I put my stuff in the car before getting in the passenger seat. I pray that Christian will just get in the car and put the radio on so we don't have to speak. I pick up my phone. I haven't checked since I sent a picture of my outfit to Toto, and I see a total of 10 messages from Toto.
It hits me then that Christian messaged him. He must be so worried. I open the messages and read through them.
My heart melts at how he worried about me. I'm about to respond when another message pops up.
"I literally grabbed my keys and then saw you read my messages. Are you okay?" It says.
I sigh and start typing.
"Yes, my dad was suspicious. We had a huge fight, he knows, and when I get back from Austria, I need to find an apartment. I'll type out everything that happened for you when I'm on the plane, but I'm physically okay. Mentally, I need to sort through all this information.
Thank you for caring. Toto, it means a tremendous amount. "
I sigh, turning off the phone as Christian got in the car. Just like I hoped he didn't speak but used the radio to fill the extreme amount of tense silence.
Toto messaged me, but I couldn't be bothered looking at it. I was so mentally exhausted that I just wanted to get on the plane so I could sleep.
Ten minutes of awkward silence later, Christians voice fills the car, almost a whisper.
"Was it something I did?" He asks.
"What?"
"Was it something I did or didn't do that made you want to date an older man?" He asks his voice soft.
"Christian, there's nothing you could have done to stop this. I know you think it's stupid, but he honestly treats me like an equal. Like I'm not just the rebellious kid everyone thinks I am." I tell him.
"Please, at least tell me you haven't slept with him?" He begs.
"I won't tell you something that's untrue Christian," I say after a moment.
He sniffs and wipes his eyes, Before silence falls upon us again.
Another ten minutes later, we're at the factory, and I almost jumped out of the car.
When I grab my stuff and walk into the factory, Checo walks up to me.
"Little Horner," He says, giving me a hug.
He looks at my face and asks if everything is okay.
I shake my head, and he grabs my duffle bag, and we walk to an empty office.
"What's wrong, little Horner?" He asks.
"Please don't call me that," I say. "I don't want anything to do with my father at the moment," I tell him he nods.
"Okay then, Addy, what's wrong?" He asks.
I shake my head. "I no longer have a place to come home to. He kicked me out." I inform Checo.
"Oh, Addy." His face softens, and he gives me a hug. Hugs from Checo feel like he picks up all those broken pieces of yourself, and he glues them back together. It was exactly what I needed at that moment.
"I'm sure you'll find a beautiful place, and you'll have all the freedom you wish you can. You'll be okay, Addison, that's the thing about us underdogs, we might have bumpy and extremely rough patches. But the highs are so worth it, " He says, putting my face between his hands.
I smile.
"There we go. There's that beautiful smile. How's about this, we can sit next to each other on the plane and look at houses together. I've had experiences with good and bad rentals, and I can give you tips on what's a good steal." He offers.
I smile, "Thank you, Checo! It means a lot. " I stand back up and hug him. "How did you get so wise?" I joke.
"I have kids. I've been practicing for moments like this since the first one was born." He jokes, grabbing my bags. We walk to where the team who's going on my dads private jet is. It's me, Checo, Max, Christian, Cristian's assistant, and another photographer, Vladimir.
Half an hour later, I was sitting in the plane waiting for take off. I decided this is the person moment to update Toto.
"We're about to take off, so if you don't hear from me, that's why.
I thought I'd better tell you about what happened, so you're not in the dark. Basically, Christian was like, "Did you hear Toto is dating a younger woman?" And then started talking about how said woman had my features. Him and Geri had a bit of a tense moment because she was trying to protect me. Then she took Montague to school, and my dad stuck into me. Said he asked you about it, and you told him you were. Which did you actually do that? And then he said he saw pictures of you I was editing and put two and two together. He then said some shit to me and told me I wasn't his daughter as long as I keep seeing you. Gigi tried helping, but he threatened her. So I threatened him back. And then he said that was the end of this discussion, and we needed to get to the factory, so yeah. But me and Checo are going to check out some places online, and hopefully, I can find a place sooner rather than later."
I sent the message, leaving out the part where Christian hit me. I know Toto, If he knew Christian hit me, he would try to defend me, and I don't need more drama.
I turned off my phone and put it on the table in front of me. There's 3 seats unoccupied by me. Two in front of me and one next to me. It kind of feels lonely.
As if a beacon of hope, Max comes and sits on the far side in front of me. "Do you mind if I sit with you?" He asks.
"Of course not, please sit," I tell him. A few seconds later, the Mexican man slips into the seat next to me.
"Promised you we'd look at houses." He tells me I smile.
"What are you two looking at houses for?" Max asks.
I sigh, knowing I'm going to have to tell Max I got kicked out. I open my mouth when I hear Checo say, "She thinks it's time to move out of her parents' place.".
"Yea definitely kid, you're like what twenty-three? It's definitely time for your own place, " Max says.
"You're right." I say.
2.5 hours, 10 saved flats, a lost game of monopoly (max won, shocker), and one maxplained conversation about the track later, we're in Austria. The flight lands, and once we were out of customs and on our way to the hotel, I pulled out my phone to a bunch of deleted messages from Toto. The only one not deleted is the one he sent ten minutes ago.
"I'm sorry, my love. But everything will be okay. Tell me when you land and when you get to the hotel, I want to see you."
I wonder about the deleted messages before telling him we landed safely and on our way to the hotel.
Max and I got a lot closer over the flight with jokes about out childhoods that make Checo side eye us a few times.
"So Ads, you going to come partying with us on Sunday night?" Max asks.
"I'll have to see closer to the time. I like my bed" Max's face pulls like he wants to make an inappropriate joke but doesn't.
"Okay well just let me know then" He says.
We pull up to the hotel and get rushed inside. I get my room key and say goodbye to the boys before going in search of my room. I find it on floor 2 room 201. I use the key card to open it and when I walk in I wanna die.
My da-Christian is sitting on one of the two double beds opening his suitcase.
"You've got to be kidding me. We have to share a room?" I ask.
"Yes"
"Fine I'll go get another room" I say
"Their fully booked" He says. "I already asked"
Fuck.
I sit down on my bed and pull out my phone messaging Toto.
"Got stuck sharing a room with my Christian :/ it's going to be a fun weekend" I type hoping Toto will pick up on the sarcasm.
"Come spend it with me then baby" He reply's almost immediately.
"Toto I can't"
"Room 210, see you soon baby" He replies to my decline.
"Okay, well I'll take my chances, have a good weekend Christian" I say walking out the room and walking down the hallway to Toto's room.
I knock on the door and within a few seconds Toto opens it and the sight of him makes my knees weak. He's wearing a plain white t-shirt, dark blue Jeans and those glasses framing those brown eye's perfectly. He must have gotten out the shower a few minutes ago as his hair was wet, and a stray strand had fallen onto his forehead.
I bit my lip, "You told me to come spend the weekend with you" I state. He smiles and opens the door letting me walk in. I drop my bags and turn to look at him. Before I even get a chance to say anything he crosses the room in three quick strides and connects our lips. The kiss felt like a warm reassuring hug to my soul. It was like he's took all the worries and anxieties that had been weighing me down away. I felt my body untense, i wasn't even aware i needed it to, but Toto made me feel safe.
Our lips disconnect and he looks in my eyes. "You're so special to me Addison" He says before connecting our lips again. Another kiss is shared before he picks me up and moves me onto the bed. He disconnects our lips and throws the blanket over me.
"Do you have any other plans for the day?" He asks. I shook my head, biting my lip. "Good, then get some sleep baby" He says kissing my forehead, before getting off the bed.
"What?" I say being taken off guard.
"You've had a stressful few hours Addison, Take a nap. I'll unpack your stuff in the mean time and then when you wake up we can get room service and watch some movies. How does that sound?" He asks.
"It sounds perfect" I smile.
"Good, now get some rest baby" He says and Soon enough I've drifted off to sleep.
******
I snuggle closer to the warmth next to me and smile. I move my head up and look at Toto, His eyes going from left to right over and over again. I can see in the corner of my eye he's reading a book. I smile even wider. As if he can feel me staring at him he looks down. "Good morning baby" He smiles planting a kiss on my forehead.
"Mhhhm" I reply turning and lying on my back. I hear him putting down things on his night stand before he's peering down at me.
"How'd you sleep?" He whispers.
"shhhhh" i reply pulling his face down to mine. Our lips connect for a hot second before he flips me into his lap. He puts his hands on my waist and pulls me closer.
I smile before he moves his lips to my neck.