Page 6 of Addison

"Oh God... no, oh God no!" I croak before I slap my hand over my mouth and begin to back away again. This time with no more fight. This can't be happening. I'd never thought I'd see him again, but I'd bet everything I have that the man in front of me is Glenn's father.

"Please don't cry. I'm not going to hurt you." The man moves forward, and I feel the tears sprouting from my eyes coming faster.

"Bullshit! Stay away from me," I yell.

"Addison, I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to talk," he tries again, moving forward.

My back hits the shopping cart, jostling Glenn, which causes him to let out a short screech and reach up for my hair. He pulls hard, babbling something that I can't pay attention to right now.

"Addison, please," the man in front of me says. He's closer than he was a moment ago, but his voice feels like it's far away. The world tilts from side to side, and I blink furiously a few times, trying to right my equilibrium.

"Hey! Hold on." The man in front of me dashes even closer, and just as I'm about to fall, he catches me in his arms.

I want to push away. Move out of this mess that I've found myself in, but for the life of me, I can't muster up the strength. I was sure when Hollister was killed that I'd never have to think about that life again, only to have it come screaming back into my life when I least expected it.

"Please, just let me go. I just want to go."

"Listen to me, Addison, I'm not going to force you to stay here. I just want to talk to you for a second, and then you can be on your way. I'm not going to hurt you."

He could be lying, I'm sure he is, but the sincerity in his eyes helps me drop the anxiety building inside of me.

"Come on, let's sit down before you fall over."

I nod shakily before I reach behind me and grab Glenn out of the shopping cart. The minute my arms are around him, he starts to wail. He must feel my energy. Mojag and Catori are big on the energies we put out being felt by the people around us. That must be what's going on with Glenn now. He knows I'm scared, and so is he.

I take a few breaths to calm myself down before I walk over to the bench and sit down.

"What do you want from me? I'm not working anymore." I let the words come out of my mouth before the man even has a chance to say anything. If he thinks he's going to get another roll in the hay with me, he's out of his mind.

"What? Is that what you think I want from you?" He groans and drags his hands through his hair before he looks up at the sky, praying maybe. "I'm not here for sex, Addison." He turns in my direction, and my skin crawls when the very edge of his knee touches mine. The last time he touched me, he got me pregnant. I like to think I've grown from the person I was at that time, but the trauma I feel is real.

"What do you want then?" I ask, lifting my chin, trying to get my emotions under control.

"Can we start with the little stuff first? Do you remember me?"

"Obviously," I answer deadpan. Why would I have such a guttural reaction to someone I don't remember?

"Do you remember my name?"

"I only know you as Daddy. That is what you like to be called, isn't it?" The words slide out of my mouth laced with venom. I remember my night with him clearly. Aside from the fact that Hollister had taken me to the big house where he only entertained his best clients, it was the first time any of the Johns ever worked hard enough to get me off. As sad as it is, this man is the only other person aside from myself to get me to orgasm. Yeah, the sex was good, but I'd rather go through life having bad sex than be forced to sleep with someone for money again.

He cringes at the sound of me calling him Daddy, but he doesn't deny it. "My name is Hardy," he corrects me.

"Okay, Hardy, now what do you want?" I spit out again.

"I want to know..." His voice cracks as his eyes leave mine and settle on Glenn. He clears his throat before he continues, "I want to know if that child is mine."

"No," I answer too quickly. "He's mine. I don't know who the father is. I was a prostitute after all, or don't you remember?" Hoping that is enough to get him to back down, I get up from the seat and start walking toward the car.

"Bullshit." Hardy leaps up from the seat and steps right in front of me, stopping me from getting any further away.

He grabs hold of my arm, and it's only the fact that I have Glenn in my arms that I don't turn around and punch him in the face. I'm not going to risk my child's safety.

"I know you, Addison. I know what that bastard Hollister put you through. I know the type of people he would've put you with. Tell me the truth, is that my kid or not?" Hardy snaps in my face, and my anger at the situation and at him pushes to the forefront.

"What the hell difference does it make? I don't need you or anyone else trying to come into my life and tell me what to do with my son. I've been doing just fine on my own raising him. Whoever his father is, he can stay away."

Please let that be enough. Please let this man just drop this.

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