Free The Bet (Addison #2) by Erica M. Christensen

everything is black.
    “Addi! Addi!” Stephen shakes my body. My eyes open and I feel severe pressure in my head, a fucking migraine.
    “What happened?” I ask, confused.
    “I really don’t know what happened. You blacked out for a second. Are you okay?” He brushes my hair out of my face, and looks into my eyes.
    “Yes, I’m fine.” I blink away from him and sit up, he tries to help and I move his hand away. “Stephen, I fucked up. I’m sorry. It’s my fault. It was me. But everything happens for a reason and I think we both know you and I would never work. We’re far too much alike and not in a good way.”
    “Addi, stop. Just fucking stop. Don’t even do this shit again.” He rests his hand on my knee. “Please, Addi. Please. Not again.”
    “Stephen, I’m sorry. I really am. I played a bad hand. I made the wrong choice. I’m no expert on love, but I’m positive I suck at it. I always have.” I grab his hand and hold it. “Love is a gamble. It doesn’t take any skill or talent. It’s all about the choice you make with the hand you’re dealt…and I folded when I should have just checked.” Stephen pulls me into his strong, warm body.
    “I knew I was going to lose you again.”

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER THIRTEEN
     
     
    The clouds overhead are starting to turn dark grey, raining is spitting down on us. I pull my phone out of my purse and call a cab.
    “He’ll be here in a few minutes,” I mutter to Stephen.
    “So this is it, huh? We’re over, just like that?” I drop my head and sigh.
    “What do you want me to say? That everything is okay and we’ll be perfectly happy together forever and ever?”
    “Yes, because it’s true. We can have that.” He looks at me with pain-filled eyes.
    “No, we can’t. If I told you that I would be a fucking liar and you know it, Stephen.” I wrap my arms around him and he buries his head in my neck. “If you truly knew for sure you wanted to be with me, you wouldn’t have had to take me to the church to make sure you were making the right decision. You wouldn’t have felt confused. You would have been positive. You would have been sure I was the one you wanted to be with for the rest of your life. And you didn’t know.”
    “I do know, Addi. I may not have known right in that moment, but I know now.” His voice was desperate.
    “That right there tells you I’m not the one. When you find the one, I believe in my heart of hearts, you’ll always be sure. There will be no moment of confusion, no doubt in your head or heart.”
    The cab pulls up and we get in. Stephen gives the driver directions to his hotel. We ride in silence the entire way. Once we reach the drop off lane in front of the hotel, Stephen turns to me.
    “One last kiss, please? That’s all I ask and I promise I’ll leave you alone. Just…please know I will always be here for you, Addi. No matter what, you’re my best friend.”
    “On the cheek.” I tap my cheek and slightly smile. He softly kisses my cheek and tingles go up my spine. “You know I’ll always be here for you too, Stephen. I love you, there’s no denying that. You’ll always be a little bit of home.”
    “Where to?” the cab driver asks.
    “Hang on, I’m getting directions.” I pull my phone out of my purse and call Lucas.
    “Hello there, stranger.” he answers enthusiastically.
    “Where are you? I need the directions. I’m in a cab. Make it quick,” I ramble.
    “Hand the driver your phone.” I reach my arm up to the front seat to hand the phone over to the driver. After a few seconds of talking, he hands the phone back and I end the call immediately without saying anything to Lucas. I don’t want to talk to him. I don’t even want to think. I just know I want to be with him.
    The drive is taking forever, my eyes are barely staying open. I’m mentally and physically exhausted from all of the emotional bullshit from the day’s events. I start to doze off.
    “Hey! Hey, lady!