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Addison was nearly ready to go when she heard a rattling at the front door of Courick’s bungalow. Frowning, she cast a last glance at herself in the mirror. The floor-length, emerald green gown she wore looked perfect—it had a long slit up one thigh that showed her legs nicely and the satiny fabric hugged her curves lovingly. Her hair was a long, sleek auburn-red curtain down her back and the swelling under her eyes had finally gone down.
All in all, she thought she looked perfectly presentable for the wedding. There was nothinglittleabout her outfit, but that was okay. Maybe it was time to pack away that part of her personality for a while—it only made her vulnerable to getting hurt…
A moment later, Courick burst into the room.
“Addison?” He was panting, his golden eyes wide and wild. “Are you all right? Did someone hurt you?” he demanded. “Did that human male who beat you come after you again?”
“What? No! What are you talking about?”
Addison stared up at him, her heart pounding. It seemed that he was back and actually worried about her. But she pushed the excitement and hope she was tempted to feel away. He had abandoned her once and he would do it again. She wasn’t going to let herself get all worked up just because the big Kindred had returned.
“I was told by one who seemed to know that you were in danger!” He looked wildly around. “Are you sure there’s no one else here?”
“Oh, so now you’re accusing me ofcheatingon you as well as lying to you?” Addison put a hand on her hip. “I don’t think so. I spent the entire night herealone, crying into my pillow because—like an idiot—I let myselfcareabout you. Well, don’t worry—I won’t make that mistake again.”
She brushed past him, headed for the door, but he grabbed her arm to stop her.
“If you’re not being menaced by an attacker then what did the priestess mean when she said I was in danger of losing you?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but you’vealreadylost me,” Addison snapped. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m on my way to my half-sister’s wedding.”
“The wedding?” He looked her up and down and seemed to register her appearance for the first time. “Is that where you’re going? I was afraid you wanted to visit that dangerous club again.”
“Listen, where I go is no longer your concern,” Addison said coldly. “You’re not my Dom and you’re not my Daddy—you made thatveryclear. You’re not my boss either—I’m going to give my two weeks notice Monday morning bright and early. And don’t worry—I’ll be moving my stuff out of your place as soon as I get back from the wedding reception. After this weekend, you’ll never have to see me again.”
Courick stared down at her, a look of understanding and upset filling his face.
“Addison,” he began. “It’s possible that I might have been…somewhathastyin my judgment yesterday.”
“Oh, do youthinkso? You think it might have been ‘hasty’ to accuse me of lying to you and manipulating you and then deciding to move to a whole othergalaxyto get away from me?” she demanded, balling her hands into fists at her sides. “I don’t know if ‘hasty’ is the word I’d use. Maybeassholemight fit better.”
Courick’s face went dark but he kept his temper.
“All right, it’s possible I deserve that,” he growled. “But how can you blame me? You told me you have no father, which was why you needed to belittleand then the father you supposedly didn’t have suddenly showed up at my office to offer you a wedding invitation.”
“A wedding I’m going to be late to if I stay and explain myself to you. Though believe me, Idohave a perfectly good explanation!” Addison snapped. To be honest, she was so angry she didn’t feel like the big Kindred asshole deserved an explanation. She looked down to where he was still holding her arm. “Now let…me…go.”
But it was clear Courick wasn’t willing to give up so quickly.
“I don’t think so,” he growled, frowning sternly. “I understand you don’t want to be late to your sister’s wedding, but I deserve an explanation. Therefore, I’m going with you.”
“What? To my half sister’s wedding?” Addison demanded. “You can’t just invite yourself to a family event!”
“I remember your father saying you could bring a plus-one,” he snapped. “That is the role that I’ll be playing. Now come on—I’ll drive.”
22
COURICK
Courick could tell that Addison was angry—her posture made it clear. She was sitting beside him in the passenger seat with her arms crossed over her breasts and her face turned away. But despite the fact that she was clearlyfuriouswith him, he still felt he was owed an explanation.
“All right,” he said, as he followed the directions on his nav-com, which was set to the venue where Addison’s sister was getting married. “Explain. You said you had a good explanation for why your supposedly non-existent father showed up at my office yesterday, so let me hear it.”
“Fine.” She kept her head turned away as she spoke, not looking at him. “I told you I didn’t have a father growing up and that wastrue.When I was only four or five, my father left me and my mother for his mistress—the woman he’d been cheating with for most of their marriage. At least, that was what my mom found out later. He started a whole new family and a whole new life and it was like…like he just forgot all about us…forgot all aboutme.”
Courick could hear the choked sob in her voice, but she was still staring fixedly out the window, so he couldn’t see her face. But as her words sank in, he felt like the worst kind of fool. It wasn’t that Addison had never had a father—it was that the one she’d had, had abandoned her at an early age. Nowondershe had the needs that she did!
“Addison,” he began. “I’m so sor?—”
