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I smiled at him. Under the light, I could have sworn he glowed an angel. “I know, Declan.”
He threw a glance behind his shoulder and turned back to me. “Are you sure you’ll be fine on your own?”
“I—”
“Except she won’t be on her own.”
We both turned to the person who spoke beside him. It was a young woman who didn’t look a day older than eighteen. She had light-brown skin that reminded me of white chocolate, long dark hair that journeyed lower than her waist, and brown eyes that twinkled animatedly like a happy child.
“Hi.” She extended her arm, looking from me to Declan. “I’m Addison Mae.”
I shook her arm and observed Declan’s hardened features relaxed. He nodded in acknowledgment. “Daughter of Archie Mason.”
She beamed even brighter, seemingly pleased that she was recognized by someone. “You got that right.”
Declan shot me a look. He was in a hurry to leave. If my father didn’t find him by his side in five minutes, he was going to get a brutal call. “You’re in good hands. But I’ll be back soon.”
Offering one last encouraging smile, he walked away, and the cheery young adult occupied his seat. Ordinarily, I wasn’t comfortable with forward people with bright eyes. They gave the chills. But this one, however, managed to look classy and composed, but warm and friendly at the same time.
“I saw you when you walked into the hall and I said to myself, she might just be the only sane one around here. I need to talk to her and fast.’”
I laughed and she laughed too.
It was decided then; that I liked her already. She reminded me of who I used to be before my father inducted me into his world. I saw what she saw; the other ladies here were not as welcoming, or normal. Most of them were just shadows of their husbands, and the ones that were not were in heat.
But not Addison Mae. She was sweet, kind, and funny; and I got to learn more about her in a few minutes than I learned about myself in years. She was an open book. She wasn’t a big fan of designer wear and would rather donate all she had to the poor. She preferred fruit juice and water to strong drinks. She called them toxic.
Oh, and she was twenty-one.
It didn’t bother her that I thought she was eighteen. She waved it aside, saying she got that a lot.
Her father was a top business tycoon who rolled with the politicians and men from the dark side for power and money. That explained her VIP ticket into the hall and the reason Declan recognized her.
So far, she didn’t look like a depressed child wanting something different. On the contrary, she sounded content. The more we talked, the more I saw the potential of a friend in her.
But as the saying goes, “Every good thing sometimes has an end.”
Soon, she had to leave.
“Exchange numbers?” she asked, pointing her phone to me.
“Sure!” I thought she’d never ask. “I’ll be expecting a call. Thank you for taking the initiative to talk to me. I didn’t know I needed that until you came along.”
We were all smiles when we shared a hug and pulled away. “Thank you for not being a snub.” She stood up. “I’ll call you.”
She waved before turning around and blending into the crowd. Talking to her was like a breath of fresh air; fresh air that was immediately quenched and toxified by a familiar perfume and presence occupying the seat Addison evacuated not long ago.
My breath stilled in my lungs, and I found no courage to look him in the face. His eyes burned holes at the side of my head and his legs brushed mine under the table. My skin tingled from the impact, but I kept a straight face.
He leaned closer, close enough to feel the heat of his breath on my cheek, and I... hiccupped. From the periphery, I saw the upward tilt of his lips.
“People are watching,” I said through clenched teeth, and should not have been surprised when a low chuckle reverberated from him.
“Normally, I don’t give a fuck about that, but knowing that you are the center of the attraction kind of sets my blood boiling, you know?”
Heat crept up my neck and the core between my legs throbbed.
“If my father sees you here, he will—”
