He reached out to her. “Addison, I—”
She turned her back to him and gave me a bolstering smile while smoke drifted out of her ears. “How are you feeling, honey? Can I get you anything?”
“No, Addie, I’m okay,” I said. Jake needed to get the hell out before she blew and rained fiery death down on the room.
“Addison,” Jake started again.
She opened her mouth and lava spewed forth. “I think it would be a good idea for you to leave now. I’d rather not say anything I might regret... plus, you apparently can’t pay my exorbitant rates, so I’ll find another schmuck.” She faced him again. “Besides, I get the impression you wouldn’t be that great in bed. If I’m going to whore myself out to get information from you about my friend’s case, I’d like to at least enjoy it.”
It might have been the drugs, or maybe the shocked look on Jake’s face, but I couldn’t stop a surprised giggle. “Addie!” I admonished. So much for her not wanting to say something she’d regret.
Asher released my hand and stepped to the foot of the bed. “I think we’re done here, Jake.” He gestured toward the door. “Come on. I’ll walk you out.”
The two of them left, and as soon as the door shut, Addison broke down. I scooted over to make room for her on my bed, and she sat beside me. Ignoring the stars dancing behind my eyes when I sat up, I wrapped her in a hug and let her cry on my shoulder.
“What a dick,” she said.
I just hummed my agreement in order to calm her. What could I say? Addison was like the sun. You come into her orbit and you’re warmed and loaded up with vitamin D... but sometimes, if you get too close, you’re burnt to ash. She’s easy to look at, easy to like, funny, and men flock to her, but she doesn’t suffer fools. She just doesn’t have the time.
In my opinion, Jake was her match. He was strong enough to handle her and didn’t let her push him around, so she respected him. But I couldn’t imagine it was easy for him... a working class man on a cop’s salary getting noticed by one of the richest women in the world. Of course he’d be questioning her motives. What the hell could he possibly offer her?
I got it, because I’d asked myself the same question years ago when she’d befriended me. My dad only made it worse when he took one look at Addison and called me her “project.” He never could believe that Addison didn’t play games. She liked people for who they were, regardless of their tax bracket or whatever image they could give her.
When she was done raging, she pulled away to wipe mascara from her cheeks and wash her hands.
“I’m sure Jake didn’t mean it,” I said.
She frowned. “He said it.”
“Yeah, but we’re all a little… emotional. On edge. Juiced on adrenaline. It’s been a rough day.”
Addison tossed a paper towel in the trash and turned on me, fresh tears welling in her eyes. “You could have been killed today.”
“Yeah, but I wasn’t. And on the bright side, now we know why those guys are after me. Jake is going to track down whatever money they’re after and clear my name. And that’s awesome.”
She sighed. “You’re not allowed to go anywhere alone, ever again.”
“Ever again” was stretching it, but I’d been shaken up by today’s events enough to agree to buddy shopping for the foreseeable future.
“Deal,” I said. But my friend needed some serious cheering up, so I added, “But only if you promise to stop whoring yourself out for me.”
She looked sideways at me before shaking her head and cracking a smile. “That man. Can you believe he asked me that? I’m probably going to have to kill him.”
I nodded. The pain medicine they were feeding me through my IV was making me a little loopy, so I gave her what felt like a goofy grin, and sang, “Do you wanna hide a body?”
She giggled. “If you ever scare me like that again, I’ll be hiding your body.”
I gave her a mock salute. “Ten four, boss.”
Addison
THE DOCTORS WERE concerned about the swelling of Dylan’s brain, so they decided to keep her overnight for observation. Since I wasn’t about to let her stay there alone, Asher watched her while I went home to grab clothes, phone chargers, and pillows. I was still worried about leaving her, but Jake posted a guard outside Dylan’s room and, outside of medical staff, only Jake, Asher, and I were allowed inside. Confirmation, I suppose, of the fact that Jake really did take his job seriously.
I let myself into my apartment and disabled the alarm, then headed to Dylan’s room to pack a small bag. My doorbell pealed, and I almost ignored it. I wasn’t expecting anyone, and I really wanted to get back to the hospital.
The ring came again so I headed to the front door and peeked through the peephole. I sighed, dropping my head to the wood.
“Addison,” Jake called quietly. “I know you’re in there. Will you please open the door?”
I didn’t respond.
Moments passed before he added, “I saw you go in.”
I unlocked the door and yanked it open. “Stalk much?”
“Babe,” he breathed out, his tone irritated.
I shook my head. “Oh, hell no. You do not get to take that tone with me, Jacob Parker. I wish I knew your middle name, so I could—”
“William,” he provided.
“You do not get to take that tone with me, Jacob William Parker.” I crossed my arms to hide the fact my hands were shaking about as fast as my heart was racing. This man unsettled me unlike any man... anyone... before. “What do you want? I need to get back to the hospital.”
Jake smiled. “I want to apologize.”
“Great. I accept your apology.” I waved toward the door. “Now, I need to get back to Dylan.”
“That doesn’t sound overly convincing.”
I sighed, staring at the zipper on his jacket. “Jake, I’m sorry I’m not swooning at your feet, so unbelievably grateful that you’ve taken the time to come and apologize for treating me like shit. In case you’ve forgotten, my best friend is lying in a hospital bed after being almost shot, so excuse me if I’m not really in the mood to placate you right now.”
“Eyes, Addison.”
I glanced up at him and had to look away. I liked him too much. I needed to shut this down. Protect myself. “I need to get back to the hospital.”
“Damn, baby, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t do that,” I whispered.
“Do what?”
“Call me ‘baby.’”
“Addison,” he whispered, but before I could respond, his mouth covered mine and I was pushed gently against my foyer wall. I gasped, giving him better access, and his tongue swept inside. I responded, deepening the kiss, weaving my fingers into his hair and holding on for dear life. He broke the kiss, dropping his forehead to mine as we tried to catch our breath. “Fuck.”
I frowned. “Not the typical response I get after a kiss.”
“Don’t get mad, Addison,” he ordered. “It was a damn good kiss. Just wasn’t expecting it to be.”
“Oh, well, that’s making this whole thing so much better,” I ground out, and pushed him away.
“I swear to God, I’m not an ass, sweetheart.” He shook his head. “I just can’t seem to get a handle on anything when I’m with you.”
“Jake, I really do need to go, okay?” I dragged my hands down my face. “Let’s just take a beat and—”
“Have dinner with me,” he interrupted. “Tomorrow night. I’m not workin’, no one will interrupt us. I’ll even turn my phone off.”
“I’m busy tomorrow night,” I lied.
“Lunch.”
“I’ll be nursing my best friend... who was attacked. Remember her?” Jake smiled, and my stomach flipped. “Why are you smiling?”
“Just figurin’ you out, Addison.”
“Well, stop it. It’s creepy.”
He slid his hand to my cheek, running a thumb over it. “I’m sorry I was a dick earlier.”
“I’m not a
whore, Jake.”
He sighed. “I know you’re not. Shit, baby, seriously. I shouldn’t have said it.”
He was right, he shouldn’t have. “Then why did you?”
“Because you freak me the hell out.”
I let out an inelegant snort. “You’re ridiculous.”
“How do you figure?”
I shook my head. “I don’t have time to stroke your ego right now, Jake. I have to go.”
“So, you were going to stroke my ego?” He chuckled. “That’s a good start.”
“In an effort to be clear,” I said, “I like you, Jake. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t waste my time having lunch or dinner... or standing with you in my apartment after my best friend was shot at... let alone trying to date you just to get information about Dylan’s case. I would simply call Daddy, make him talk to Mike Warner, the Commissioner, and find out what I need to know.”
Jake raised an eyebrow. “I know Mike Warner, honey. He would never share.”
“Mike’s my godfather, Jake. He’d share. He might not share everything, but he’d share enough for me to feel better or he’d indicate whether or not Dylan’s screwed, but either way, it would be an answer.”
“Then why don’t you do that?”
“I plan to. But it’ll be when he’s had a couple of beers at the charity dinner and auction.”
He dropped his head back to the ceiling and swore.
“I have resources, Jake. A lot of them, ergo I’m not using you, if that’s what you think.”
“Then what is it?” he asked.
“What is what?”
He rolled his head forward to watch me. “What makes a lady like you interested in a guy like me?”
I let out a frustrated squeak. “I don’t have time for this, Jake. I have to get back to the hospital.”
“How about I drive you and you can tell me on the way?”
I shook my head. “I need my car.”
“I’ll pick you and Dylan both up tomorrow and drop you home after she’s been released.”
I sighed. “You’re like a dog with a bone.”
“You’re not the first person to say that.”
“Shocker,” I breathed out. “Give me a minute and I’ll grab Dylan’s bag.”
I finished throwing a couple of things into one of my smaller Louis Vuitton’s, grabbed Dylan’s pillow, and joined Jake back in the living room. He took everything from me, so I threw my keys in my purse and followed him out the door.
Always gallant, something I really liked about him, he held my door for me and waited until I was settled before he closed me in. He set Dylan’s stuff in the backseat and then slid in beside me.
“I really am sorry, Addison,” he said as he pulled away from the curb.
“I appreciate that.” I smiled. “I do like you, you know.”
“I like you too.”
“Now that we have that established,” I said. “I’d really like you to stop acting like a woman.”
He burst out laughing. “I’m sorry?”
“If you haven’t figured it out, I’m pretty straightforward.”
“You think?”
I smiled. “So, I tend to say what I’m thinking, and that gets me in trouble.” When he didn’t respond, I continued, “I don’t typically lie... I have been known to lie by omission, but I try really hard to be truthful. All that to say, when I tell you I like you, it’s not because I want something from you. If I want something from you, I’ll ask.”
“Or demand.”
“Or demand, sure,” I conceded.
“That’s not a criticism, by the way.”
I chuckled. “I know. I’m fabulous.”
He laughed again.
“Anyway, that’s pretty much it. What you see is what you get, except when I have resting-bitch face. That’s typically not what you see. I’m usually relaxed, not mad.”
“Good to know.”
“So, the reason I invite you to things is because I like you. Maybe I should sit back and wait for you to do your manly thing, but patience has never been a strong-suit of mine, and since I want to get to know you...”
“My manly thing?”
“Ask me out. I should probably show restraint,” I repeated my mother’s words. “Be a lady.”
“You are a lady,” he assured. “And, yeah, typically I do the askin’, but I like that you do too.”
“Okay, so stop acting like a woman. Stop assuming shit, and we’ll be fine.”
He reached over and squeezed my hand. “I can do that.”
“Good.”
Jake’s phone buzzed. He checked it, then said, “Pike’s gonna meet us at the hospital with the personnel records.”
“Whoa, that was fast.”
“Yeah. I told you, we’re doing everything we can to help Dylan. The sooner we get him ID’d and caught, the sooner she’ll be out of danger.”
I bit my lip. “I kind of underestimated you, didn’t I?”
He smiled. “A little bit, yeah.”
“Sorry.”
He squeezed my hand again. “Forgiven.”
We arrived at the hospital and Jake followed me up to Dylan’s room. She was laughing at something Asher was saying and then she winced and put her hand to her forehead. “Ow.”
“No laughing,” I ordered, setting the bag on the bench by the window.
Dylan smiled, her eyes flitting between me and Jake. “You two made up?”
“We’re getting there,” I said, and smiled. “He just needs to be a man.”
Jake chuckled behind me, but didn’t contradict my very astute observation.
“I’m here now if you need to go, Ashey,” I offered.
He frowned, shaking his head. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“Don’t you have work to do?” Dylan asked.
Asher took her hand and smiled. “Nope. Besides, I brought my laptop if I need to work.”
There was a knock on the door, and Detective Pike joined us. He greeted everyone before addressing Dylan.
“I have some pictures for you look at, Ms. James. Let me know if anyone looks familiar.” He pulled a folder out of his briefcase, set it on Dylan’s lap, and she started pouring over photos. It didn’t take long before she froze.
“Dylan?” I asked, glancing down at the face she was staring at. “Is this the one?”
She was trembling and chewing on her bottom lip. She nodded and took a deep breath. “Yeah, that’s the douchebag. Nicolai Barinov.”
“You’re sure?” Jake asked.
She studied the picture again. “Yes. Positive. It’s not a face I’ll be able to forget any time soon.”
Jake closed the folder and handed it back to Pike. Then the two of them stepped out into the hallway.
“You okay?” Asher asked, rubbing Dylan’s arm.
She nodded. “Better now. I hope they get the dirt bag.” She grabbed Asher’s arm and smiled up at him. “I’m glad you’re staying. Thank you.”
He bent and kissed her forehead. “Of course. There’s no place I’d rather be.”
She smirked. “It’s the hospital gown, isn’t it? It’s so hot.”
Before Asher could answer, Jake returned alone.
“Everything okay?” I asked.
Jake nodded. “How are you holding up, Dylan?”
“Okay, I think. Relieved.”
Jake smiled. “Since Dylan’s good, how about I take you to dinner, Addison?” he asked. “Make up for our interrupted lunch.”
“Sorry about that,” Dylan said with a grimace.
“Not your fault,” I said, giving Jake a warning glare. If he made my best friend feel bad for getting shot at, I’d end him.
He gave me an annoying smile. “Nothing to apologize for, Dylan. I’m glad you’re feeling better.”
“You just saved your own life,” I whispered, then faced Dylan again.
“Go, Addie.” She waved her hand toward the door. “Maybe you can pick me up a bacon cheeseburger while you�
�re out.”
“Oh, he’s not taking me anywhere cheeseburgers are served,” I retorted.
“Just so I’m clear,” Jake said, “is this a refinance the car or remortgage the house type of place?”
I smiled. “Serratto.”
“Serratto I can handle,” he said. “Did you forget they serve an amazing burger there?”
“Yeah, I kind of did. Sound good, Dylan?”
“Perfect,” she said.
“Are you sure the doctors will let you eat that?” I asked.
“My stomach is perfectly fine. It’s my brain that hurts,” she said.
“I’ll take the boar pasta,” Asher said.
“I’m not a waitress,” I ground out.
Asher laughed. “You are tonight, sis.” He pulled out his wallet and thumbed through it, handing Jake a few bills.
“That’s not necessary,” Jake replied, deflecting the cash.
“I know, but I want to buy Dylan dinner,” Asher said. “And since she’s kind of stuck in here, you’re doing me a favor.”
“It’s not a problem,” Jake said, wrapping an arm around my waist and giving me a gentle squeeze. “We’ll bring it back in a couple of hours.”
Addison
THE NIGHT OF the charity event was upon me and I had a rare but epic breakdown on my bathroom floor two hours before Jake was due to pick me up. I only knew he was coming because he texted to confirm two days ago. I hadn’t heard from him since our dinner at Serratto... not even a phone call to see how I was doing. Just the stupid text to confirm the time for tonight. I’d debated telling him to piss off, but if I was going to do that, I wanted to do it in person... make him suffer after he saw me in my red dress.
“Addie?” Dylan called through the door. “You okay?”
“No!” I snapped.
“Can I come in?”
“Knock yourself out,” I grumbled.
Wearing a bathrobe, and with a towel wrapped around her head, she pushed open the door and frowned. “What’s going on?”
“First of all, how’s your head?” I asked.
She tugged off the towel, releasing her hair, and rubbed at the shrinking bump. “Better. It’s almost gone. I don’t even have a headache today.”
“Good. Tell me if that changes. You are not to overdo it tonight, you hear me?”
Dial A for Addison (S.A.F.E Detective Agency Book 1) Page 14
