Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
Athena
I should have stopped after the third bottle of wine. I didn’t need to drink as much as I did, but here we are. We’ve all linked arms, bumping off each other and giggling.
I didn’t know how much I needed this night until I was in it. My intimate signing was epically good. Edel took a tonne of photos and Ana?s said she was going to update my socials. As days go, this one was pretty perfect.
My fingers are still tightly gripping the giftbag Royce gave me. I haven’t opened it yet. I felt like I should wait until I am sober and I can appreciate it. I would probably cry. I am feeling ever so fragile.
Ana?s spots Alexandre hovering by the door, his eyes widening as he sees the four of us swaying towards him.
“Alex!” Ana?s calls out, letting go of Nora as she runs towards him.
“Mademoiselle!” His voice is loud.
We should stop her, but even if we wanted to, I don’t feel like I could. My brain isn’t playing ball.
“There you are,” Creed’s voice booms as he walks outside, grabbing Ana?s and holding her against him.
We walk up to him, and he gives us all a look.
“On a scale of one to ten, how drunk are you all?” His brow raises and I giggle, Edel is singing to herself and Nora just stares. “Oh jeez.” He chuckles.
“You’re so handsome, hubby,” Ana?s mumbles, trying to kiss him. “I love you,” she slurs.
He smiles down at her, giving her a soft kiss on the forehead then leads her inside the apartment block. We all follow, holding onto each other and Alexandre looks grateful that we’re going.
Creed holds the lift for the three of us, and after what feels like forever, we are all inside. We stop at our floor first, me and Edel walking out.
“See you guys in the morning.” I wave, Edel blows them all kisses, and Nora mutters something that I didn’t quite get. “What did she say?” I close one eye as I look at Edel trying to stop seeing double of her.
“No clue.” She yawns.
“Ohhh, I have an idea,” I press my finger to her lips, and she looks down her nose at my finger, her eyes crossing and her brows furrowing. “Let’s go wake Royce up.” I giggle and after a beat or two, she is on board.
“Do you still have a key?” she whispers as I push the button on the lift.
“Er, no, but he’ll be up.” I wave her off, puffing out my cheeks as we wait.
“It’s race weekend.” She hiccups. “We should let him sleep,” she mutters, tiredness masking her voice.
“I’m not going to keep him up.” I flash her a smile. “I just want to see him.”
“Right,” she yawns and steps into the lift. I follow and push the next floor up. “What if he doesn’t wake up?” She looks at me, her eyes heavy.
“Then we go to bed.” My voice is a little louder as the doors ping open. Trudging my legs towards Royce’s room, boldness shivers up my spine.
“I’m tired,” Edel wails just as I knock on the door.
“Me too.” I yawn. “If he doesn’t answer, I promise we will go to bed.” I knock again, this time a little harder.
After another five minutes, Edel is falling asleep standing up. Maybe it’s time I accepted that he isn’t answering the door.
“Bummer.” I pout, poking Edel in the top of her arm which causes her to jolt slightly and stand taller.
Just as I am about to drag Edel home, I hear his door unlock and my heart drums inside my chest. His messy black hair all over the place, and I have to fight with myself internally not to step up to him and run my fingers through it.
His low grey sweats leave little to the imagination, not that I have to imagine.
I have seen him in all his thick, long, wonderful glory.
His pale, toned skin catches the low corridor lights and the want to trace my fingers over every inch becomes overwhelming.
Sleep is evident in his eyes, a cute pillow crease down his cheek.
“Are you okay?” he asks, his eyes roaming over me. His lips twitch when he sees I am still holding the gift bag.
“I’m fine.” Suddenly, I feel sober as a judge.
He blinks between me and Edel. A slow smile drags across his lips as he steps aside and nods for us to follow. Edel wanders through and lays herself on the sofa. I open my mouth then close it again when Royce shakes his head.
He tiptoes into the spare bedroom and fetches a blanket, and by the time he returns, she is asleep. Unfolding the blanket, he covers her up before turning to face me.
“Sorry I woke you.” Guilt crushes me. He’s racing this weekend and I woke up him because I am selfish.
“Don’t, I’m glad you did.” He closes the gap between us, so we’re toe to toe. His fingers flex as he hooks under the soft rope of the gift bag and places it on the floor. “Have you carried that around with you all night?”
I nod, my eyes locked on his. “I haven’t opened it yet.” I shrug.
“Open it now?” he asks.
My eyes volley back and forth from his. Licking my lips, I slowly bend at the waist and slide the box out. He watches me carefully as I slip the lid off, my eyes falling to the delicate snow globe.
“Royce,” I whisper, gently lifting it from its case and admiring it. It’s small, but it’s the marina, tiny boats placed with care. I twist it upside down and watch the specks float.
“Do you know how hard it is to get snow globes in the summer?” he smirks and I laugh softly, placing it back in the bag.
“I love it, thank you,” I say, my eyes misting.
He gives a gentle nod. “How was your evening?” he asks softly, changing the subject and I walk towards the kitchen.
“Good, I had a really nice time.” I lick my lips, my stomach twisting.
“I’m glad.” He follows me. “The signing?”
“It was epic.” I sigh; I really shouldn’t have drunk so much. “I’m a little drunk,” I admit, giggling.
“Would never have guessed.” A playful look flits across his eyes.
I turn to face Edel sleeping. He closes the gap between us, his intense gaze on me and suddenly he feels too close. I needed him.
“I’m sorry,” he whispers, and I suck in a breath. “I shouldn’t have pushed you away…” He trails off, dropping his head for just a moment.
“It’s okay.” I lick my lips, my heart drums in my chest.
“No, it’s not. I was a dick, I know that. I just…” Lifting his head, he turns his face away from me.
I watch as he clenches his jaw, his sights set on the floor-to-ceiling windows. Grabbing his face, I turn him to look at me.
“Just nothing.” My breath dances across his face.
His eyes fall closed like he is fighting with himself. “I need you, Athena. I can’t function without you. I need you at the race on Sunday. I need you.” His ice blues settle on me.
My heart jolts, my lips parting as my eyes dart back and forth from his.
“Kiss me,” I whisper, my fingers slowly dropping from his face. “I’m sorry, I… I didn’t—”
He cuts me off, his hands cupped around my head as he tilts my lips up to his. “You never have to ask me to kiss you, Lucky.”
I blink at him, the sound of the nickname raspy on his tongue, the nickname I have come to love. “Why Lucky?” My voice trembles as I finally ask after weeks of him calling me it.
“Because you’re my lucky charm, and not just that…” He pauses, edging his lips closer. “I’m so fucking lucky you crashed into my life.”
Before I can protest, his mouth crashes against mine.
His fingertips press into my skin as his tongue slips past my lips.
A soft whimper escapes as I mould into him, pressing my body to his.
Fingers tiptoe over his shoulders as I dig my fingers into his warm skin.
He pulls away abruptly, a loud sigh passing through his nose.
“You’re drunk.”
“I think you’ve sobered me up,” I whisper, my chest rising and falling. My skin tingles, my lips feel bruised and I want more. So much more.
“No.” He shakes his head, curling his fingers around my delicate wrist, tugging me behind him as we walk to the bedroom.
“What are you doing?” I hiss, trying to pull back.
“We’re going to bed.” He closes the door behind me.
“I can sleep on the sofa,” I mutter, suddenly feeling overwhelmed as he passes me and sits on the edge of the bed.
He stays quiet for a moment as if thinking about it. My stomach flips and I feel like he is going to ask me to go. The look on his face is serious, eyes narrowed ever so slightly on mine as if weighing up his options.
“No chance,” he growls, reaching forward for me as he tugs me towards him. I slot between his legs, his fingers curled around my waist as he looks up at me. My fingers trail through his thick, black hair.
“I have no pyjamas,” I whisper, my hair falling forward and teasing his shoulder.
“Sleep naked.” He wiggles his brows and I laugh softly. “You can wear a tee of mine.”
“Sounds good.” I smile, slowly peeling myself out of his vice like grip.
He sulks when I finally escape and I shake my head. He pushes to his feet and tugs his drawer open, pulling out a Sain Onyx crew neck tee and walking it over to me.
“It’ll be good to see you in my shirt.” He winks and my insides burn.
The contract. My subconscious reminds me and I pick the tee from his tight grip.
“Well, at least you’ll get to see it at least once in your life.” I push my tongue into my cheek and walk away, slipping into his bathroom to get changed.
I want this to work between us, but this line of what’s fake and what’s real is starting to blur. Is he playing a part? Am I playing a part? I have no idea and yet the longer we continue, the harder it is getting to tell what’s what.
I wash my face and pat it dry with a towel, then spin to face the door. I feel dizzy after moving too quickly, a pleasant reminder that I still have a bucket load of alcohol swimming in my blood stream. Maybe I wasn’t sobering up.
Opening the bathroom door, he is laying down and I notice his sweats are folded and on the end of the bed. He looks at me, his hungry eyes raking over my body.
“I didn’t know if you wanted to wear them, but now I have seen you in just my tee… fuck the sweats.”
The low rasp of his voice does something to me. He kicks his foot under the duvet and the sweats fall to the floor. I laugh, leaning against the doorframe.
“This is dangerous,” I whisper, waiting for him to realise we’re stepping into a new territory.
Before, maybe we both felt for each other but never admitted, and yet, tonight… it feels different. Like we’ve both confessed.
“My life is dangerous, Lucky. Every day is dangerous… you, baby, are no exception.” His eyes burn into me, and my breath catches at the back of my throat.
“I’m all in, Lucky, I am all fucking in.”