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“Not until you started getting better,” he adds and then stands up. I cling to the cushion, cowering under him and backing away when he tries to touch me.
The tears fall freely as the extent of my fears from so long ago is realized. I swear I heard things. I heard someone walking in my room in the darkness. I swear I felt eyes on me. “I thought it was him,” I cry out and cover my burning face. I thought Tyler was with me for so long. And it took me years to think that it wasn’t because he wished me harm. I thought he hated me and wanted me to be scared. And then I loathed myself that much more for thinking so poorly of such a good soul.
“I needed to watch you, Addison. I’m sorry.”
I stand up quickly, and I’m close to him. So close I nearly smack the top of my head against his chin as I stand. “I need to get away from you,” I sputter, crossing my arms over my chest and walking around the sofa although I have no idea how I can even breathe, let alone speak and move.
I can barely see where I’m going, but I know where the door is.
Gripping the handle, I swing it open and face him. My legs are weak and I feel like I’m going to throw up. He made me crazy. It was him all along.
“I never did anything to hurt you, Addison, and I didn’t want to.” Daniel speaks calmly, the other side of him starting to emerge. The side that’s okay with Daniel dropping his defenses. The vulnerable side that wants me to understand and isn’t pushing me away. But that’s exactly what I need to do right now. I need to shove him far away.
“I want you to leave,” I tell him and sniffle, swiping under my eyes aggressively, willing the tears to stop. I’m shaking. Physically shaking.
“You need to go,” I tell him because it’s the only truth I know. My mind is a chaotic storm and everything I’d been keeping at bay, all the fear and sorrow are screaming at me until I can’t hear anything. I can’t make out anything. The exception being the man standing right in front of me who’s the cause of my pain.
“Who did you think I was, Addison?” he asks me as if this is my fault.
And maybe part of it is.
“You knew I wasn’t a good man back then, and you know that now.”
“Get out.” They’re the only words I can say.
“It was years ago.”
“I said get out!” I scream at him, but he only gets closer to me until I shove him away. He can’t hold me and make this right.
“You stalked me.” I can barely get the words out. I’m in disbelief and terrified, although I’m not sure which reaction is winning.
“You had hope,” he says back hard as if it justifies everything. “You had happiness. You had everything I wanted. You were everything I wanted. You can hate me for it, but you can’t deny that. It’s the truth.”
“I want you to leave.”
“Please don’t make me leave,” he tells me as if it’s only just now getting through to him. He looks at the open doorway and then back at me. The hall is empty and cold and a draft comes in, making me shudder.
“Get. Out.” I can’t look at him as he stares at me, waiting for me to say something else.
“Addison-”
“Out!” I yell as loud as I can. So hard my throat screams with pain and my heart hurts.
Even over my rushing blood I hear each of his footsteps as he walks away from me.
“You said you wouldn’t leave me,” Daniel grits between his teeth as he stands on the threshold of my door.
The words leave me as I slam the door shut in his face. “I lied.”
CHAPTER22
Daniel
The heavy pit in my stomach is why I don’t give people a damn piece of myself. That sick feeling that I swear is never going to go away is why I play it close to the vest.
I thought she was different.
I close my eyes, swallowing although my throat is tight and listening to the busy traffic on Lincoln Street. I’m close to the address Marcus gave me. Close to being done with this town and having no reason to stay.
