AllFreeNovel
Share Us
But despite how angry he was, Courick didn’t like another male approaching his female. He was up from his desk in an instant and inserting himself between the two of them.
“Excuse me, but who are you?” he demanded, looking down at the human.
“Me? Oh, I’m Addison’s father,” the other male said casually.
“You’re herwhat?”Courick was certain he had misunderstood. Addison had told him that shehadno father. That was the reason she needed so badly to belittle.Had she been lying to him this whole time?
“I’m herfather,”the human male repeated, frowning at Courick as though he might be mentally slow. “I have an invitation for her, for her sister’s wedding.”
Courick stepped back, stunned, and watched as Addison accepted a creamy white envelope from the older human male.
“Thanks, Dad,” she said tightly.
“I know you already have the address, but Lacy wanted me to bring you an invitation anyway,” her father said. “The ceremony is at two sharp. And you’re welcome to bring a, uh, plus one,” he added, casting a sidelong look at Courick. “I mean, if you want to.”
“Thank you,” Addison said again, nodding.
“All right, well—I have to get going.” Her father gave her a swift and rather stiff peck on the cheek, nodded at Courick, and then left the office quickly, shutting the door behind him.
For a moment there was complete silence. Then Courick rounded on his assistant. He could feel the frustration and fury filling him, like cloudy, polluted water…the absolute devastation of knowing he had been lied to and manipulated.
“Yourfather?”He finally managed to get out. “That was yourfather?You told me you didn’thavea father!”
“I never said that…not exactly!” Addison was suddenly pale. “Please, Sir…Daddy—if you’d just let me explain…”
“Don’t call me that!” Courick snapped. “Don’t call me thatever again.Youliedto me, Addison. Not only that, you’ve been trying to get me to break my vow!”
“Because it’s astupidvow!” she exclaimed, her face turning suddenly red. “And this is a stupid misunderstanding! If you’d just let me explain?—”
“No—enough,” Courick growled. “I don’t want to hear another word!” Going back to his desk, he got out the keys to his ship.
“Where are you going?” Addison sounded both angry and desperate. “Are we leaving the office early?”
“Wearen’t going anywhere,” Courick said stiffly. He was still so angry he could barely speak.“Iam going up to the Mother Ship. During the call with Commander Sylvan which you did your best to interrupt, he offered me a position as the new diplomatic liaison to the Veritans in the Driftlight Galaxy. I was going to turn it down, but now I think I’ll take it.”
“What?You’re going to leave me and go to a whole othergalaxy?”Addison exclaimed.
The pain in her big green eyes was so intense that for a moment Courick almost felt sorry for her. Almost. But then he remembered how she had lied to him and used him—manipulated him into playing a part for her. Hell, he’d even moved her into his home! What in the Seven Hells was wrong with him, being so gullible?
“I would take any position that would get me away fromyou,”he growled. “You lying, duplicitous littleferrath!” (Aferrathwas an animal on his home planet of Rageron, known for its sly and devious behavior and its poisonous bite.)
He stepped towards the office door, but Addison threw herself in front of it. She was crying now—tears rolling down her flushed cheeks.
“Courick,pleasewait! Can’t we just talk?”
“There’s nothing more to talk about. I’m leaving.” Courick pushed past her, even though part of him longed to sweep her up and kiss her tears away. But he told himself he wasn’t going to fall for her act a second time.
He left the office and kept on going, trying to block out the sound of her sobs.
He never intended to see his assistant again.
17
ADDISON
After he left, Addison collapsed on the floor, crying. Gone—he was gone! He had walked right out of her life and it was all her fault. She was never going to see him again and she was getting exactly what she deserved.
For a few minutes she was utterly inconsolable. Only knowing that one of the other girls who worked in the HKR building might find her in this undignified and embarrassing position finally got her off the floor. Somehow she managed to get herself to the bathroom and fix her makeup. Then she had to decide what to do and where to go.
