Breaking Bedrock (Book Two) (2 page)

Sondra shifted. “Excuse me?”

“I don’t buy it. Sure,
maybe
you want me to come back. I
just don’t buy your reasoning; that’s all.”

Sondra smirked. “You know, Mrs. Greyer, there’s a reason I’ve
always liked you.”

Addison didn’t respond but instead plopped down on the sofa, sat
back, and waited for what she knew was coming.

“You have a keen eye for detail, and I can certainly appreciate
that. The truth is the firm does need you and the clients do love you. But what
I really need is for William Hartman to see that you’re back.”

Bingo.

“Addison, he’s threatening to shut us down. We both know he’s not
pleased with me. After everything that happened, well, I think if he could see
that you’ve forgiven me and that you are willing to give me another shot, then
perhaps he would too.”

Addie sighed. “I have forgiven you.”

“Have you, though?” Sondra questioned as she perched herself on
the armrest of an oversized chair.

“Yes, I have.”

“Well, then, what other reason could there be for you not coming
back to the agency? Look, I’m not asking you to work for me as a Domme. I
understand that ship has sailed. But the agency, it does need you. And forgive
me, but I think you need
it
a little too.”

Damn it. That woman always knew exactly how to hook her.
“Fine. I’ll come back. Give me a week to sort things out here, and I want a new
contract—with shorter hours and more pay.” Addie allowed the words to slip
right off of her tongue, knowing she shouldn’t be agreeing to what she was
agreeing to, not in a million years.

But Sondra Sheehan had been right about one thing. Addison did
need
it
. The trouble was she couldn’t discern just which
it
she
was referring to.

William gestured towards his cell and stepped out of
the meeting upon seeing the number on the display.

Clearing his throat, he answered. “Well?”

“You’ve won, William, all right? She agreed to come back, but I
swear if you ever blackmail me again it will be the end of any kind of
relationship we have.”

“Just like that?” William grinned from ear to ear.
Obviously,
he’d underestimated Sondra.

“No, of course not ‘just like that.’ The pain in the ass had a
list of demands, which I fully expect Hartman Industries will meet. What I mean
to say is this is going to be your budgeting issue, not ours.”

“I don’t see that being a problem, but seriously? She agreed? I
assume that you left my name out of it as per my request, right, Sondra?”

Sondra rolled her eyes, toying with her bun. “Don’t flatter
yourself so much, Mr. Hartman. I have
real
business matters to attend to
now, so if you’ll excuse me . . .”

William tugged at his tie and stared at his shoes, cutting her
off. “Nice work. See you at six.”

“Don’t test me, William. As you know, trust is at the heart of
every relationship. I advise you not to taint ours. Clearly, I must be missing
something. I just don’t see what’s so important about this girl, but I may have
to ask that you enlighten me during our session. Is that what you want, Mr.
Hartman?”

William smiled. “Whatever it takes.”

Three

Addie grabbed for the door in a hurry, trying to beat
the downpour she knew was coming. Stopping just inside the door of the coffee
shop, she shook the mist from her dress and took it all in. She loved the
hustle and bustle of the crowd, the laughter and the whispers, but most of all
Addie loved the variety of aromas. This particular coffee shop felt like home
to her. It was where she and her best friend Jessica had met weekly every
Monday morning since college. In the early days, it was just for a quick cup and
a few words here and there on Addie’s way to work and after Jess had finished
her morning workout, but as time went on and babies came, they’d each wheel in
their strollers and sometimes sit for hours in between their kids’ nap and
snack schedules. There were many weeks where that Monday coffee date was one of
the few things Addie looked forward to, but not today.

Addie noticed Jess first sitting in the corner in what they’d dubbed
“their spot.” Staring out the window as though searching for something, Jessica
looked more beautiful than ever. While Addison’s life was falling apart,
Jessica’s seemed better than ever. This had undoubtedly taken a toll on their
friendship, even if it was an unspoken one. The only person harder on Addison
than she was herself was Jess. Addie always loved this about their
relationship, the fact that Jessica pushed her to be better. She never let
Addie off the hook, but her advice was always delivered with love, until their
last conversation several months ago in her hospital room.
It’s now or
never.
Drawing in a deep breath, Addie let it out slowly and walked over to
the table.

“Jess.” Addie whispered.

Looking up, Jess smiled as Addison gripped her tightly and pulled
back a bit, noticing how good her friend looked. All at once realized just how
much she’d missed her.

“Here. I ordered for you.” Jess said, pushing the cup across the
table.

Addie lifted the hot cup as though to say cheers. “Thank you.”

“Look, Addison, I apologize for everything I said. It wasn’t my
place, and I realize that.”

Addie smirked. “Oh well, when has that ever stopped you before?”

“Addison, I’m serious. Just let me speak. I need to say this. I’m
sorry for how hard I came down on you before. It’s just . . . It’s just that I
realized that I almost lost you, that we all almost lost you. I do stand by the
fact that you made some very, VERY stupid choices, but I shouldn’t have allowed
my anger, really my fear, to get in the way of being there for you. And for
that I’m sorry.”

Addie took a long sip, letting the smooth hot liquid run down her
throat. “I know, Jess. But everything you said was true. I let you down. I let
a lot of people down.” Feeling the tears well up, Addie stopped herself.

Always one to know the right thing to say, Jess changed the
subject. “How are the boys?”

“They’re good. Thankfully, they really don’t seem to notice
anything is out of the ordinary.

“And Patrick?”

“Patrick is, uh, you know, Patrick.”

“Addison?”

“Yeah?”

Jess leaned in close, crossing her arms on the table. “This is me
you’re talking to. Tell me everything, and start from the beginning. Why did
you sleep with him? How did it start? And most importantly, why in the hell did
you keep it all from me? I feel like I don’t even know you.”

“Sometimes it feels as if I don’t even know myself.” Addison
chuckled.

Not letting her off the hook, Jess pressed on. “Okay, go on.”

“Come on, Jess. You know the story. The media’s plastered it
everywhere.”

“I don’t give a fuck what the media says. I want to hear it from
you.”

“I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. It just kind of happened.
I made a mistake that day in the elevator. I guess that’s where it started. It
was so out of character for me to have sex with someone I didn’t even know. But
the odd thing is I felt as though I did know him, Jess. There was something in
his eyes I saw . . . I can’t exactly explain it, but there was something I
recognized. And I realized right then and there, that I wanted whatever
tha
t
thing was without even thinking really . . . I just thought what the hell? So .
. . I just let myself go with it. I don’t know why I chose to do what I did. For
once, I guess I just listened to what my heart was telling me and drowned out
the voice in my head. And you know what, Jess? That’s how it is with him. I
just feel. It’s different. I can’t explain it . . .”

Jess reached for Addie’s hand and squeezed. “Oh, honey, you’re in
so much trouble.”

Addie waved her off. “No, I ended it. It’s done.”

Jess tossed her head back and laughed before her face grew
serious again. “For whom?”

Addie pondered her question for a moment before speaking. “For
everyone. I need to focus on my family, on the trial, and on work.”

“And Patrick? Wait? You’re going back to work? So soon?”

“I have to. I mean . . . I need it, Jess. Sitting around that
house, I’m losing my mind.”

“But do you think it’s really a good idea? And what about
Patrick? You never answered me.”

Addie stared out the window, watching the rain as it hit the
pavement. “Yeah, actually, I do need the work.”

Jess frowned. “Addison?”

Addie turned, looking her friend straight in the eye. “I don’t
know what you want me to say, Jess. Patrick’s blackmailing me to stay in a
marriage I don’t want to be in. He’s threatening to take the kids if I leave. Does
it even matter that we’re strangers sharing a bed, a home, and a life? Should I
stay in this marriage? I don’t know. I don’t even know where to start to
unravel the mess that it is. Quite honestly, I’m just trying to get through
each day alive and stay sane in the process. Aside from that and my children, that’s
about as much as I can focus on at the moment.”

Jess nodded towards the door. “Who are the men following you?”

Addie sighed and spoke without looking in their direction.
“Security. Employees of William’s. I ignore them mostly. I guess . . . In some
ways, it’s nice knowing they’re there.”

“Because you know it’s not over if he cares enough to send them?”

“No. Because I’m not sure that the threat of Scott Hammons is
gone. I think he’s going to try and finish what he started.”

“Was he really a client, Addison? And why in the fuck would you
get mixed up in something like that?”

“Was who a client?” Addie replied, fidgeting.

Jess scoffed and shifted in her chair. “Seriously, Addison! Is
this
that
bad? So bad that you don’t even know which one of them I’m
talking about?”

Addie downed the last of her coffee and slammed her cup down on
the table. “I don’t know, Jess. It seems that, just like everyone else, you
believe the lies the media is feeding you.”

“I don’t know what to believe.”

“Scott Hammons tried to kill me. He kidnapped and beat me. No, he
wasn’t a client. He  . . . He just has something against William, and I
happened to get caught in the crossfire. I was in the wrong place at the wrong
time; that’s all.”

Jess rolled her eyes. “You don’t say.”

Addie threw her head back, laughing maniacally. “Ha. Well, if my
best friend doesn’t even believe me, then
who
will?”

“No one . . . if you go back to that job.”

“I’m not working as a Domme anymore if that’s what you’re
suggesting.”

“Isn’t it one and the same?”

Addie reached for her purse, gathering her things. “Look, Jessica,
I’m trying here. I’m really trying. I’m not pretending that I’ve made the best
choices lately, but I have to go back to work. I’m not like you. Some of us do
have to work for a living.”

Jessica grabbed Addie’s forearm as she stood to leave. “I know
you’re not like me, Addison. I know you’re hurting. Anyone can see that. And I
wanna help you, sweetie. I love you. But you have to let me in, okay?”

Addie sank back in her chair, the desperation in her best friend’s
eyes dissolving any anger she’d held back. She let it all pour out in a hushed
whisper, as though maybe if barely audible, what she was saying wouldn’t be
true. “I didn’t mean to fall in love with him, Jessica. And now I can’t make it
stop. I can’t just wish it away. It hurts like hell, and I don’t know what to
do about it. Sure, I can double down in my marriage and forget about him.
That’s the right thing to do; I know it. But my heart, Jess, it won’t let me.
It’s futile, so I ended it because I know it’s what’s best for everyone. My
heart is broken, Jess. And I don’t think anything will ever or can
ever
be the same. I love him . . .”

“So what are you going to do?”

Addie let the tears spill over. “I don’t know.”

Jess took both Addie’s hands in hers. “Oh, honey, you’ll figure
it out. I know you.” Jess glanced at her watch and frowned. “I’ve gotta run.
But what do you say . . . same time, same place, next week?”

“Jess.”

“Yes?”

Addie bit her bottom lip. “I’m scared.”

Jess smiled a little. “You should be. You’re head over heels in
love. Love is about as scary as it gets. The rest . . . Well, the rest will
work itself out.”