The Lover (18+) [Completed]

Chapter XVI

The drive in the limo felt never-ending. I had never in my life felt as awkward and nervous as I felt sitting next to Andrew, his hand plastering me against his side, and suddenly the car felt twenty degrees hotter. My nerves were taking the best of me as I kept thinking about Nate and I and the nights we've spent together. Andrew was just super needy tonight, wanting to hold my hand and kiss my cheek, and because it would've been too obvious if I pulled away in front of Alex and Oliver I had to stay still.

Finally arriving at the venue, the driver stopped in front of the red carpet that covered the entrance and led up to the staircase.

"Ready?" Alex asked excitedly and was escorted out, Oliver following. Flashed from cameras started invading the night and for a moment I froze. Here we go with the public outing.

"You alright?" Andrew asked behind me and I nodded quietly. When it was my turn to exit, I took the driver's hand and scooted out, instantly followed by Andrew. We were instantly swarmed by paparazzies and the flashes from the camera started to blind me. I felt Andrew's hand go around my waist, but I was too busy trying to look decent for the cameras that I couldn't be bothered to also make sure he was keeping his hands to himself. Which he wasn't by the way.

"Smile, Scar" Andrew said with a smile to the camera's and I plastered an okay smile as multiple papz asked a thousand questions a minute. Andrew started answering some as we moved around so they could take pictures from every angle, and I tried not to roll my eyes. I tuned myself out as I cranked my neck to look around, looking for Nate and his infamous date. The woman wasn't a crazy person but as the jealous person I was I couldn't think about Nate being with someone else other than me. I knew he had a life before me, and obviously I got the last memo of his life events, but even then...

This is what my life with Andrew was about. Two powerful company heirs getting together and joining their assets, portraying the perfect life everybody wanted. And the fact that we were close to Alex who had a famous fashion line and Nathaniel who's always been a very successful CEO as her father.

I was too busy with my thoughts that I didn't realize what Andrew had been talking to the papz about, because I was caught completely off guard when Andrew wrapped his arms around, dipped me and crushed his lips against mine. In that second thousands of camera flashes exploded all over, and then it was over. Andrew pulled me back up and smiled at the cameras as he dragged me up the stairs and towards the venue

The hint of whiskey that his lips tasted like remained on my lips as I ascended the stairs with shaky legs

"Did you really have to do that?" I asked with a pained smile aimed at the public. Andrew smirked and looked down at me

"You do whatever I tell you to do" he said, smiling at me like his words were sweet. Air got stuck in my throat and I swallowed hard and allowed him to walk us inside, my hand on his arm. Music engulfed us and we were handed glasses of wine and champagne.

"Limit your drinking tonight" Andrew murmured in my ear and I scoffed.

"I could tell you the same thing" I pointed out and he raised an eyebrow.

"You don't have a say in what I do or stop doing. Remember your place" he said, and I swallowed down the nasty words that were about to come out of my mouth.

My parents found us and hugged both of us, complimenting us as a couple and my mom saying I was looking like a princess although I looked too skinny, which was the norm by now. Alex bumped into us, attached to Oliver's arm. The man smiled like he had won a million bucks and just stood there and watched Alex talked with a small smile on his lips.

Oh boy

Alex seemed to keep the conversation without including Andrew much though she smiled a bit here and there but not her usual self. Maybe she was still pissed about Andrew getting Nate arrested like a jerk. Even I was pissed off about that. But I couldn't act on it, not if I wanted to keep my secret an actual secret.