Page 32 of West (The Moral Compass 1)
“Hmmm. Last time I saw you, you were inside the apartment in your room doing whatever it is you do for two hours. I didn’t know you were going to come outside to the hallway. Oh yeah, I went to get us breakfast.” He smiles again and offers a hand to help me steady myself. He’s holding two coffees and a bag of whatever in his hand, but he’s so strong that he only needs one hand to help me on my feet.
“Oh, okay, sorry. I just wanted some air. If you’d have said you were heading out, I would have come with you,” I mutter.
Now I’m mad with myself for coming back. I should have gone out.
No, I shouldn’t, that wouldn’t have been good.
I’m having a mental argument with myself, and he is staring at me like I’ve lost the plot.
“Think we better get you inside and rest those legs, don’t you?”
“Yeah,” I spit, but I’m more pissed off with me than I am with him right now. I’m such a flake. I can’t even make up my own mind about going out of the door. What the fuck is wrong with me?
You’re catching the feelings is what’s wrong with you, and you don’t want to upset the guy even though he’s a dog with two dicks talking to random blonde women at six in the morning.
So, the day goes on quite smoothly. We watch TV, an online delivery of food is delivered, and he makes us lunch and dinner before disappearing into his office for a few hours. It’s only when it starts to get late that things take an uncomfortable turn. For the last two nights, there has been some form of sexual activity, but today, things have been strained, and I don’t want to push anything.
I still haven’t asked who the blonde woman was on the call this morning, and I’m not sure I want to know. I’m having internal arguments. Do I just let it happen and have fun at the risk of ruining my career and possibly hurting some other woman? Although the woman on the call this morning didn’t seem upset to see me standing there in his robe. Maybe she’s one of those women who is happy with just sex and no strings whatsoever.
“Okay, so I’m going to turn in. I think I’ve watched enough TV for today.”
“Okay, night.”
I don’t know what I’m hoping for but that wasn’t it. I grab my crutches and hobble down the corridor towards my bedroom when I feel a warm body on my back. I’m just turning into my room when his hot, minty breath brushes against my ear.
“Where are you going?”
“To bed. That’s where I’m supposed to sleep, isn’t it?” Snarky bitch Sutton to the rescue.
“Oh, so you’re going to bed without brushing your teeth, yeah? Your toothbrush is still in my bathroom.” I can hear the tension in his voice. My comment about my bedroom wasn’t called for, and he just slammed it back with the toothbrush jab.
“Oh, yeah, sorry I’ll go get it.”
“Look, Sutton, I’m not bothered about your toothbrush or even if you brush your teeth tonight. Although, if I’m going to kiss you, it would be better.” He smirks. “Just come and get in with me. I know I want you to, and I know you want to, so let’s be grown up and go to bed, together.”
“Okay,” is all I can manage. I now feel like a stupid little girl, but I also want to be next to him.
I do my night-time rituals and slide into bed. He follows and does the same thing. He puts his arm out for me to curl into him, and I do, but with all the emotional stress and the extra painkillers I took earlier, I’m out like a light. I just about remember him kissing me on my fucking head.
Chapter 24
West
She’sfinallyasleep,andthe little snores tell me she is out hard. I need to get back into my office and read more of what North sent me earlier. My brother is the best there is if you want information. Earlier today, he sent me the files on Jaxon Jacobs. The guy has a very colourful past, and his twenty year sentence was a combination of his attack on Sutton and aggravated burglary. Nothing too shocking in that report.
I flip through a few more pages, but something in my gut tells me something is wrong. Something is not right. I feel like I’m being watched. This feeling is a sixth sense I used to get back in the day, but I’m in my apartment, and only me and Sutton are here. I pull the top drawer of my desk open, open my secondary drawer, and pull out my gun. Sliding it into the back of my jeans, I slowly make my way out of my office and down the hallway.
Being barefoot, I don’t make a sound, but my senses are telling me someone else is here. I pass my bedroom and a quick look through the open door tells me Sutton is still out cold. I get to the end of the hallway and into the lounge area where I find Alicia sitting at the island cross-legged and swinging her foot.
“Alicia? What are you doing here in my fucking home?”
“Well, I was hoping you would be alone and would enjoy the 'company',but I can see you still have your broken bird staying.” Her beguiling voice went through me.
“How the fuck did you get in?”
“The door was unlocked. I knocked. When you didn’t answer, I thought you must be in bed. Naked and alone,” she purred in a strangled cat type of way.
“Alicia, you know I have Sutton here, and I don’t believe a fucking word of ‘the door was unlocked’ It’s always locked. How. Did. You. Get. In. Here?” I spit at her.
