Chapter 22
Maya's POV:
I stumbled down the hallway, my face burning.
What the hell just happened?
My lips still tingled. My heart hammered against my ribs.
I jabbed the elevator button three times. Four. Five.
Come on, come on, come on.
The doors finally slid open. I rushed inside and slammed my palm against the lobby button.
As the elevator descended, I pressed my back against the wall and stared at my reflection in the polished metal doors.
My hair was a mess. My cheeks were flushed. My lips looked swollen.
He kissed me.
No—he devoured me.
And I let him.
Worse. I kissed him back.
I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to push the memory away, but it came flooding back anyway. The way his hand had slid to the back of my neck. The way he'd tilted my head back. The way his mouth had moved against mine—hungry, demanding, like he couldn't get enough.
I slapped my forehead hard.
What is wrong with you?
The elevator dinged. Lobby.
I hurried across the marble floor, ignoring the doorman's polite nod, and burst out onto the sidewalk.
The cold night air hit my face. I sucked in a breath, then another.
I pulled out my phone and opened the Uber app.
---
Twenty minutes later, I stood outside Chloe's brownstone, fumbling with my keys.
The door swung open before I could unlock it.
Chloe stood there in an oversized Celtics jersey, holding a burger. "Jesus, you look like you've seen a ghost. What happened? Did the car fall apart?"
"The car's not ready yet," I said flatly.
She handed me the burger. "Then why do you look like someone just ran over your dog?"
I walked past her into the apartment. Amy was sprawled on the living room floor, watching a nature documentary. She glanced up and smiled.
"Hi, Mommy!"
"Hi, baby." I forced a smile and kissed the top of her head. "How was your day?"
"Good! The elephants were taking a bath!"
"That's great, sweetie."
Chloe grabbed my arm and dragged me toward the bedroom. "Amy, honey, keep watching your show. We'll be right back."
Amy nodded, already absorbed in the documentary again.
Chloe shut the bedroom door and crossed her arms. "Spill."
I sank onto the edge of the bed and took a bite of the burger. It tasted like cardboard.
"Maya." Chloe sat down next to me. "What happened?"
"I didn't see the car."
"You said that already. Where was the car?"
"Still being repaired." I stared at the floor. "Adam called someone to pick it up after the accident. He told me to come get it today, but it's not ready yet."
Chloe frowned. "So he made you go all the way there for nothing? What the hell is wrong with him?"
"I don't know." I rubbed my face. "Maybe he's just messing with me."
"Maybe?" Chloe leaned closer, studying my face. "What else happened? You're hiding something."
"I'm not—"
"Maya." Her voice softened. "Come on. Tell me."
I hesitated. Then the words tumbled out before I could stop them.
"He kissed me."
Chloe's mouth fell open. "He what?"
"That son of a bitch!" Chloe shot to her feet. "I'm going over there right now—"
"Chloe, stop." I grabbed her wrist. "It's not—it's complicated."
She stared at me. "Complicated? He assaulted you!"
"He didn't assault me." I looked away. "I could have pushed him away sooner. But I didn't."
Chloe sat back down slowly. "Maya…"
"I know." I buried my face in my hands. "I know it's stupid. I know I should hate him. I do hate him. But when he touched me, I just…" My voice cracked. "I forgot everything."
Chloe pulled me into a hug. I leaned against her shoulder, fighting back tears.
"What does this mean?" I whispered. "Why would he do that?"
"I don't know, babe." She rubbed my back. "But it sounds like you haven't let go either."
I pulled away, wiping my eyes. "I keep telling myself it's over. That we can never go back. But it's so hard, Chloe. It's so fucking hard."
"I know."
"I don't want anything from him," I said quickly. "I'm not trying to marry into his world or use him for money. I just—" I broke off, swallowing hard. "I spent five years looking for him. And now that I've found him, I can't just turn off my feelings like a switch."
Chloe reached over and squeezed my hand. "My love life is a complete disaster too."
I let out a shaky laugh. "What do I do?"
"Honestly?" She tilted her head. "Do what feels right. If it works out, great. If it doesn't…" She shrugged. "You'll cry for a few days, eat a lot of ice cream, and move on."
I took a deep breath and sat up straighter. "No, this won't happen again. I won't let myself get pulled in like that."
---
The next morning, I was already up, making breakfast for Amy, when my phone buzzed at 7:25 a.m.
I glanced at the screen.
Adam Sterling: I'm outside your building. I'll take you to pick up the car.
My stomach dropped.
Outside my building?
But he wasn't outside my actual building. He was at the address I'd given him last week—the one several blocks away from where I really lived.
The fake address.
Shit.
I typed quickly: Mr. Sterling, please just send me the address. I can go by myself.
Three dots appeared. Then: Ten minutes.
Ten minutes?!
I stared at the message, my mind racing.
We're not home.
Adam Sterling: Where? I'll pick you up.
Fuck.
I gave him the address of the plaza a few blocks from my actual apartment—close enough to be believable, far enough to keep my real location hidden.
"Amy!" I called. "Put your shoes on. We need to go."
"Where are we going?"
"Just... for a walk. Hurry, baby."
Five minutes later, we were speed-walking down the sidewalk toward the plaza.
We reached the corner of the plaza just as a sleek black Aston Martin pulled up.
The driver's side door opened.
Adam stepped out.
He was wearing a charcoal suit, his blond hair slightly tousled. He looked like he'd stepped out of a magazine.
He walked around the car and opened the back door.
That's when I saw it.
A child safety seat.
He bought a car seat.
My throat tightened.
"Hi, Amy," Adam said, crouching down to her level."Want to go for a ride?"
Amy beamed. "Yes!"
He lifted her gently and set her in the seat, fastening the straps with practiced ease.
When did he learn how to do that?
Amy didn't stop smiling the entire time. She stared at him like he'd hung the moon.
I stood there, frozen.
She wants a dad.
Amy always said she only needed me. But she was lying. Of course she was lying.
She's four years old. Every kid wants a father.
Adam straightened and walked around to the passenger side. He opened the door and looked at me.
"Get in."