and self preservation to be circumspect when it came to speaking openly about Daniel.
Not so with Erica. She would pretty much always say what she thought, no inner filter with that one.
"What do you mean?" Addison asked. "I thought he was just hanging out on his own, away from the action. He can be a bit of a loner, prefers to be by himself."
"I guess it seemed that way," Erica replied readily. "But he didn't seem to go out of his way to avoid people. He just sort of stepped aside so you could hang out with your friends, with us."
Addison ignored the way Erica emphasized “us.
" Honestly, once she realized Erica had finagled an invitation to the opera ball, Addison had actively started avoiding her by hanging out with Mikhail and some of his friends. Erica and Mikhail despised each other and avoided each other’s company like the plague.
"That Daniel guy mostly just stood back and watched you the whole time. It was super creepy if you ask me, the way he looks at you, like some kind of killer groupie."
Addison twisted her fingers in her lap and reached for patience. She reminded herself that she was a nice person that didn't tell people to fuck off.
"You're way better off without him. He's got that look about him, you know what I mean?" Erica laughed wildly. "I guess you don't! You can't even see him. You're just going to have to trust me, you're so much better off without him."
Addison opened her mouth to tell the other girl to fuck off when the car came to an abrupt stop.
"We're here!" Erica said cheerfully and turned off the car.
Like hell Addison was letting Erica come upstairs with her. She unbuckled her belt and turned in her seat smiling brightly. "Thank you so much for the ride Erica, you have no idea how much I appreciate it."
"I can come up..."
"You have a wonderful night Erica!" Addison said over the other woman, then leaped out of the car and hoped like hell Erica parked in the five minute loading zone out front of her building and ran for the buzzer.
The night concierge let her in immediately and greeted her by name as she quickly breezed by him and headed for the elevator bank, frantically counting steps. Only when she was safely behind the closed doors of the elevator did she take a deep breath and relax a little.
"Okay Addie," she said to herself, "stupid or smart?"
She stared blankly into the comforting fuzz that was her vision and ran through the possibilities.
There was really only one. She knew if she was going to make the smart decision, she would never have gotten involved with Daniel Mercer to begin with.
She reached out and pressed the top accessible elevator button.
One floor below the penthouse. The security floor.
"Stupid Addie," she breathed as the elevator whisked her up the tower.