Consumed (6 page)

I don't stick around to find out what she said. I make my way into the hall and down one flight of stairs leading to the foyer of the apartment building. I exit through the main entrance which is guarded by a key pad entry.

When the early morning sun hits my face I feel myself come to life. I pop in my ear buds, select my workout play list on my iPod, and take off in a sprint. Katy Perry's “Roar” blares in my ears as I turn the corner and head east. I never realized it before but this song is kind of my anthem.

I pick up speed as I turn another corner and make my way onto the bike trail that raps three miles and is secluded by one of the only wooded areas I have come across while in Vegas. Mine and Grayson's apartment was not far from here and he brought me running here several times.

I don’t know why I chose to run the same route I ran with him almost everyday but it's familiar to me and in a world that holds so little familiarity it's calming. I weave around a couple of bikers riding in the opposite direction. For the first time since everything happened I actually feel somewhat normal.

I can't help but smile feeling like in this moment I could own the world. Nothing is holding me back. My parents are thousands of miles away, Grayson is no longer in my life to control me, my job is going great, and I have amazing friends. For the first time in a very long time I feel alive.

Just as I let the happiness seep in, instantly it is replaced with disgust. I stop abruptly feeling like I have been punched in the gut. Standing not ten feet from me is Grayson and what's worse, he's not alone. Having not spotted me yet, I leap to the side of the trail and duck behind a tree. I'm such an idiot, I never should have come this way. I stand against the tree, my back firmly against the trunk, and peer around the side to see if they are still there. To my discomfort, they are.

Grayson sports his normal gym shorts and tee. The girl is dressed in a work out skirt and white wrap tank. His doing no doubt. She turns to the right to face him, placing her hand on his chest as she stares up into his eyes, a huge smile on her face. She's built a lot like me, shoulder length brown hair just like mine. In fact, I can see a lot of similarities between the two of us.

Leave it to him to throw me to the curb and upgrade to a better version of me. Asshole. He reaches out and trails the back of his hand down her cheek before leaning in and placing his lips to hers. Jealousy seethes through me. I don't understand the feeling. Why would I be jealous? She can have him.

I push myself back against the tree, unable to watch anymore. I'm not jealous because I want to be with him. I'm jealous because for as long as I can remember he was mine. I'm hurt that just a couple weeks after ending our eight year relationship, he's already moved on. As much as I don't want my life with him back, I want him to miss me. I want him to regret how he treated me. But knowing Grayson I guess I should have seen this coming.

I chance another peek relieved that the new happy couple has moved on and I can come out from my hiding spot. I step hesitantly onto the trail checking both directions to make sure they are gone. I don’t see any sign of them, nor do I know which direction they are heading. Deciding to find my former happiness, I continue on, determined to complete the full three miles before calling it quits.

I hit repeat on my anthem and resume my quick pace. I don't get far when I sense someone running very close to me. I abruptly stop, fearing that Grayson saw me after all, only to be practically ran over by a hard body colliding into me from behind. I stumble forward, a little disoriented from the collision, but maintain my footing enough that I don’t go tumbling to the ground. I pull my ear buds from my ears just in time to hear him.

“What the hell? Why did you stop?” A raspy voice full of humor pulls me from my haze. Instantly my heart rate accelerates even more than it was during my run. I know that voice and as much as I tell myself I need to run, I look up to find Liam staring at me a little confused and even more amused.

“What.... What are you doing here?” I pant out. I feel like I just entered the twilight zone. First Starbucks, now here. Really? Is someone playing some sort of cruel joke on me? Why can't I seem to get away from this man? If I didn't know any better I would risk saying that he is stalking me.

“Well I was running.” He laughs. “Last time I checked this is a good place to do that.” His smile is dazzling and I find myself unable to rip my eyes away from his beautiful mouth, his perfect teeth. I wonder what those lips would feel like on mine. Soft and sweet, or rough, full of passion.

“You okay Addison?” He asks, snapping me from my haze. The overwhelming electricity I feel in his presence burns through me. My knees instantly feel weak when my eyes finally meet his.

“Fine.” I mumble out, mentally slapping my stupid ass for even letting myself think such things. This is the last thing I need. Something tells me that this man doesn't take no easily and honestly if he asked, I don't know if I could tell him no. I need to snap out of it. A man that looks like him can certainly do better than me. I doubt he would even waste his time.

“I.... I gotta go.” I say, quickly turning and taking off in a full sprint with no real warning. He laughs behind me and within seconds is at my side.

“Your quite rude you know that?” He jokes between long strides of his legs. I am already panting and struggling to keep my pace and yet he seems completely at ease next to me.

I keep going, pushing myself harder and faster until every muscle in my legs is burning to the point of true pain. My lungs are begging for oxygen and honestly I just can't force my body to go any longer. I slow to a walk, eventually stopping to lean over, propping my hands on my knees, doing my best to catch my breath.

My legs are twitching and my lungs feel like I inhaled fire. I realize very quickly that Liam stopped with me. I glance up at him only to find him looking down at me. I can't tell if he feels bad for me or if he's about to burst out in laughter.

“You okay?” He asks, seeming genuinely concerned. He grabs my arm and pulls me upright. The minute his flesh touches mine a want so deep takes over my entire body. He leads me to a bench a few feet ahead that sits off the side of the trail. I plop myself down, thankful to be off my feet.

Liam takes a seat next to me, stretching his long legs out in front of him. I want to say something, anything, but I can't seem to formulate words at the present moment. I glance to my side to see Liam wiping his brow with the bottom of his shirt, revealing his toned, defined abs in the process. Oh my god this man is a god. Sweat rolls down his abdomen hitting the band of his shorts. I can't stop my eyes from trailing forward even though I feel like a complete perv for even thinking about doing it.

“Like what you see?” He asks. My eyes break contact with his perfect body to look to his equally perfect face.

“Well I wouldn’t be looking if you weren't flaunting it.” I bite at him not able to control the small laugh that breaks from my throat.

He gives me a heart stopping smile. “Fair enough. I guess I could say the same to you.” He says reaching over and running his finger along my bare shoulder. The contact makes me shudder to the point that I know he noticed. He smiles again and then drops his hand back down, his eyes not breaking away from mine.

The tension between us is so thick. He leans in closer, his eyes still focused firmly on mine. I'm holding my breath, unable to turn away even though I know I need to. Just when I feel like the air around us is about to explode, my phone rings breaking the connection. A little disoriented I pull my phone from my pocket and without looking at the number I answer it.

“Hello.” My voice comes out breathless.

“Addison.” That's all it takes for everything around me to warp.

“Grayson.” I get out in a whisper.

“Hey I'm sorry to bother you but you still have my iPod and I would really like it back.” He says without any remorse.

“Your iPod?” I mange to get out through the anger bubbling inside me.

“Yeah, well I mean I paid for it and I need it. Think you could drop it by the office later today?”

“Are you kidding me? It was a gift Grayson, a gift. Are you really so heartless that you would call me after everything asking for such a ridiculous thing. Why are you really calling? Because if you're looking to speak to a weak heart broken girl that is lost without you, you won't find her here. If you want your stupid iPod you can have it. It's somewhere in the woods next to the bike trail.” I spit, grabbing the iPod and without really thinking, chucking it across the trail into the woods on the other side.

I stand up half tempted to throw my phone too but then calmly press the end button and shove it back into my pocket.

“Everything okay?” Liam's voice pulls me from my oncoming melt down just in time. He steps next to me but I don't look at him. This pain I feel, this anger, it all stems from men like him. Assholes who think they walk on water, that will use and discard women with no remorse.

“Everything's fine.” I spit. “I have to go, please don't follow me.” I say still not looking at him.

“Addison wait!” He shouts, but I am already in a full on sprint and eager to be away from here. Away from the place where I spent so many mornings with Grayson. Away from the place where for just a moment I almost let myself forget why I need to stay away from Liam. He's no good for me but he's someone I know I will never be able resist.

I run the remaining distance back to my apartment in a daze. By the time I reach the steps that lead up to the front door I feel like absolute shit for the way I treated Liam. Even if he is a player, he's never done anything but be nice to me and he doesn’t deserve to pay for Grayson's mistakes.

Regardless, that doesn’t change the fact that he is no good for me. I am going to go out tonight, get drunk as hell, dance my ass off, and forget all about the man that broke me and the other one that is slowly consuming me.

––––––––

A
s we pull up outside Bella Vita my insides instantly seize up. “I thought you were taking me to Caesars Palace.” I whine from the backseat of Sam's Mustang.

“Relax.” Kristina says, turning from her place in the passenger seat to look at me. “As of Monday you are officially working for this casino. What better way to learn your product than to experience it yourself.” She gives me a little wink before turning her attention to her seat belt as Sam puts the car in park and waits for the valet.

She, of course, has no clue that the reason I don't want to come here has everything to do with a certain bartender that I am trying to forget about. I take a deep breath and peel myself from the backseat as Sam gets his ticket from the valet. With any luck we will stay as far away as possible from Serendipity and then I will have nothing to worry about.

With my new found optimism, I plaster on a fake smile and follow Sam, Kristina, Dana, and Charlie into the entrance of the casino. Stacie and Michelle are supposed to meet us here but I hear that they always say they will come whenever an outing is planned but never end up showing up. Once we pass through security and have our I. D.s checked, we make our way onto the main floor where the majority of the slot machines are located.

I tug at the hem of my black knee length cocktail dress, wishing I had chosen to wear something a little more conservative. As much as I try to convince myself otherwise, I know I will be glad I wore this dress if a certain handsome bartender decides to make an appearance.

Our first stop is at a little bar tucked in the corner of the spacious floor. I order a cotton candy martini and wait to the side as the others get their drinks before making our way down the row of slot machines on the right side wall.

“I love the Wheel of Fortune slots.” Sam says with a grin. “You wanna check them out with me?”

“Sure.” I answer politely trying to forget all about the fact that Sam had asked me out a couple weeks ago and has since made things a little bit awkward. What I used to view as just Sam being friendly now is viewed as him trying to make a pass at me. I know it's probably not the case but now that he planted that seed, it's hard to shake.

“We'll be at the black jack table up by the front.” Dana says before turning and walking away with a little wave, Charlie following close behind. I was surprised to learn that Dana had invited him seeings how we have little to do with him or any of the other I.T people at work. Charlie's not much of a looker, not ugly but certainly not good enough for Dana. For whatever reason she has a huge crush on him, or that's what Kristina told me earlier today anyways. From what I gather she has always been into the more jock type but Charlie is far from that. He's a computer whiz and not the biggest on fashion. He always wears the same pleated front slacks with a button up collared shirt. His brown curls are wild and are in need of some serious taming but other than that his face is soft. There is a sweetness to him and his big brown eyes convince you he is the sweetest person to ever walk the earth. Truth is, he might be.

I'm happy that Dana is focusing on someone who will probably treat her the way she deserves. Although I am pretty confident that Charlie is completely oblivious to Dana's interest, for now anyway.

“Earth to Addison.” I hear Sam chuckle from behind me. I turn to face him with an apologetic smile. “Come on, they are over here.” He says taking my hand to lead the way. I don’t miss the intentional contact and hope that I made myself clear the first time he made advances at me.

I try not to over think it and allow him to lead me through the crowds of people until we reach a row of progressive Wheel of Fortune slot machines. The casino is rather crowded but there are two machines open side by side so we sit down together. I pull a twenty out of my wristlet purse and feed it into the machine.

“You want to bet max. That way if you hit the jackpot you will win all that.” Sam says, pointing up to the moving number above the machines that reads eleven thousand eight hundred and six dollars.