Unintentional Addiction: Lotus Adaamas Series

by Stone, Layla

  Adelia understood that his business was his reputation, which in turn was his life. She got it. “I understand this job is your identity. You’ve obviously worked hard to be where you’re at. I get that and will not disrespect it. But I think your expectation of me obeying you in my personal life is unreasonable. While I am here in this office, I will do as you ask. When I am on a call outside this office, I will be respectful to your customers. But when I’m not answering calls and am doing my own personal things, I will do what I want, when I want.”

  “You formally accepted this job. You made your choice. There is no backing out. This is Adaamas.”

  “Right,” she said sarcastically. “The same Adaamas that won’t care if I tell them you killed someone? The same Adaamas that supports you beating your old employee half to death because he betrayed you? Sounds like a great place. My ex-husband should buy a summer home here.”

  Z crossed his arms over his chest. “You must have misunderstood when I said this is Adaamas. When I said that, I meant that no one here will save you from me. But sure, let’s talk about your ex-husband. Might as well get this broken bit out of the way. Answer me this, did you cheat on him?”

  “That’s none of your business.”

  “So, that’s a yes. I assume he abused you. My instincts tell me it was with chains.”

  All of a sudden Adelia found it hard to breathe. The chains.

  “But, I’m more interested in what you did? You did something to be exiled. It must have been good.”

  Adelia didn’t answer, but shame washed over her like a wave.

  “Let me guess, you did something public, so he had to do something, and that something led you to being exiled.” Z tapped his chin. “If it were me, I would have exposed him, but then he would have been exiled and not me. So…that leaves you doing something dishonorable like cheating.” He gazed down with a knowing look. “And you let him find you. Did he have his parents with him? Friends? Oh…I know, his coworkers. Good move.”

  She couldn’t even look at him. How did he know all of that? It had been the worst day of her life, and he was telling her good move? Her soul was aching inside.

  His words vibrated in her blood. “You. Survived. Hell.”

  She was vile and dishonorable. There were thousands of things she could have done, should have done, but she’d lowered herself to being caught naked with another male. Not kissing or having sex, not yet. But she would have done so. If Olmy hadn’t come home early with his friends, she would have.

  It was the most embarrassing moment of her life.

  She hated herself.

  She felt Z’s thumb on her cheek, wiping away a tear, one she hadn’t even known had fallen. “Clawing your way out of hell is nasty, but you should never be ashamed of it.” His words were spoken soothingly. “You didn’t break. You only broke the chains keeping you a prisoner.”

  She swallowed. A knot was rising in her throat. She needed air and to be away from Z and him unearthing her dishonor. How dare he act like it was okay.

  She stood, not looking in his direction. Holding in the last shred of dignity she possessed, she walked out and held herself together until she was in a Daamus Rounder.

  Clinging on to the Minky pad in her hands, she felt the shame, the guilt, and the pain rip out of her.

  13

  Art in The Alley

  Adelia had been dropped off at the nearest apartment building, but after seeing the rooms and hearing the rent, she’d declined. It wasn’t a bad price, but she just didn’t like how she felt about it.

  Leaving the building, she noticed a pinkish red in the distance. The Adaamas acidic ocean. Curious to see it for the first time, she strolled forward until she could see only the water rolling in and out. The beach was a mixture of white sand and a multitude of white rocks of all sizes.

  It was hot and humid outside, and she could taste the sting in her mouth more now than before. Yet there was something beautiful about the deadly water.

  Something almost peaceful.

  An older woman walked past her. The boy she was with kept begging his mother to let him play on the beach, but the female protested that he had schoolwork to do. The boy didn’t give up, and his mother didn’t give in.

  At that moment, Adelia could picture the boy and the mother on the beach, him drawing in the sand with his mother watching. It was silly, but her mind did that from time to time, re-wrote reality with something better.

  Adelia let the images pass and decided that it was time to get back to finding a place to live. On her way back, she saw a long alley that looked like something out of a nightmare. It wasn’t very wide, but the two buildings that stood close to each other were dark brown and looked old and spotted with black. The ground around them and down the alley was uneven, the stones of the buildings chipping away, some intact but with holes in the grout.

  The decaying facades were tarnished and frightening, but the canvased pictures placed every few feet with their vast array of colors made the dark and dreary area less penetrating.

  The colorful paintings pulled her in like a black hole pulls in the light.

  Several different types of artwork hung there. A few were splashes of color expertly woven with others to create a feeling of tension and regret. Another one was of a male in the distance in between two large buildings, walking alone down a path.

  There were so many Adelia wanted to stop and take in. Captivated, she didn’t realize that she was no longer alone. A male with reddish orange hair leaned up against a metal box, watching her. She smiled at the male. “Are these yours?”

  “No.” His voice was soft, his eyes watchful.

  “Do you know who painted them?”

  “Yes.” And that was all he said. The moment of silence extended until it was uncomfortable.

  “Thank you,” she said, heading back to the opening of the alley.

  “Were you looking to buy some?”

  “No, I’m not,” she said without turning around.

  “You said you liked them,” he countered.

  She stopped, turned around, and crossed her arms. “They are really nice. Whoever painted them has a lot of skill. But I don’t have a place to put them.”

  The male pushed himself off the box, catching up to her in half a breath. “Many people painted them.”

  “Oh, are you their art dealer?” she asked, wondering who this stranger was.

  “No. I was only passing through.” She didn’t believe him at all, but she didn’t call him on it.

  Instead, she asked, “Are you a collector?”

  “No. Are you?”

  “No.” He turned to walk to the mouth of the alley. She turned as well, keeping some distance between them.

  He looked back at the paintings. “Do you paint?”

  Drawing had always been a secret pleasure of hers, and she felt compelled to tell someone about it. “No, I’ve only used charcoal. But I’d like to paint.”

  He glanced her way. “What’s keeping you from it?”

  “Nothing, I guess. But I draw landscapes, not…those kinds of things.”

  The stranger looked back down the alley. They both saw someone else walking up. The stranger frowned at the new person. The expression vanished when he looked back at her. “I hope I get to see your paintings one day. There is a large art fair in Northend. When you have something, come and present it.”

  Adelia realized she would love that. “Is it all the time?”

  The stranger continued to walk until they were across the way under an awning for a series of shops. “No, but I assume you didn’t come all the way out here without an escort. Whoever they are, ask them about it, they will know.”

  Ask Z? No way.

  “I’d rather not talk to my boss about my personal life.”

  The stranger’s gaze bored into her as if he were checking to see if she was telling the truth. His tone lowered and turned serious. “Who are you working for?”

  She didn’t know why he�
�d asked, and she wasn’t going to tell him. “Why?”

  “Because that’s my price. You tell me who you work for, and I’ll tell you about the art festival.”

  She had to think about it. This stranger didn’t seem like he actually cared either way. “His name is Z.”

  All he did was nod as if the information were inconsequential. “The art festival is held at twenty degrees the second Saturday of the first winter month.”

  She had no idea what that meant, and she presumed that he knew that.

  “Thanks,” she said sarcastically.

  He smiled to the point that his eyes creased. “What’s your name?”

  “What’s your name?” she asked back, just to be contrary.

  That gleam in his eyes stayed. “If I tell you my name, you’ll owe me a lot more than a few answers.”

  Holding up her hand, she said honestly, “I really don’t care what your name is. Thanks for nothing. Have a horrible day.” She felt a little better after the comment.

  Then the sky growled. Thunder. She looked up and saw that there were greyish-purple clouds, and it was getting darker.

  Purple rain clouds? She would have to remember that. Adaamas was a strange place. Turning to head to the next building to get as far away from the jerk as possible, she heard him yell. “Hey, you don’t want to do that.”

  “Do what?” she spat back.

  “Get stuck in the rain.”

  “I’ll be fine,” she answered and continued on her way.

  Then she heard his voice closer. He’d moved into the street. “I’m serious. Come inside until the rain stops.”

  She turned back to him. “I don’t plan on walking in the rain forever, just until I find a good apartment building. A little rain never hurt anyone.”

  His eyebrows went up, and he tried to keep his face straight. He was laughing at her. She didn’t like that at all. “You must be really new if you think that. If you haven’t noticed, our ocean is acidic, and our rain is just as bad. So, yes, a little rain can and will hurt you.”

  That’s when she felt something hit her hand. Something wet. It stung.

  The male didn’t wait, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back across the street and into the shop. Her face was stinging too now, and so was the top of her head.

  Instead of stopping at the door and letting her go, he continued past the tables, bar, and a wall of liquor and moved into the back. There, he walked into a room and finally let her go, shutting the door and trapping her inside. All of a sudden, a thick and slimy solution rained down on her.

  She crouched down, grabbed her legs, and put her head in the corner. The stinging was gone, but she was wet and gross, and she felt a little desolate.

  She had been in the same type of situation every time her ex-husband thought she smelled. He would either lock her outside for a few hours if it rained or lock her in the shower with chains keeping her in place.

  The water stopped, and the door opened. The stranger walked in, wet hair, his clothes just as wet. He held two big towels. He saw her in the corner and bit his lip. “I’m sorry, I should have explained what was happening, but we both needed to take a solution shower before our hair and skin turned white.”

  The towels were soft and soaked up the solution. Adelia was able to dry her face and hair, but everything else was still wet. Despite her feelings and dark memories, she thanked the male.

  “You’re welcome. But now you really owe me your name.”

  Apparently, no one could do a single honorable thing without payment. It was disheartening. She finished running the towel over herself, sucking up all the dampness she could from her skin and hair. When she handed it back to the stranger, she answered, “My name is Adelia.”

  He took the towel and looked her over. “Pretty name.”

  She kept in her sharp comment as she walked past him. She thanked him one more time and moved from the rear of the building past the tables to the glass windows to see if it was still raining.

  It was.

  She needed to wait it out. She scanned the seats, most were empty and metal. In the back sat a small table with one chair. She moved between the tables and made her way to the back where she could see outside and wait to leave.

  The stranger followed her. He grabbed a nearby chair and sat opposite her. “How long have you known Z?”

  She didn’t answer.

  “I’m pretty sure I saved your life. I think I deserve some answers.”

  Adelia sat forward and letting her elbows rest on the table, she answered, “You said I owed you my name. I told you that. If I owe you more, you should have said so. But you didn’t, so I don’t owe you anything else.”

  The male sat back, amused. “Fine. So you say. But I know a good apartment that you will enjoy, and I’ll tell you where it is if you answer my question.”

  “I’ll find my own place.”

  “A crappy one. I would have assumed Z would have told you where to go, but then I thought about it more. He never leaves his office. Works constantly.”

  Apparently, this male knew Z, but she didn’t confirm or deny what he had said.

  “It was rhetorical,” he added.

  It was clearly time to lay it out for him. “I’m not interested in any more questions and payments. After the rain stops, I’m gone. I already paid you for everything, so as far as I’m concerned, we’re done.”

  He didn’t leave or look offended as she had expected. Instead, he lifted his Minky watch and typed something in. When he was done, he held up his hand. “Bartender.”

  A male walked up to the table. He had a dark black horn on his chin. His hair was blue, and his skin was a light grey. “Hi, what can I get for you two?”

  “Jubriaan sunrise.” The stranger pointed at her. “What would you like?”

  “Nothing, thank you.”

  “Order something, or I will order for you,” the redhead pressed.

  Adelia shook her head. “I don’t have keleps to cover it, and I don’t want to owe you anything else.”

  The male pursed his lips and looked thoughtful. “You have to stay. Enjoy a drink with me until my shipment comes. Then we can go our separate ways, and we’ll be even. No more deals or payments or personal questions.”

  “Shipment?”

  “Yep, I ordered some things. As soon as the rain stops, they will be here. You stay until the shipment arrives.”

  He could be lying for all Adelia knew. “Or you skip the drink and just stay until the rain stops. You’re new to this, so I’ll let you know that my best deal is the first one. Take it, Adelia.”

  She shook her head. “I’m sorry, but no.”

  The bartender or waiter was watching them. The stranger turned back to the male and waved his hand. “She’s not drinking. But I still am.”

  Once he was gone, the male ran his hand through his hair. It was thick and almost fuzzy. “Well, I can say that Z has more patience than I do.” The male stood up and tipped his head to her before he left. He moved to the bar and sat down.

  She watched the rain outside until it stopped, then stood up and left. Outside, the air was still hot and acidic.

  Leaving the bar, Adelia crossed the street and walked until she saw the next apartment building. It was a little more rustic, but the leasing manager was Yunkin. She signed the papers an hour later and had Z talk to the owner.

  Everything seemed better when Z told her that he would advance her some money to get essentials for her apartment. The rest she would get on payday.

  The essentials became food, three outfits, a pillow and a blanket, cleaning supplies, and a slush of painting materials and several canvases.

  Standing in her apartment, she told herself, “Welcome to your first home.”

  14

  New Boss New Hell

  Adelia woke in the dark to a musical trill of chimes. Her alarm. It took a few seconds to remember where she was. In a three-hundred-square-foot studio apartment in a two-story building. Open livin
g area, small and quaint.

  She hadn’t returned to work after she’d found her new place.

  Fumbling to turn off the Minky’s alarm, she sat up from the floor and looked around at her empty place. The cooler was on full blast, and the crisp air felt a little more like home. Her shoes were near the door, not put away, and there was no one to give her sneering looks because the house wasn’t perfect.

  She smiled. This was her place. She already loved it.

  No one was going to dictate anything to her in her home. It was an empowering feeling. For the first time in a long while, she was happy to get up and start the day. No matter what happened to her, she had a home.

  On the floor in the center of the front area, she had already broken into her paints and started recreating the image from the previous day. The ocean with the boy and his mother.

  The ocean part was done, she just needed to add the people and then the accents. Her first time with paint wasn’t as bad as she’d thought it would be.

  She also used her Minky pad to log into her quantum account so she could do a universal search on painting techniques.

  It was the best night she’d had in a long time.

  * * *

  A Daamas Rounder dropped Adelia in front of Z’s shop. She didn’t have time to raise her hand to knock on the door before the dark glass swung open, and Z stepped out, a bottle of water in hand, looking as if he had been up for hours. His hair was perfectly styled, his clothes clean and fitted. He looked too polished to be relatable.

  Even his friendly tone was too energized for the morning. “You’re early. I like that. Let’s go…wait, what are you wearing?”

  His eyes scanned her from head to toe. She felt those eyes taking apart her outfit. Flashes of memory from her ex-husband doing the same thing surged in her mind. She steeled herself for the demeaning comments.

  “You didn’t get any new clothes, did you?”

  “These are new.”