22. Lena
CHAPTER 22
Lena
H ow dare he?
He really has some nerve. Who the hell does he think he is? My mouth was literally around his cock and he pulled back all because she tried calling. Maybe I shouldn’t have played into the idea of how fun it would be to have one night with him. Let’s just rack it up to not having sex for a long time. Not having sex for eternity is far less humiliating than how he made me feel.
I mean, that has to be the answer, right? Because I haven’t had sex for so long?
Surely, I don’t see him as anything other than a good lay. I mean, I’m assuming he is. He could be a two-pump chump, for all I know .
And I fucking know that’s not the truth, but it makes me feel better.
I’m not going back down that road ever again.
I stare at the excessive bouquet that was delivered to me at the theater. No name, just a blank card. Well, at least he tried to send a card for once.
I trash them.
The delivery woman seems horrified as she hands me another bag. Almost hesitantly, like I’m going to trash that as well.
“More gifts?” I ask in disbelief.
She swallows and nods. I take the bag. So what is this, his form of groveling? Saying sorry without actually saying sorry?
I open the small white bag and pull out a white box with a red ribbon. When I open it, my eyebrows shoot up.
Long diamond earrings shine up at me, and my jaw tightens.
The woman is looking at me expectantly.
“These I’ll keep,” I say sheepishly. I’m pissed with the asshole, but these are fucking stunning. And now the nicest pair of earrings I own. It doesn’t mean I’m forgiving him, though.
No fucking way.
I should’ve known better than to get involved with a man who is pining over another woman. It’s one of the reasons I called off my last relationship years ago. He was pining over one of his work colleagues, and I was never going to be anyone’s second best. I am worthy of being someone’s first choice, and I have to start picking men who see that. Not a man who is unavailable and clearly not interested in me.
But then, why did he kiss me like that?
Why were his hands so gentle and his mouth so fucking perfect? If there’s one thing I’m going to take away from this it’s that I need to find another man who can kiss me the same way.
But I have a feeling I’ll never find anyone who can kiss better than him. But if I can get a kiss like that again, I’ll be one very fucking happy girl. I can only imagine what those lips and tongue would do if they went just a little bit lower.
Shaking my head, I pocket my new earrings and sit back down in front of the makeup mirror. Matthew has been working on a new script for an upcoming show, and I wanted to come in early to look over it. But I’ve only read over the first line… ten times already. I look back at the flowers in the trashcan.
This asshole has really gotten under my skin.
Julie silently walks in behind me, and it’ s strange for her to be so quiet. She smiles at me when she sees me, but I can tell by her side-eye that she’s been crying.
“Julie?” I twist to face her immediately.
“I’m fine, it’s okay,” she says quickly. But she’s anything but fine.
“What happened?” I hurry to her side.
“It’s Cinita. She’s in the hospital.”
“Oh,” I say, stepping back. Guilt grips me as my stomach sinks. Is that why she called last night? It has to be, right? “Is she okay?” I do care that she’s okay, but I don’t know how she became such a large part of my life without my knowledge.
“I don’t know, but she’s there, and it’s scary. I’m already on two strikes with our dance coach, so I had to come in.”
I bite my bottom lip. Cinita might be the bane of my existence right now, but I don’t wish ill on her. And I hate seeing Julie like this. “What if I ask if I go see her? I’m sure I can twist Matthew’s arm to let me leave for an hour or so.”
Julie sucks in a shaky breath. “Are you sure?”
I sigh. “Well, we were roommates. It’s the least I can do.” A month was hardly enough time to grow any kind of bond with her, but I feel bad for Julie. “It’s fine. Besides, it’s not like it’s a show day. I’m sure he’ ll let me off for one practice.”
Julie throws her arms around me, and I’m startled by her affection. Then another lump of guilt forms in the pit of my stomach.
“Julie, I need to repay you for the dress I borrowed last night. It ripped, and I’d rather buy you a new one.”
Julie wipes away her happy tears as she begins to chuckle. “Honestly, I don’t care. I’ve owned that dress for years, and it looked better on you than me anyway.”
“Oh, shut up,” I say on a laugh. Her eyes go wide at the bouquet in the trash. I cringe as I look back at her. “A gift from an admirer that I don’t particularly want.”
She rushes over to them and plucks them up. Luckily, it was empty other than the flowers. “Fuck that. Your trash is my treasure.” And just like that, she snaps out of her misery. “Is this from Alek Ivanov?”
I go to deny it, but she starts laughing. “You’ve really caught his attention, huh? I know I’ve already said it before, but be careful around him, okay? It’s men like him that have Cinita in the hospital.”
“Someone did something to her?”
She shrugs. “I don’t know, but she always follows trouble, and men like him. That kind of life has its highs, but when it has its lows, it can be bad. Just be careful, okay? ”
“Do you know much about Alek?” I ask quietly. I don’t want to be asking about him, but, fuck me, he’s all I can think about right now.
“Mostly rumors. The Ivanov twins are legendary,” she says as she happily inhales the flowers.
“How?”
“They run auctions; a lot of them.” She looks around to make sure no one else has yet arrived and could be listening. “Like the one we danced at. They are very dangerous and could make anyone disappear. I hear Alek is a wild card.”
Disappear?
I got the impression of power from them. But make people disappear?
Yet I know in my heart it’s the truth. This somehow makes it more terrifying because I’ve also seen their kindness. Was that just for me, or was I being played for a fool?
It shouldn’t matter either way.
I should stay away.
“Cinita has always had a thing for Alek. She plays on his need to protect her. But things between them never really went further. As far as I’m aware, she never got what she wanted from him. But, damn, did she use him as a way to protect herself when she got into situations she couldn’t get out of.” She whistles .
“We were out one night, and a guy touched her inappropriately, and wouldn’t stop. The following day, the news reported he was found dead.
“She and I weren’t close, and she didn’t like doing things with us outside of work. But on the occasions we did go out together, and she hit a buzz, all she spoke about was the men, the power, the toxicity. She thrived on it. And when times got tough for her, Alek was supposedly her knight in shining armor.”
My jaw tightens at the thought.
He said they’d been at the same orphanage, so maybe he felt like a protective big brother?
Even I can’t convince myself of that.
I need to put it behind me.
I shouldn’t delve any deeper into their world.
I’m not Cinita, looking for my next hit. I want to focus on my career and living my life. Thriving. I won’t be second best again.
But I will make sure she’s okay. If she’s what Alek wants, then I’ll stop stepping between them.