Taking Control (Control Series Book 1)
Page 15
My fingers thread into her hair. “Not without you. I’ve been fucking miserable.”
She pulls back slightly, seriousness clouding her eyes. “I’ve wanted you since that first night we were together. I only ran because you told me to.”
I pull her within a hair’s breadth of my lips. “And I couldn’t be sorrier about that. I’ve never felt this way about anyone in my life before never mind told them about my past. The only people that know are my shrinks, sister…” My voice tightens. “And Kai.”
I have to admit, the thought of losing Kai as a best friend hurts. I’ve ghosted him since he turned up at my place unannounced and was a complete ass. But maybe it’s time to forgive and forget.
She smooths a hand down my cheek, grazing the stubble. “Kai’s pretty important to you, isn’t he?” I nod. “You’re important to him, too. He told me not to hurt you, I think it was kind of a warning actually.”
I frown. “He did? Wait—you guys talked about me?”
She looks down at her lap. “Yeah. I knew I wanted you all along, I just wasn’t sure what I did wrong.”
“Nothing,” I blurt out. “You did nothing wrong, I was an ass. All of this is on me.”
“Then…” She bites her lip again and I have to stop myself from growling and kissing her. “I think we should take this one day at a time and see where it goes. I want to make a difference, too.”
“I like that idea,” I mumble before her soft lips touch mine and the buzz I was starting to feel in my head silences.
Epilogue
Kai
“Cleo, is Zander back?”
His assistant shakes her head. “No, I don’t think he’ll be back in today.”
Damn it! “Okay, thanks.”
I was hoping I could talk to him, it’s been too long now, it’s time I apologized for being such an asshole. I grab my car keys and my cell out of my office. “Tiffany, I’m heading out now. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Okay, bye, Mr. Haynes.”
I feel sick in the elevator down to the underground lot, my stomach churning up something fierce as I think about talking to Zander.
I jump in my car and start the short drive to Zander’s house, rehearsing my speech about telling him to let Taylor into his life, but as I pull up to his house, I see I don’t need to.
A bitter feeling pierces my chest as I watch Zander and Taylor get out of his car. She kisses him on the lips lightly and my heart pangs at the look in both of their eyes.
I tear my gaze away, not being able to watch my heart be crushed for a second longer than it has to be but startle at a knock on the window. I turn my head and roll down the window, not looking up.
“Hey, man.”
“Hey.”
“You going to join me out here or sit in the car?”
I sigh and turn my engine off, getting out of the car and leaning against it. My gaze falls to the sidewalk looking for Taylor, but she must’ve gone inside.
“Listen…” he starts.
“Taylor’s going to do great things with the advertisements, I could see the excitement in her eyes when I talked to her about the center.”
“Yeah, she said you mentioned that.”
I rehearsed a whole speech on the way over here and now he’s right in front of me, I can’t bring myself to say a single word. I finally turn toward him, avoiding his eyes. “It’s our best angle for marketing the gym in that area. We’re not in this for the money, all we want is for some of those kids to see that they can take control of their lives, that there’s better options for them out there.”
“I took Taylor there.”
“You did?”
He nods but his face screws up. “It’s made it even more real. What if it goes to shit?”
I hear the doubt in his voice, so I move my gaze, meeting his impossibly dark eyes. Eyes I’ve looked into for over seven years now, wishing they would see what I see in him. “I can promise you now it won’t go to shit.”
“Yeah, we’ll see about that.” Tension-filled silence floats over us and I cringe. It’s never been like this between us. Zander is the one person I’ve always been able to lay everything out in the open to.
“I—” “Listen—” We both laugh and he motions for me to go first.
“I’m sorry for being such a dickhead. I just…” I scratch the back of my neck, not able to get the words out.
“I won’t apologize about me and Taylor.”
I shrug. “Didn’t expect you to. She clearly makes you happy.” He raises a brow, not really believing me but I can’t stay here and hash out all my feelings with him.
“We’ll talk later, I have to go.”
He puts a hand on my car door, stopping me from opening it. “Kai, I’m sorry.”
I push his hand out of the way, barely containing the shiver that wants to take over my body as I brush up against him. “No hard feelings.”
I’m not sour about Taylor, not really. Not in the way he thinks anyway.
“The right guy won,” I toss over my shoulder as I get my door open and climb in the car.
The right guy won, I just wish that guy was me and not Taylor.
A Note To The Reader
WOW! What a ride! Zander and Taylor’s story will continue in Kai’s book “Fighting Control” and also in Damia’s book, “Out of Control.” Both will be coming soon. Keep your eyes out on all my social media for updates. Their stories are NOT going to disappoint!
About the Author
Danielle Dickson has always dreamed about writing a book. With many stories to tell, she finally pulled her finger out one morning when one story screamed at her louder than the rest. When Danielle’s not writing, she can be found devouring the words of other people’s worlds, painting people’s faces with makeup, or feeding her unhealthy obsession of pink iced doughnuts—seriously, she’s obsessed. A self-confessed weirdo and horror movie fanatic, there’s never a dull moment in her clumsy, fun-filled life. She gets lost in the magic a book immerses you in and hopes to capture that magic for her readers.
Connect with Danielle
Reader Group—Dickson’s Vixens
Also by Danielle Dickson
Little Hollow Series
One Moment; Little Hollow Series; Book 1
When I’m With You; Little Hollow Series; Book 2
Restoring Faith, Little Hollow series; Book 3
(Coming 2018)
Standalones
Betting On Love — Standalone
Control Series
Fighting Control—(Coming 2018)
Out Of Control—(Coming 2018)
Broken Tracks Series,
co-authored with Abigail Davies
Etching Our Way
Fighting Our Way