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“He did the find-my-phone on my phone and also on his. I’ve never used it, so… Oh, here, it’s coming up. It says he’s forty miles from here, at Mount Charleston?”
Gabe took my phone to see for himself. “Shit, he mentioned a cabin. I know where he is.”
“You do?”
He glanced toward Nic. “Yeah, come on.”
“Wait, can I go with you?” I desperately wanted to see him.
The brothers communicated with a silent glance between them, before Gabe said, “Not a great idea right now. But we will let you know once we locate him.”
Nic squeezed my hand. “Hang in there, Addy. Okay? I’ll be in touch.”
What they didn’t say was Leo might not be happy to see me. Although sitting here waiting would be torture, I nodded. “Yeah, okay.”
ChapterForty-Nine
LEO
It was Wednesday, at least I thought so. Maybe close to midnight. I sat on the worn sofa in the one-bedroom cabin I’d purchased for Addy, staring at the dwindling fire I’d built hours ago. The stone fireplace was what I’d been most excited to show her. The floors and kitchen needed work, but the bones were sound, and the location was tranquil and private.
The tequila had stopped burning an hour ago. I would have switched to bourbon, but I’d drained that bottle last night. Turned out if I could get drunk enough to pass out, the demons couldn’t reach me.
I’d driven up here in order to cut myself off from the Internet and the ability to stalk her.
She loved me.
And I’d hurt her. Not just physically, but emotionally too.
And I’d keep hurting her so long as I was a part of her life. It’s what I kept telling myself every time I was tempted to go back.
Of course, this new drunken-hermit lifestyle wasn’t sustainable long term. I did have a business to run, with employees who counted on me to keep my shit together, and a family who would eventually worry about me. But I could at least cut the cord with Addy short term and hope in a few days’ time I could trust myself to leave her alone.
I had a plan. Whenever she was working in Vegas, I’d work out of the San Diego office, and when she traveled out to California to manage that office, I’d go back to Vegas.
Her comfort was paramount in this situation. I wanted her to be able to continue working at Delta Security and not let our breakup affect her future.
Eventually we could work in the same office, but for now it would be best to stay apart. She’d get the house, and hell, she could have this cabin, too, once I remodeled it.
A pang hit me when I thought about her eventually taking someone else here, but I drank it away.
A knock on the door had me thinking I was hallucinating. It was late, and I didn’t have neighbors nearby. I had no idea who it could be.
“Open up, Leo, before we knock down the door,” came Gabe’s grouchy voice.
Dammit, I shouldn’t have told him about purchasing this place. Knowing my stubborn brother wasn’t about to leave, I opened the door to find both of my brothers standing there.
I could see the worry reflected in the depths of their twin stares at what must have looked like their crazy sibling. But then they did what they always did, which was to put me at ease.
Gabe pushed in first. “You have any more liquor, or did you drink it all?”
Nic followed. “Better not be any of that cheap stuff, Leo. I’m not suffering a hangover because you’re pinching pennies.”
Ten minutes later, we all sat at the rickety kitchen table which had come with the place, glasses of tequila in front of each of us.
Nic said, “Saw Addison tonight.”
My head whipped up before I could realize he’d been testing my reaction.
