Chapter Thirty-Seven
Max
I haven’t slept a wink all night. The only thing that is keeping me in bed is Lucy's soft breathing as she lies across my chest. Fuck, last night didn’t turn out how I expected it. Don’t get me wrong, knowing she’s working in a club like that isn’t ideal, but seeing how bright she shone on that stage was something else. I would never take that away from her. Working for Riley, on the other hand, I could do without.
Has she slept with him before? That’s all that has been playing on my mind. A lot of time has passed since we were first together. I’m sure there have been a fair few men with how gorgeous she is, but for some reason, he rubs me the wrong way. I went in there expecting her to be shacking up with him after my talk with Fallon.
We’ve not exactly had the relationship conversation yet. I have just assumed it was a given. That will have to change. The minute she wakes up and has had her caffeine fix, we are sorting this shit out.
Like, why did she lie about the job in the first place? Because of where it is? Or who owns it? I never, ever lose my shit as easily as I did last night. I even shocked myself with how I reacted to both Riley and that fucker outside. Lucy looked scared of me for a minute, and that is something I never wanther to feel. She just brings out this possessive side of me I never knew I had.
But who can blame me? I’ve lost her before. I can’t lose her again. Everyone important to me always leaves, and I will try with all my might to make sure she doesn’t want to do the same.
My phone rings on the bedside table, but the sun has only just started to peak through the curtains. Who the hell would be calling now? Everyone knows I love my sleep, usually anyway.
Tommy's name flashes across the screen.
Shit, something is wrong. After everything that has happened the past few months, I hope it's some good news for once. I unfold myself from Lucy's grip and sneak out of the room to take the call.
“What’s wrong?” I whisper as I close the bedroom door.
“The fucker has been trying to override my security system. Luckily, Samuel stopped it, but I’ve decided I’m taking Maya away for a while.” He barks out quickly. I can almost feel the annoyance through the phone.
“That sounds impulsive. Where are you going to go?” I ask. My brows draw in at how erratic he is being. Tommy is a broody bastard, but this is extreme even for him.
“The villa.”
“Okay. And you had to call me at…” I pull the phone away to check the time. “Five o’clock in the morning to inform me of your plan, why?”
“To see if you want to come with, dickhead.” He lets out an exasperated groan, like I was meant to know what the fuck he was on about.
“Well, you should have said that first.” I roll my eyes. “Obviously, I’m coming. When are we going?”
“Tomorrow morning. I’m booking a jet now and seeing if the girls all want to come too. She’s fucking broken after the last incident, and I don’t know how to help her.”
“But hopefully being away and having the girls there will do the job?” I finish for him. I don’t know who I feel for the most. Maya is going through this shit, or Tommy is having to watch it happen.
“Yes. Will you run down to my place and let Lucy know? I’m sure she can get some time off from a bar job easily. Just tell her I’ll help with money whilst we’re away.” He says it so casually, like what he’s just said wouldn’t piss me the fuck off.
“Why would you help her with money?” I try to keep my tone light when, in reality, I want to scream at him.
“Hasn’t she told you? She was struggling for money, so she has been searching for a job. She was meant to go and audition for that show that’s Saras in, but didn’t want to stop babysitting me, apparently.”
Now I am beyond pissed off. How is this the first time I’m hearing this? She'd better fucking hurry and wake up because I’m wound up so tight; if I wait any longer, I’m going to snap. I don’t know whether to fight with her or fuck her at this point.
Why wouldn’t she just speak to me? Yet she could tell Tommy?
“Don’t worry. I’ll sort Lucy, you call Fallon. Now piss off, some of us need our beauty sleep.” I grunt before hanging up on him.
I couldn’t have carried on the conversation without letting on how annoyed I am.
Fuck this shit. I’m going for a run.
Opening the apartment door, the scent of freshly brewed coffee and fried bacon hits my nostrils. The run did nothingto quell my annoyance. All it has done is made me a sweaty, panting mess on top of it. But coming home to the sight of Lucy in my kitchen, in my shirt, and suddenly all the rage filters away. The bottom of her perky arse just peaking through the end of the shirt sends dirty messages to my dick.
Although I’m not as angry, the confusion is still here. She hasn’t left me, yet she keeps things from me. Is it something I’m doing that makes her feel too uncomfortable to tell me things?
She hasn’t noticed me as I stand against the door frame of the kitchen. The music is pretty loud, though. I just observe as she sways her hips to what I’m assuming is a ‘Best of Musicals’ playlist. Now, my girl can dance, but there is one thing she definitely can’t do. And that is singing. I can’t help the smile that tugs at my lips as she defiles Defying Gravity.
