“Okay so we went on a gondola boat ride at Madame Tussaunds, got a night time view of Vegas from the Ferris wheel and had starters at three different restaurants because you couldn’t decide where we should eat. I am officially tired Holden.” Addison leans into Holden’s arms.
“Let’s go to the bar and order a couple of club soda’s so you can rest for a while. There’s still one thing I want you to see.” Holden kisses Addison’s forehead before dragging her along.
A while later, outside of the Bellagio Fountains.
Holden holds Addison from behind as the two of them face the fountains, eagerly awaiting the water display to start.
“It’s a good thing we got here early, even though the fountain goes of every 30 minutes this place still crawls with tourists.”
“Somebody knows his stuff about Sin city.”
“I was reading up on the place whilst you were in the shower.”
The fountain begins to sprout dancing water as high as the eye could see. Although the view in front of him had being mesmerizing to most, Holden couldn’t tear his eyes away from Addison.
“Hey.” Holden pulls Addison onto him before delicately bringing her lips to his own.
After the two separate, Holden pulls out an envelope from his coat pocket and hands it to Addison.
“What’s this?” She looks at him through narrow eyes.
“Just open it.” He responds.
As Addison’s eyes glance over the paper, a smile forms upon her face.
“I booked you a two hour session with your old ballet tutor back in New York. I thought this would take some pressure of you, yah know with the whole audition tape thing.”
“The world doesn’t deserve you.”
“Well you are my world and you deserve this and much more.”
Addison flings herself onto Holden and squeezes him in a tight hug.
“You’re my world too.” She whispers in his ear.
Back at Caesar’s palace
As the two walk back to their hotel room, a voice calls out to Holden.
“Holden my boy. Is that you? I haven’t seen yah since you were with Domador de toros.”
“Mr Ziegler. Good to see you.” Holden shakes the man’s hand hoping Addison wouldn’t ask about what she just heard.
“Whose Domador de toros?” Addison questions whilst politely smiling at the gentleman.
“Why he was only the best bull rider in Southern Texas and Holden boy’s over here father. I’m so sorry about what happened to him but hearing that you are following his footsteps puts the shine on my boots.”
The colour visibly drained from Holden’s face as he felt Addison’s hand leave his own.
“Wow I didn’t know that.”
“Well sunny boy over here is pretty good. The name Conquistador de toros suits him. Next time I’m in town we must ride together in honour of your padre. I must go now, enjoy Vegas kids.”
Mr Ziegler runs off leaving Holden standing in the middle of the hallway alone, Addison had already entered their hotel room.
Holden enters the room and finds Addison sitting on the edge of their bed.
“It all makes sense now. The broken bones and bruises. The secrecy and lies.”
“Please just hear me out okay.” Holden pleaded and Addison granted his request.
The next half an hour seemed to go by in a snail’s pace as Holden explained the whole truth to Addison.
“Are you insane? Your father was killed because of one of those beasts and yet you decided it would be a good idea to hop on one yourself? What if the same thing happens to you? How do you think your uncle, Grace or brother would handle things? How do you think your mother felt every time her husband risked his life? How do you think I should feel after hearing the truth?”
“My mother wasn’t just some New York socialite, she grew up in Texas and knew how things worked. She loved and supported my father no matter the risk.”
“Just some New York socialite? At least now I know what you truly think of me.”
“Addy I didn’t mean it like that.” Holden reaches out to console Addison but she pulls away.
“Please don’t do this. Don’t shut me out.”
“Am I supposed to sit on the side lines and watch your body get tossed around then hold your hand when the medic’s tend to you? Do you think you would be able to watch me in emotional pain after seeing you get hurt?”
“No.”
“Then what do we do from here?” Addison’s eyes begin to tear and her breathe hitches.
“This is my father’s legacy. I won’t back away from it.”
“Then there’s no use for us to continue this road trip. You drive back home and I’ll take the first flight out to New York.”
“What? No.”
“I wasn’t asking Holden.” Addison throws some things into her suitcase and zips it up before heading towards the door.
“Where are you going?”
“To book another room. I’ll see you around Holden.”
“Don’t go.”
“You kept me in the dark for months like a fool. I have to go.”
Holden slammed the door once Addison had left and collapsed to the floor in tears. Addison on the other hand felt numb after feeling an array of emotions.
Addison’s p.o.v
After arriving back on familiar soil, I’m greeted with the hustle and bustle that comes with the city. It had been a little over 12 hours since my fallout with Holden and everything still felt so raw. I took my phone of airplane mode and noticed missed calls from him and my father, guess which one I actually texted.
“Miss Mills. Miss Mills.”
I hear an oddly familiar voice screaming through the bustling noise of people. I look over to the direction of the voice and see my aunt Isabelle standing across from me, jumping for joy.
I run up to her and break down in her arms, if we weren’t in an airport surrounded by thousands of people doing the same thing this would have been awkward.
“What are you doing here?” I gratefully ask.
“Well when my niece texted me that she was flying in instead of driving with the man she had gushed about I knew something was up and had to be here for my baby. Plus I brought you a surprise.”
“Oooh what kind of surprise?”
I gleam like a child after hearing my aunt’s words, eagerly wanting to know what she had gotten me.
“Surprise.” A warm sensation washed over me after I recognised the voice, it had belonged to someone I shared countless memories with and who was one of the main reasons I didn’t want to leave New York in the first place.
“Micah?”
"Welcome to New York."
There stood Micah with a bunch of flowers. He handed me the bouquet before I was engulfed by his hug. The scent of his cologne that I fell asleep breathing in on multiple occasions gave me the same sense of security it did before. His voice had calmed my racing heart and his smile made me feel slightly better.
“Sunflowers and red roses, my favourite. Thank you.” I say after taking a deep breathe in
“Of course little cloud. It’s good to see you.”
“It’s good to see you too.” I smile at him and he reciprocates.
It’s funny how the universe works no wait, it’s confusing how it works. Did it give me something that I need? A familiar, dependable love or was it playing a cruel trick on me, one that would lead to dire consequences down the line?
End of p.o.v