Trashy (Take It Off #10)(48)
Author: Cambria Hebert

I nodded.

“Well, he kind of had a specific idea on how to make it.” Her fingers were turning white around the mug because she gripped it so hard.

“I’m assuming it’s a large chunk of money he owes if he’s driving that car around,” I muttered and scrubbed a hand over my face.

“I’m sure,” she replied.

“Sweetheart, you do know you are not responsible for him or the money he owes, right?” It occurred to me while this was blindingly clear to me, maybe she still felt some kind of responsibility toward him.

“I know,” she whispered.

“So you told him no?”

She nodded. “Of course I did.”

“And that’s when he threatened you,” I surmised, hating this guy more and more by the second.

Her eyes filled with tears and she set her coffee aside to twist her hands in her lap. When she lifted her jewel-like eyes at me, they were filled with despair. “He threatened you, Adam. He sent someone after you with a gun. He knows I would never do what he wants if it was only my life he was threatening.”

A really bad feeling crawled over me. It simmered just below my skin, and my jaw clenched. This guy owed a lot of money, and he wanted Roxie to do something to help repay it.

“What does he want you to do, Roxie?” I asked quietly.

“He wants me to be in an adult film.” She spoke hesitantly and softly.

She might well have been screaming because just the fucking idea of her screwing some guy on camera for money echoed so loudly through my body that I lost my hearing for several seconds.

I saw her staring at me, saw her lips form my name.

But I didn’t hear.

I’d never in my entire life had the urge to kill someone like I did right then. Sure, I threatened to kill him in my head several times, but this… this time I had to physically stop myself from leaving the house and hunting him down.

I felt Roxie’s hand on my forearm and I glanced down. Reality came rushing back, and I realized I wasn’t on the bed anymore. I wasn’t even in the bedroom. I was standing in the living room with my car keys in my palm.

“Adam,” she pleaded, “where are you going?”

“Nowhere,” I said, forcing the words past my lips. After a moment, I tossed the keys on the couch and sat down on the coffee table.

Not only was that motherfucker trying to pimp Roxie out, but he was using me to do it. Part of me realized it said a lot about how Roxie felt about me if even her ex realized a threat to me would make her do what he wanted. But I couldn’t think about that now.

“You aren’t considering this,” I said, hoarse.

“I told you I said no.” She sat on the couch across from me. “I’m supposed to meet him today, this morning, at some address he gave me.”

“Give me the address,” I said hard.

“No.”

I glanced up. “I’m not kidding.”

“I’m not either.” Her jaw was set and her eyes were stone. “I’m not going and neither are you.”

“You want me to just let him get away with this?”

“I want you to just get away with me,” she whispered. “You already won, Adam. You have what he doesn’t. Me.”

“Ah, sweetheart, having you isn’t a contest. You aren’t some pawn I can use to stick it to him. I love you.”

“And I’m with you now.”

It was the first time she really confirmed it. My heart skipped a beat. “You making it official?” I asked, the corner of my lip tilting up.

She nodded. “But promise me you’ll stay away from him.”

I felt my lips thin. How the hell was I supposed to promise that?

“I mean it, Adam. I’m tired of him. I just want out. I want away from it all. I just want to be with you and not look over my shoulder. Don’t let my past get in the way of our future.”

“I’ll stay away from him,” I swore, taking her hand. “But if he comes at me, I’m not making any promises.”

“I wouldn’t expect you to.” Roxie sank her teeth into her bottom lip, looking worried. “I won’t show up today, and he’ll realize he can’t control me anymore. He’ll leave us alone then.”

I switched onto the couch and pulled her into my arms, resting my chin on top of her head.

I wondered if she really believed he was just going to go away.

I didn’t think it was going to be that easy.

31

Roxie

It had been a week since I didn’t show up to the address Craig gave me, and I had yet to see or hear from him.

Part of me was shocked he’d given up so easily, and another part of me was just so incredibly relieved. I hoped he would give up. I thought he might, but deep down I was still terribly afraid he wouldn’t.

Adam hadn’t seen him either. There had been no suspicious cars following us, no gun-waving strangers… no threats of any kind. Still, we were both cautious and watchful on a daily basis. When we weren’t at work, we spent a lot of time at his place. The gated property made me feel safe.

Honoring my wishes, Harlow was staying at Cam’s. I missed our time together, the time we just hung out in the living room for girl talk, but I knew we’d have it again. Right now, being safe was the thing to do.

I will admit after a week of nothing, I was starting to relax and feel better about things. Adam and I settled into a routine of sorts, but it wasn’t the kind of routine that made a person wake up in the morning and think “just another day.” No, this was the kind of routine—a kind of life—I prayed would last the rest of my life.

I woke up every morning in his arms and went for a run on the beach with him. Well, he ran and I gasped for breath and stumbled around. He said I’d get better with time. I really didn’t care. I liked the view from behind him.

Then we would shower. Long, lazy showers that always involved more than soap. We’d have coffee together and I’d make breakfast (Adam was a complete disaster in the kitchen), and we’d eat it on the small balcony and watch the waves. Of course, the majority of our days were spent at work. Adam was over at the Mad Hatter II and I was at the original club. Turns out I liked being a manager. And I didn’t miss dancing at all.

Sometimes we’d get away for dinner or lunch, and every single night I spent wrapped up in his arms.

I could honestly say I’d never been happier in my entire life.

He was everything I ever wanted, but over the years I thought that was only a dream. It blew my mind the stark differences being with him compared to being with my ex.