She giggles, and my heart tightens. “I’m really happy you’re not feeling sick anymore.” I lean forward and kiss her head.
“Me too.”
She yawns big, and I know it’s time to leave. I’ve been here all day. She needs her sleep and I need to get home and back to Addison. Emily is being discharged tomorrow morning and she’s going to be all right for the time being.
“Why isn’t Addison here?”
I’m momentarily startled by her innocent question. When I heard she’d been sick, the only thought to enter my mind was to get here as quickly as I could. But why wouldn’t I bring Addison?
“Do you want her to come every time I visit you?”
She smiles and nods. “Yes. She plays a better Would You Rather?”
“Not true.”
“Very true.”
I’m not about to argue with her.
I’d love to bring Addison with me as often as possible, and in all honesty, I could have easily brought her today, but I’d chosen not to.
Emily’s sick and I knew there was a good chance they’d break that hour rule for me to sit with her, but they weren’t going to break it for Addison. It was a total dick move on my part and if I do believe Addison is my future, she should have been here too. I’m already keeping her in the dark about Megan, leaving her home probably pushed her even further away. Fuck, I screwed up.
“She’ll be here next time Sweet Pea. She had to work this afternoon.” And I just lied to an eight-year-old; I’m on a roll today. “But I promise I’ll bring her in soon to see you.” At least that promise I can stand behind.
Snuggling into her bed she gives me a thumbs up. “Night Sweet Pea.”
“Night.”
We fist bump and I book it out of her room in an attempt to get home as quickly as possible. I feel like a total jerk for not thinking of bringing Addison with me. I wonder how she’d feel to know I purposely excluded her.
For the first time since my accident, I can see my future. I know exactly who I am and who I want to be. And right now, I want to be with Addison. She’s holding her heart back from me and I can’t stand it. It’s time to tell her everything, it’s the only way to make sure her heart is permanently linked to mine, and at this point, I can’t have it any other way.
It feels like I hit every red light. I want to press on the accelerator and break any traffic law standing between her and me. Now that I’ve decided to bring her completely into my world, I want it to happen instantly. Not in five minutes or one day, but right now. Pulling onto my street a feeling of unease creeps into my blood stream. There’s a black Tesla in my parking spot and I don’t recognize it. My fingers begin to twitch, my breath shortening and my senses on full alert. Immediately I block it in. Whoever’s here, isn’t leaving without going through me first.
I take the stairs two at a time, my heart beating steadily. Instant alarm grips me as I see Addison’s door slightly ajar. Burglar, rapist, murderer are the only thoughts that blast through my mind as I throw her door wide open. It slams into the wall, making my presence known.
Matt wasn’t one of my fears, but he should have been.
The scene plays out in front of me, and I can’t understand what I’m seeing. But he’s holding her in his arms, I can’t hear him, all the blood pulsing loudly between my ears blocking out any other noise.
Why the fuck is he holding her?
“Let her go!”
The asshole looks at me and tightens his arms around her. Does he have a death wish? “I said, Let. Her. Go.”
He smirks and slowly releases the hold he has on her. I want to wipe his face on the floor with my foot.
“Back away.” I vaguely hear Addison crying and the idea that he’s done something to her, that he’s hurt her more than he already has propels me forward.
I don’t remember walking in his direction, or picking him up by his shirt. But I do remember slamming my fist into his nose, blood covering her white shaggy rug. The bones crumble under my fist and I know he’s going to need surgery to correct the damage I just inflicted. Good.