Addicted to Mr Parks (The Parks Series #2)(113)

“But we’re each other’s lost cause. Please don’t ever run from me. I’m scared if I lose control, I’ll never see you again.”

I rolled my eyes on a deep exhale. “Wade, I’m not that woman who runs anymore. That was my past. I’d run to the nearest wine bottle to bury my head in the sand. I’d clam up and lash out at the thought of deep conversation. The thought of feelings. But here I am, weeks later and I’m already changing.” I prodded him in his chest. “That’s down to you. You’ve given me so much in the little time I’ve know you, and I want to give back. I don’t want to be weak anymore. I don’t want to run. I want to confront. I want to face things head-on. If you try to push me away, I will push back even harder. My life has only just begun with you. Why would I want to end that?”

He squeezed me in his arms. “You have no idea how proud I am of you, Princess.” After a harsh sigh, he made me look at him. “Evelyn, I need you to promise me something.” My frown was clear, but I let him finish. “Promise me you will never be around my father without me. Promise me you will stay away from him.”

A curious frown remained across my forehead. “Why?”

“Because…” He sighed raggedly but couldn’t finish, so I pushed it.

“Why won’t you talk to me?”

“Evelyn.” There was a soft note of suffering in his tone. “Remember you once told me that weak and vulnerable are the things you can’t afford to be? Exposing weakness equals vulnerability?” He shook his head. “I can’t do that to myself. You of all people should understand. Hell, you are the only woman that would ever understand.”

My heart was hurting for him, crushing my chest. Of course I knew and understood his statement well. I’d practiced it enough times. There was a part of me that didn’t want to pry and keep pushing and asking him to tell me what hidden demons he had because I understood considerably that someone pushing a damaged soul sent them running further away. I didn’t want to be pushed out.

“Could you at least tell me what the discipline issue is? Because I’ve noticed since we got back together, you haven’t been so strict with your obedience policy.” I was smirking, but it was a serious subject.

He traced my legs with his fingers as he spoke. “Disobedience and punishment have been built into me, Evelyn, and the reason I toned it down was because when I found out about the abuse you received from your mother, I felt no better than her. I was spanking you and had no idea you were abused. I’m a sick f*ck.”


I cupped his face in my hands. He was in no way sick. “But you’re not because I ask for it too. It’s not always you. It soothes me.”

“How?” His furrowed brows were clueless.

“How does it soothe you giving it?” I made him think about that. “It’s the same thing.”

“No,” he harshly disagreed. “I will only give you pleasurable spanks from now on. I know if we argue and you step out of line, I have to walk away. I can punish you for being disobedient, but not when I’m angry. Not for my own pleasure.”

Letting the subject drift, I decided to come back to it at some point. Just not right then.

“Did you know we were in an article online?”

His expression was impassive. “Of course.”

Pausing, I contemplated my next question. “Did you know that Dave isn’t happy about it?”

He recoiled, pushing a stray piece of hair behind my ear with a finger. “He thinks you’re a distraction, Evelyn, that’s all. Ignore him. He’s a grumpy old man.”

“A grumpy old git, more like. I almost punched him the other night.”

“Why?” He pulled my chin to face him. His eyes were stern. “What did he say?”

I shrugged. “Said I had no right being with you. That if my past was exposed, it would ruin your name.”

“He said that?” The way his eyes bulged and his hands balled into fists told me he wasn’t happy, not one bit. Which made me very happy. David the Dick thought I couldn’t get him the sack? Thought he could get away with speaking to me like shit? Oh no. Parks would do anything for me, and for once, I took advantage of that.

“He even offered me money to leave you.”

“Motherf*cker,” he growled. He placed me on my feet and stalked into the bedroom.

Another one bites the dust. I laughed to myself, loving my malicious streak.

Hovering around the bedroom, I waited for Parks to come back to the room after his phone call. I was all ready to get back onto the flight to London. The weather, the house, and Harriet were all wonderful reasons why I didn’t want to go home. However, I didn’t like who Parks became while we were here. Around his father, he was uptight, agitated, and wound up.

At least thirty minutes went by, and there was still no sign of Parks. Surely it didn’t take him that long to fire David’s arse. My curious mind couldn’t stay put, so I went to investigate.

Ending up downstairs, I suddenly came into earshot of muffled voices, which equalled secrets. Did I want to eavesdrop and probably get into trouble for it? Hell yeah.

Taking timid steps, I eased towards the door and heard the voices of Parks, Harriet, and Jasmine.

“Why the f*ck didn’t they tell you she’d left? Someone will pay for this.” Parks was seething with rage.