Pulling out into traffic, I finished the drive to the post office in deep thought.
When I entered the tiny building, Kerie waved at me from behind the counter. I returned the gesture, my mail-key jingling in my lock. Cracking the door, I reached in to grab the few envelopes... and stopped.
There was a letter waiting for me.
First came shock, then came fury. I told him to leave me alone! Grabbing the paper, I read the perfectly curling ink. It said only one thing, Pet.
Trembling, I ripped it open.
Pet,
You told me to leave you alone. I think you know that I can't.
I'm going to do everything I can to get you back in my grip, I need to touch you so badly, I—
Crushing the letter, I threw it on the ground and fucking screamed.
Why was he still reaching out to me? He was insane—he had to be. Wasn't it clear after seeing me with Detective Roose that talking to me was stupid? It was the riskiest thing he could do, especially after I'd warned him off, and still he was doing it!
“Hey!” Kerie said, breaking into my thoughts. “Are you okay?”
Freezing, I looked around without moving my head. Everyone was watching me, their unease plain as day. For once, I didn't care. Let them stare, I was tired of holding my emotions inside.
He's putting himself in danger just to talk to me.
Through the frustration, there was a twang of remorse... and longing.
Kerie waved his hands gently, his voice hushed. “Calm down, you're freaking everyone out. What happened?”
“Nothing,” I said, rolling my shoulders. I bent down to scoop up the letter, but Kerie beat me to it. “Wait!”
Ignoring me, he unfolded the mess, eyes scanning the page. “Oh, jeez,” he sputtered. Flicking me a quick look, he read more. “Uh, wow. This is from that guy, huh?”
Burning down to my feet, I snatched it back from him. “Pretend you didn't read that.”
Understanding glimmered in his eyes. “You're pissed at him, aren't you?”
“Was it obvious?” Sighing, I fluffed my hair. “Sorry, that came out mean. I'm just... I didn't expect him to write to me again.”
“Oh. That's probably why he paid me extra to give you this.”
Stunned, I looked down at the small black satchel Kerie held. I couldn't make myself reach out and touch it. “Why did he give you that?”
Pointedly, he nodded at the crushed letter. “I'm guessing he figured you'd react like that and didn't want whatever this is to get ruined.”
Silver was too smart for his own damn good.
But not smart enough to leave me alone.
Shaking, I opened and closed my hands at my sides. My instinct said to take the gift and see what it was. The alarmingly sharp part of my mind said to walk away and stand firm. Silver was trying to buy me back.
I wouldn't let him.
“Hey!” he shouted, chasing after me as I stormed out to my car. “Where are you going?”
“He's determined to get me to talk to him.” Climbing into the driver's seat, I revved the engine. “I'll give him what he wants.”
Kerie inched forward, then back again. I wouldn't have run him over, but he was acting like I might. “What the hell happened between you two?”
I spared him a single glance. “Everything.”
And it was the truth.
When he moved out of my way, I burned rubber in my wake.
- Chapter Twenty-three -
Alexis
A business card and Silver's jacket were my only companions in the car. I'd stopped at my place just long enough to grab them.
Touching the jacket had been a shocker. His essence was all over it, and the weight reminded me too much of how his hands felt on my shoulders.
Parking my car, I went to pick up the jacket... and I stopped.
Am I really doing this?
In the mirror, I saw the circles under my eyes. Kicking Silver out of my life had been a futile effort. I couldn't sleep because he was a constant in my dreams. Waking with the memory of his touch was torture.
Running away had always been the answer to my problems. Except it had never solved anything. It had taken me years to realize that.
The only way to end this is to face him.
With great control, I scooped his jacket up and climbed out into the purple light of the evening. Lifting my eyes, I stared at the building. It was blackened stone, modern-style windows running down the front like buttons on a suit. It had a buzz that just screamed money.
Money and sex.
Pushing my hand against the door, I walked into Pure Pleasure Incorporated.
The waiting room was glossy white, a series of small, round chairs set to one side. There was a water cooler as well as an impressive little machine that seemed to make single cups of coffee or tea. One man was mixing a drink as I watched.
I knew instantly that this wasn't a place people just walked into. Pure Pleasure didn't sell their products here, they made them here.
I probably look like a tourist. But tourists didn't have the singular intensity in their eyes like I did.