ADDICTED

53

JAMES

Standing at the mirror, Leah sighed at the reflection she was scrutinizing so thoroughly.

I tapped my knuckles on the door. She jumped away from the mirror as it'd bitten her.

"Oh, hi," she said, sucking in a breath. Her hands smoothed over the fitted blouse she wore over her skin-tight jeans.

"You know how those jeans make me feel," I grumbled. "We won't make it two steps out of the house if you're looking like that."

She laughed and some of the tension melted out of her.

Crossing the room to where she stood, I tucked her hair from her face and gazed down into her eyes.

She became more beautiful to me every day. I couldn't believe I was so attracted to her—and it went far beyond her silky skin.

How could a person fall so hard and so fast for someone?

I didn't know.

I didn't understand my feelings for Leah, but I knew that if I had to go without her ever again, it would be insufferable.

"We don't have to do this," I reminded her. "We could stay in until the party tonight."

She shook her head. "It'll be good for me to get out. I've spent way too much time dwelling on what I'm going to say to Tiffany to not go."

My heart clutched inside me the way it did when something even remotely threatening came toward my woman. "What if this just stirs things up? I don't want you to be upset."

"James." She smiled my name and then stretched up onto her toes to kiss me. Her lips were soft and tasted like cherry chapstick.

"Whether this helps me or not, I need some answers," she said. "This might be the last time I have the nerve to do this."

"And the cabin?" I said. "We can just do that another day—"

"You've already told him we're coming. I want to see it."

I scratched my head in reluctant thoughtfulness. Leah wanted to go back to the cabin.

She wanted to bid it and all memories with my brother farewell.

I really didn't want to take her, but I sure as hell wasn't letting her go alone.

"Alright," I relented. "If any of it becomes too much, we'll leave immediately."

She nuzzled her face into my chest. "Okay. Thank you for bearing with me."

"Always, love."

—(—)—

The women's penitentiary had at least five measures of intense security.

A gatehouse, patrols walking the perimeter, a fifteen-foot fence with barbed wire, and a second fence closer to the prison itself that had electrified wire buzzing at the top.

When we checked in, we walked through a metal detector and were patted down. They almost broke my cane making sure there wasn't a knife hidden it.

Then they took our IDs and interrogated us on who we were seeing and what our purpose was.

The female guard behind the desk arched a brow when Leah stated our business here. "Sounds like a bad idea to me," she said. "That inmate is a feisty one. Always stirring things up. Don't expect much."

Leah nodded. "I don't. I just want to see if I can get answers."

We were let into a waiting room, where we sat for fifteen minutes until our names were called. Leah stiffened. I squeezed her leg.