Listen to Me

“Big-time. And everyone tried to warn me, but I didn’t listen.”

“That’s pretty typical for women whose loins are attracted to someone.”

“Loins?” I smirk. “My loins were attracted to him?”

“Seriously, was there anything else there?”

I think back on my time with Jeremy and shrug. “No. You’re right.”

“And what do you find attractive about Jake?”

“Well, my loins are certainly attracted to him.” I giggle. “But it’s more than that for sure. I love watching him work. He’s seriously good at it, and he loves it. It’s not just what he does, it’s who he is.”

I tilt my head to the side, thinking. “He’s thoughtful. He’s nice to my friends. And when he smiles, I’m telling you, my panties burst into flames.”

“You must spend a lot of money on lingerie,” she says with a laugh. “I like him for you, Addie. You deserve to be with someone that makes you happy.”

“We all do.” I chew my lip. “I may have overreacted this afternoon.”

“It happens. At least you know it, and you can work on making it up to him.”

“I think a blow job is in his very near future.”

“I think you’ll be forgiven quickly.”

Chapter Fourteen

Jake

What just happened?

I stare at the door that Addie just slammed, and am dumbfounded. We just had our first argument, and she walked away.

She walked away.

I sigh and push my hand through my hair in exasperation, just as Riley walks back into the office.

“Oh, sorry. I thought you guys left.”

“Addie left,” I reply. Riley tilts her dark blond head to the side and frowns.

“Is everything okay?”

“I think they will be,” I reply honestly, shoving the vial of coke into my pocket, then chuckle in frustration. “We argued, and she left.”

“Ah.” Riley nods and walks behind her desk. “Typical Addie.”

I simply raise a brow, waiting for her to continue.

“Addie’s great at confrontation, when it comes to strangers or people she doesn’t love,” she says carefully. “But when her heart is invested, whether it be family, or friends, or a man, she’s not good at confrontation at all. She never has been.”

“An argument isn’t confrontation,” I reply and shake my head. “It’s a heated conversation.”

“For some,” she says simply. “For others it’s scary. Not that she would ever, ever admit that. She has abandonment issues.”

Of course she wouldn’t admit it. “Who abandoned her?”

“Her parents. They’re good people, but they’re pretty selfish. Not really around when she needs them. She grew up and they pretty much washed their hands of her. Men don’t stick around when they don’t get what they want from her. She’s learned to guard her heart, Jake.”

She and I need to talk. “I guess I’ll head home and get some work done.”

“Don’t worry, she’ll cool off, and by this time tomorrow, she won’t even remember that you fought.” Riley offers me a supportive smile. “But that photo of you with Karina? Not cool, man.”

“I didn’t fuck Karina!”

“I didn’t say that you did, but Addie has a history with musicians who didn’t think twice about fucking around on her, so just seeing that photo of you from last night would be enough to make her run. She’ll come around.”

“Thanks.” I wave and leave, still completely confused. I’d planned to come pick Addie up and take her somewhere nearby for a quick lunch, see how her day is going. Hell, I just wanted to see her. Because I’m a selfish bastard.

I’m addicted to her.

But when I arrived, Jeremy was leaning toward her, about to put his motherfucking hands on her, and I saw red. I know she can handle herself, but damn it, she doesn’t have to. Not with me around.

Maybe I overstepped when it came to finding out that one of the waitresses was using, but damn it, why does she have a junkie working for her?

It’s none of your damn business, Keller.

I tighten my grip on the steering wheel as I drive through the tunnel and up the Sunset Highway, heading west of Portland. This highway is curvy, and hilly. People go way too fast up this thing.

So how am I going to fix this? How am I going to convince her that she needs to run toward me rather than from me?

Because I’ll be damned if I’ll let her turn her back and walk out on me again. I’ll put her over my fucking knee.

Just as I reach the Portland Zoo exit, I see a wrecking crew, and a Jetta, crumpled from rolling.

My heart speeds up as I realize it’s the same color as Addie’s car.

Is that Addie’s car?

I pull up behind a cop car, and race out of my car toward the first officer I see.

“Where is she?”

“You can’t stop here,” he says sternly. “This is the scene of an accident.”

“Who was in the car?” Please, for the love of Christ, tell me some guy was in the car.

“A woman was in the car,” a female officer replies. “She’s already been transported to the hospital.”

I watch in horror as what I’m sure is Addie’s car is loaded onto the bed of a tow truck.

I run back to my car and peel out into traffic, desperate to get to the hospital. I call Addie’s number, praying that by the grace of God it wasn’t her, but it just rings and rings and finally dumps me into voice mail.