Connected (Twists of Fate #1) (4 page)

“Yeah. What did you do? What did you feel? How did you do it?”
Chill out, woman. Let me concentrate.

She felt a mental nudge and then his grim determination. After a few seconds, it was like a whirlpool closing in on itself as the emotion closed off piece-by-piece, and then faded altogether.

She felt alone in her head.

But you’re not.

Scowling, she glared at her computer because she couldn’t glare at him directly. “Are you going to tell me how you did that?”

Figure it out yourself.

“Asshat,” she mumbled, shaking her head as she closed her eyes. She poked at their barrier with her mind.

Hey!

“Whoops. My bad,” she said innocently.

Caressing the divide, she sensed their link more thoroughly than she ever had before. She began to understand that if she concentrated on one area of her consciousness, she was more open to him. And if she closed that off, the link didn’t feel as strong. Once she had a feel for it, it wasn’t hard to do; it was like relearning how to use a certain muscle for a specific function.

Enabling her newfound skill, she said, “There’s an interview with a groupie here that says you only lasted like two seconds in the sack. How humiliating for you.” Nothing.

Addison knew it worked then, because even Rhys, with his monstrous ego, would’ve found the need to defend himself against the perceived threat to his manhood.

She released the hold. “I looove that I can block you now. Ha ha! Sucker!”
How do you know you did?
he responded smugly.

“Because there was no way you would have let me talk about your…” She cleared her throat. “Well, yeah…there was no way you would’ve let that slide.”
My what?

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” she teased with a laugh.

As a matter of fact, I’m thinking yeah…I’d like to know what your devious little mind just
came up with.

“Devious?” She grinned wide. “I kinda like the sound of that.” He chuckled.
Well, good. It sounds like we’ve both figured out how to get a little privacy in
our heads. It’s about damn time.

“Agreed.”

A couple of days was all it took for Addison and Rhys to master being able to block their thoughts from the other. There was only one hang up; it was one way. Addison could block her thoughts from Rhys, but it didn’t stop him from barging into her head with his own. And vice versa. Still, it was a vast improvement from before.

Addison was lying in her bed as she mused about their connect. She automatically blocked her thoughts when she let her mind wander now, the reaction a pure reflex in self-preservation.

Rhys was well aware of when she was holding the link closed, just as she knew when he did, but they’d come to respect each other’s privacy in that respect.

As she drifted off, Addison wondered what Rhys heard when she was sleeping. Did she continue blocking him, or did she let it go when her mind shut down for the night? What if she snored? Would he hear it? She wasn’t very comfortable with that last thought and hesitantly opened the link to him.

“Rhys?”

Mmmm.
He sounded lazy, relaxed. And for whatever reason, she pictured his big, strong body all kicked back into a mass of fluffy pillows…with his shirt off, a hint of stubble across his jaw, dark hair tousled, and a deep sensuality shadowing his eyes as he flipped the top button of his jeans open…

She quickly squashed the image,
and
the quiver threatening to set up shop in her belly.

“Umm…do you sleep when I sleep?”

Sort of, but not really. I guess it’s kinda like a state of alternate consciousness.
She felt a brief burst of energy, a jolt spearing through him.
Man, that’d be a cool-ass album name. Write
that down. Could you write that down?

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. I’ll write it down.” The man couldn’t stay focused if his life—or spirit, rather—depended on it. “Back to my question… What’s it like for you? When I sleep, I mean.”

She turned on her side, grimacing from the pressure to her abdomen. She was getting better, but it was still tender.

You okay?
His concern flooded over her, a soothing feeling, like imaginary hands gliding down, checking her for injury.

“I’m fine.” She snuggled in, comforted by his presence. “Will you tell me?” She felt another mental check of her body, and then the sensation of him easing back as he contemplated her question.

I’m not sure… It’s not like a void really, but it’s empty. You know what it reminds me of?

Like sleeping on the tour bus; you know you’re not alone, but there’s silence all around you.

She stifled a yawn with the back of her hand as she mumbled, “Do you get lonely when I sleep?” She hoped he didn’t, but if he did, she’d find a way to keep him company. Somehow.

Naw. I know you’re there. And sometimes I get flashes of what you’re dreaming.

Her eyes popped open. Normally she didn’t remember her dreams, so she couldn’t possibly know what he might have seen. But they couldn’t have been too embarrassing; he would’ve teased her if they were. Right?

“Like what?”

Just flashes, really. But sometimes…sometimes I hear BC’s music.
His tone turned gentle, almost tentative.
Is that what you’re doing when you block me? Listening to Black Codex?

Addison blushed a little bit. She was never one to stroke a man’s ego, so she’d never mentioned she’d been a longtime fan all along. She didn’t lie to him or anything; she seriously never bothered to look them up before. Well, not really.

Ugh, she was so busted.

“Sometimes,” she admitted, letting her eyelids drop again.

It’s nice
, he said quietly,
to hear the music. Comforting.

He could be such a nice guy when he wanted to be. “Mmm. I like you this way, Rhys.”
How’s that?

How had he put it? “On the edge of an alternate consciousness,” she whispered, slipping towards the darkness of her dreams.

That’s a great album name
, he murmured.

She mumbled an incoherent response.

Night, Addison.

She sighed, drifting off with a Black Codex song humming through her head. But this time it was Rhys singing her to sleep.

*****

Come on. Come on. Come on. Why the hell does it take women forever to shake their tail?

Huh? Inquiring men want to know.

“Shut up or I’m slowing down.”

You couldn’t go any slower than you already are. Seriously. You have one speed and it’s…

You wanna guess? That’s right, it’s fucking slow!

“I’m getting a little sick of you rushing me all the time. Let a girl enjoy her time off of work.” She skirted around the counter to her purse and rifled through it for her keys. “I was perfectly content to soak in my shower when
someone
decided he was being ignored for far too long. Poor Rhys,” she crooned, mockingly.

Whoa. Why didn’t you tell me you were in the shower?
His chuckle was downright insidious.

I would’ve let you take all the time in the world if you needed it. Hell, you didn’t even have to
concentrate on holding the link closed. I would’ve been more than accommodating in giving you
the privacy you needed.

“Riiight. Sure you would’ve. How completely selfless of you, Rhys. But you know, you wouldn’t have been able to see my eyes; my only good feature, according to you.” He made a hissing sound.
Now, now, sweetheart. I never said that.

“Uh huh. Didn’t need to,
sweetheart
.” She continued grumbling wordlessly under her breath as she glanced at the phone.

It was blinking, indicating a missed call.

All right, Addison. Let’s go.
She could hear the mental snap of his fingers.

“Hold on. I missed a call.”

He groaned, a deep sound that she readily ignored.
Check it out later. Let’s go! The faster I
get you through that door, the faster you get to your office…and the faster you get going on my
research.

“Yeah, yeah.” She punched the button and peered at the screen. Oh, crap. “It’s the doctor’s office. They left a message.”

Your tumor. What did they say?

“I don’t know. I didn’t listen to it yet.”

Then listen to it!
he demanded.

She took a step away from the phone, chest tight. “What if it’s bad news?”
What if it’s not?

“But what if it is?” She fisted her shaking hands.

They’re not going to leave bad news on a voice message.

“True. But they would say to give them a call. Then I’ll know. I don’t think I can handle that right now.”

You have to listen to it.

“No, I don’t. Why? I don’t want to.” Her chin tipped up stubbornly.

Because you’re driving me fucking insane, and I’m not above taking you down with me!

Now listen to it!

“Rhys—“

Now!

His response was a roar in her head, and she instinctively covered her ears. Yeah. A lot of good that did her.

“Pushy male,” she grumbled, grabbing the phone and listening to the message. As the words soaked in—fibroid, benign, healthy—she began to relax.

Oh, thank God.

She hung up the phone with a smile, and then considered his reaction. “You heard that?”
No. But I could feel your relief. I’m glad you’re gonna be okay, Addison.

If she could’ve given him a great, big ‘ole hug, she would’ve. “Thanks, Rhys.”
Now, let’s move! Come on, woman. Don’t make me mentally spank that ass, because I will
find a way!

She scowled as she stormed to her car. “Asshat.”

Tell me again why we're going to your studio to do my research.

“One, because I need to get out of that Godforsaken house, and two, the computer in my studio is faster. Plus,” she continued, pulling into the fast food drive-thru, “I'm hoping to get caught up on some paperwork while I'm there.”

Oh, no you don't. I'm not sitting around while you play pencil-pusher. I've got things to do,
and you have to help me. And, not only that—

Addison shook her head and blocked their link while she ordered her food. His words still rang through her mind, gaining momentum as they raced unchecked through his arrogant mouth, but she ignored him to the point where he was a babbling nuisance in the corner of her head. As she pulled out of the parking lot, food in hand, she finally caught some of his words.

Why are you blocking me? What are you doing? Do you even hear me?

“I have no choice
but
to hear to you, Rhys.”

Yes, but are you
listening
to me.

“Honestly, no. All you do is yell at me. Once you're ready to treat me with some damned respect and work with me here, you let me know. I'm sick of being bossed around by the likes of you.”

He didn't respond, but it wasn't the peaceful, accommodating silence she would have preferred. It was a tension-filled bubble of nothingness waiting to explode from the barely-restrained temper behind it.

To his credit, he held his peace all the way to the studio, and she was the one to shatter the silence. And only then because of the overwhelming guilt.

“Rhys?” She sighed as she got out of the car, and then kept talking, despite the mental bristle she felt. “I'm not going to say I know how hard this is for you, mainly because I have no clue. I mean…other than what you let through. But I
do
want to help you. You
know
I do.”
Don't you dare feel sorry for me, Addison. Just don't. I don't want your fucking pity.

“And you don't have it, Rhys. I can
want
to help you without pitying you, but apparently you can't see the difference. You want to boss me around so you feel like you have some semblance of control. I get that. But it's unnecessary. I'll help you because I want to, not because I'm being cussed out or bullied into it. Got it?”

Right. Like this isn’t fucking up your perfect, precious, prim-and-proper life. Like
that
isn’t
really the reason you’re helping me. Just to get me out of your goddamn head.

“Oh, yes. My perfect life,” she said sarcastically, a tinge of loss mixing with her budding anger, “with my little house, my non-existent family, and my empty bed. The only thing I have in this life is my studio and my work. And you know what? That's enough for me. So don't go mocking my existence simply because you no longer have one!” Addison gasped as she froze in the middle of the empty parking lot and clamped a hand over her mouth. She couldn't believe she just said that. Abject horror flooded her senses before she could even consider closing off her link to Rhys.

Well done, Addison. You put me neatly in my place, didn’t you?

There was no censure in his voice, but how could there not be? She had crossed a line. A big one.

“Oh, God…” It was all the words she could manage to utter as she trudged to the back door of her building, glancing around to make sure she was still alone.

To her surprise, he laughed, the tension draining from the space between them.
I'm serious,
woman. You did that nicely, and I totally fucking deserved it. I was feeling sorry for myself. But
I'm done bitching now. Promise.

She didn't respond as she disarmed the alarm and made her way inside. He had it coming, she didn’t doubt that; she was sick of him barking orders at her. Though she probably should’ve bitten back with less venom, especially since he had no idea of the nerve he hit upon with his

‘precious life’ comment. But the anger, still a swirling mass inside her chest, wouldn’t let her blow it off so easily.

Do you forgive me, Addison?

“Does it really matter? I'm helping you regardless so just tell me what you need from me and let’s just do this.”

Yeah, Addison. It does matter. You're…you're all I've got, and I lashed out at you because of
it—in spite of it—and I’m sorry.