The Husband Beside Me (The Devil Trilogy Book 2) (15 page)

“I'm married, Darren. I have responsibilities to Daimon. I mean, I get it; we’re friends and I love you as my friend. But I need to take into account how he’d feel, maybe after some time?” I offered.

“Why? Why do I have to lose you because of Daimon’s insecurities?” he scoffed.

“I know what you’re saying, but I understand how he feels too. I would be uncomfortable with Clara around. Yes, he’s a bit much and I wish he trusted me more, but it’s who he is,” I explained.

“It’s bullshit and you know it,” he barked.

“What’s bullshit?” Just what I needed, another Daimon-and-Darren encounter.

“You, keeping Addie from me,” Darren said bitterly as he stood up.

“She’s my wife. Of course I’m going to keep her away from you!” he spat out.

“She’s my friend and you were once mine too,” Darren said coldly.

“That’s before I found out you were in love with my wife,” Daimon seethed. “Do you honestly think I’m just going to let you have time with her? Are you fucked? She’s mine and she will stay mine!” Daimon said as he took me by the hand and yanked me up, pulling me toward the elevator.

“Could you stop making me look inadequate?” I bit back, taking my hand away from his.

“Get in the fucking elevator!” he barked.

“Daimon…”

“Addie, just fucking do it!” The elevator dinged and I stepped in, humiliation washing over me as I stood behind Daimon. Once we reached the penthouse, Daimon waited until I got off.

“Is that what you do? Do you wait until I’m not home and hang out with Darren?” he accused.

“Are you smoking crack? Did you even hear anything I said to him?” I fired back.

“I can’t believe you. After everything you made me feel guilty for and here you are doing the very same thing,” he barked.

“You’re crazy! You are nuts!” I shook my head and left him in the foyer.

“It’s Darren you want,” he snapped.

“Like I told you before. YOU ARE MY HUSBAND! NOT ANYONE ELSE. JUST YOU!” I shouted at him. “I told him I understood why you felt the way you did. I backed you up, you asshole. Why I did? I couldn’t even tell you,” I spewed. “Did you or did you not block his phone number from my phone?” I cried out.

“So what if I did?” he said gruffly.

“Trust, Daimon. Do you even know what that means? Why can’t you just trust me?”

“Are you being serious now? Of course I don’t trust you,” he said coldly.

“That’s too bad. I actually feel sorry for you now. It must be a lonely existence to not have one person on this earth you can rely on or trust. You call me pathetic and petty. You should seriously look at yourself in the mirror once in a while,” I said bluntly. Daimon stood brooding.

“You were always such a bitch.” His words were mean and callous, but then again so were mine. Daimon left that night, breaking our contract rules.

It was our first New Year’s and we spent it apart.

I was awoken by the elevator door opening. I had fallen asleep on the couch with Drako at my feet. I hadn’t realized until the moment I heard Daimon come home. I stirred and stretched out my body; it ached since I was curled up into a small ball. I picked up my iPhone and looked at the time. It was ten thirty in the morning. I swallowed whatever pride I had left and went up to our bedroom, half-anticipating Daimon ready to yell at me. Once I entered, I heard the shower go on. I saw his white buttoned-down shirt thrown onto the floor along with his suit jacket. I knelt down and picked it up, a strong smell of perfume hit my nose. The smell was floral with a hint of berries. I held onto the shirt, my knuckles nearly turning white from my grip. A small pink stain was smudged onto the collar. The bathroom door opened. Daimon, acting like I wasn’t even there, passed me by as he went to his closet to get dressed.

I felt utterly listless as disappointment ran through me. I could hear him getting dressed to leave. I stood up from where I knelt down and left his shirt on the ground. I walked into the bathroom before I could see him again. I stood in the middle of the bathroom and waited until I heard him leave. Not once did he hesitate, not once did he make an effort to speak to me. Two questions ran through my mind. What did I do that was so bad that he needed to leave? And what did he exactly do last night?

I walked up to the counter and braced myself. My heart constricted as various images of Daimon with someone else floated around in my thoughts. I could barely look at myself in the mirror, not wanting to see the one who sold herself. I yanked off the clothes I was wearing and stepped into the shower. Taking the loofah sponge, I roughly brushed at my skin, wanting to wash off the feeling of filth staining my skin. I literally hated myself and the decision I made. The bitterness still inside me as I remembered how happy Sofia looked ate away at me, while the words Daimon’s father spoke rang true. Who was I really? What had happened to the Addie who had dreams and desires? I stepped out of the shower and dressed in silence. I was not going to stay here and wait until Daimon was ready. I was going to go out and find out just who the hell I was exactly.

Texting Elissa, I asked her to meet with me.

****

“So you got into a fight with old blue eyes, did ya?” she asked, blowing on her coffee as we sat at a local café, called Café Grumpy.

The red brick, the down-to-earth employees, the great coffee and the fresh air were exactly what I needed. Staying cooped up in the stupid penthouse was suffocating me.

“Fuck him,” I said, picking up my giant oatmeal cookie.

“Do tell.” She smiled as she put down her coffee and waited.

“There’s nothing to say. He’s just an asshole who thinks only about himself and doesn’t care about how I feel. He orders me around because he can’t trust me, and I’m stuck trying to figure out the fact as to why I married him, and if the reasons were good enough to have me suffer this way,” I finished my little tirade and I let out a breath.

“Are you sure there’s nothing wrong?” she said sarcastically.

“I went to see Sofia over the break,” I continued.

“And?” she sounded excited.

“And I sat there being jealous of my little sister,” I said into my chest, ashamed at my words. Elissa reached out and took my hand.

“It’s natural for you to feel like that. It’s what you wanted.” She smiled softly, trying to reassure me.

“She wants to become a doctor.”

“Eesh,” Elissa said, making a face. “That’s a bitch,” she breathed. “Look, I know how much you sacrificed; I think they both know. It’s okay to feel this way. You’re entitled to feel resentment.”

“It’s not right,” I insisted.

“Addie, you’re a human being not a fucking robot. Obviously, you’re going to feel some sort of bitterness, just as long as you admit it and move on. I think you’ll be fine,” she explained.

“I don’t feel human,” I said, annoyed with myself.

“You said it aloud and took ownership of your feelings. That’s the first step to moving forward. Addie, you have so much time ahead of you. You’re not dead. Your life is not set in stone. You now have the money and the time to figure out what you want. Take it and use it.” She winked. “Now, about Daimon…”

“You mean Lucifer?” I corrected.

“Sure.”

“He’s a douche. He made me feel bad and abandoned me on New Year’s Eve because of Darren,” I admitted.

“Darren?” she questioned.

“Yeah, he came by the penthouse and wanted to talk. He said he tried calling me, but Daimon blocked his number.”

“I kind of knew Darren had a thing for you. I get where Daimon’s coming from too. He’s worried you’ll run off with the reliable Darren, the safe and loving Darren,” she remarked.

“Daimon is neither safe nor loving. Let’s not forget he’s unreliable,” I stated.

“Yeah, but that boy loves you like crazy mad. It’s fear he’s feeling, babe,” she shrugged.

“Give me a break. Darren wouldn’t do anything.”

“Darren is a man who is in love with you. He might not notice it now, but he’s desperate and desperate people do stupid things,” she said.

“So you’re saying what Daimon did was fine and I was wrong?” I asked affronted.

“No! I’m saying it’s a fucked-up situation. Darren has to take a step back, let his feelings for you stop before he can come around again. Daimon sees him as a threat and the man hates feeling threatened.” She picked up her coffee and took a sip.

“I know. He’s so dark and so…broken. I can’t figure him out sometimes,” I admitted softly as I played with what was left of my cookie.

“Don’t. You live your life, Addie. Fuck him if he can’t deal with you.”

“Do you mind if I stay at your place for tonight?” I asked.

“You and Daimon fighting, a reality show for my eyes only? Of course you can.” She stuck out her tongue.

“Thanks.”

“Anytime, babe.”

****

After our little shopping spree, Elissa and I ended up at her place eating pizza. She put on the movie
The Princess Bride
. She had said that every time Westley said,
‘As you wish,’
we had to take a shot of vodka, the shot of whisky was reserved for Montoya and every time he said,
‘Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.’
By the end of it, I was completely drunk. I didn’t even know when I was exactly supposed to take a shot, but whenever Elissa gave me one, I did it. At one point, I vaguely heard my phone ringing, but I ignored it, no longer caring about Daimon’s issues and what happened between us.

Elissa and I both passed out on the floor where we were sitting. I grunted as I woke up, my body protesting the awkward position I was in. I reached out and took my purse, finally finding my phone. I had eight missed phone calls and ten texts.

Daimon:Where r u?

Daimon:Addie, pick up the fucking phone!

Daimon:Addie, get ur ass home NOW!
Daimon:u better call me!

Daimon:Addie, where the fuck r u?!

Daimon:I get it I was wrong to leave. call me

Daimon:Fuck, Addie, don’t be such a bitch just call me

Daimon:R u with Darren?

Daimon:I cant find u anywhere

Daimon:Addie, please just call me

Daimon:im worried, just text to tell me ur ok

Daimon:im sorry about last night and how I left. im really worried so pls just call me

I scrolled through my messages. He sent one every hour. I stared at them wondering what to do. I finally caved in and texted him back.

Me:Im alive & fine

My phone rang almost immediately afterward.

“Hello?” I answered, my voice croaky.

“Where in the fucking hell are you?” he seethed.

“Out. Why?” I asked.

“I’ve called you and texted. I thought something happened to you.”

“Did I call or text you once when you decided to leave?” I asked, knowing he knew the answer. “So don’t fucking bother me when I’m not home.” I hung up on him and shut off my phone.

“I see Mr. Daimon woke you up?” Elissa said groggily.

“Yeah, sorry if I woke you.”

“I told you this is free TV for me. I’m fine with it.” She stretched and stood up; her hair messy while her clothes clung to her.

“Are you going to go back now?” she asked as she opened a bottle of water.

“Not sure yet,” I muttered.

“Just stop and go back. You have him right where you want him. On his knees,” she smirked.

After I washed up, I headed out and decided to walk back to the penthouse. It was far but I needed to clear my head with all the muddy ideas whirling around.

“Mrs. Evans,” Phil said, holding the door open for me. “You’re out and about early this morning,” he smiled.

“I like mornings,” I smiled back. I walked inside and tried my best to avoid Lenny, only because he was there when Darren came. He witnessed the whole thing between the three of us.

“Mrs. Evans,” Lenny said as I passed him.

“Hello,” I nodded as I walked straight to the elevator.

“Hey, boy, sorry I didn’t walk you this morning,” I said to Drako as I petted him.

“It’s fine. I walked him,” Daimon said as he stood in the foyer. I barely acknowledged him as I kicked off my shoes and tried to head inside, but Daimon being Daimon wasn’t having any of that.

“Where were you last night?” he asked blocking my path.

“Out,” I bit out.

“I went out and I couldn’t find you,” he hissed.

“What?”

“Just tell me,” he insisted.

“No,” I said defiantly.

“Addie…”

“You don’t get to tell me a single thing. I was out doing what I wanted. So do me the favor and step aside. I need a shower. I feel dirty from last night.” I smirked, knowing it would get under his skin. He lowered his head and glared at me.

“Fine go,” he gritted though his teeth.

I moved past him only to be grabbed by my arms and pulled back. He pushed me up against the wall and pressed his body against mine, pinning me against him.