Chapter Twelve
Max
Fuck my life.
Friends? What the hell was I thinking?
I wasn’t thinking, that’s the problem. Now I am stuck with being platonic around her, when all I want to do is worship the ground she walks on.
Only I could get myself into this situation.
I have to physically stop myself from stomping down the stairs like a petulant child who didn’t get their own way.
What a bloody nightmare. I want to go home, have a drink, and crawl into bed.
The hangover is really starting to kick in now, and this is just the icing on the cake.
I pop my head into each room, trying to find my brother/taxi driver/unpaid landlord so we can get the hell out of here, but he’s nowhere to be found.
The race is on late tonight, and that will be the highlight of my day.
If I can get Lucy out of my head, that is.
I thought I was obsessed with her before, but now I’ve seen her, held her, it’s ten times worse.
I can hear noises from the kitchen, so I wander over to see if he’s snuck away from the others too, but what I walk in on definitely wasn’t on my bingo card.
Tommy is holding onto Maya, kissing her with so much passion that I can’t help but stare.
I didn’t think those sorts of emotions were possible for that tyrant.
It’s not just one-sided either. She looks to be exactly the same.
I have always known there was something between the two of them.
I think everyone around them knew, except themselves.
I should be happy, but I’m in too much of a stinking mood to be.
They haven’t noticed me standing here, ogling them.
Which means that anyone else could walk in, and I have a feeling they’re not ready for that.
“Sorry to break this up, but we need to leave to make it back in time for the Formula One. But I have got to say, it’s about bloody time you two gave in to each other.
” I wink and force a playful smile before walking off to say bye to the others.
Their faces were priceless! I can’t wait to rip him over this when we’re alone.
Maya looked like a deer in the headlights.
Chuckling to myself, I bid my farewells and go out to wait for Tommy by the car.
It’s only a few minutes until he’s here. A smile played at his lips.
The moment our arses are in the seats, I spin on him.
“Sooo, are we going to talk about…”
“Nope.” He cuts me off. “Not a word.”
“You party pooper. That was the most interesting thing that’s happened all night.” I moan, but I don’t push any further. I know Tommy, and he will spill the beans in his own time.
“Where did you disappear to?” He asks nonchalantly.
Was I gone for so long that everyone noticed? I hope mum didn’t. That’s the last thing I need. If she says anything about it to Lucy, she will only pull away again. And we can’t have that.
“I just ran up to say bye to Lucy,” I say as coolly as I possibly can.
“Was she okay? She seemed a little off. Did you notice?” He asks, his brows furrowed.
“Yeah, a little. I think she was just overly tired from the travel. It must take some time to come back down to reality after her kind of work.” When what I really want to say is… no, she’s a mess and I can’t do anything about it because Mum is a dick.
Of course. Those words never leave my lips.
If there is anyone in this world I would want to talk to about this, it would be him.
I can’t do that, though. What if he reacted the same way Mum did?
God, he could even be worse. Something in me knows I probably could tell him, but that would be opening a whole other can of worms I’m not ready for.
Especially when I don’t even know what’s going through Lucy's mind.
When Fallon mentioned other men she could have been with, I lost it.
I don’t know how I didn’t manage to snap the fork I was holding in half.
I mustn’t be as strong as I think I am. I have no right to feel like this.
I’ve been with other women, not that I’ve enjoyed it much.
Or that I have ever not thought of her while fucking them.
Because I do, every time. So, of course, she would have slept around.
But knowing I was her first has me territorial.
I’m in this for the long game. I don’t know how I’ll win her over. Or even if it is possible. But God loves a trier.
“Max,” Tommy calls as I walk past his office door the next morning. “Come here a second.”
“What’s up?” I ask, relaxing back on his fancy chair in the corner. “Got another mission for me, boss?”
“A mission? Is that what we’re calling it now?” His eyes roll at my attempt at a joke. “But yes, I do have a mission. I want you to work from here for a while. That way I can go back and forth between head office knowing it’s in safe hands when I’m away.”
“Aw, I think that might be the nicest thing you have ever said to me,” I beam at him, to which he scowls.
“You’re making me regret asking you.”
This is just what I needed, the perfect excuse to hang around Worcester for a while.
For one reason, and one reason only. Now I really do need to find my own place.
I will have to get Lana, Tommy’s assistant, to look into it for me, because I am useless at this shit.
My mind is a million miles away, conjuring up schemes to win Lucy over and what size television I’m going to get when I finally hear my name being called.
“Ey, fucker, you weren’t listening to anything I’ve just said, were you?” Tommy rubs the back of his neck as he scolds me.
“Sorry bro. I’m just thinking of where I’m going to live, seeing as you are shacking up with Maya,” I wink.
“Maya and I are not a thing,” he says, but I can see the sly smile he is trying to hide. “But I like the sound of you finally fucking off out of my apartment.”
“Mind if I ask Lana to look into it for me?”
“Be my guest. Whatever gets you out of my hair sooner.”
“You say this, but I know you love me really,” I smile as I back out of the room, not taking my eyes off him in case he decides to throw something at me.
He’s done it before. I can’t help pissing him off, it’s my favourite pastime.
“Stop sulking, we’re going out tonight and getting you a beautiful woman to bring home. ”
It took some convincing, but we’re finally out at our friend’s club.
Jenson’s bar is one of my favourite places around here.
It is prohibition-themed, with different rooms you can enter depending on your mood.
I usually spend my nights in the speakeasy, because that’s the one room where it’s mega easy to pick up girls.
Jenson is one of those guys who looks like he would knock you out if you dared to approach him, but Tommy and I know him better than that. He is soft as shit and would do anything for anyone.
We are at the bar for less than ten minutes before Fallon’s voice can be heard over the music.
God, I love my sister, but wow, whenever we’re around, she pops up out of nowhere.
She isn’t alone though, Maya, Blair, and Gracie are with her.
These girls are inseparable. Where one goes, the others will follow.
But there is one person I’m searching for, and she doesn’t seem to be here.
I scan every face surrounding them as they get closer to us.
Searching for the fairy-like woman with the shining auburn hair, only for me to be left disappointed.
It takes all I have in me not to blurt it out and ask where she is as soon as they come over.
“Hi boys! Fancy seeing you here,” Gracie calls when she gets to us.
“Hello, my beauties. What do we owe the pleasure?” I ask, my words laced with sarcasm.
“Oh, don’t be so full of shit, Max. We didn’t know you lot would be here.” Blair rolls her eyes, flipping her hair as she edges closer to the bar.
That girl is feisty, and from the way Jenson is eyeing her, I’m guessing he likes a girl who doesn’t hold back.
I watch him as he closes the distance between them, Blair's eyes widening for a second before her usual passive-aggressive mask is back in place. Yeah, they have definitely fucked before. It’s written all over their faces.
I only lasted another hour as the third wheel, so I have decided to call it a night.
I’m bored to death, and it’s not like I’m in any mood to chat up any of the available women in here.
Tommy disappeared with Maya, thinking no one would notice their disappearance.
Then Jenson took Blair to the toilets, not giving a shit who noticed theirs.
Which left me here, alone, nursing my drink and a bad mood.
Walking back to Tommy's apartment, I pass all the dirty pizza places, debating which one is the best to try when a flash of deep red hair halts my steps. I would know that arse anywhere. I’ve studied it for long enough. Why is she here? Out in the city, alone.
Well, that just won’t do.
“Lucy!”