by Tina Saxon
Syd’s ringtone goes off from my purse. The song immediately lightens my mood. I pull out my phone and answer.
When I press the end button, I’m grinning from ear to ear, trying not to scream. I wiggle in my seat and clap. Aiden squeezes my thigh. “I hope I can make you that excited someday?”
“Oh, you definitely know how to get me excited,” I purr.
He growls, “Addison.”
I laugh and grab his hand as it starts to inch up my leg. “Syd got a couple of callbacks from her job interviews. They want her to come back for a second interview,” I say, trying to contain my excitement. “She’s going to come back next week.”
“That’s great news, sweetheart. I know one guy, in particular, who might be just as excited as you.” He smiles, shaking his head.
Chapter Forty-eight
Aiden
“AGENT ROBERTS,” I answer my phone.
“Hey, Aiden.” It’s Trent, the Assistant District Attorney. “I wanted to give you a heads up. I’m not sure why, but Travis Stein is requesting to see Addison Mason.” He pauses. “I know that you know Addison.” He chuckles. Of course, the infamous video. “I’m a little concerned about Travis requesting to see her. You might want to keep an eye out in case he is trying to seek revenge.”
Of course the ADA doesn’t have any idea about Addison’s short-lived stay at Travis’s and I’d like to keep it that way. What game is Travis playing?
“Thanks, Trent, for letting me know. Do you think I can talk to Addison about this before you guys do?” I need to make sure she doesn’t decide to accept.
“Sure, but you better hurry. I’ll bet he has his attorney trying to find her and pass on his message. We need to make sure she isn’t in any kind of danger.”
“I’m on it today. Thanks again, Trent.” I press the end button. I blow out a long breath. Addison and I are getting closer every day, even after the disaster with Jessie. I still can’t believe that shit.
This week, even though work has been extremely busy trying to find the killer taking out entire families, we’ve been able to see each other a couple times. As much as we’ve been through already, I feel like I’m about to poke a sleeping bear.
God, I hope I’m wrong.
* * *
I walk into the crime lab and make my way over to Addison’s office.
“Hey, Aiden. Addison’s on the phone,” Becca, the front receptionist, tells me. I keep walking and wave my hand at her. I chuckle to myself, thinking I’ve been in this office hundreds of times since our departments work together and no one has ever questioned or assumed why I’m here other than work; now when I come in, everyone automatically thinks I’m here for Addison.
I can see Addison hanging up her phone as I walk over to her office. “Knock, knock,” I say as I peek through her door. She’s wearing her lab coat and her hair is in a ponytail. Fuck, she’s beautiful. When she glances up, her eyes sparkle and she smiles wide. For now. It kills me to bring up Travis. She’s finally ready to let go of whatever it is she’s holding in, and I’m afraid I’m about to open it right back up.
She’s tilts her head. “Well, it doesn’t look like you’re here to sing me a song.” She nervously laughs. She’s good at reading people, reading me.
I walk in and close her door. “We’ve got to talk,” I sigh. Her eyes widen in surprise but quickly turn questioning. “Travis Stein has requested to see you.”
Her face turns to stone. Any emotion she’s feeling, she’s hiding. The silence is deafening. I need her to act surprised or appalled that he wants to see her. I need her to talk to me.
Something.
I break the silence. “Addison, please tell me why he wants to see you.” She remains silent. “Talk to me, dammit!” She jumps as I slam my hands down on her desk in frustration.
“Aiden, can you please leave?” Her voice is hollow. She’s shutting down. Shutting me out. Fuck that.
“No.” I lean forward, pinning her with my stare. She doesn’t get to shut me out this time. I want answers. Now.
She gets up, takes off her lab coat, and grabs her purse. “Then I’ll leave.” She walks around me and it takes every piece of willpower that I have not to grab her and stop her, but she’ll hate me if I cause a scene at work. She calls CJ, her boss, and tells her that something came up and that she needs to leave.
I follow her out of the building and as soon as we’re outside, I grab her and spin her around. “Addison,” I bark, “your place or mine?” Our intense stare down causes onlookers to stop and watch us. “Don’t make me handcuff you and carry you away, because I fucking will. Don’t tempt me, sweetheart.” My words come out harsh and low as I increase my hold on her arm. I am done playing games.
“Mine,” is all she says as she twists her arm out of my grasp. I follow her a couple blocks to her apartment. Once inside, she goes straight to her room and slams the door. Really? Can this woman be more difficult? Of course when I try and open it, it’s locked.
With my forehead against the door, I slam my hand down on it. “You really think this lock is going to keep me out of there, Addison?” I seethe. “Open the damn door or I’m going to break it down.” I’m literally counting the seconds in my head. I’m giving her sixty seconds. She opens on forty-eight.
She sits on the edge of the bed, looking down with a pained expression that brings me to my knees as I walk over to the bed where she is sitting. Pushing her knees apart so I can get closer, I wrap my arms around her. “Addison, please talk to me. I’m begging you,” I whisper as I cup her face. “Nobody knows you were held hostage there. I’m assuming he knows about us, so I need to make sure you aren’t in danger.” She stays still as tears run down her face. I catch her tears with my thumbs, caressing her cheeks. “Please, baby. You’re killing me.” I rest my forehead against hers.
After a few minutes, though it feels like hours, she murmurs so quietly I almost miss that she is talking.
“I thought Travis had my mom killed.” I lift my forehead off of hers and her eyes are locked on mine. I immediately want to ask her a million questions, but I stay quiet. I nod my head so she’ll continue. “My mom was murdered when I was ten. I saw the guy who did it. I had the license plate number and found out that the car belonged to Travis. I knew they had never caught the guy, so I decided I’d go check out Travis.” Pained blue eyes no longer look at me but past me, lost in thought. With a poignant stare, she says, “Obviously, you know what happened after that.”
“I do.” I wink, giving her a half smile. She offers a small smile in return but she doesn’t continue talking. What the hell am I missing? There must be something else that is causing this beautiful woman to break down in front of me. “Addison, nothing I’m hearing is any surprise.”
She lets go of my hands and stands up and walks to the window. Crossing her arms, she takes in a deep breath and breathes out slowly. “Aiden.” Still facing away from me, she says, “Travis is my dad.”
What?
My silence has her turning around to look at me. “That’s why we can’t be together, Aiden.” Her words spear through my heart. She misinterprets my silence. I’m trying to piece together everything in my head. It all makes sense now: the DNA test, Travis wanting to keep her around, the eyes. The Caribbean blue eyes. Why didn’t I see that before? Fuck, I’m an FBI agent. I took notice of the similar color, but that is all that they share in physical appearance. I thought it was a mere coincidence.
I notice Addison shrink into the chair next to her window. Tears fall freely as she stares at me. “Aiden, don’t make this harder than it is. Walk away. I don’t blame you.” She sniffles. That’s it?
She thinks that I’m leaving because of this?
“What the hell, Addison!”
Chapter Forty-nine
HIS HARSH WORDS have me looking up at him, his eyes searching for answers. Answers that I don’t have. My heart is shattered in a million pieces. This day was inevitable. I just should have told him sooner.
His silence cuts through me. What do you say to the woman whose dad killed your parents? I push myself out of the chair, desperate to put distance between us. I walk into the living room.
“No. You don’t get to decide the fate of our relationship by yourself!” Aiden jumps up after me. Running his hands through his hair, he paces the room.
“I’m not deciding it! Fate fucking did that on her own when she brought us together! Our path was meant for devastation before we even got started. I should have worked harder to stay away from you. I tried, I just couldn’t. How can you ever look at me again and not think of Travis? Not associate me with that bastard who killed your parents?” I’m shaking uncontrollably. He pulls me into his hard chest. My tears soak his shirt.
“Addison. Sweetheart. I don’t blame you for what your… Travis did. You might share DNA with the guy, but you are not part of him.” The strength of his hold keeps me from falling to the floor. “I could never blame you for what Travis did. Ever. You need to believe me,” he says, desperation thick in his voice. “I can’t lose you, Addison.” He lifts my chin so we’re looking into each other’s eyes. His lips brush mine, and he whispers, “Please don’t push me away again.” His voice cracks and his eyes gloss over.
“You haven’t had time to think this through.” I look down so I don’t see the pain I’m causing.
“I’ll go. But only so next time I come back here you know that I’ve thought about it and I haven’t changed my mind. You. Are. Mine. Addison. Nothing will change that. Nothing.” He tangles his hands in my hair and pulls back, forcing me to look up. He softly kisses my lips and murmurs that he loves me before he walks out the door. Not being able to hold myself up anymore, I slide down the door in a heap of heartbreak.
* * *
A knock at the door wakes me. I must have fallen asleep on the couch after Aiden left. I look at the time and notice it’s only been an hour. I run my hands through my hair as I catch a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror. I look like shit.
Looking through the peephole I see Aiden on the other side. I open the door slowly, not sure why he is back. I lean against the door for support, crossing my arms. Tears start welling up in my eyes at the sight of this man who I can’t have.
“Hi,” he says quietly. I take a deep breath, sniffling.
“Hi.”
We stand there motionless, staring into each other’s eyes. No longer able to stand the silence, I ask, “Aiden, what are you doing here?” My voice cracks as I look down.
He steps closer to me, lifting my head so we’re peering into each other’s eyes again. “I thought about it. Nothing has changed, Addison. I love you.”
He brushes his lips against mine softly as mine quiver from emotion. My lips part and grant him access. He pulls me against his chest as our tongues explore each other. Before I know it, I’ve been pushed into my living room. Aiden kicks the door closed and carries me to my room.
“I told you, sweetheart. You. Are. Mine.”
* * *
A couple hours later, we lie in bed naked. He absentmindedly rubs his fingers up and down my arm. I close my eyes, realizing that there is nothing left to keep us apart. No secrets, no barriers, nothing. I can love this man with all my heart and soul.
Finally.
A tear runs down my cheek onto Aiden’s chest. “What’s wrong?”
“Absolutely nothing,” I say, looking up to his beautiful green eyes. “I love you, Aiden.” I stretch to kiss him on the lips. We stay wrapped in each other’s arms until we fall asleep.
The next morning, Aiden brings up the small issue of Travis requesting to see me. Which probably isn’t so small. I had totally forgotten about that until now. He asked if I knew why Travis was being held in New York. I knew he had been arrested for having a man killed, but I didn’t want the details. The less I know about Travis, the better.
“Well, that must explain it,” I say.
“Explain what?”
I sigh. “Someone was following me one day when Sydney was here. And they might have come into my apartment.”
He darts up in bed. “And I’m only hearing about this now?”
“Nothing was out of place. I just brushed it all off as a coincidence. But now hearing that Travis wants to see me, maybe it wasn’t.” I shrug.
Aiden swings his legs off the bed. He goes to stand up, but I grab his arm. “Where are y—”
He brings his finger to my lips quieting me. “Aiden, nobody is—”
He leans over and whispers in my ear, “Woman, would you be quiet.”
I stick my tongue out at him while he pulls out his phone and plays music loudly. He moves to different places in my bedroom, touching things, rubbing his hands under furniture. My stomach turns when I realize what he’s doing.
Oh, my God! What if someone has been watching or listening to me this whole time? I fumble out of bed and grab a shirt. When Aiden doesn’t find anything in my room, I blow out the breath I’d been holding in. I follow him into the living room and silently watch as he works his way around the room.
When he finds nothing, I feel my whole body relax.
“Well, I didn’t find anything,” he says after turning off the blaring music. “I still have a bad feeling about this. I’m going to have someone come and set up a security alarm, but you need to tell me if you notice anything out of the ordinary.” His voice is serious as he walks toward me.
“I will, but don’t you think you’re overreacting? You know I’m all about being safe, but he’s my father. He won’t hurt me. And anyway, Sydney is coming back tomorrow so I won’t be here alone,” I say.
“No, I don’t think he would hurt you. But if anyone finds out you’re his daughter, you could be in danger.” He grabs my hand, intertwining our fingers. “And I won’t lose you again,” he growls.
Chapter Fifty
Aiden
“I NEED TO see Travis,” I say as soon as Trent, the ADA, answers the phone.
“Not sure that’s a good idea, Aiden.”
“I need to know what his game is with Addison, Trent.”
“You think he’s going to talk to you?” He laughs. “He hasn’t given up anything to us. Except that he wants to talk to Addison.”
“But if he thinks I can bring her to him, maybe he’ll talk. I need to try.”
“Okay. But if he doesn’t want to see you, we can’t make him. You know this might complicate things.” Trent ends the call. He’s not happy since I’m not supposed to have any contact with him since I was undercover, but I don’t care. Addison is my number one priority and I need to see what he wants from her.
* * *
Travis is currently at the local prison awaiting his Grand Jury date. I walk into a room and Travis is already sitting at a table, handcuffed to it.
I had to pull some strings to make sure we weren’t in an interrogation room. I don’t want anyone hearing our conversation. I’m definitely walking a line that I normally wouldn’t. I spent two years of my life trying to take down this guy. I shouldn’t be risking it, but I would do anything to keep Addison safe.
I sit down and face Travis. I haven’t seen him since the night we were arrested. “Why do you want to see Addison?” I don’t have time to bullshit.
“Jett…” Travis nods “…or should I call you Aiden?”
“I don’t fucking care what you call me, Travis. Answer my question.”
“Well, it really isn’t any of your business, but nice video of you serenading her.” He sits back and smiles. I fist my hands under the table.
“Travis. My report didn’t include Addison. You know that if anyone finds out about her, she could be in danger so cut the bullshit and tell me why you want to see her. What good can come from it?” My voice is low and serious. He tilts his head and narrows his eyes.
Yes, asshole, I know.
Minutes tick by before he talks. “You don’t know the whole story, Aiden.”
“Story?” I ask. “What story? The one where you get
a little girl’s mom killed right in front of her? That story?” I seethe. His eyes turn cold and his jawline goes rigid. I hit a nerve.
He leans forward on the table. “I know who you are, Aiden.”
I stay silent and shrug.
“This is off the record,” Travis says, sitting back.
“Travis, I’m FBI. I know you’ve heard the ‘You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you’ line so please tell me how this is off the record?” I say.
He drops his head. “She wasn’t supposed to be in the car.” Fuuuuck. I should have expected that he would find out who I really was. This shouldn’t be a surprise, but hearing him talk about my mom pisses me off.
“Again…” my voice is cold and harsh “…why do you want to talk to Addison, Travis?”
Travis ignores my question and continues. “She was supposed to be at work. But something happened and she had to go back home. I didn’t know. She wasn’t supposed to be in the car, Aiden.” He sounds remorseful, almost.
I can’t hold it in any longer. “What the fuck do you want me to say? I forgive you for killing my parents because it wasn’t supposed to happen? Fuck. You.” I slam my hands down on the metal table.
Travis looks up at me, our eyes in a heated battle. He shakes his head, his voice cold. “No, you misunderstand. Your dad was a dead man walking. He signed his own death warrant.”
I drop my head to the table. The cold metal feels good against my overheated body. It’s taking every fiber in my body not to get up and kill Travis right now. I straighten my back, look him square in the eyes.
“Okay, I know the story now, Travis. Thanks.” I blow out a breath. “Can we get to why you need to see Addison?” My patience is running out.
“You only know the end of the story,” Travis says in a stern voice, shaking his head.
“Stop playing games,” I yell.
“Your dad stole my most valuable treasure from me.”
