Runaway

Chapter 18

Author's note:

Hey...another update day! Today, I'll update two chapters because this one is a little short (but very important)! Chapter 19 comes in an hour.

Enjoy it!

-

Seattle, Washington, a day later, 2018

Addison Baker was working on one of her business reports when she suddenly heard some noise outside her office. The blond woman could hear shouting but before she was able to react, the door opened shut and a well-known man came inside. Addison gasped, getting up from her chair and staring at the furious Darnell angrily.

The man crossed his arms, not taking his gaze away from her.

„What are you doing here?!" she almost shouted.

Her secretary also entered the office.

„Miss Baker, I'm sorry but he didn't want to stop. I couldn't stop him," she started to apologize, to which Darnell just sneered. The other woman raised her hand, telling her everything was fine and then asked her to leave her office.

„What the hell are you doing in my office, Darnell?!" she hissed once more through gritted teeth.

He raised his eyebrows, almost uninterested.

„I wanna know where Nikki is!" he answered calmly, making Addison gasp again. She was furious. He was cheating on her and still thought he had the right to demand something.

„Why would I tell you?"

„Because it's enough of fooling around!" he shouted, finally showing an emotional reaction. „I need to know where she is to bring her back home, tell her whatever she wants to hear and plan a wedding all over again with her."

„The wedding is canceled and Nikki is no longer your fiancée," Addison answered immediately. „If her parents didn't want to help you, then I don't want it too."

At this last statement, his smile became evil.

„If I were you, I wouldn't be so sure of it," he replied. Addison furrowed eyebrows in confusion.

„What are you talking about? Get the hell out of my office!"

She wanted to return to her job but his hands leaned all over the wooden surface of her desk.

„Do you know Alexander Turner? A familiar name, isn't it? General editor of New Libri Press," Darnell explained with a creepy grin on his face. „Last year, I represented him on some private purpose and I can say Turner is quite...appreciative of me...and my opinion. I could easily convince him that Nikki isn't taking him seriously and further cooperation with her isn't in the best interest of the house."

Addison was looking at him with wide-open eyes. She refused to believe Darnell was such a bad person.

„You're bluffing!"

„Try me!" he responded immediately. „I'm not joking, Addy. Tell me where is Nikki?"

For the first time since they started this conversation, Nikki's best friend felt cornered. If she would reveal Nikki's current location, Darnell would go look for her and re-enter the turmoil in her life again. She would betray long-lasting friendship and business cooperation with Nikki. On the other hand, if she wouldn't tell him where the other woman had gone, he could seriously harm not just Nikki's wallet but also her entire career. She sighed. She was forced to choose between two bad decisions.

„She went to Naples, Florida!" she finally answered defiantly, while Darnell smiled again in victory, straightening up.

„Good call!" he replied briefly, getting ready to leave but Addison caught him by the hand.

„Don't go there and disturb her again. You hurt her enough. Let her recover from it."

The man raised his eyebrows in an uninterested manner again, looking at her.

„Who said anything about going to Naples? I will get her back home but I don't have to go to the other side of States for that," he said, shrugging and then leaving.

Addison was helplessly looking at her door getting shut. She sighed once more and sat down. She had to do something...at least warn Nikki. That made her pull her phone out of the pocket of her jacket and call Nikki to tell her what just happened.