I consider calling for a ride home when I remember Amy had told me I lived near this area. I reach into my bag for my wallet and find my license. “Yes!” I see my address and type it into my phone’s GPS and note that it’s only a few blocks away.
I smile and begin the journey that I need to take.
Chapter Six
Abby
The keys I have in my bag open the door to my apartment.
“I have good taste.” I laugh, walking past the tasteful furnishings. Honestly though, I feel like I’m in someone else’s apartment. I walk through thinking that at any minute someone’s going to jump out from behind something screaming for me to get out.
I investigate all of the pieces of art and décor that I have placed everywhere. “I like it.” I smile.
I find myself in the hallway and turn on the light switch to the bathroom, not seeing anything of significance I turn and follow the hallway to another door.
The bedroom is perfect. Mostly white, with beautiful pops of color. Exactly my taste. I run my hand along the dresser seeing Addie’s picture. “Not going there.” I place it back in its spot.
The closet is small and I laugh again remembering Amy complaining about it while I was in the hospital. “Drama queen.”
The closet’s filled with my clothes, and then I wonder where the clothes came from in the closet at my parents’ house.
I sigh knowing my mom had to have bought everything new and placed them there. I search the inside of the dresser finding a long sleeve Henley. “It smells just like him.” I take a deep breath.
My phone hasn’t stopped vibrating in my bag since I left Evan’s apartment and I think about throwing it out the window.
I find the edge of the bed that takes up a good portion of the small room and close my eyes enjoying the space that I’ve found myself in. I jump, when I hear pounding on the door. “What the hell?” I run to the door standing on my tip toes to view through the peephole.
Evan.
“Abby, open the door.”
I jump back looking around. I don’t know what to do.
“I know you’re in there. I need you to hear me out.”
I bite my nails. “Shit,” I hiss under my breath finding my seat on the couch.
“Seriously? Angel open the door, please. That wasn’t what you thought. I shouldn’t have let you go. Please,” he yells while still pounding loudly on the door.
I jump from my place on the couch and stand on the carpet. I tip-toe toward the door not knowing if I actually plan to open it. I instead look out of the peephole again. Evan’s leaning on the door with one hand while covering his face with the other.
“Please,” he says, but in a lower voice this time.
I step back and turn the lock and before I can even reach for the door knob he’s in the apartment. He rushes through grabbing me in his arms, my legs instantly wrapping around his waist.
“I fucking love you.” Our faces are eye to eye. I don’t say a word. I don’t know what to say. “You’re my world. End of. That was Natalia. Not anything more than a friend and has been for years.”
“Evan, you don’t have to explain anything to me. You don’t owe me anything.”
“Fuck that. I owe you everything.” He takes a deep breath. “You’re my world, Abby, don’t you see that?”
I still, only feeling my heartbeat that’s now pounding in my ears. Knowing that any moment I’m going to give him everything. His dimples make their presence known and I fall apart in his arms.
My back’s resting against the wall across from the front door. His body’s pushed hard against mine and I recognize the feeling that’s running through my body as want. I also recognize this as being very similar to the dreams I continue to have every night. “Have you always called me, angel?” I cock my head to the side as I wait for his answer. “Yes.”
“Why?” I bite my bottom lip.
“You’re the only person that’s ever brought light into my darkness. You and you alone.” He sweeps his tongue across his full lips. My eyes hold there watching at the perfect way he controls it.
“Oh,” I fall short of words.
“Have I met your friend before?” I need to know because I can’t compete with her, she’s so beautiful.
“Abby, that’s not what I want to talk about right now.” His mouth meets mine without me having a clue it’s about to happen.
The butterflies are back, and I melt into his arms relaxing so much so that I feel his grip tighten, holding me in place. He takes my mouth like he knows every inch of it.
My tongue finds his in a heated fury. “No one loves me like you do,” he announces not breaking the contact with my mouth. My heart takes a leap. “I’ll let you set the pace, Abby.” His mouth has broken free and falls to my neck. I wrap my arms around his neck and hold on.
What am I really holding on to? My head’s spinning, I’m so confused. I don’t even know why I went to his apartment in the first place. What did I go there expecting?
“I’ve wanted to kiss you for so long, touch your skin, and feel you in my arms,” he says raising his head.
My heart flutters in rhythm to the movement of his lips. I don’t know how to respond, so I stay silent.
“Evan,” I take a deep breath. I need some space. I don’t want space, but I think I need it because I’m about to give in to everything and more. “Can you please set me down?”
He hesitates but complies and places me on the floor. “I’m sorry.” He steps back and this gives me the perfect opportunity to look at him, and God when I do, I nearly collapse. He is so beautiful.
Dark hair, a suit holds him in place perfectly, but I can tell it’s having some trouble keeping him locked away as it stretches taut over his large chest and arms.
“Umm, I’m not sure what I have to drink, but would you like something?” I say walking backward, running into a small table. “Oh.” I jump trying to catch my balance as something falls.
I lean over to pick it up and see that it’s a picture frame. When I turn it over, I notice that it’s a photograph of Evan and me sitting at a fountain. I hold it in front of me and he reaches for it touching my hand as he does.
“I remember this.” He smiles. “We’d been running on the track at Vernon Park.”
“Oh?” I ask turning to enter the kitchen. I reach in the fridge hoping there’s water or some wine maybe.
“Let me take you to dinner?” He places the picture back in its spot.
I grab two bottles of water and sit at the kitchen bar.
“I need to tell you something.” I look down as he finds a seat next to me. “I feel things for you, Evan. I’m not going to tell you that I don’t. I look at you and I feel all warm and fuzzy, but I don’t know you. As crazy as that sounds to you it makes perfect sense to me. That being said, I need you to slow down. No more amazing kisses or grabbing me in your arms, for now at least.” I take a large drink of the cool liquid. “I can’t think when you’re so close and I need to be able to think.” Oh God, I’m so stupid.
He nods his head. “Ok.” His hand reaches for my knee retracting it right away. “I’ll do my best.” He half smiles.
“I’m not saying I won’t get there, but for now I’m just not there yet.” I close my eyes wishing that I was there.
“Why did you come to my apartment today?” He rests his face in his large hands. I find myself staring.
I shake my head back to reality knowing I don’t have the answer. “I don’t know what I expected, or what I thought I was doing.” I smile remembering the dream that I had and wishing that it was reality. “I had a dream and the man called me, angel,” I finally announce.
The smile that crosses his lips is amazing. A perfect smile. “Really?”
“I know it’s ridiculous.” I fidget with my braid.
“Hey.” His hand finds my hand quickly releasing it. “It’s not, maybe it was more like a memory.”
I hadn’t considered that. But if it was a
memory, why were there two men in this one? I don’t think I’ll be mentioning that little detail.
“Are you staying here?” He looks around.
“I don’t know, my mom would die, so no, I’ll go home.”
“Let me take you and on the way I’ll feed you.” He lays on puppy dog eyes and damn those dimples. “You have to eat right?”
“Yeah, I guess.” I smile. A meal wouldn’t hurt anything. And I consider that if we’re in the public I’ll have more self-control.
“Ok then, great.” He smiles standing to his feet.
The restaurant’s beautiful. I feel like I’ve been here before but can’t really place anything else. “This is nice,” I say as we’re seated.
“We had our first, well our first ‘real’ dance here.”
“Oh? Where was our first ‘not real’ dance?” I laugh.
“Club En Fuego. That was more of our first ‘sexy as hell can’t take our hands off of each other’ dance.” He picks up the menu. “Would you like wine?” He lays the menu down.
“Yeah, that would be great.”
The food is amazing, my pasta is so rich and creamy and I devour every bite. “Sorry,” I say looking up to see that Evan has barely touched his food and mine’s nearly finished.
“Don’t be, I know that hospital food sucked.” He laughs.
“Understatement really.” I take a deep breath reaching for my wine.
“I really want you to feel comfortable with me, Abby. I have an idea.”
“Oh?” I’m intrigued.
“Date me? Get to know me again.” He folds his hands on the table. “Give me a chance?”
I really want to give him a chance. I want to give him lots of things. “Ok.”
“Really?” He leans forward.
“Mhmmm, it’s not that I don’t want to know you, I just don’t want to go on the way you remember because I don’t remember, Evan.” I gulp down the rest of my wine. “I know that you don’t get that. No one does, or maybe they do I don’t know. I just don’t want everyone to expect something from me that I can’t give them right now.
The rest of the conversation is light and easy. The pressure was taken off by a simple casual conversation for which I was so thankful.
I have to admit he’s very funny and smart, definitely someone I would choose to date.
Evan paid the bill and walked me to the front of the restaurant with his hand on the small of my back as he guided me. I didn’t say anything because it seemed harmless enough, but regardless I still had the butterflies taking flight. His touch is electric to me. Honestly, its scares the shit out of me, and I don’t know why.
Evan opens the passenger side door of his Hummer and I jump in. When we’re on the road, I speak. “Your father, what are we going to do about that?” I need to know.
“My father?” He blows out a breath.
“Yeah, after what he’s done I think something needs to be done, don’t you?”
He looks at me breaking his stare from the road. “I’ll take care of my father, Abby,” he says firmly.
“No, you said I could help.” I feel anger kick in.
“You don’t know my father, Abby, he’s not someone you cross. What needs to be done isn’t going to happen in a day, it’s going to take time and planning. I’ll be the one to step into that hell.” He doesn’t look at me.
“Bullshit Evan. I’m a big girl, I can take care of myself.”
“No!” he raises his voice. “You have no idea who he is and that’s not something I intend to let you deal with… ever,” he lowers his voice at the latter part of his statement.
Inner sexy girl is tapping her impatient foot. “What are you going to do then?” I want something done about that man.
“I’m going to fucking kill him, Abby. I don’t want you to mention this again.”
“If you think I’m going to let this go you’ve got another thing coming, Evan Young.” I will mention this again because I intend to help. “So stick that in your pipe and smoke it.” I huff.
He laughs. “My pipe?” he scrunches his brows scrunch together.
“You’ve never heard that saying before?” I bite back my own laugh embarrassed.
“Yeah, I’ve heard it, just didn’t think I’d ever hear you say it.”
“Why is everyone always so surprised when I do or say something these days?” I shake my head “So, what’s all this stuff?” I ask pointing to his dashboard. Electronic universe is all I can think, and for a split second I feel a déjà vu moment come on but leave just as quickly.
“Just something I’m into.” He shakes his head.
“Oh.” I look out the window.
We drive in silence the rest of the way. When we pull into my parents’ driveway, I feel a sting in my belly and I realize I’m not sure that I want our night to end.
“We’re here.” He fumbles with the steering wheel.
“Thank you,” I blurt out.
“For?”
I shrug. “I don’t know, for putting up with me, for dinner, for the ride home. Hey?” I realize something.
“Yeah?”
“How did you know I was at my apartment?”
“I didn’t know.” He turns looking out the window. “Sterling said he saw you leave on foot and I figured you’d go there since it’s so close.”
“Oh, yeah.” I nod. “Thanks again,” I offer.
“Abby, anything you need just ask. Seriously, anything you need, I’ve got you, ok?” His body’s facing mine with his hands on the console in front of him.
I don’t speak. Instead, I nod. When I look into his blue eyes and see the dimple destruction, I melt. I can’t think and feel lost in my own body.
“Can I take you out tomorrow?”
“I’ll call you.” I smile opening my door jumping out of the oversized Hummer.
“Hey.” He follows me to the door. “Why are you running from me, Abby? What are you so scared of angel?”
I lose it, all of it. Everything that I’ve been holding on to finds the light from the dark pace it’s been hiding because I can’t do it anymore.
“I’m scared that you’re too good for me. I’m scared that I won’t ever be what you want or need me to be, or at least who I was. What if you realize that I’m not that person anymore Evan? That could happen, and if I let myself go there I’d likely never recover. I’m not the person you think Evan. I’m broken, I’ve been broken for a long time. I can’t be fixed don’t you see that?” I’m standing in the driveway of my parents’ home making a fool of myself. “Oh God, I’m sorry.” I hide my face.
I feel him move into me. “Abby, listen to me.” His hand touches my chin bringing it up to look at him. “Never in any future that I see will I realize you’re not exactly what I want. I know who you are and I will love you every day for the rest of my life.”
My heart takes a leap of faith reaching into him as our lips meet. He takes me into his arms so tightly I think I might not breathe again till he lets me go.
His hands reach for my face as he pulls away. “If I don’t let you go now I’m not going to.”
I know that was hard for him and I see that he’s trying to honor my wishes. Wishes I’m not sure that I want him to honor anymore.
“Good night, angel.”
“Good night, Evan… ” I hesitate, but then turn and walk to the door.
Chapter Seven
Evan
The flight to D.C. is a little bumpy. I grab my bag when we land and disembark the plane. Yeah, one of my big expenses, I’ve never had anything come in more handy than this purchase does.
The car that I really want to avoid sits on the tarmac waiting for me. Dark town cars give me the fucking creeps, probably because they remind me of Thomas Carter.
“Fuck,” I toss my bag over my shoulder and head in that direction.
“Hello sir, I’m Dex. I’ll be your driver this afternoon.” He reaches for my bag.
I jerk my arm away. “I’ve got my
bag,” I growl. I could fucking care less who he is or what he’s doing.
He raises his hands walking in a backward motion.
“We are having great weather for the time of year. Looks like you came at a great time.”
“Lucky me.” I look out the window.
Evan: Is she ok?
Adam: All clear.
Evan: K
When she showed up at my apartment, I was completely caught off guard. I’m so pissed that those fuckers I’m paying to keep her safe didn’t let me know what was going on sooner. It makes me think they weren’t watching her, but when I called them they knew right away where she was, so maybe they just didn’t think of it. It wasn’t a big deal, but she’s never met Nat and I get why she thought what she did. However, Nat and I? No. Definitely not.
She walked through the city all alone. Well she thought she was alone, but they were watching her keeping her safe at the distance I’d asked for.
I don’t know who hit her. It could’ve been anyone. She shouldn’t have been walking out in the open like that. I can’t imagine that ever happening to her again.
“Sir?” Dex stands at my door when we arrive.
I don’t speak as I reach for my bag and step out in front of the brownstone.
Walking in the front door I see the place is swarming with men in suits.
“Son, I’m so glad you found the time to take a few minutes out of your week,” Thomas announces from behind me.
I turn to my left seeing him and his assistant Beth.
“Evan.” She smiles. Beth has worked for my father for the last five years.
I nod in her direction. I want to know what this bastard wants so I can get back to my girl.
“Sit,” he says as we walk into his dark study.
I pour myself a glass of brandy and do as he says, “Get to it.”
He slides a folder toward me. “I need you to handle this. Quick and clean.” He nods toward the brandy. Beth stands in a rush to get his glass.
I flip through the pages not looking at a single one of them because it just the usual bullshit. “Ok, can I go now?”
My Demons (The Angel Trilogy #2) Page 5