“It’s almost eleven.”
“So? You’ve never done this chivalrous stuff before, so why start now?”
“Because you don’t have a phone, dumbass.”
“Give me yours.”
“So you can call me?” he snapped.
I rolled my eyes and walked out.
Charlie came with me, and we walked to Dax’s apartment on the same route. It was only a few blocks away, but it felt like a whole different world by the time we got there.
“Are you sure he’s even here?”
“Where else would he go at eleven in the evening?” I approached his door and knocked.
“Then why didn’t he call me back?”
“Probably because it’s eleven at night. If it were me, he probably would have answered.” I stood in front of his door and waited.
No sound.
Charlie waited, staring at me, growing more suspicious by the second. “I don’t think he’s here…”
“Then where would he go?” I felt the dread in my chest, the anxiety that rattled my nerves. Why would he drop me off and then disappear? The only logical explanation was something terrible, like he still had a wife and he went home to her, that this apartment was just a fuck pad. “He’s married, isn’t he?”
“Whoa, let’s not jump to conclusions—”
“Why don’t you see the evidence right in front of you?”
“Maybe he went by the store on the way home or something—”
“Right now?” I asked incredulously. “Charlie, come on. I know you’ve got the hots for him—”
“He deserves the benefit of the doubt, alright? Why would he be trying so hard with you when he could have just left it alone and got sex on a regular basis? Doesn’t make sense.” He pulled out his phone and texted Dax. We’re outside your door. Carson forgot her phone inside your apartment. “I’m sure he’ll have a good answer.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “I swear to fucking god, if he’s a two-timing piece of shit—”
“Just chill, alright?”
The phone started to ring, and his name popped up.
Charlie answered right away. “Hey, man. Where are you?”
“Hey, Charlie. I had to help out a friend. I’ll be there in like five minutes.”
“Alright. We’ll be here.” He hung up.
“Help out a friend?” I crossed my arms over my chest. “It’s…” I grabbed his phone so I could see the screen. “11:27.”
“Well, it wasn’t eleven when his friend called.”
“But what could he possibly be doing?”
Charlie looked away.
“Why aren’t you more upset about this?”
He shook his head and turned back to me. “Because…I don’t want you to be right. Dax seems like a great guy, and if he’s not, then he’s a pathological liar, and that’s just…really depressing. I don’t want to live in a world where people are this evil… I can’t do it. So, I’d rather keep hoping for the best.”
I leaned against the door and sighed, feeling the dread in my chest, the fear gripping me by the throat.
Charlie leaned against the door too. “Let’s not jump to conclusions, alright?”
“Sorry, it’s my job. I look at evidence and make conclusions.”
“But we don’t have all the evidence. You’re making unfair assumptions.”
I rolled my eyes.
Dax walked down the hallway minutes later, in the clothes he’d dropped me off in. He was smiling at me, retaining his calm and cool composure. “Hey.” He pulled his keys out of his pocket as he approached the door. “Sweetheart, you don’t have to leave your phone behind just to see me again.” He got it unlocked then stepped inside.
Charming asshole.
“I could have brought it to you.” He picked it up from the floor where it had fallen off the table.
“It’s fine. Charlie didn’t mind coming with me.” I took the phone and slipped it into my pocket. “I would have waited until tomorrow, but I need it for work.”
“I understand.” His arm circled my waist, and he gave me a kiss. “No explanation needed.”
I kissed him back, but my heart wasn’t totally in it. “Is your friend okay?”
His eyes narrowed on my face for a second. “Yeah. He asked me to go by the pharmacy and grab something for him. He was discharged from the hospital recently. He broke his leg, so it’s hard for him to get around.”
“Oh no, sorry to hear that,” Charlie said.
“Yeah,” I said, wanting to believe him but not entirely convinced he was telling the truth. “Well, we should get going…”
He headed to the door. “Goodnight.” He gave me another kiss before I walked out.
“See you later, man.” Charlie shook his hand.
“Get my girl home safely.” He stood in the doorway, one hand on the knob.
I rolled my eyes. “I can get my ass home safely on my own.” I turned to walk away.
His voice came from behind me, addressing Charlie. “Damn, isn’t she sexy?” He shut the door.
Charlie caught up with me. “He seemed normal to me.”
“Yeah…”
“If he’s hiding anything, he’s a criminal mastermind. And I just don’t believe that.”
It was hard for me to believe too, but something still felt off.
“Don’t worry about it.”
“Alright.” I tried to push it from my mind, to not be a person who assumed everyone was a liar any time a story didn’t quite fit. I really liked Dax, more than I should, and he was such a positive thing in my life that I didn’t want to jeopardize it…even if it meant my heart was at risk.
Twenty-One
Dax
I sat in my chair near the window, leaning back with my elbow on the armrest, my eyes on the view of the city, the other skyscrapers and the glimpse of Central Park as it extended for miles. I’d been sitting there for a while, various thoughts going through my mind, both business and personal.
A knock sounded on my office door.
Very few people just came to my door, so I knew who it was. “Come in.” I turned in my chair, facing my desk and the rest of my office, the two couches and the coffee table, the large double doors that led to my two assistants who faced each other at their desks.
My sister stepped inside, carrying a folder of paperwork. She was in a navy-blue dress with a black jacket on top, her long hair pulled over one shoulder. Her heels tapped against the floor as she came approached my desk. “Bad day?”
My only response was my stare.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” She set the folder on my desk. “Everything is in there.”
I pulled it close to me, opened it, and flipped through the numbers.
She took a seat and looked outside, admiring the sunshine that illuminated the city.
I took my time reading through it, licking my fingers and thumbing through each page.
“Ugh, I hate it when you do that.”
I glanced at her, licked my thumb, and dragged it down the center of the page.