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I took two steps backward, composing myself then asked the only question he needed to answer, pausing between words. “Do. You. Have. Any. Children?”
He barely lifted his head and I pleasantly noted that the blood vessels in his right eye had burst at some point. Avery wasn’t a complete fool and it seemed he finally grasped the reason for my visit. “No,” he coughed. “No, I don’t have any children.”
“You should remember that. If the day comes where you suddenly feel like you do have a child and you’d like to find them, I’ll be back. And I can promise that my next visit will not be nearly as pleasant as this one has been.”
I slammed my fist into his temple, knocking him unconscious again. His head dropped forward and I efficiently cut the ropes that had been binding him, letting his body drop to the floor. His skin was raw from where the fibers had cut into him, the two knife wounds bleeding steadily.
After I gathered any evidence that could be tied to me, I took one last glance at him. More than likely, he wouldn’t bleed out before someone found him. Within minutes I was in my own truck and headed toward the highway. It was time to go home.
I blinked, pulling myself from the memory and refocusing on the auburn-haired beauty flitting around the room like a fairy. My stomach ached the closer the clock ticked toward last call. I’d stared down more than one gun in my lifetime, never feeling an ounce of fear. But the thought of what my tiny angel might say when she saw me again had me fucking terrified.
33
MIA
I’d always thought of myself as happy person. Even with my lack of parents and losing Angie the way I had, my future outlook stayed optimistic. I often feared that without that optimism, I’d fall into an inescapable depression.
Another two weeks passed since I’d found the box of shoes with my name. Another two weeks with no sign of Adam even though evidence of his return was everywhere.
On the day I’d realized I’d have to grocery shop before my dinner shift, I’d come home to change and found a fully stocked fridge and pantry. There must have been two hundred dollars of food, more than Miles and I usually consumed in a month.
Another night, I’d driven home from the bar with the gas needle perilously close to empty, the next morning I’d had a full tank and an adorable cartoon frog air freshener hanging from my rearview mirror.
Then there were the gifts. Unopened packets of Pokémon cards on Miles’ nightstand, a brand-new bottle of strawberry body wash in my shower, a package of honey mustard pretzels slipped into my purse and waiting for when I went on break. They were as endearing as they were maddening.
The familiar feeling of being watched had returned as well. Just like before, it wasn’t threatening, I felt protected. The same way I’d felt every time Adam had watched me. I’d tried to discreetly look for him, but just when I thought I’d see a tall figure out of the corner of my eye it would disappear. It was frustrating as hell and I was getting more pissed the longer he kept up this game of hide and seek.
I’d just finished cleaning up after dinner, Miles was playing in his room and I found my feet taking the familiar path to the big window in the living room. I looked into the dark yard, no looming shadow stared back at me. Still, something inside told me he was out there.
A wicked thought entered my mind as I stood at the uncovered window. A possible way to get his attention and break this damn cycle. Adam was controlled at all times; I’d seen him remain calm even when Roe poked and prodded. Stressful situations didn’t bother him, there were only two instances where I’d seen him break his façade and lose control.
The first was if I was in danger or a threat was leveled my way. If a customer at the bar had a few too many and his hands started to wander, Adam would step in and firmly remind him to keep his hands to himself, barely held fury dripping from his tone.
The other was when he was turned on. It was as if when he touched me, he lost all rational thought. It was intoxicating being wanted that way and I loved it. From that first night on the couch, I’d craved his touch, the intensity that shone in his eyes when I was under him, or on top of him.
There was no desire to taunt Adam with the threat of another man. He was the only one I desired. Which meant that the latter was my only option. My bedroom window faced the same part of the yard as the living room and if hewaswatching as I suspected, then he was going to get one hell of a show tonight.
* * *
My knuckles werewhite from gripping the tie of my robe.
I’d completed my usual nighttime routine for when I didn’t have to work. I’d put Miles to bed and gotten in the shower myself after he was asleep. Instead of pajamas, I’d put on my only pair of sexy panties, a dark blue lace, then pulled my robe on. Unfortunately, the one robe I owned wasn’t sexy. The white cotton was comfortable and virtually see-through from years of use. Normally, I had pajamas on underneath so it didn’t bother me. But, as I stared at myself in the mirror, I realized I could see the outline of my dark nipples pressing against the fabric. Turning around, I noticed I could see the lines of my panties as well.
I sighed, thinking it would have to do because I couldn’t exactly go shopping right now and I’d already made up my mind that this was happening tonight. Grabbing my favorite shea butter lotion off the counter, another mysterious gift that had appeared one day, I opened the door to my bathroom and stepped onto the worn carpet of my bedroom.
Normally, I closed the curtains immediately when I came into my room. Tonight, they were wide open, every inch of the window uncovered. Looking out of the corner of my eye, I was disappointed to see there was still no Adam-shaped shadow outside.
I gripped the bottle of lotion tighter and walked toward my bed with what I hoped was an alluring sway in my hips. I refused to feel self-conscious. If he wasn’t out there, I could deal with feeling silly for the show I was putting on.
Picking up my phone that was lying on the comforter, I put on music that would help boost my confidence. The bass of the song I’d chosen was deep and sultry, undeniably sexy. I dropped the lotion bottle on the bed, then I ran my palms up the sides of my neck until I reached the clip that was holding back my hair. Letting my hair fall down in waves, I closed my eyes and started to sway while I ran my hands through the strands.
Lifting my left leg, I balanced the ball of my foot on the mattress, mentally giving myself a high five when I wobbled but caught my balance. I picked the lotion back up and squeezed some into my palm. Then in a move that I prayed was sexier than it felt, I proceeded to run my hands slowly over my bent leg. When I was finished, I propped my other leg into the same position and repeated the process.
The music was a constant beat in the background and I’d intentionally kept the volume low so that I could listen for any noises indicating I wasn’t alone. Rolling my hips, I shifted so that I was facing the window and frowned when I still saw no sign of Adam.
I let out a growl of frustration and ripped my robe off my shoulders, my breasts preventing the garment from dropping to my waist. Then I grabbed the lotion and started rubbing it on my chest, making sure to dip my hands below the robe and cover every inch of one breast before moving on to the other.
A moan escaped my lips when my palm swept over my hardened nipples. If something didn’t happen soon, I was going to have to take care of matters myself. The thought of lying naked and writhing on top of the bed, completely exposed to the night as my fingers dipped into my pussy had me growing wetter.
