No. You have to learn to delegate, to
let go of control a little bit.”
Addie watched as William pulled a pair of pajama pants from a
drawer and slipped them on. “Yeah, we’ll I’d say I’ve pretty much given up all
control.”
“Only because you were forced.” William grinned. He walked over
to Addie and un-cuffed her. Sitting on the bed, he gathered her in his arms and
rubbed her wrists. “Look, I’m sorry about this, but I needed to talk to you,
and I needed you to listen. I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
Addie rolled her eyes and scooted herself out of his arms. “No,
but that’s not exactly my idea of talking.”
“You wouldn’t listen before, but you see you’re pretty calm now.”
William smiled and continued. “I know you saw the photos from the gala, but you
could’ve at least let me explain. You didn’t even give me a chance to talk to
you.”
Addie inhaled slowly and put on the mask she wore well. “What is
there to say? You don’t need to explain anything to me, William. We’re not in a
relationship. This . . . This thing we’re doing . . . It is what it is. There’s
really nothing more to say.”
William, confused, pulled back, and studied her face. “I’m not
sleeping with anyone else, if that’s what you mean, Addison.”
Addie shifted. “I don’t mean anything, but you’re right. We do
need to have boundaries, and seeing you at the gala made me realize that.”
“And.”
Addie bit her lip. “And you can do your thing, and I’ll do mine.
When we’re together, we’re together. When we’re not, well, we each have our own
interests.”
William stood and ran his fingers through his hair. “Tell me,
Addison. Do you have other fucking interests? Because I don’t. The girl you saw
was there to throw the media off. I figured if they saw me with someone then
they’d get off our asses and we wouldn’t have to worry so much. I was paying
her to be seen with me. Nothing more.”
Addie frowned. Fuck.
“Mr. Hartman, I’m sorry to interrupt, but we have a situation,” a
voice called over the intercom.
William stared at Addie as though waiting for her to speak. When
she didn’t, he shook his head. “I’ll be right there, Carl.”
“There’s a bathroom right through those doors. Everything you
need should be in there, but just hit the buzzer by the door if not. I had your
clothes cleaned and pressed, and they’re there on a hanger.”
Addie stared at William blankly, refusing to say what was on her
mind. He didn’t take his gaze off hers as she entered the bathroom and shut the
door. She showered and dressed quickly before making her way back towards the
living area. As she rounded the corner, she heard hushed voices speaking
briskly. When Addie entered the room, it went silent. William had his back to
her and appeared to be staring out the window. He spoke slowly and calmly, his
voice rough. “We have to do something. This is escalating.”
Carl cleared his throat. “Mrs. Greyer.”
William turned and exhaled. Addison’s heart sunk when she saw the
concern across his face. She glanced from William to Carl to the men she didn’t
recognize and then back to William. “What’s going on?”
William made his way over to her in two swift steps. “Addison,
sit. Please.”
Addie stepped back. “Don’t tell me to sit. Does anyone want to
explain what’s going on here or why you’re all looking at me like someone
died?”
William lowered his voice and ushered her to the couch. “Addison,
please.” He sat and took her hand in hers.
Addie sucked in all the air she could and still felt as though
she couldn’t get enough. “Oh my God, please tell me what’s going on.” Addie
stood quickly. “Where are my children?” William pulled her back down to the
couch and spoke slowly. “The boys are fine. They’re still at school, and
there’s a team of my guys with them.” Addie exhaled and nodded. William
continued. “When one of the guys went to pick up your
let go of control a little bit.”
Addie watched as William pulled a pair of pajama pants from a
drawer and slipped them on. “Yeah, we’ll I’d say I’ve pretty much given up all
control.”
“Only because you were forced.” William grinned. He walked over
to Addie and un-cuffed her. Sitting on the bed, he gathered her in his arms and
rubbed her wrists. “Look, I’m sorry about this, but I needed to talk to you,
and I needed you to listen. I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
Addie rolled her eyes and scooted herself out of his arms. “No,
but that’s not exactly my idea of talking.”
“You wouldn’t listen before, but you see you’re pretty calm now.”
William smiled and continued. “I know you saw the photos from the gala, but you
could’ve at least let me explain. You didn’t even give me a chance to talk to
you.”
Addie inhaled slowly and put on the mask she wore well. “What is
there to say? You don’t need to explain anything to me, William. We’re not in a
relationship. This . . . This thing we’re doing . . . It is what it is. There’s
really nothing more to say.”
William, confused, pulled back, and studied her face. “I’m not
sleeping with anyone else, if that’s what you mean, Addison.”
Addie shifted. “I don’t mean anything, but you’re right. We do
need to have boundaries, and seeing you at the gala made me realize that.”
“And.”
Addie bit her lip. “And you can do your thing, and I’ll do mine.
When we’re together, we’re together. When we’re not, well, we each have our own
interests.”
William stood and ran his fingers through his hair. “Tell me,
Addison. Do you have other fucking interests? Because I don’t. The girl you saw
was there to throw the media off. I figured if they saw me with someone then
they’d get off our asses and we wouldn’t have to worry so much. I was paying
her to be seen with me. Nothing more.”
Addie frowned. Fuck.
“Mr. Hartman, I’m sorry to interrupt, but we have a situation,” a
voice called over the intercom.
William stared at Addie as though waiting for her to speak. When
she didn’t, he shook his head. “I’ll be right there, Carl.”
“There’s a bathroom right through those doors. Everything you
need should be in there, but just hit the buzzer by the door if not. I had your
clothes cleaned and pressed, and they’re there on a hanger.”
Addie stared at William blankly, refusing to say what was on her
mind. He didn’t take his gaze off hers as she entered the bathroom and shut the
door. She showered and dressed quickly before making her way back towards the
living area. As she rounded the corner, she heard hushed voices speaking
briskly. When Addie entered the room, it went silent. William had his back to
her and appeared to be staring out the window. He spoke slowly and calmly, his
voice rough. “We have to do something. This is escalating.”
Carl cleared his throat. “Mrs. Greyer.”
William turned and exhaled. Addison’s heart sunk when she saw the
concern across his face. She glanced from William to Carl to the men she didn’t
recognize and then back to William. “What’s going on?”
William made his way over to her in two swift steps. “Addison,
sit. Please.”
Addie stepped back. “Don’t tell me to sit. Does anyone want to
explain what’s going on here or why you’re all looking at me like someone
died?”
William lowered his voice and ushered her to the couch. “Addison,
please.” He sat and took her hand in hers.
Addie sucked in all the air she could and still felt as though
she couldn’t get enough. “Oh my God, please tell me what’s going on.” Addie
stood quickly. “Where are my children?” William pulled her back down to the
couch and spoke slowly. “The boys are fine. They’re still at school, and
there’s a team of my guys with them.” Addie exhaled and nodded. William
continued. “When one of the guys went to pick up your
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