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Chapter Eleven

It had only been two days and he was already crawling out of his skin with the need to call her. But she’d left, run out of his house without saying goodbye. Normally, he wouldn’t even bother to ask himself why it mattered. This time he simply knew that it fucking did.

Damn it.

It was his fault she’d left. He’d been such a rotten bastard; he wouldn’t blame her if she never wanted to speak to him again. She probably didn’t.

He’d been trying to distract himself with work, but the team managing his investments and properties did too good a job for there to ever be more than a few minor details to look after, a few papers to sign. He rubbed his eyes, pushed back from his desk and shut his laptop.

Maybe he needed to get out of town, get her out of his head, even for a few days. He picked up his cell phone and dialed.

“Shaye here.”

“Shaye, it’s Adam.”

“Hey, I haven’t heard from you in a while. And you sound like hell. What’s up?”

“Honestly, I feel like hell. Some skiing might help. Are you game?”

“I can’t right now. I’m not as free since I started managing The Ring for Hawke while he’s in Europe. Running a kink club is no small feat, as it turns out. And my girl Devin is keeping me busy in my free time.”

He could hear the satisfied grin in his friend’s voice.

“Ah, okay. I’m glad you and Devin are doing well.”

“Thanks. But to be honest, you don’t sound okay, bro. At all.”

He pulled in a breath, let it out slowly as he scrubbed at his jaw. “Fuck, I’m not,” he admitted.

“Want to tell me about it?’

Where to start? “You know when you met Devin how screwed up your head was for a while?”

His friend laughed. “As clear as day. I almost lost her. Keeps me in line now.”

He picked up a pen and tapped it on his desk. “Yeah. I’m in the same shape at the moment.”

“Who is it?”

“Her name is Skye. And… she is this amazing woman, I’m telling you. New to the scene but took to it like she’d been born to it. I have to be with her, Shaye. Fucking have to. But I fucked up and now she’s gone.”

“Is it fixable? Because if it is, it sounds like you need to try.”

“I don’t know. I don’t know if she’ll even see me.”

“Okay,” Shaye drew out the last syllable. “That doesn’t sound great. But if she’s the one, Adam, you should think about it. Think hard. It’s worth it. I had no idea until I met Devin.”

“I know. I’ve seen you two together.”

“You could have that, too.”

“Maybe. Maybe.”

“So?” Shaye asked.

He scratched at his goatee. “So, I’m thinking.”

“Don’t let it go on too long. Don’t wait until it’s too late.”

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