Chapter 24
From the corner of her eye, Addison watched Nash as he drove. After the police took her statement and the paramedics checked her over, they released her.
Sitting across from him now, it was clear. No matter how much she loved this man, she couldn’t be in his life.
Hers was a train wreck. This new revelation broke her heart more than she ever thought it could.
She’d always thought she had her shit together, but after the last few weeks, between Amber and now Corey, she couldn’t inflict her screwed-up life on Nash and Davey.
Even if they thought they could handle it.
Davey. Tears stung her eyes. She loved that kid. She didn’t know how, but in this short time, they’d formed a bond that was stronger than Addison had thought possible to have with a child.
And Nash. Shit. A tear rolled over her lash line.
“Hey, it’s okay.” He reached over and squeezed her hand.
The warmth of his touch made her tears flow even faster.
Life was unfair. Here sat the perfect family guy, the one she’d been searching for. Internally, she snorted. Of course, she’d never thought she was the problem in her relationships. But now she could see it. She wanted the perfect little family, but her life didn’t fit that mold.
Maybe someday, but not now. Right now, her life was a dumpster fire. And she couldn’t drag Nash and Davey into it.
He pulled up in his driveway and parked.
Addison reached for the door.
“Wait. Let me.” Nash scooted around the front of the truck and opened her door like the gentleman he was.
Crap. The tears flowed harder.
“Oh baby. Let’s get you inside. I’ll run you a nice, hot bath.”
She nodded. No words came as she followed him into the bathroom.
She leaned against the counter and watched him test the water. When the tub was full, he gave her a sad smile. Blue eyes bore into hers. He grabbed the door handle.
Don’t leave. The words hung on the tip of her tongue. He was a gentleman, but she didn’t want that right now. She wanted him, even if she shouldn’t.
But he didn’t leave. Nash locked the door. With sure steps, he approached her and cradled her face. “Do you want me to help you?”
She nodded.
With sure fingers, he undressed her, then scooped her up in his powerful arms and carried her to the tub. He slipped her into the water.
She hissed.
“Too hot?” Concern crossed his face.
“No.” Her torn skin from the bindings ached from the warmth.
No doubt it was good for them, but she’d seen the look of murder in Nash’s eyes when he rescued her.
The last thing she wanted was to see the pain that quickly followed when he realized she’d been injured.
Even if it was only some chafing and bruising.
Once she was fully seated in the tub, Nash stepped back. She reached for him, staying him with a touch.
She should thank him, but the words stuck in her throat.
Tell him to leave.
She couldn’t. Instead, she leaned into the moment of weakness. “Stay.”
He hesitated, scanning her face for signs. To stay? To go?
She bit her lip.
The tiny move must have given him his answer. He undressed and slipped in behind her. His arms encircled her, and the tension in her body subsided.
She melted into his chest, limp as a rag doll, relaxing as he took the washrag and shower gel and with a gentle touch, bathed her.
When he had finished, they stayed in the tub, her cradled in his arms, until a chill settled over them.
“Come on. I’ll make you some tea.” He stood, slipped from the tub, and wrapped a towel around his waist. Still dripping, he reached a hand to her. Helping her out, he wrapped her in a large, fluffy towel.
She pulled it tighter around herself. “Not the type of linens I expected from a bachelor.”
He grabbed another towel and dried her hair. “What? I like soft things.” When he finished with her hair, he ran his hand down her cheek. The wrinkled pad of his thumb caressed her bottom lip.
She wanted to bite it, pull it into her mouth and suck, then move on until she licked the water from each and every one of his fingers.
But she didn’t. If she let her body have its way, no way she’d do the right thing.
No matter what her heart screamed, her head knew the right thing was to leave Nash.
When he finished drying them both off, he led her into his bedroom. He pulled out a T-shirt and shorts for himself and her.
Once dressed, he made her some tea.
With each caring action, the tension in Addison’s body grew. The words that had been locked in her throat since he’d burst into that basement struggled for release.
“Thank you.” It sounded wooden, even to her own ears. She swallowed back a fresh rush of tears.
“Hey, it’s okay. I’m here.” His long fingers entwined with hers.
He didn’t understand. Hell, she barely did. “Nash, I—I can’t.”
A soothing shushing sound passed his lips.
Oh, what gorgeous lips. Addison couldn’t believe she was about to say the next words, but she had to, for him and Davey. “I have to go.”
Nash didn’t speak at first. He searched her face with those intense eyes. The ones that made her want to take it back.
“Okay. We can get dressed and go to your house. But I’m not leaving you alone.”
Well, shit. She’d almost forgotten his protective streak, one of the things she loved about him. And she did love him. All of him.
Now, her tears flowed faster. The taste of salt touched her tongue.
She had to be cruel. It would break his heart. Hers too.
“What the fuck?” His words echoed around the room. She left. Nash sat in his kitchen, staring at the cup she’d just drank from minutes before.
Fifteen minutes ago, they were naked together, and then—Bam! She’d said she couldn’t do this, scooped up her belongings and her cat, and left.
He’d tried to stop her. Hell, he even offered to drive her home. Not his Addison. When she made up her mind, there was no stopping her.
His Addison. He snorted. Not anymore.
“Bullshit.” He grabbed his keys. He was halfway to the door when the image of her determined face flashed in his mind.
She needed time. He could give her that. Couldn’t he?
He dropped the keys on the table and grabbed his phone and called her. It immediately went to voicemail.
“Screw that.” Nash pulled up the text and typed a message at Mach 1 speed.
He stopped. A finger hovering over the send button, he read the plea for her to come back. Talk. Fight. Something.
Anger boiled up in his gut. At her. At himself.
Time.
He blew out a breath and deleted the message. Picking up his mug, he took a swig. “Yuck.”
Cold tea. He preferred coffee, but stone-cold tea was just vile.
He went to the sink and dumped the last of the mug’s contents.
Nash stared at his phone on the table. Calmer, he typed a new message—short and to the point. Call me. I need to know you’re alright.
He dropped the phone on the table and grabbed the bottle of Jack from the cupboard above the fridge. Nash poured two fingers’ worth into his mug.
She needed time. Space. He dropped his head and stared at his mug.
“Fucking Miller.” His anger pinpointed on the man currently sitting in the county jail. “Everything was fine before he came into the picture.”
But was it?
Fear crept in, pushing the last of the anger out.
He checked his phone. Nothing.
Picking up his mug, he took a healthy gulp.
He couldn’t face losing Addison sober. While his head said she needed a little time and it would all work out, his chest squeezed tighter. Something in her eyes, her words before she left, had that band around his ribs squeezing to the point of pain.
“It’s better for you… for Davey.” Her words still echoed in his head.
Hadn’t he been thinking the same thing just two days ago? Yeah, and he’d been wrong, dead wrong, and so was she. He looked at the door, then at his mug.
I should have stopped her.
Right, and be like that asswipe that held her against her will? No. He had to let her go.
“Please come back,” he whispered to the empty room.
The waiting would kill him. Nash had never been the kind of guy to sit back and wait for things to happen. But with Addison, he was clueless as to what to do.
The woman had always been a mystery to him. He’d rather have a work order for an intermittent noise than attempt to figure out the workings of her mind.
He looked at the ceiling and grumbled. “Now what do I do?”
When the universe didn’t respond, Nash slammed back the contents of his cup. The whiskey stung on the way down. A hiss escaped his lips on a wince.
God, he hated the burn, but at times like this…
Nash tipped the bottle, refilling his mug, when his phone rang.
Addison? Excitement lifted his chest but quickly fled when he saw his ex-wife’s name on the screen.
Shit. Beth was the last person he wanted to talk to at this moment, but it could be about Davey.
Reluctantly, he tapped the answer button. “What?” His voice came out as a bark. He flinched.
“Well, aren’t you Mr. Sunshine.”
“Sorry. What’s up?” He didn’t have time for niceties. She should be thankful he apologized.
“Whoa. What’s going on?” She could always tell when something was bothering him.
He injected a smile into his voice and asked, “Is Davey alright?”
“He’s fine. I wanted to see if we could switch weekends. I have plans for Labor Day.”
“Fine.” It wasn’t like he had a life.
“Okay, enough. I’ve known you your whole life. Only one other time can I recall you acting this surly. Did Addison dump you?”
He dropped his head into his hands.
“Nash, I’m so sorry. I really liked her. What happened?” The quiet caring in her voice almost did him in.
“Fuck if I know.” Nash continued pouring his drink. “I hope it’s just PTSD or something from the attack.”
“Attack! You mean the accident?” The care provider in her came through loud and clear.
Nash blew out a breath, then, as if he had verbal diarrhea, everything that happened over the last day and a half spilled out of his mouth.
The doorbell rang.
“Addison? I gotta go.” Nash stabbed the end button and ran to the door. He didn’t care if he looked desperate. He would grovel if that would get her to come back.
Nash pulled open the door. One look at the person on his step and a string of F-bombs fell from his mouth. He hung his head and left the door open. Cade followed as Nash returned to his drink.
“Man, you look worse than she does.” Cade closed the door and stared at his friend.
Like a sniper’s bullet, Nash shot from the table and grabbed Cade’s shirt. “You saw her? What did she say?”
“She showed up at our house, tears streaming down her face. One look from my woman and I knew I had to come kick your ass before she did.”
Nash dissolved into a puddle on the floor. Max bounced up and licked his face. With a gentle hand, he scooped up the dog and settled him into his lap. He stared at the pup’s blue collar, already snug from the growth spurt. “Shit if I know what happened.”
Cade dropped to the floor next to his friend. “Forget the ass-whooping. You obviously already got one.”
“She just left. I wanted to grab her, pin her to the bed, and not let her go, but… I couldn’t. Not after what that fucker did to her.”
“I’m sure she’s just shook up from the incident. Give her some time.” Cade’s expression didn’t look like he believed his own words.
“You suck at sympathy. The words might be right, but you need to work on your face.”
Cade shrugged. “Sorry, man. I got nothing. Maybe she’ll change her mind. It happens.”
Sure, maybe that happened for Cade, but…
Nash’s brow crept up in doubt. “This is Addison we’re talking about. It took five months to get her to a truce. I don’t see her as the type of woman to waffle on anything.”
“You got her to go out with you once. I’m sure you can do it again.”
“Davey was the one to invite her to his game.” How had Nash gotten into this mess?
He’d known she was special from the moment he met her.
Her fiery protectiveness for her friend, her confidence.
Nash was hooked. Only once had he doubted she was the one, and that doubt disintegrated when he almost lost her forever.
No. Not again. He needed to get her back.
“I need a plan, and fast.”