The Possessive Groom by Alexa Riley
Chapter 14
Gibson
Over the past couple of years, my business has taken me all over the globe and away from some of my favorite parts about my work. Being in the lab and working with my hands to figure out problems, streamline production, and see the success being built in front of me gives me an internal reward that being in a boardroom never did.
So I should be happy that the past month I’ve thrown myself into the work, but instead I’ve been fucking miserable.
As soon as Lindsey left me standing in her hotel room, I saw every mistake I’d made up to that point. When I went after her, it was too late. She’d left everything behind and chartered a plane off the island before even Mary knew about it.
It took hours for me to get another one to follow after her, but as soon as my feet hit the ground, she was already in the air again. I didn’t know where she'd gone, and it was like she fell off the face of the earth.
Darian wouldn’t give me anything, but he also didn’t fire me or tell me to fuck off. Instead, he gave me the keys to the lab and wished me luck. I think part of him knew that I had to do something, and if I couldn’t get her back right that second, I needed to fix what it was that made her leave.
With so little time, there wasn’t a second to waste, but every morning Mary would come in and shake her head, answering my unspoken question. Is she back?
A month of waiting without a single word, and I’m the most miserable I’ve ever been. Yes, I got the technology finished and we were first on the patent. The merging of our companies will be the greatest contribution to science in a generation, but none of it means anything without Lindsey.
I’ve been crashing on a cot in the corner of the lab, but most nights I don’t sleep. Every time I close my eyes, I see flashes of her, and it haunts me. The curve of her hip, the fire of her red hair, and god help me, the parting of her lips before she climaxed and whispered my name.
I let out a long sigh as I rub the heel of my hands against my eyes. I’m exhausted but on edge all the time, and I can’t think straight. I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up.
The door to the lab swings open, and when I look up I see Mary in the doorway. There’s a second of hesitation before she nods, and I stand up so fast the stool I was sitting on topples backwards.
“Where is she?” I demand as I grab my coat.
“She just left Darian and Rosy’s house about ten minutes ago. I got a text from Darian saying she was on her way back to her place.”
“Thank you,” I manage to say past the lump in my throat as I fly out of the lab and to the garage.
I get in my Porsche and peel out of the garage much faster than is safe. I’ve got the way to Lindsey’s memorized because I drive by it every night, praying I’ll see a light on. She’s in a penthouse downtown, and every day the top floor was dark, my heart grew darker.
But as I come over the hill and see her building in the distance, there’s a light on and everything inside me wants to explode. I’ve gone in and talked to the doorman before, and already I’m worried about how I’ll get past him. There’s nothing I won’t do to get up there, so I shove those thoughts out of my mind as I pull up to the curb.
When I walk inside, the man at the counter looks up. “Good evening, Mr. Fox.”
I pause as my brows draw together in confusion. “I’m here to see Lindsey Evans.”
“Yes, Mr. Darian Wilson told us to expect you. The elevator is waiting.”
He holds out his hand to direct me onto it and I make a mental note to call Darian later and thank him for this. I give my thanks to the man behind the desk and take the elevator up.
Darian could have thrown me out on my ass and broken our deal, but instead he put me to work. There are some things I’ll never be able to repay, and this will be the biggest one. By him allowing me to fix my mistakes, he’s given me a chance at convincing Lindsey to take me back. It might not work, but she’s going to have a miserable life with me always five feet behind her until she agrees to love me.
When the elevator doors open, I run into the foyer and beat on the door like I’m trying to break it down.
“Lindsey, it’s me!” I shout as possessive need rises inside of me. I think of all the moments together we’ve missed the past month, and I’m angry that she slipped through my fingers. “You will open this goddamn door or I’ll break it down.”
The door swings open, and when I see her, I want to fall to my knees with relief. I think somewhere in the back of my mind I wondered if I’d made it all up, and this perfect angel was just in my imagination.
I see her eyes sharpen, and there’s a flash of hurt, but she hides it so quickly it’s almost not there. But I see it, and it breaks me. She stiffens as I step forward, and I’m scared she’s like a deer and any second she’s going to bolt.
“Why are you here?” The tone of her voice is cold but cautious.
“Why do you think I’m here?” I take another step forward, and it forces her back into her penthouse. “I’m coming to claim what’s mine.”
She opens her mouth to say something but then closes it. She looks around like she didn’t realize I’d come so far into her home. “What do you mean?”
I kick the door behind me closed, and once we’re finally alone with no way for her to escape, my anxious fear begins to cool and now the thrumming need for her is the loudest.
“You left that island before I had a chance to explain, and I’m not waiting around to let you slip through my fingers before you hear all of it.”
“I know what I saw.” She clenches her fists at her side like she doesn’t want to touch me, but maybe it’s so she doesn’t.
“I made a deal before I knew the true consequences of my actions. I didn’t know what I’d be giving up, or what I’d stand to lose.” She doesn’t speak as I take a step closer, putting us almost within arm’s reach. “After you left, I went through with the deal because I knew if I didn’t they might come after you.”
Her eyes widen in disbelief. “What?”
“They somehow found out about you, and that was all the leverage they needed. They knew I would do anything to keep you safe, and they were right. I would have given up every fucking secret Darian had to protect you.”
She swallows hard, but I see something soften in her eyes.
“I gave them what they wanted, but I added an encryption on the flash drive that would take them weeks to unlock, and by then it would be too late.” Now it’s my turn to clench my fists, because if I touch her now I don’t know if I’ll be able to hold back. “I’ve spent the past month in agony fixing what I did and protecting you.”
“Why were you in agony?” The question is so soft, but she knows the answer.
“Because you left.” I grit out the last word, and then I can’t stand the distance between us anymore. I lunge for her and wrap her in my arms before she can get away. She stiffens, but as I hold her close and press my lips to hers, I feel her soften. “That’s right,” I say against her lips as she opens for me. “I’ve got you now, and you’re never running from me again.”
“Gibson, I’m—”
“The only thing I want to hear out of your mouth, princess, is how hard you want me to fuck you.”
