The Lover Beneath Me(28)

“Daimon.” She smiled softly.

“Hey, Daimon, haven’t seen you since the bar.” I faintly heard Darren say. The fucker was sitting right next to her, like he was marking his territory. I ignored him as I just focused on her. She barely moved as our eyes lingered.

“Addie?” Darren said as he touched her arm, taking her out of our trance. Motherfucker.

“Yeah, sorry, Darren, you were saying,” she said as she sat back down and picked up her drink.

I took a deep breath holding back my anger. He was my friend and hers too. Plus, if I punched him, she’d only get angrier and I would fuck up my chances.

I tried the rest of the night to actually speak to her, but Darren, the fucker, wouldn’t give me an in. If it wasn’t him, it was Elissa, who kept blocking me.

“Relax, man,” Rafe said to me, placing his hand on my shoulder. “You look like you want to hurt someone.” I shrugged off his hand and finally took a drink.

I noticed Addie was drinking, a lot. It bothered me. I hated Addie when she was drunk. She wasn’t fun or loving. She was hurting and I didn’t know why. Darren just kept talking to her. The guy didn’t have a clue about Addie. How? Show us here.

“I’m going to the washroom.” I heard her say to Darren.

She jumped off her stool, almost stumbling over. Darren reached for her, but I got to her before he could. He gave me an angry look, but I ignored it.

“Addie,” I whispered as I held her head up.

“Get off me,” she slurred.

“I’ll take her.” Elissa came, held her by her waist, and took her to the bathroom.

“What’s your problem, man?” Rafe said to Darren.

“Nothing,” Darren grunted.

I watched until I saw her disappear into the washroom. Then I lunged at Darren, grabbing his shirt and pulling him close. “If you even dare try, I will rip you to shreds,” I snarled.

“Addie…” he started.

“Addie is still my wife! So fuck off. Unless we are both done completely, then and if only then, you can try. But now, now Addie is still mine!” I threw him to the bar.

“She said it’s over with you two,” Darren barked.

“Addie says a lot of things,” I grunted.

“She’s here with me,” Darren said loudly.

“No, fucker. She’s here with her friends. She’s hurting right now,” I hissed. Darren’s expression changed. “That’s what I told you. You don’t know her.”

“If she’s hurting it’s because of you,” he refuted.

“Yeah, maybe you’re right. But you didn’t see it, I did. I know my wife,” I corrected as I left both Darren and Rafe at the bar and headed to the washroom.

Elissa finally emerged with an almost unconscious Addie. Just great. Just when I thought I would fuck her senseless and bring her back, she goes and gets drunk on me. Leave it to Addie.

“You should take her,” Elissa said, still holding her. I looked at Addie pitifully as I lowered myself and put her in my arms. “Look, Daimon, I don’t really know what happened between you two, but don't fuck it up again. This girl, she tries to act tough, but she falls to pieces when no one’s looking,” Elissa said as she pushed back Addie’s hair.

“I know.” I held onto Addie. “Don’t I fucking know it.”

I drove Addie to her father’s home; there no point in trying anything now, not with the way she was. I hated when she did this. I knew it was only the second time, but I still hated it.

The first time Addie was drunk was on her mother’s birthday. Seeing Addie like that…it nearly broke everything inside me. The strong, mouthy woman who fought hard for her family, was crumbling, breaking apart. No longer able to hold in her pain. God, did Addie have pain. She loved her mother and spent ten years not able to mourn her. My poor little Addie. She cried like a little girl wanting her mother. She held onto me desperately, needing someone to anchor her back to herself. I held onto her all night, softly caressing her face as she lay in my arms. I never told her, but I cried as she slept, knowing how hard it was for her. I wished. I wished every fucking day that I was there for her sooner, but I couldn’t be. For ten years, Addie suffered alone.

We finally reached her father’s home. Not one thing had changed. Knowing Addie, she would want everything to stay the same, afraid to lose something precious, like the memories of her mother. I went through her purse and found her keys. Carrying her out of the car, I walked her inside, knowing the coast was clear and her dad was still away. He was still in Greece. I think it was a good decision. As for Sofia, the little twerp irritated me. Addie missed her like crazy, but she rarely showed up. Addie kept saying it was fine. She was growing up and didn’t want to interfere. Well, fuck her. Addie did everything for her sake.