Chapter Ten
Max
“Turn the light off,” I groan to no one in particular.
Why is it so fucking light in here? My head is already having a rave, I don’t need my eyeballs to burn away too.
I blindly reach out to grab a pillow and drag it over my face, hoping for a few more minutes of sleep.
Last night was a heavy one. I drank way too much tequila and bourbon to be fully functioning yet.
At least I didn’t bring another random girl home.
I hope so anyway, since there doesn’t seem to be anyone in the bed next to me.
That makes a change. These days, my evenings consist of work, alcohol or women.
You would think my body would be used to it by now.
But no, I am still hanging out of my arse with this particular hangover.
I really do need to get out of bed, although I could easily stay here for a few more hours. I can hear the Formula One commentary coming from somewhere in the house. Which means I’m at Tommy's apartment. Today is race day after all.
We’re back in Worcester for a while whilst he opens the new office here.
I could have stayed back home with my parents in Bewdley, but I like Tommy's place more. The location is great, overlooking the river and with plenty of bars nearby. The only issue I have is that it looks like a bloody show home in here. I’m too scared to even leave a cup on the side unit in case he loses his head.
Maybe he is Wednesday Addams in disguise and is allergic to colour.
Or, he is just a miserable twat. Who knows.
Letting out a groan, I drag my arse out of bed in search of coffee and food.
Maybe I just need another pint, hair of the dog always hits the spot.
But it isn’t worth Tommy's wrath, considering we’re at the new office tomorrow.
I grab my phone off the nightstand on my way to the living room and check my messages.
Unknown number – Hey handsome, I missed you last night. Call me when you’re back.
I have no fucking clue who that is. I’m more surprised that there is only one message like this waiting for me.
Mum – Family dinner, our place, 4 pm. It is the only night you’re all here, so please grace us with your presence.
I still. Reading the message over and over.
All of us?
It can’t be. Surely Mum would have given me a heads up if Lucy was here.
She is the main reason I moved away when Tommy offered me the job.
He didn’t even finish the sentence before I accepted.
I needed an escape, and this opportunity came along at the perfect time.
My side of the business is scoping out potential areas and clients that would fit in T.
Jackson Construction's criteria. I love that I get to travel around the UK. Every day is different, which is good considering my incredibly short attention span, so an average nine-to-five wouldn’t suit me at all.
I carry on walking with a slight skip in my step.
Tonight is the night I will finally get to see my girl again.
I have tried to forget about her. God, I have tried to fuck her out of my system with any woman who was the complete opposite of her.
When that didn’t work, I changed tactics, only going for girls who resembled her. That was also a major fail.
She is the only one I see.
I tried to make her see sense. Shit, I flew to Paris to confront her face-to-face.
But when I saw her on that stage, saw how much she was thriving, I couldn’t bring myself to talk to her.
Watching Lucy dance is like watching a butterfly spread its wings, breath-taking.
Especially when she’s in her own little world up there.
I couldn’t dampen her dream when it had barely begun.
So I watched her show, four times in fact, just to get my fill before flying back to the UK.
I couldn’t bring myself to move on, either.
When I get to the living room, Tommy is standing facing the window. With a drink in hand and a scowl on his face. He is one moody bastard.
“What did that cup ever do to you?” I chuckle. Stopping as soon as I see the extra coffee cup on the table. What a gent.
Sitting at the table, I lounge back and take a big swig, waiting for him to explain this morning’s tantrum. He can be a right mood hoover when he wants to be.
“Nothing, just thinking about work is all.”
I internally roll my eyes. If he doesn’t want to talk about it, who am I to push him? Although I do enjoy pushing his buttons.
We chat for a while longer before he leaves the room.
Meaning I get to enjoy my coffee in peace now that his constant frown is out of sight.
I love this apartment. Even in this miserable weather, the view of the river is beautiful.
I should buy an apartment in this area too.
That way, I am still close enough to piss Tommy off, but will also have my own space.
The obscene amount of money he pays me sits steadily in my bank.
I don’t know why, but I have never actually bought myself a home.
Possibly because nowhere truly feels like home to me anymore. Not without her.
Just that fleeting thought sends a buzz of excitement through my body.
Less than six hours until I get to see that gorgeous face of hers.
How will she react to seeing me? Knowing Lucy, she is either going to be absolutely livid, heartbroken, and begging to take me back, or my least favourite…
completely unfazed. What if, after all this time, she’s happy?
She could be in a stable, normal relationship by now.
Leaving me stuck in the past, latching onto memories and wondering what could have been.
Well, there is only one way to find out.
“Did you speak to Fallon today?” Tommy asks from the driver’s seat. We’re only a few minutes away from our parents’ house now, and so far, it’s been an unusually quiet journey.
“Yes, only that mum ambushed her at her place and all but dragged her home for the night,” I reply. “Why is it that she gets a visit and all that we get is a text message?”
“Probably because she is the one who is most likely to bail on us,” Tommy deadpans. It isn’t a lie, Mum knows I would never turn down a home-cooked meal, and that Tommy will go wherever I do.
I may wind him up occasionally, but we’re still thick as thieves.
“Why? Has she said something?” I ask, intrigued.
“I’m not sure. She said something happened with Maya last night, and that’s why she left so suddenly. I’m just wondering what could have happened.”
Tommy and Maya have been in love for years. But for some reason, they are the only two that don’t realise it. Even now, after all these years away, he’s fretting over her.
“I’m sure everything is fine. If it wasn’t, Fallon would have told us.
” I reply, but Tommy’s jaw clenches harder.
He’s got it bad for this girl. Not that I’m surprised, he has always been the same.
He isn’t aware that I knew all about his secret.
How he would sneak away at night, or sometimes even sneak her in.
I have never quite understood why he wouldn’t tell me about her.
Before he gets the chance to say anything more, we’re pulling into our family farm.
Where our parents still sell their own eggs and honey.
I never in my wildest dreams thought I would be some kind of honey connoisseur, but growing up with my mother, I had no choice.
What can I say? I am just a man of many talents.
“Come on, let's get this over with,” Tommy sighs as he exits the car.
I may not be on the best of terms with our parents, but being back here settles something deep inside of me, or maybe it’s the fact that I know who is waiting inside. Rolling my eyes at Tommy, I run ahead of him, letting myself straight into the house.
“Hello! Your favourite child is here.” I shout, nervous excitement buzzing around me.
It isn’t long before the sound of hurried footsteps greets us, and Lucy rounds the corner.
Fuck. Me.
She is even more beautiful than when I last laid eyes on her.
Is she just as eager to see me as I am her?
Her womanly curves are more pronounced than when I last saw her.
To anyone else, she looks ecstatic to see us.
But I know better. I can see the way her fists are clenched by her sides.
How her bright smile doesn’t quite reach her eyes. She’s scared.
And so she should be.
I don’t plan on letting her get away from me that easily, not again.
I didn’t realise how close Tommy is to me, not when my focus is only on her. It’s only when Lucy steps forward and wraps her arms around us both that I even realise he’s still here.
“Ah, I have missed you both.” She exclaims.
Her body is soft and warm in my arms. She is wearing her usual perfume, the one she knows is my favourite. I haven’t smelt it in so long, but just that one whiff, has me telling my dick to stand down.
“We’ve missed you, too, Luce,” I reply, strained, not wanting to let her go. And from the way she is holding me, I don’t think she wants to walk away either.
She laughs as she finally backs away, her gaze avoiding mine as she spins on her heel. “It feels like forever since I saw you both. Mum is ordering a takeaway, so you need to be quick before she picks for you.” She says as she walks into the living room. Not giving me a second look.
It hurts. I know she is affected by seeing me; I could see it written all over her. But to pretend like nothing happened? That hits deep.
“Everyone, the boys are here.” She announces as we enter the room. She strides straight over to Fallon and takes a seat on the one spare space on the couch.
Well, if she wants to play like that, I can play too.
This room is huge. Right in the centre, there is an old wooden-beamed fireplace that is surrounded by three deep couches. One is taken up by our parents, and another is taken by Maya, Fallon’s best friend. Then the last one is where Lucy and Fallon sit. I eye the room, a plan forming in my brain.
“What are we having?” I ask as I stroll towards Lucy and situate myself directly behind her. I lean forward slightly, my hands braced on the back of the couch.
Her shoulders stiffen at my proximity. I have to stop myself from smiling. Not that I want her to feel uncomfortable, I’m not that evil, but I love that she is affected by me, hopefully, just as much as I am by her. I just had to see how she would react.
“Curry,” Mum answers.
I stay where I am for a few minutes, just taking in the room, but my thoughts never stray from the woman sitting within reaching distance.
Everyone else is chattering away, but I’m not listening to them.
The exact moment Fallon moves to be closer to Maya, I swoop into her empty seat.
I plonk myself down dramatically and stretch my arm along the back of the couch.
All it would take is one small movement, and I would be touching her again.
“What are you doing?” She mutters under her breath.
“Erm, sitting? Why? Do you have a problem with that?” I ask smugly.
She rolls her eyes. I fucking love it when she’s feisty. “I have a problem with you tormenting me,” she states. Her body is rigid, fists still clenched. Her knuckles must be aching by now.
“Oh, baby, you think I’m tormenting you? You haven’t seen anything yet.” I wink before turning away from her. I can feel her anger simmering from here.
She can love me or hate me, either way, she feels something for me. Love and hatred are the strongest emotions we can hold. The lines can blur between the two very easily. I’ll take whatever, as long as she feels something towards me.
I’m fighting with my willpower not to turn to her again.
To get lost in those mesmerising eyes of hers, but as I do, I lock onto another set of eyes.
James is staring straight at me. His brows are dipped as if in deep concentration, but he doesn’t look upset with how close I’m sitting to her.
I wouldn’t exactly say he was happy either, but definitely not mad.
I remember the text message he sent me the day after it all blew up as if it were yesterday.
Listen, Son, I’m sure your mother will come around to the idea of you both. It was a massive shock to us, and I do get why she is upset. I will try speaking to her again. We just need time to wrap our heads around it. Only your heart knows what it wants.
If only time did help us.
All it did was help the distance between us grow. Not that Lucy ever gave us a true chance. She ran at the first sign of trouble. Even after promising me that we were in this together. I don’t plan on letting her go this time without a fight. I yearn for her. I can’t escape her, even in my dreams.
“Nasty messages?” Fallon breaks my thoughts as she spits the words out.
What the hell have I missed? “The dickhead was practically stalking you. He went to your house and waited for you, Maya, shortly after he threatened you, too!” Each word she says becomes more heated.
But it’s Tommy that catches my eye. He is seething.
Veins are popping from his neck with how tightly his jaw is clenched.
“I don’t think you realise how serious this is, Maymay.
No one should be treated like that. You don’t deserve to be treated like that. ”
Maya is just sitting there, drawn in to herself. I have never seen someone look so broken before. Who the fuck would do this to her? I look over to Lucy, and her mouth hangs open in shock. She must have only started to pay attention at the same time that I did.
“I do know how serious this is. I am the one living through it. You saw firsthand how scared I was last night. To have to call you for a safe place to go,” Maya pauses to take in a shaky breath.
Her eyes were shining with tears. “Anyway, it’s over now.
We all know I should have gotten rid of him a while ago; this was just the last nail in the coffin.
It's done. Now, can we stop going on about it, please?”
Bloody hell. This is deep. How can anyone hurt Maya?
She is one of the sweetest souls I know.
And from the look on Tommy's face, I’m scared for the guy that did this to her.
I don’t know what to say. I would normally have a joke on hand to break the tension, but this is another level of shit.
Luckily, I don’t need to as the doorbell rings.
I jump to my feet at the same time as Lucy. “Saved by the bell, foods here!” I call as we both escape to the front door.