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I breathe out a long sigh. “No, I’ll be okay. As much as I need you right now, maybe the drive will be good for me to figure out what the hell just happened. It’s complicated. So fucking complicated, Syd. But I’m safe. I’ll tell you everything when I get home.” My emotions have turned off. They’ve been shocked into submission.
“Addie, I love you. Please text me at every stop you make,” she pleads.
“I will. I’ll probably stop for the night and be home tomorrow. Love you, too, Sydney.”
* * *
I collapse on the bed of my hotel room. I’m exhausted. I stopped again in Mt. Vernon, at the same hotel I stayed at five days ago. It’s familiar and as hard as I tried to drive farther today, I just couldn’t. My thoughts are mangled together and no longer make sense. I need a reset button. My thoughts turn to dreams as I drift off to sleep.
I startle awake, dreaming about Jett. One minute we’re making love, the next I’m shooting and killing him. It’s close to reality, but I know I didn’t kill him. It takes a few minutes to calm my raging heartbeat. Regret forges its way in my head, which pisses me off because I was the one being held captive. I shouldn’t feel bad for doing what I had to do to escape.
The room is dark but I can see the sun slicing through the middle of the drapes, its rays illuminating the dust particles floating in the air. I roll over and grab my phone to see what time it is. My stomach growls reminding me its dinnertime. Leaving the hotel sounds tiring. Take out, it is. I open the drapes and the sun bursts through, warming me up. I look down at the traffic. People are just now getting out of work, heading home. Simple life. I long for the simple life.
Twenty minutes later, there’s a knock on the door. Relief that my food is here turns to surprise as I answer my door. My eyes widen as I do a double take.
“Hello, beautiful.” Marco smiles. He’s holding a bag of food. I can smell it from here. It smells delicious. My stomach growls again, telling me to hurry the hell up and let the man in. I’m holding the door half open, still shocked to see him standing there. Remembering I just got out of bed, I run my fingers through my hair, making a quick brush through.
“Marco,” I say, stalling for a moment, “This is… a surprise. How did you know I was here?” I furrow my brow as I tilt my head. After the week I had, my bullshit meter is at capacity.
“Oh. I’m sorry.” He looks to the floor before looking back to me. “The hotel manager and I are friends. After you left on Monday, well… you know guys, we talk.” He sports a Cheshire Cat grin. “He noticed you were staying again so he called to tell me. I was hoping you’d come to my restaurant.” His lips twist. “He texted me when you called down to the front office for takeout. I decided to try my luck and bring you your food instead.” He lifts up the bag in his hand.
Okay, I know there has to be some laws broken in that conversation. This is the last thing I need. I let out a huge sigh. “I’m sorry, Marco. I don’t want to be rude, but I’ve had a week from hell and I won’t be very good company right now.”
“I make a good listener,” he says.
I can’t believe I’m considering letting him in. Marco was very easy to talk to on Monday. Maybe some company will be good for me. Take my mind off of Jett and Travis.
“Okay.” Marco’s eyes shine as he smiles bright. “But no more calling me beautiful. The flirting that happened on Monday won’t happen tonight. If you come in here, it’s just to talk as friends. Also, since you guys talk, I’m sure you know my name already.” I tilt my head as I quirk an eyebrow.
“Addison.” He smirks. “Only friends. I promise.” I open the door wide and he walks into the room. I chuckle and shake my head closing the door. He sets out dinner on the coffee table. It smells divine, but I immediately think about Jett and our Italian dinner. Marco takes a bottle of wine out of a bag, accompanied by two wine glasses and holds them in the air, giving me a questioning look.
Sitting on the couch, I nod. I could drink a few of those. Bottles, that is. He makes me a plate with a little of everything on it. I sit on the floor and scoot to the table. The wine placed in front of me is drained in one gulp.
“That bad, huh?” He glances at me, filling my glass again. “So, it seems it did not go as you planned.”
Rolling my eyes, I say, “That’s the understatement of the year. And yes, it’s that bad.”
I bring a fork full of ziti to my mouth, not wanting to talk about my week. I can’t even tell if the food is good because my thoughts have consumed my entire body. I’m eating purely on autopilot. I eat only enough to make my stomach happy.
“I’ll try not to be offended that you’re not eating my food.” Marco smirks, eyeing my uneaten plate of food.
“I’m sorry. I’m sure the food is wonderful, I’m just not that hungry.” I sigh.
Marco attempts to make small talk, but I can’t bring myself to want to talk. All I’d like to do is go to sleep. Wake up to a new day. It probably won’t be a better day, but it’ll be new.
“Marco, thanks for the food and trying to make me feel better, but I think I need to call it a night,” I say, standing up and throwing away our plates.
“Addison, I’m sorry for just dropping by,” he says, bagging the uneaten food. When he’s done he stands in front of me, lifting my chin so we’re looking into each other’s eyes. “If you ever need anything, let me know. I may be from a small town, but I know lots of people.” He winks before turning to walk out the door.
What?
He knows people? Who says that?
I laugh, thinking I probably just had dinner with the head of the Italian mafia. I laugh even harder at the absurdity of that idea. I’ve had too long of a week. I don’t even bother closing the curtains before passing out on the bed.
Chapter Twenty-four
SYDNEY THROWS HERSELF on my bed, adding a lot of drama flair to her fall. “I can’t believe it’s that time already.”
