“Shut up,” I mumble to myself while waiting for my ride.
If I can’t deny Oliver is sex on legs, we’re not made for each other.
I was made for King and he was made for Elaine.
That’s it.
The ship has sailed for both of us and left us on the shore of a desperate island. Him in New York by now and me in Virginia.
I stop my thoughts.
Certainly not how Dr. Saman wants me to think about my future.
A future I put in jeopardy having a breakdown while driving. If Jenkins didn’t ask for my license to be revoked because of the presence of a mental disorder that impairs my abilities to drive or because of reckless driving, he and Quinn were clear they don’t want me on the road until I feel better. They confiscated my keys and Ashton has set up a schedule between the guys so I can be driven around.
Of course, they forced me to reschedule my training sessions at the track.
A little break to be sure I’m mentally strong enough.
A little break to be sure I’m not trying to kill myself.
“Tessa?” I cringe hearing the voice of my stepfather.
There are some people you wish you didn’t have to talk to when you are vulnerable.
“Hey, Andre. What are you doing here?” I ask, not really wanting to know the answer.
“I had a meeting in the neighborhood. Do you need a ride?” He asks, looking around trying to spot his car and driver.
“No, I’m fine. Someone is picking me up.”
I never want to spend time alone with him.
Since I’ve been a kid and he entered my mother’s life, something has bothered me, but I never really put my finger on it.
The years we spent being part of the same family, abroad or here, I’ve always been uncomfortable around him and I’ve avoided him at all cost.
Maybe it’s just that he was so different from my father, like night and day in fact, or it’s how secretive he always was about his job and his past, which I understand needs some secrecy seeing what he does for a living, but something always felt off between us.
“Come on, Tessa. I’m sure you can spare your friend a trip and let me drive you to your apartment. How was therapy?” he says coming closer.
Something is off.
Maybe it’s his protruding eyes or the pulsing vein on his forehead but my creeper instinct is at the highest it has ever been since I’ve met him. Also, I didn’t tell my parents about the therapy but I’m sure Quinn did. He was so worried, I can’t hold that against him.
“Not necessary,” Mark’s voice comes from behind me. “I’m already here,” he smiles forcefully.
“Dixon,” Andre says, offering him a hand and schooling all his features.
“Mr. VanHorn,” Mark answers, shaking his hand, “always a pleasure. Ready Murdock?” As much as I appreciate Mark being here to drive me home, I can feel a tension between the two men. A tension I don’t understand, except if it’s about Mark’s wife, Charlie. She’s the only link between those two outside of me.
“I’ll let you go then Tessa. It seems you don’t need your old man after all. Don’t hesitate though, you know I’ll always be here for you.” Andre was always good at putting on a show in front of other people. Nevermind, I never considered him like my father.
“I’ll keep it in mind, Andre. See you soon,” I say before turning my back and walking away with Mark by my side.
“Don’t turn around, Murdock, but your old man is watching us leave…” Mark says sarcastically. “I guess he would prefer you having better company than me.” He laughs.
“What was that about?” I ask him, not hoping for an answer.
“The same reason he wanted to give you a ride was about,” he answers in a cryptic way. “Let’s go to the office and I’ll explain it all,” he adds, in a stern tone.
So I follow, full of questions but relieved Mark isn’t asking how therapy went.
Chapter Sixteen
OLIVER
“He was supposed to be back in New York by now!” Tessa mutters as soon as she enters the conference room and sees me there.
I don’t blame her for not wanting to see me. I wouldn’t want to see me either after how shitty things got.
“Look, I’m—”
“Nothing, Oliver Spencer. You’re nothing at all.” She interrupts me and falls on the chair the furthest away from me, her arms crossing under her breasts, and her mouth pouting a little.
What a fucking view.
I like the way her lips felt on mine.
My eyes fall on her neck and then travel to her collarbone, the top of her chest, her cleavage…
“If you’re done perving on Tessa, maybe we can start the meeting?” Mark laughs.
I close my eyes and count to ten to release the hardness of my dick and erase all the impure thoughts I’ve been having since she left my room.
If only it hadn't felt so good having her in my arms.
“I thought it was a meeting with just the two of us today, so we could FaceTime Jackson?” I say a little more harshly than I would like.
Trying to control my yearning for Tessa isn’t that simple. She glares at me but doesn’t intervene.
“It was, and then I had to pick her up from therapy and VanHorn was there, so instead of driving her home, I brought her here so we can bring her up to speed. We’ll talk to Jackson later.”
I turn to Tessa to find her looking at her hands on the table like one of the docile girls I went to school with.
Of course, my brain wants to perv on her, and my dick wants to help. I clear my throat to get her attention.
“Therapy?” I ask softly. She nods and avoids my gaze.
What the fuck happened since yesterday for her to start therapy?
We never discussed it per se, but I had the feeling
