True Bliss (Bliss #2)(51)
Author: B.J. Harvey

“I get that hon, I really do, but he’s not one of those guys. From what Mac’s told me, he’s not the type of guy to f**k around on you. He’s a good guy with a good family who would do anything for you.”

“He’s all of those things.”

“And are you really willing to throw away a chance at something good with him without giving the guy an opportunity to explain why he did it?”

I stare at Daniel, the silence between us more telling than any words I can say.

“Didn’t think so. You’re a beautiful, kind, amazing woman who any decent man would give their left nut to be with. Look at what Mac and I went through to get to this point in our relationship. What if he couldn’t approach you any other way than on the internet? What if Mac’s attempt at matchmaking was more than just wishful thinking? What if your best friend who knows you better than anyone else knew that you and Zander would be good for each other?”

My eyes well with tears as his words sink in. Damn him, he’s right.

Right on cue, Mac walks into the room and comes straight up to me, pulling me up for a hug.

“I’m sorry, hon. I really am. I thought you two were made for each other. Him being the big protector, you being the dreamer wanting to be looked after.” She’s crying now too. “Damn this leaky eye syndrome. I blame you, Superman.” I bet she’s glaring at him over my shoulder.

“Hey, don’t bring me into this,” he says, looking at both of us and laughing.

“Now, how about I take you ladies out for breakfast? Then we can give Kate some time to think about what she’s going to do.”

“Sounds like a plan, Superman,” I say before I crack up laughing, realizing what I said.

“You’re a poet and you didn’t even know it,” Mac retorts, giggling while Daniel just looks at the roof and mutters something inaudible.

Until I have to, I’m not going to think about anything beyond my friends and breakfast.

I’m going to give my heart a break.

ZANDER

Twenty-four hours and there has been no word from Kate. No replies to my text messages, no calls. I haven’t even heard from Mac. If this is what Hell feels like, then I will never sin again.

I miss her smile, the way she lights up a room whenever I’m near her, the warmth around me when I’m holding her in my arms at night. Fuck, I sound like a girl, but I don’t care. I need to get her back. I just need a chance to explain, an opportunity to make this whole mess up to her.

Samantha, who is now my partner, keeps complaining that I’m distracted and a liability. I sort my head out after that and focus on the job, but when I get back to Zach’s apartment, it’s a different story. I’m so used to coming home to Kate that the apartment seems cold, eerily quiet. My mind keeps wondering what Kate is doing, whether she is okay, and if she is still pissed off at me. The lack of communication has me leaning toward yes.

How can I make it up to her?

Her reaction and her words last night cut me like a knife. I knew the whole nightdancer thing would bite me in the ass. I just kept hoping that she’d give me the chance to explain, but looking back I know nothing would have helped. It was never my intention to carry on talking to her once I moved in, but after our first kiss where I pretty much told her we were going on a date, my curiosity took over, and I wondered where her head was at.

I want to ring Zoe or Mia and get their opinion, but I know that they’d kick my ass for hurting Kate. They fell in love with her over the weekend they visited, and I don’t know if I can bear another ear bashing from a female I love right now.

I’m glad Kate went to Mac’s. I felt better knowing she is safe. The natural protector in me wants to march over there and bring her back home.

Sunday night I can’t control myself. I go to Kate’s apartment and knock on the door. I just want to see her, check she is okay. I called out to her, even begged her to answer the door, but she didn’t come.

If she needs space I can give her space, just don’t expect me to give her too much. I need to show her that I’m sincere; that the internet dating f**k up was only so I could get to know her, get close to her. I need to tell her that I’ve wanted her since I met her, but I just didn’t think I deserved her at that point in time.

She told me that she thought she’d found the one. Well, I need to prove to her that she isn’t wrong. I want to be everything she wants and needs me to be, and I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to be more than that. I meant what I said to her that night when I denied myself a night with her. She deserves a lifetime of making love.

I’m going to prove that I’m the one to give it to her.

A week has passed with no word from Kate. My daily phone calls are still going unanswered as are my text messages. I’m struggling with the silent treatment. I fully expected her to call me and give me an earful. I’m starting to think I’ve underestimated how much I’ve hurt her, so on Monday morning, nine days since I moved out, I grab a moment to call a florist near Kate’s salon. I order a single pink rose to be sent to her at work for every day this week. It’s a small gesture, but I hope that the cards I’ve asked to be sent with each delivery will get my message across to her. Slowly but surely I’m determined to show her how I feel.

Sam and I have to stop by a nightclub on Division Street to do a bail check. Seems the owner of the club got into a bit of strife recently and was released on bail under his brother’s watch. Sam tells me on the way over there that the brother is some attorney claiming to have no knowledge of whatever dodgy dealings his brother is into. Detectives have looked into his brother, but he’s squeaky clean.

We arrive outside the club-the name seems familiar to me for some reason, but I can’t pick it. I look at the rap sheet of the guy we’re checking in on, Ryan Miller. Nope, don’t know the guy from Adam. He’s thirty years old and owns half of this nightclub along with his brother, Sean Miller. Fuck, that name is familiar. Why do I…

Holy shit.

No way is this the attorney that Mac used to sleep with. She told me one night about Sean and his ‘club’ that had, in her words, ‘hot as hell’ VIP rooms upstairs catering for varied sexual proclivities. Fuck.

Conflict of interest, no. Comfort factor, zero.

“Um, Sam, I know of the brother, the attorney.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. Friend of a friend. I think he’s on the up and up, but this isn’t just a nightclub. It’s also a fetish club. I haven’t seen it myself, but by all accounts there are VIP rooms upstairs that get rather busy at night if you know what I mean.”

Sam seems a little ruffled by my revelation. “Well, it doesn’t matter. We’re here to check on Mr. Miller, the younger Mr. Miller, and then go on our way. There’s no need to linger. Just make our presence known, check that everything is in order, then leave. You okay with that, Roberts?”