I needed to sit down with Jasper and Emma and tell them the truth. Well, not the whole truth, but parts of it. I couldn’t have them believing that I thought Andrew was a murderer.

“Thank God you’re back.” Emma smiled as I walked through the door.

“Welcome home, sister!” Jasper threw his arms around me.

“Thanks. I need to talk to both of you,” I spoke as I took my bag to my room.

“About what?” Emma asked as her and Jasper followed behind me.

I let out a long sigh as I stared at them.

“You’re going to want to sit down for this. I have to get ready for a date.”

“A date?!” Jasper exclaimed. “You just broke up with Andrew less than twenty-four hours ago.”

“Addy, what’s going on?” Emma narrowed her eye at me.

I dug through my bag and pulled out my black sleeveless dress and hung it on a hanger.

“What I’m about to tell you stays in this room. Do you understand?” I arched my brow at them.

“Yeah, sure,” Jasper spoke with a confused look on his face.

“You’re scaring me, Addison. What the hell is going on?” Emma asked.

“Andrew didn’t kill Ellie. We’re almost positive that it was Cody.”

“Cody? As in the Cody that you work with?” Jasper asked.

“Yes.”

“But Andrew’s paperweight from his office was used to kill her and his fingerprints are all over it,” Emma spoke.

“It doesn’t matter. Cody could have taken it from his office and wore gloves. Anyway, Cody has a history of violence.”

“How do you know this?” Jasper asked.

“A friend of Andrew’s did some investigating. Anyway, we believe that Cody was behind everything that was going on. The break-in here, the flowers, the notes, the phone calls. The man is obsessed with me for some reason.”

“Well, I can understand why.” Jasper smiled.

Emma reached over and hit his arm.

“I’m going on a date with him and I’m going to get close to him. Hopefully, he’ll confess what he did.”

“That’s dangerous. Especially if you’re saying he has a history of violence,” Emma spoke.

“Yeah, Addy. Can’t you let the police handle it?” Jasper asked.

“The police don’t care. All they care about is the murder weapon that belongs to Andrew and has his fingerprints all over it. Not to mention the fact that Andrew had a lapse in time from when he left the club and came home that night.”

“Where was he?” Emma asked.

“He was waiting for a friend of his in Central Park,” I spoke as I walked into the bathroom.

“And who is this friend of his?” Jasper asked. “Sounds fishy to me.”

“A friend he’s known for a very long time.”

“I’m sorry, Addison,” Emma spoke as she walked up behind me and placed her hand on my shoulder. “But Andrew has lied to you from the very start of your relationship. How can you trust what he says? I mean, come on, he was in Central Park meeting a friend? No witnesses, nothing? On the same night his ex-wife turns up dead?”

I knew they possibly couldn’t understand because I couldn’t tell them that the friend he was waiting for was my dead father who wasn’t really dead.

“Yes. I believe him and that’s all that matters. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to get ready.”

Emma sighed.

“I don’t like this at all. How do you know you’re going to be safe if he’s the one who killed Ellie?”

“I’m wearing a recording device and Andrew and his friend will be listening the whole time. I’ll be fine.”

Jasper walked over and wrapped his arms around my waist.

“Please be careful. To be honest, I can’t believe Andrew is letting you do this.”

“He hates it, and he tried to stop me. But this is his life that’s being ruined by something he didn’t do and I’m going to prove his innocence.”

****

It was seven o’clock when there was a knock on the door. When I answered it, Cody stood there dressed in a pair of khakis and a black sweater, holding a bouquet of red roses.

“Hi.” I smiled.

“Hello, Addison. Wow. You look beautiful.”

“Thank you.”

“These are for you.” He handed me the roses.

“Cody, you shouldn’t have. They’re gorgeous. The flower shop must love you.” I grinned.

“Why do you say that?” he asked as he stepped inside.

“It seems like you’re always buying flowers.”

“Well, I do believe that beautiful women deserve beautiful flowers so they know how much they’re appreciated.”

“Cody, this is my best friend, Emma. Emma, this is Cody from work.”

“Nice to meet you.” She extended her hand.

“Nice to meet you, Emma.”

Jasper came walking into the room with a plate of homemade chocolate chip pecan cookies.

“Cody, you remember Jasper, right?”

“Of course. Hello.”

“Hey. I just made a fresh batch of cookies. Would you like one?” he asked him.

“Do they have nuts in them? I’m highly allergic.”

“Actually, they have pecans in them,” Jasper replied. “Sorry, man.”

“Please don’t apologize.” Cody held up his hand. “Are you ready, Addison?”

“Yes, just let me grab my purse.”

I walked into my bedroom, grabbed my phone, and sent a group message to Andrew and Charlie.

“We’re leaving now, so I’m turning on the recorder. Text me if you can hear me?”

“We can hear you, Rosebud. Be careful,” Charlie replied.

“Addison, do what you have to and end the fucking night,” Andrew replied.

I rolled my eyes, stuck my phone in my black clutch, and headed out into the living room.

“I’m ready.” I smiled.

He told Rick to drive us to Tavern on the Green. We had a nice dinner, a couple glasses of wine, and we talked. He wasn’t acting funny or saying anything inappropriate and I was getting worried that he wouldn’t slip up. We talked about his nut allergy and how he kept an epi pen on him at all times. After dinner, he walked me up to the door of my building.

“I had a really nice time, Addison.” He smiled.

“Me too. Thank you for taking my mind off everything that’s going on.”

“It’s my pleasure.” He leaned in and brushed his lips against mine.

I wanted to throw up as my heart started racing.

“You’re a very special woman and I would love to see you again.” He placed his hand on my cheek.

“Thank you. I think you’re special too. I’d love to go out again.”

“How about dinner at my place tomorrow night?” he asked.

I swallowed hard.

“Sure. That sounds nice.” I gave him a small smile.

“Great. Be at my house around six o’clock. Does he have to come?” he asked with an arched brow as he pointed to Rick.

“He can drive me. Like I told you, he works for me now. I’m nervous about what Andrew might do since I broke up with him. He didn’t take it well.”

“You’ll always be safe with me.” He pulled me into an embrace and started stroking my hair. “I will never let anyone hurt you. I will always protect you, Addison.”

I gulped as he tightened his arms around me and I could feel the hardness of his cock against my body. A sickness grew inside me as I broke our embrace.

“That’s sweet of you, Cody. I better get upstairs. It’s getting late.”

“Of course. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He smiled as he brushed his lips against me one last time.

I walked into my building and pressed the button to the elevator like a madwoman. When the doors opened, I stepped inside and placed my hand over my mouth. I felt queasy and couldn’t wait to get into my apartment. As soon as the doors opened, I ran down the hall with my key in my hand, quickly unlocked it, and ran to the bathroom and vomited.

“Are you okay?” Jasper asked as he came from behind and held back my hair.

“I’m fine,” I spoke.

He handed me a tissue, and as soon as I wiped my mouth, I leaned my back against the bathtub.

“Did you drink too much or something?” he asked as he sat down next to me.

“No. It was a reaction from that psycho kissing me.”

He grabbed hold of my hand.

“Did you get him to confess?”

“No. I will tomorrow for sure. He invited me to dinner at his place.”

“No, Addison. That’s not a good idea.”

“I agree,” Andrew spoke in a stern voice as he stood in the doorway of the bathroom.

“Andrew.” I looked up at him in surprise.

He walked over to me and held out his hand to help me up.

“I didn’t like what I heard tonight. In fact, it downright pissed me off,” he spoke with anger in his eyes.

“And you think I did?” I let go of his hand and walked into my bedroom. “I just threw up because of him,” I spoke.

“This ends now. I’m not having this go on any longer. We’ll find another way to prove he killed Ellie.”

“And how are you going to do that?” I shouted. “Tell me! Because from where I’m standing, you’re guilty as fuck! He has a solid alibi. You don’t!” I pointed at him. “I’m sorry you can’t handle me trying to help you. The man is in love with me and I can do this!”

“At what cost, Addison?” he yelled. “Because I’m pretty sure if you piss him off or slip up somehow, he’ll kill you too!”

“Please, just trust me,” I spoke as I walked over to him and wrapped my arms around his waist.

“Knowing that he kissed you and those things he said makes me want to rip his face off,” Andrew scowled.

“I know it does! I want to rip his face off too. In fact, I want to tear him from limb to limb for the pain he’s causing us.”

I broke our embrace and placed my hands on each side of his face.

“I promise you that tomorrow this will all be over. Stay here tonight. Please?” I pouted.

The corners of his mouth curved up into the sexy smile I fell in love with.

“I already planned on it.”