12. Rosalie
TWELVE
Rosalie
J ay is making me tea.
Even though he knows I could just call room service and get everything I want, he turned on my kettle and made me tea. I have no idea when someone last actually made me something, even so small.
My parents would call my nanny whenever I was sick. I had several nannies and au pairs who took care of me, and every time I got too attached, they’d replace her. I cried for Anna, Rhiannon, or Shea instead of my mother, and she’d get jealous.
So that’s why I’m suddenly so amazed by watching him making me tea.
I sit on my sofa, while the rain splatters against my windows. I don’t want to be weird, and that’s why I take out my phone and notice that Leah has texted me.
Leah: Hey, are you okay? That mess was wild.
Rosie: Yeah, I’m so sorry. I’ll tell you everything tomorrow, okay? Did you guys work on our project?
Leah: Yes. We tried to work your ideas in but we might need more time to do it tomorrow. Do you think you can make it before class?
Rosie: Of course, I’m so sorry again. I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.
Leah: No problem at all, I’m glad you’re okay.
I send a heart emoji.
“Here you go,” Jay says and gives me the tea. I’m surprised the mug isn’t too hot. I try to drink it and it’s not perfect.
“Wow, even ready to drink.”
“Sure,” he says, “everything for my princess.”
He sits down in the armchair across from me and I watch him while I take another sip. Princess . He has no idea what he does to me with it.
“Thank you so much.”
“It’s just tea, Rosie.”
It’s not.
“Are you feeling better?” His blue eyes roam over me, and I’m taken aback by how handsome he is. He always was, but in the faint city lights, he looks like a fucking angel.
I take another sip, the warmth soothing me from within. “Yeah. But I’m afraid. Everything we find out just seems to point to me. I’m afraid I did all these things they say I did—that I slept with Kix Lyle, that I trashed his villa, that I pushed him, that I drove into that tree…” I swallow. I don’t want to be this person. No more drugs. No more fucking drugs.
“If you did that, you must have been under heavy influence, and I know you like to party hard, but never like this. If you really did all those things, then someone drugged you.”
I nod. “I usually just want to numb my thoughts, just feel the bliss, but it’s a lie.”
“What do you mean?” He stretches and I see his abs.
I remember how his body felt against mine.
“Well, drugs make you feel good at first but awful after. It gave me the same bliss as sleeping with you did, but when you made me orgasm, I felt better after.”
Jay grins. “So, I’m better than your stupid drugs?”
“Way better.”