“Don’t go, not yet,” Daimon ordered as I grabbed onto the doorknob. “I will deal with Linda. She was out of line and I will make sure it will never happen again,” he said flatly.
“Then fire her,” I retorted.
“What?”
“You heard me, fire her,” I repeated.
“Addie, it’s not that simple,” he accosted me.
“It’s that simple for you to control me, then why not her?” I replied.
“She’s a valuable asset to the company,” he brooded.
“Fine, Daimon, I understand. I’m nothing but a toy for you to fuck,” I said menacingly.
“Addie, have you heard nothing of what I have said? I love you. You are my wife. I don’t give a flying shit about Linda, other than she hurt you, which I will deal with,” he berated me.
“Hey, Addie, what are you doing here?” Rafe walked in, interrupting us.
“Fuck, Rafe, don’t you fucking knock?” Daimon shouted.
“Sorry, man. The little lady outside told me to wait a few. I figured I was good.” He looked affronted.
“Don’t worry about it, Rafe. I’m leaving,” I said, smiling faintly at him as I started out.
“Addie, don’t you fucking think that you and I are done yet,” he shouted after me.
“You might not be, but I am,” I said bitterly.
Linda
I was awoken by Daimon’s soft caresses. After coming home from my emotional tango with Daimon, my body grew weak and tired. Jet lag was still an issue and I just didn’t want to deal with how I felt about Linda.
“Addie,” Daimon whispered in my ear. Drako stirred at my feet, waking me up further. “I know you’re awake. Don't pretend,” Daimon said hoarsely.
“I’m tired,” I muttered.
“I know, but I want to talk about Linda,” he said gruffly.
“I don’t,” I groaned.
“Addie, I don't want this past issue becoming a problem. I want to make sure I deal with it now,” he added. I opened my eyes in the lightly dimmed room and turned to face him. Daimon had changed and was only wearing his customary lounge pants leaving his chest bare.
“Why bother dealing with it?” I asked.
“Because of that very answer you gave me. I don’t want stupid shit eroding my relationship with you. I…” he took in a deep breath, “want to build on our relationship, not destroy it with my past indiscretions,” he muttered in annoyance.
“Past indiscretions? Is that what Linda is?” I asked sarcastically.
“Was. She was,” he corrected. I turned away irritated by him. “Addie, Linda was fun and convenient.”
I jolted out of bed shocked at him. “Is that your way of apologizing? Because it doesn’t sound like that to me.”
“She was there. It was easy. I work so fucking much. Come on, Addie, don’t be unreasonable,” he grumbled.
“Don’t be unreasonable? I asked you to fire her because she still wants you. That’s not being unreasonable; that’s being realistic. Being upset my husband slept with one of his executives, that by the way, he still works closely with, is not being unreasonable. It’s being very, very rational,” I shouted.
“So now you know how I feel about Darren,” Daimon said flatly.
“You did not just compare my friendship with Darren, a man who never saw me naked nor had sex with, to your relationship with a woman who possibly blew you while you were on a conference call to God knows who? You did not just do that! Did you?” I yelled.
“I can’t fire her,” he said ruefully.
“Why?” I shouted.
“Addie, just try to understand. She’s important to my company and if I fire her now, I’ll get sued for wrongful dismissal. I know I fucked up, but this was before you entered my life. She was there and all we had was sex. If she wanted more, that was her problem. I never did relationships. I only causally dated to get my rocks off. I used them all for my entertainment,” he said earnestly.
“Is that what I am too? Entertainment?” I retorted.
“All I ever fucking wanted was you, was to be yours, to shower you with everything that I am. You are the only one I have and will ever give my heart too.” Daimon reached out and took my hand. “And you are the only one I will grovel to,” he faintly smiled.
“You call this groveling?” I wasn’t happy but I understood what he said. Linda was going to be a part of his professional life and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it.
“I call this the only love I ever gave anyone. That is you. So yes, it’s my groveling,” he said as his faint smile pleaded with me to understand. I hated the idea of her being around him. “For now, Addie, just trust me. It’s only for now,” he begged with his low, gruff voice.