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 want her 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 nothing to 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.
I clap my hands as the song comes to an end, and she jumps out of her skin. She spins around to give me a half-arsed snarl before laughing at herself.
“I could get used to this view, Sugar.” I tease, but don’t make any move to go into the kitchen.
If I go in there, I can’t promise I won’t bend her over the worktops, and I really need to have this chat with her first.
“You'd better get used to it,” she smirks and turns back to the bacon.
“I’ll be back in five,” I tell her before going upstairs.
I jump in the shower and dress quickly, and by the time I make it back down, she has food and coffee ready and waiting at the table.
“Where did you go on your run?” She asks, between mouthfuls of food.
“Along the river and back. It's beautiful first thing in the morning.”
“I’ll come with you next time, if you don’t mind? I haven’t been for a proper outdoor run in a long time.”
“I’d love that.” I smile.
I’m waiting for the opportunity to bring up all the shit inside my brain, but she beats me to it.
“I’m sorry.” Her voice wobbles slightly.
“What for, Sugarplum?”
“Lying, avoiding, sneaking. All of it. I never meant to make it such a big deal; it just escalated.” She stares down at her now forgotten food.
“Well, why don’t you start from the beginning. How did you end up with the job?” I ask, beyond pleased at how this is going so far. At the same time as shitting myself of what she could say.
“I ran out of money, and Sara had mentioned it in front of Riley. He offered me a job there and then, but I was too scared to do anything about it. I mean, I knew he owned clubs and in my head, I thought I’d have to do a lap dance or something.
” She looks horrified at the thought. “My agency also got me an audition for Moulin Rouge with her, but we had just started whatever this is, and I didn’t want to wreck a good thing.
” She shrugs it off, but it is written all over her face how hard it was to admit it to me.
“Baby, I would never begrudge you going for something like that. It would be such a good opportunity.”
“I know, but I didn’t want to leave you.” She says, unable to meet my eyes. My heart thaws at that. “Anyway, I was in a bit of a pickle. So, I went along to Riley’s bar and kind of fell into the whole hoop act. Now I’m making a fortune and doing something I enjoy.”
“I get all of that, I really do. But why didn’t you tell me you were struggling for money?” My heart is in my throat at what she could say. She must know I’m not exactly strapped for cash.
“Honestly, because it’s weird. You’re not my brother offering a handout, Max. We’re still so new to all of this, whatever we are. I didn’t want you to feel obligated to help, but also didn’t want you to think I was using you.”
Holy shit. This is possibly the most fucked up thing that has ever happened with us. But also, I kind of get it, even if it’s a load of bullshit.
Standing, I make my way over to her and pull her up so she’s standing before me.
“Lucy. You and me? We’re a team. Girlfriend is the world's worst term for what you are to me. But seeing as I haven’t got a ring on that pretty little finger of yours yet, it will have to do.
And as my girlfriend, what is mine is also yours.
You want to work at the club? Do it. If you don’t, then don’t.
Either way, money isn’t an issue for you. ”
Her cheeks heat at my words. Her eyes are brimming with emotion. Who knew I had such a way with words? Not me, that’s for sure.
“Promise me. From this moment on, no lies. Complete transparency between us, yeah?”
“Yes, Max. I promise.”
“Oh, and also. You need to call work.”
“What, why?” She asks, looking at me incredulously.
“You need some time off. We leave for Menorca in the morning.”