Page 38 of Falling for Fury

“We aren’t doing this. Nothing happened. Why would it? I barely know him, and he is Matt’s friend. We just ran into each other a couple of times and he happened to join Matt on this vacation.” Yeah, sounds like nothing happened, Addison. I cross my fingers and toes that they change the subject. They do not.

“Mmhmm. Unconvinced. The night you didn’t come to dinner, he was looking over his shoulder every five seconds. Finally asked where you were, and when we gave him nothing, he was tense. I swear he went looking for you at one point, came back furious, and then excused himself without so much as a goodbye to the table,” Riley fills me in.

“What time was that?”

“Mmm I don’t know, maybe 9pm? I was practically asleep at the table waiting for everyone to stop socializing so I could leave.”

So he left the restaurant at 9pm and at 11pm was knocking on my door looking disheveled and stressed? What on earth happened in those two hours?

Not your business. He left.

I shake my head. I don’t care. Nope. Not my problem.

“I don’t know. Can we drop this because I’d rather just keep playing the game.” I nervously look at Matt, and he misses none of my body language. His stare is assessing and borderline lethal as he sits back in his chair, the picture of calm, sipping his beer. The girls give up their hunt for information, and the conversation continues as the game commences.

I manage to make it the rest of the trip without so much as a thought about Noa—he who shall not be named.

Noah

I end my phone call and throw my phone to my desk as I stalk for my window. The view only turns my already nauseated stomach into tighter knots, and I have to make like lightning to the bathroom down the hall from my office. As I run, ignoring the curious looks from my staff, my skin feels clammy, my heart is racing, and panic grips my chest, recalling the promises I made.

Mamá, everything is going to work out once the contract is settled. I’ll have more equity to buy that building in Chicago we talked about. I’ll hire more management staff, and then I’ll be around for good. You’ll be sick of me, I promise.

The contract is not settled. In fact, this new information makes me worried the contract will never settle, and not only will I get hell for breaking a promise to my mother, but I’ll also have let my dad down, never making good on that promise, either.

Don’t settle for mediocrity, son. Chase your dreams and leave a legacy worth being proud of.

I burst through the toilet stall and land on my knees just in time to retch up my entire lunch. Him. All of this—everything—at risk because of him. That dirty fucker. Lying, cheating motherfucker. Fucking hope I did the right thing. I did the right thing. Right?

Retching up breakfast, then last night’s dessert, I wipe my mouth and breathe. She would have gotten home Saturday; it was now Monday morning, and I have heard nothing from her. Matt didn’t mention anything about her over the phone or how she was, whether my leaving had upset her. Not that it matters, we aren’t anything to each other. Honestly, I could have texted her, left a note or something, but my stomach is in knots and my head is in shambles. Between this deal circling the drain, my shame of disappointing my mom, and not living up to my dad’s legacy, I all but feel like I’m a moment from crumbling beyond repair.

You left without saying goodbye.

I had to. I returned to my room, slept like shit for four hours, packed my bag, and hightailed it out of there. The need to go back to Addy, lay next to her, pull her into my arms and feel her warmth against me and tell her fucking everything, was agony trying to ignore. I retch again over the memory of what I had overheard, my call with Matt, and when I have nothing but stomach acid left, I stand and clean myself up at the basin. Looking at myself in the mirror and reminding myself to get a fucking grip.

“You did the right thing. Now is not the time for distractions. This moment is why you swore off relationships. Focus. You need to focus.” Right? I look myself in the eyes and try to keep the pep talk going. “You don’t get attached. Leaving was the right thing. Stop it before it gets worse.” I don’t even think I believe the words coming out of my mouth. Being closer to Addison is what would make this go away. The ache. She only wanted fun. I don’t think I could do fun without getting attached to her because she’s… god. I can’t describe it. And the last thing I need right now is to get attached. It is nothing but a distraction, when this shitshow that just blew up at work is going to need all of my focus and attention. But, Addison has sunk her claws into every inch of me, my feelings for her are not as shakable as I had hoped. I can’t fall for her, I can’t.

By the time I stalk back to my office, Caleb is waiting for me, throwing the toy basketball in the air as he lounges sideways in the armchair across my desk.

“What can I do for you, Mr. Smith?” I give him my best sarcastic smile.

“Are you pregnant?”

“Are you high?” I retort.

Caleb straightens on a laugh. “Well, there has to be some explanation for someone as cool, calm, and collected as you to be throwing up in the toilet?” Probably should fill him in. “The whole office could hear you. What is going on? And don’t give me some bullshit lie, or I will call Ethan right now and he will give you the no-fuss serious guy chat.” We both shudder at the same time.

Ethan, who is Lucas’s older brother and went to college with Matt, Caleb, and I, is your typical non-nonsense finance guy. If he heard I was getting myself tangled up with emotions about a woman, he would say grow up and tell the woman how you feel, or apologize and cut her out so you stop hurting her feelings. Put your big boy pants on, Karvelas, and stop fucking around. But if he knew what had me so tied up I was struggling to keep food down, I’m sure he’d be a little more lost for words.

“I had some developments with Matt over the weekend about EcoX. It isn’t good.” His face goes white, and he slumps back in his chair. “Shut the door and I’ll explain everything.” I gesture to the open door behind him.

“Caleb, it’s Monday night. Why did you order tequila shots? Are we not just here for one beer?” Ethan groans from the end of our table at Pucks. What is beginning to be a Monday night ritual of late, a beer with the guys at Pucks, watch some ball, and relish in the Monday blues.

“Trust me, if you knew the shit we were dealing with right now, you’d be slugging shots, too.” Matt grunts as Caleb, Matt, and I throw back our shots. Ethan and Lucas give each other side eye, sipping their beer and refraining from finishing their shot.

“No work talk. I need a break. This shit is fucking with me.” I run a hand down my face and stop any more conversation about EcoX. This is going to repeat on a loop in my head until it’s solved. I just want a few hours of peace.

“Alright fine. What’s up with you and Addison?” Oh, for fuck’s sake, didn’t I just say peace?

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