Addicted to Mr Parks (The Parks Series #2)(26)

Parks stiffened under me as he cupped my cheek. He hid his anger by trying to sooth me instead. “I wish I could reverse time and take you away from that situation. I wish I could take away all your pain.”

I swatted my hand in midair. “It doesn’t matter. I think I just need to come to the conclusion that my mother has never loved me, and that’s that.”

“Well.” His lips pressed to my forehead. “I have no idea why she doesn’t love such a beautiful, courageous woman like you. She’s insane.”

“She is,” I agreed.

“What about your father? Did he abuse you?”

“No, he was just a silent witness. Which is just as bad. He loves me, I think. But he loves my mother more, so he accepted her behaviour. He always has. Anyway.” I shifted, trying to push away the dark part of my life and sat up to face him. “Let’s talk more about you.”

He waved his hand around briefly. “Go ahead.”

“Do you have a geeky thing?”

He raised a brow in amusement, his lips twisting. “A geeky thing?”

“Yeah.” I grinned. “Something you like but never admit that you like it. My geeky things are star signs, animated movies, and the universe.”

Intrigue lit up his features. “The universe?”

“Yeah.” I shrugged. “It fascinates me. Your turn?”

“You.” He gently nudged my cheek with his knuckle. “You’re my geeky thing.”


I prodded him in his ribs. “I am not geeky.”

“No, you’re beautiful, so stop frowning.” He pulled at my baby-doll, bringing me into him to make me kiss him, but I wasn’t finished interrogating.

“I’m not done.”

A grin spread across his face at my bossy tone and the way I pushed my finger into his lips to stop him talking. “Carry on.”

I took a deep breath, definitely needing it for what I was about to ask. “What’s your family like? Why are you so controlling? What do you like doing other than working?”

He pushed some of my hair behind my ear. “I’m controlling because that’s who I am. I like things my way or no way. I’ve already told you about my family. And I like working, but other than that, I work out, and I play tennis back home.”

Hmm. I studied him, working him out. “That’s the glamorous life of Wade Parks? I think you’re hiding something.”

His eyes narrowed, and his tone tried shutting me down. “That’s all you need to know.”

The part of me that was more inquisitive continued to prod. “You didn’t tell me about your family, you only told me their occupations.” His mother was a retired brain surgeon and spent her time founding her charity, Children of Addicts. His father was a top celebrity lawyer, and his sister was just as wealthy and intelligent as Parks was.

He gave a casual shrug of a shoulder. “Meet them, find out for yourself what they’re like.”

I coughed on fresh air. “Meet them?”

“Yeah. I fly to America in a few weeks. It’s my mother’s birthday. She hates it if I miss it, and I hate her nagging me. I also have to go back for her annual charity dinner. Come with me.”

His reason for leaving London suddenly dawned on me. When Carla had mentioned it in a phone call in front of me, I thought the worst. Of course. “So that’s why you’re going back to America?”

His alarm wasn’t hidden. “You knew that?”

“Carla told me,” I murmured. He knew the detestation her name brought to my aura, so he pulled me into him to calm me. “Let’s not talk about her.” I straddled him, sitting on his lap with my legs on either side of his waist.

“Come with me,” he pleaded softly.

My mouth opened and closed in the space of a second. “But…we’re not…”

“We’re not what, Evelyn? And before you answer, I’d think carefully about what you’re going to say, because if you tell me that we’re not in a relationship, I’ll spank the shit out you.”

Drawing in a deep breath, I began contemplating having the shit spanked out of me, but I wanted my arse to rest for a while, so I changed my tune. “It’s too fast.”

“Why wait?” He was certain, pressing a kiss to my shoulder. “I would like you to meet my mother.”

“And father? And twin?” And Jesus, it was too much.

“Jasmine is difficult, but yeah.” He shrugged.

Oh? A difficult sibling? Bring it on. “And father?” I pushed.

He clenched his jaw. “Hmm, and my father.” The dry tone to his answer gave me reason to question him.

“Do you not get along?”

“That’s enough talking.” He pulled me into him by my arms and captured my lips with his. But I wasn’t done and made it known by pushing away.

“Do you really want me to meet your parents? Or are you asking me because you don’t trust me home alone?”

“Home Alone? Now that’s a good movie.”

“Stop dodging the question, Wade.”

He bowed his head down between us. “Do you have to overanalyse everything?”

“It’s called paranoia. I have that as well as a thousand other issues.” I moved my hands around to emphasise my troubles.