Addicted (A Billionaire Romance Novel) Page 8

  I should probably call my sponsor, she whispered to herself. Ryan could talk me out of this. He would talk me through everything; maybe he’d even come over. No, that just sounds pathetic. It’s pathetic that I don’t have any friends that I could call to get over. If I wouldn’t have turned into such an introvert after Alex died, I’d have plenty of friends to call. But I foolishly cut all of them out of my life. I’m such a loser. I don’t even know why I bother with life anymore, she said with teary eyes. It’s so overrated. If everything would just end, I wouldn’t have to worry about anything anymore. I doubt anyone would even miss me.

  As Audrey wept uncontrollably, she remembered that she still had some heroin. She’d forgotten all about it until now. Before she’d gone to rehab, she found it when she was packing her clothes and hid it so her sister wouldn’t find it. When she found it, she knew that she should’ve thrown it away; she just couldn’t bring herself to do it. Sitting up, she got off of Alex’s bed and walked into her room. On the corner of her large oak dresser, sat her jewelry box. It seemed to be calling her name as she glared at it. She opened the top of it and lifted a ring box out of one of the slots. Inside that ring box, under the piece of cardboard that once contained a ring—the ring Rob had given her—was her stash of heroin. She picked up the foil envelope and unfolded it.

  Chapter Seven

  As Chad knocked on Christina’s front door, he grew excited to see his little girl. Kayla answered the door, eager to see him too.

  “Hi dad!” she said as she threw her arms around him.

  Shocked by her greeting, he awkwardly returned her hug. “Hi, munchkin. Where’s your mom?”

  “She’s switching over the laundry. She told me that you were coming over to see us!”

  “Yep, and here I am. What were you doing?”

  “Oh, I was working on some math homework,” she explained as they made their way inside the house. “But I’m having so much trouble with it.”

  “What kind of math are you studying right now? I bet I can help,” he offered with a smile.

  “How long ago were you in third grade?” she asked with her hands on her hips.

  “A long, long time ago, but I’m pretty good at math.”

  “Are you really?” she asked as her pigtails bounced from side to side.

  “I am! I use it every day at work. Let me take a look at your homework.”

  He and Kayla sat at the kitchen table solving math problems as Christina watched while cooking dinner. Before their meal was ready, she told Kayla to go wash up.

  “It’s nice to see her interacting with you and having someone help her with her homework,” Christina said as she dried her hands on a kitchen towel.

  “It feels good. I actually enjoy doing these things. I know it’s only been a couple of days, but she makes it so easy,” he said, adoring a picture of her that hung on the fridge.

  “Oh! I didn’t even think to offer you a picture of her. I’ll be right back.”

  So this is what married life is like, Chad thought. It would be nice coming home to a wife and kid, and a home cooked meal. Speaking of, I need to call Audrey and check in on her. She’s been acting strange lately though I don’t blame her.

  “Here, these are this year’s school pictures,” Christina said taking photos out of the large envelope. “If you’d like, I can gather up some of her baby pictures and other school pictures.”

  “That would be great, I’d like that,” he said taking the pictures from Christina’s hand.

  As the three dined on homemade pizza and salad, Chad developed an overwhelming feeling that he needed to contact Audrey. He tried ignoring it, brushing it off as guilt. True, he wasn’t dating Christina but he knew that Audrey wouldn’t appreciate him having dinner with his newfound family. The longer he sat there, the more his gut told him that he needed to leave.

  “Boy, Christina, this meal’s great, but I should probably get going. I’ve had a long day and I’m sure Kayla needs to get ready for bed,” he said ruffling Kayla’s hair.

  “Okay. Thanks for stopping by and helping her with her homework. I think the two of you are going to get along just fine,” she smiled at him.

  “I have that same feeling,” he said beaming at Kayla. “You sure are a wonderful girl. I’m glad your mom found me so that I could be a part of your life.”

  “Are you coming back tomorrow?” Kayla asked.

  “If I can, I will. We’ll have to see.”

  “Please,” she begged with puppy dog eyes.

  “Okay, fine. You talked me into it!” he said, throwing his hands in the air as if she had tried her hardest to convince him.

  “Yay! And can we go for ice cream or something?”

  He looked at Christina, “If it’s all right with your mom.”

  She nodded, “I think that would be perfect.”

  “And mom can come too?” she asked.

  Chad and Christina looked at each other, unsure of what to say. Finally, he broke his glance with her and looked at Kayla, “If she wants to come, she’s welcome to.”

  “Yay! Me, you and mommy are going out for ice cream tomorrow! I can’t wait!”

  “All right,” he said, getting down on his knee to hug her goodbye. “Listen, I want you to get all washed up and ready for bed. You be a good girl for your mom.”

  “I will,” she promised him.

  He winked at her and said goodbye to Christina as he left. On his way out to his truck, he removed his cell phone from his pocket and tried calling Audrey. The phone rang four times before her voicemail picked up. That’s odd, he thought, she doesn’t generally go to bed this early. He looked at his watch to ensure it wasn’t later than he thought. Nope, only 8 PM, she’s definitely not in bed. Opening the door of his truck, he got in and tried calling her once more before he began driving. No luck; voicemail again.

  Initially, he was going to go home when he left Christina’s house, but his gut kept telling him that he needed to talk to Audrey. Something didn’t feel right. Over half way home, he decided to make a U-turn in the middle of the highway and began heading back to the city. He continued calling Audrey, but the result was no different than earlier. Every time he called her, the phone would ring its standard four rings and then her voicemail would pick up. This was highly unlike Audrey. Typically she answered on the second ring; and if she were sleeping, she’d groggily answer, happy to hear from him. Even if she were in the shower, she should’ve been out by now, he thought. An almost 40-minute shower for Audrey was abnormal. She was typically in and out within 20 minutes or so. Maybe a half hour if she took time shaving her legs.

  Alarm set in as he drove down the highway. Pressing down on the gas pedal, he sped down the freeway. Racing to Audrey’s house, he thought of Alex and how he’d been hit by a speeding car. He felt guilty for darting down the highway, but he needed to reach her. As he exited the freeway, he tried calling her again, hoping for a different result.

  “Come on, Audrey, pick up the damn phone!” he yelled to no one in particular. “Damn it! Audrey! Answer!”

  His tires gripped the road as he veered a sharp right onto her street. Within minutes, he was at her house. Tingles trickled down his back as he pulled in front of her house and saw some of the lights were on. He glanced at her driveway and noted that her car was there. Why in the hell isn’t she answering, he mumbled to himself? Getting out of his truck, he raced up her porch stairs taking two at a time. When he reached the front door, he knocked loudly. Waiting a few moments for her to answer, he tried peering into her living room through the closed blinds. Useless, he thought. I can’t see anything. Moving back in front of the door, he banged louder.

  “Audrey!” he yelled, trying to get her attention as he continued pounding on her door.

  No response. As a last resort, he tried opening the door to let himself in, but it was locked.

  “Shit,” he said under his breath.

  He glanced around the street, looking to see if any of the neighbo
rs were outside, but the street was dark and quiet. He ran down the front steps and slyly snuck into her backyard. Once on her deck, he tried banging on the back door. She still didn’t answer. Panic began to set in. Why isn’t she answering, he wondered. She’s obviously home since her car is here and the lights are on. His trembling hands reached into his pants pocket as he grabbed his phone. Calling her once more, the phone sent him to voicemail.

  “I can’t take this! Why isn’t she answering my calls? Why won’t she respond to the damn door?”

  With little options left, he tried opening her back door. Much to his surprise, it was unlocked. As he made his way into the house, he made slow, deliberate movements as he tried to listen. He could hear the living room TV going, but that was the only noise that filled the house. It felt eerie to be in her house without her knowing; he felt like he was breaking in and spying on her; even though the backdoor was open and he was only checking on her. Slowly walking through the house, he began to hear water running as he approached the hallway off of the living room.

  “Audrey?” he called out.

  “Audrey!” his voice boomed through the house.

  Surely, she’s got to hear me, right? What in the hell is she doing? He continued walking closer to the bathroom, following the source of the running water.

  “Audrey?” he said as he poked his head into the bathroom.

  Walking over to the shower, he pulled back the curtain and found her.

  “Oh my God!” she screamed as she flailed her arms at the intruder.

  “Audrey, it’s me. It’s Chad,” he said, trying to calm her.

  “Oh, God! I thought you were a burglar or something. Hold on, let me rinse this shampoo out of my eyes,” she said, closing the shower curtain.

  “I’ve been trying to call you,” he yelled over the steamy shower.

  “Give me just a minute, I can barely hear you,” she said, rinsing the shampoo suds down the drain.

  He patiently waited for her to finish her shower.

  “Thank you,” she said as he handed her the towel from the towel bar.

  “What were you doing earlier? I tried calling you several times,” he said with a look of concern plastered across his face.

  Drying off, she eyed him up and down. His brows furrowed as he waited for a response. She noticed that he was still in his work clothes. Usually when he got off work, he’d go home and put on a pair of lounge pants and sneakers.

  “Where have you been?” she asked.

  Caught off guard, he didn’t know what to say. “I asked you a question first. What were you doing? I kept trying to call you, but my calls all went to voicemail.”

  “Let me get dressed and then we can talk. I’m freezing,” she said as she made her way into her bedroom, closing the door behind her.

  What is up with her? She’s acting so strange, he thought. Waiting for her in the living room, she finally came out.

  “I’ve been home all night. Now, where have you been?”

  “What were you doing? Why didn’t you answer my calls?”

  Thinking back to his lunch break and him not answering his calls, she could see that he didn’t like it when the shoe was on the other foot.

  “I answered your question. I was home. Now answer mine. Where were you?”

  “Audrey, is something wrong?” he asked.

  She slumped down on the couch and grabbed a throw pillow, holding it tightly in front of her.

  “I’d say there’s something wrong,” she finally admitted.

  “What is it? Did I do something?” he asked, not fully wanting her to answer the question.

  “Sit with me. I think we need to talk.”

  “Oh shit. It’s never good when she says ‘we need to talk,' is it?” he tried joking with her.

  She rolled her eyes and pursed her lips. “Chad, I don’t know where to begin.” Tears threatened to flood her eyes.

  “What do you mean? You can talk to me about anything,” he said, stroking her hair.

  “You’ve been acting so different lately. Blowing me off, not answer my calls, lying to me and distancing yourself. I don’t know what to think anymore. What’s going on with us? Are you tired of me? Do I have too much baggage?”

  He saw a tear roll down her cheek from the corner of her eye. It was apparent that she’d definitely picked up on the fact that something was different.

  “No, Audrey, that’s silly. I do have to admit something to you, though. Ever since we dated in college, I’ve always thought of you as the one who got away. Over the years, I’ve thought about you often. Our relationship is precious, just like you.”

  “You’re putting me through hell. You do realize that, don’t you? I was this close to relapsing,” she said as she held her fingers close together.

  “Audrey, don’t do that. It’s not worth it,” he said running his hand through his hair. “The truth is, I’ve had a lot on my mind lately. With all of the new software developments, I’ve been under a lot of stress lately.” He was reluctant to tell her about Kayla, especially now since she was so close to relapsing. He could tell that he was causing a lot of inner turmoil within her, and their relationship.

  “And what about us? You’ve seemed so distant. I don’t know what to think,” she said wiping her tears away.

  “You and I are perfect. Don’t ever doubt that. I’m here for you, I promise.”

  “Do you mean that? That you’re here for me?” she asked, wide-eyed and hopeful.

  “I am, but I do have to admit something else to you. I sometimes wonder if our relationship is right…you know, the timing and all.”

  “What do you mean by that? Do you think that we shouldn’t be together?” she asked, on the verge of an outburst.

  “No, don’t get me wrong. I’m glad that we’re together. Ever since you came back into my life, I’ve never been happier. I just sometimes wonder if the timing is right, that’s all.”

  “If you don’t want to be here, nobody’s holding a gun to your head,” she became defensive.

  “Audrey, believe me, I want to be here. I have a question for you, though.” She looked at him, waiting to hear what wanted to ask. “If you’re on the verge of relapsing, have you thought about going to those meetings? Or do you have a sponsor or someone you can talk to?” he suggested.

  “Yes, I do have a sponsor. I need to call him, but I don’t want him to know what’s going on. It’s shameful to admit that you’re so weak that you want to start using again, you know?”

  “Will you promise me something? Will you promise me that if you feel like using, you’ll call me, and not some drug dealer?”

  Audrey laughed. She didn’t need to call a drug dealer, at least not yet. Her stash was safely hidden in her jewelry box. Instead of using that night, she decided to put it away and take a hot shower instead.

  “I don’t need to call a dealer,” she said, almost sadistically.

  Chad wondered why she responded the way she did but decided to trust her.

  “You had me worried. Do you know that?” he said, pulling her in for a hug.

  Something had to change, though, he didn’t know what. Tomorrow, he thought, I should call that attorney and get the ball rolling on this custody issue. What will Christina think when I serve her with court papers?

  Chapter Eight

  On his drive home from Audrey’s house, Chad came to the realization that this had to stop. He couldn’t stand lying to both women and he knew that he was hurting Audrey in the process. In a way, he almost felt as if he were leading Christina on, which made him feel guilty. Tomorrow, he thought, I’m calling Thomas Miller and I’m going to talk to Christina; come clean with her about my intentions and my relationship with Audrey.

  That night, he could hardly sleep. Tossing and turning in bed, he dreamt of Audrey crying on the couch. She didn’t deserve any of this, and it was putting her in a dangerous position. His dreams continued through the night and when he woke up, calling his lawyer was at the top
of his list. He’d had enough of the lying and wanted it all to be over. Before he even got ready for work that morning, he outlined what he wanted to say to the lawyer and what he’d like to propose to the courts. After showering and heading to work, Chad closed his office door for privacy. He dialed the lawyer’s office as soon as it opened.