Make Me - Tessa Bailey Page 0,69

sanity relied on that.

“Abby could care less about money, Russell,” Honey pointed out.

“That’s easy to say when you have it.” Russell ignored Ben’s and Louis’s frantic slashing motions in front of their necks. “And it’s different for a man—”

Roxy and Honey threw up their hands, tossing curses on the ceiling. “He didn’t,” Honey groaned. “He didn’t just say that.”

“Your grave is so fucking deep, man, you can see China,” Louis muttered, shaking his head. “Stop digging. You’re dragging us in with you.”

Russell sat up straight and laid his hands flat on the table. “I need to see her. I—might be able to fix this now.” He swallowed with difficulty. “At the very least, I need to make sure she doesn’t feel . . .” He couldn’t say the rest.

“Ashamed,” Honey supplied. “Used. Cast aside.”

“Please.” He felt gutted. “I only ever wanted her to be happy.”

Roxy and Honey deflated a little. “She’s her happiest with you, Russell. That’s always been the case. Even we can’t compete,” Roxy said, unhooking the apartment key from her key ring and sliding it across the table. “Don’t make me regret this.”

Russell’s chair was still wobbling when he vanished through the exit.

ABBY PULLED THE white sundress over her head as steam filled the bathroom. For once, the silence in the apartment was welcome. It matched the peace and quiet finally permeating her head after weeks of whizzing numbers and fear of failure. The corkscrew twisting into her temples from either side was gone . . . and she’d been the one to untwist it. She felt . . . proud of herself. Like right at that moment, she could fight a war and emerge victorious.

If her new, extra headspace allowed her other troubles to loom larger, that would change. Wouldn’t it? Russell’s abandonment and five-day silence had been sharing brain capacity with finding a way free of the company, all while maintaining the status quo at the office so as not to alert anyone of upcoming changes. Now the stark reminders of his absence rushed in to claim all the free real estate in her consciousness.

Determined to ride the high of what she’d accomplished that morning, Abby lifted her chin and went to work unclasping her bra, letting it fall at her feet. The heat from the shower steam attempting to ease the soreness in her neck and back, wrought from weeks over the computer. She tipped her head back and closed her eyes, breathing deeply—

Abby’s spine snapped straight when she heard a creak outside the bathroom door. The steam went from comforting to a sight deterrent in a split second, her heart hammering as she whipped her attention toward the partially open door. Had she locked the front door? Dammit. She couldn’t remember. And her roommates weren’t due home until much later. Not to mention, they would call out to inform her of their presence, to save her the heart attack.

She started to reach for a towel. “Hello?”

Had the door moved?

“Abby. Can we talk?”

Her breath hitched, several emotions flooding her at once. Surprise. Awareness. Russell was right outside the bathroom, where she stood naked. She hated that a handful of gruff words from his mouth made her nipples tighten. What was he doing here? Frustration surged . . . and it surged hard. The anger at Russell she’d only just begun to process joined forces with the sexual energy his presence created. Whatever the reason, he was here? She didn’t want to know. Just like she’d done this morning, she wanted to control this. To win the war. He couldn’t come here and set her back like this. She wouldn’t let him.

I’m sorry.

Abby saw the note he’d left in her mind’s eye. She didn’t want his pity. She wanted him to know how being left behind hurt. So she’d show him.

A frisson of alarm uncoiled in her belly when she caught sight of herself in the mirror. There was determination, sadness, lust. She could push open the door and walk into Russell’s arms, as her instincts dictated. Might have followed through, too, if he hadn’t hurt her so badly. But no. She refused to open herself up that way again.

With a deep breath, Abby pulled open the door, feeling the steam curl around her as Russell came into view. He fell back a step, the key in his hand dropping to the floor. “Oh God, angel.” His gaze moved down her body, growing hungrier with every inch of flesh he covered. “Please. Go back in