Page 39 of Craving the Edge

“I told Rhys,” I said. “About my hand.”

The sounds from her end of the line stopped.

“I’m getting it scanned this arvo,” I added, watching a tram crawl along the street below.

Another pause. Longer this time. Just when I thought she had hung up, her voice came back. “Good. That’s good.”

My stomach tightened.

“At least you’ll know if it’s a fracture or not,” she said.

“Yeah.” It wasn’t the reaction I wanted, but it was the one I got. It was pure Char. Practical. Straight up. “Listen, after I get this sorted, I want to see you. Not at the gym. Somewhere else.”

“What for?”

The question was a shield. I could almost picture her on the other end, daring me to say something stupid. Something she could reject.

“Because this thing between us…it’s not finished,” I said. “I know my world is a mess, and I dragged you into it, but I want us to have the time to work it out. Properly. If you’ll meet me, we can talk. Dinner?”

The line went dead quiet again. I waited, my grip on the phone tightening as the seconds stretched.

“The one and only time we were seen together, it was a mess,” she said. “I’m not doing that again.”

There was nothing to say to that because she was right. I could still see her face when she’d been swarmed by the paparazzi outside the gym, her shock turning into fury. The article calling her a ‘mystery brunette’ as if she were just an accessory.

“Okay.” I kept my eyes on the street below. “I can come to yours, then. After I’m done with the scan.”

The offer landed and…nothing. It suddenly felt like a massive overstep. I ran the words back through my head, searching for the mistake. For the exact moment I’d pushed too hard.

“Or you could come to my place,” I offered. “No one’s watching here and you can leave whenever you want.”

I didn’t bother to hide the desperation in my voice. I was completely whipped.

Her coming here meant something else entirely, and we both knew it. The silence on her end stretched. The choice I was handing her was a risk. One she might not want to take.

When she still didn’t answer, I said, “I’ll give you my number and the address.”

I waited for her to refuse. To tell me it was a bad idea.

“Declan…”

“Just write it down and then do what you want with it, okay?”

She sighed. “Okay. I’ll write it down.”

I gave her my number and the address to my apartment in Southbank, telling her the code to get into the building and lift. “The choice is yours, Char,” I finished. “I’ll leave it with you.”

Her breath hitched on the other side of the line. “I’ll think about it.”

“Okay.” It was enough for now. Something to get me through the scan and Rhys’ unending commentary about how much of a dick I was. “I’ll wait to hear from you, then.”

I ended the call and stared out at the Melbourne skyline, a grey smear against a pale sky. My hand throbbed, echoing the one in my chest.

I hoped she’d come…because if she didn’t, this was it. I’d have to find a way to let her go.

CHAPTER 14

CHAR