"No Danny, I have to go. Jamie will be expecting me since I didn't make it home last night", he was trying to bribe me with kisses all over my neck and shoulders. "But just a little longer, I just got you I don't want to have to give up again." His face turned into a pout as he sat back to look at me.
"I'm not going anywhere, you forget I just got you too and I will lose you to the hands of my brother when he finds us in bed together." I looked down at the white sheets and pillows all over his bedroom floor - no, we hadn't slept together, it was the aftermath of a pillow fight we had because he tried to mess up my already messed up hair.
I got changed into the outfit I'd worn to the market yesterday and made my way around his apartment collecting my belongings. Begrudgingly I kissed him goodbye and told him that I'd text him a bit later, he walked me to the elevator and blew me a kiss as the doors closed.
When I opened the door at Jamie's I fully expected him to be waiting at the dining room table like my father would when I'd sneak back in late at night, but he wasn't there and he wasn't in his room either. He wasn't home and I hadn't heard from him since I had texted him last night. I wonder where he is?
I jumped into the shower and got changed into my pj's by the time I was done it was 8:30 pm and there was still no sign of my brother. I ordered some pizza from the local Italian restaurant down the block and decided to check in on my bestie.
"Jen!" Her face lit up my laptop screen as I stuffed another slice into my mouth. She laughed at me and did the same on her side. Turns out she too had ordered pizza and was settling in for the night. "My beautiful sun-kissed friend!"
"Oh, please, I've barely seen the sun. It was raining today in fact." I tried my best to look displeased, but the smile on my face was a persistent little thing.
"Oh dear.. I know that smile, did somebody get some?" she wiggled her eyebrows like a lunatic.
"I cannot confirm nor deny, actually no comment. It's none of your beeswax," I sat back and stuffed another slice down my lying-ass trap.
"Alexia Parks, if you don't tell me right now I'm going to call Jamie and Nico and Daniel and anyone else I can get my hands on and I'll get them to tell me!"
"Jen! Don't you dare."
"Ooooh... Defensive.. Was it the pilot? Oooh was it Daniel?" Her eyebrows about to take off the way she was carrying on.
"No and mind your damn business, I can't talk too loud, I think my brother just home-"
"Lex? You in here?" Jamie burst through my door with heavy steps along the floorboards. "Oh hey Jen." His expression changed from hot pursuit to pleasantly surprised - he'd always had eyes for Jen, but always been too intimidated thinking he wasn't anywhere near her league. Don't let my sympathetic tone fool you, he definitely isn't good enough for my best friend at this stage of his life. Fooling around with all types of women at all hours of the day only to get them hooked and dump them when they start to 'get too clingy'.
With that, I rolled my eyes and glanced at Jen who was stretching her neck to see Jamie at my door, "Hey James!"
"Okay get a room you two, Jamie I'm trying to have a conversation here, I'll see you now," waving him off till he closed my door. "Anyways when are you getting here? I'm starting to have withdrawls!"
"Don't think for a second that I'm going to forget about the thing that we can't talk about right now.." She gave me a pointed look and I couldn't help but blush at the thought of Daniel's hands on me.
"I know, I know, and I will tell you everything, I promise, but for right now please just tell me when you are coming damn it!" getting slightly impatient.
"Well, I leave on Sunday evening so I should be with you from Monday afternoonish," she could barely get the words out as she squealed the last part.
"Oh my god, I'm so excited Jen, you better pack a thousand bikinis we're never leaving the beach! I'm going to start planning our itinerary now."
We finished our pizza and continued to discuss our plans for shopping and tanning and mingling with the boys oooh and lots of dancing. When I was done I decided it was time to face Jamie - no idea whether or not he was upset or mad or if he even cared where I was. Let's just say it was a long walk down the passage as I made my way to the couch. He was already sitting there with a beer in his hand, "Hey big bro."
He glanced over at me and lifted his bottle with a pointed stare offering me one of my own, I nodded and watched as he walked to the fridge to get me one. "Thanks," my voice all but a whisper as I tried to disappear in the couch pillows.
"So, are you going to tell me where the hell you were last night and all of today?" His voice steady but harsh.
Fuck, what do I say? One one side I can tell him the truth and have him murder Daniel on the other, I could lie - for Daniel's sake, for our sake. I didn't even know if Daniel wanted anyone to know about us if we were even an 'us'. Fuck! How could I be so damn stupid!? Can I have this talk with Jamie before I talk to Daniel about it first? Would he think I was being dumb for overthinking this or would he be grateful I didn't run my mouth about his business? I don't know!
'Stupid little girl, I told you before Princess, your nothing but a cheap whore without me. By holding on to a fantasy-like Daniel you're only making a fool of yourself. Everybody knows he's not serious about you. Once he's slept with you - which will be by the end of your time together in Monaco, you'll be old news. The easy prey he conquered and moved on from. You're nothing without me.'
I tried not to listen, I really did but his voice was embedded too deep so I chickened out.
"Well I was going to stay in and then while I was at the market I bumped into- came across this beach club, so I came home got dressed and went to this awesome party. Obviously it ran late so I booked a room at the hotel and slept in late?" I lied through my teeth, worst of all, I did it with a straight face and I felt terrible.
"Sounds decent, we should all check it out when Jen comes." He wiggled his brows.
He'd believed me, he always did. I'd never had a reason to lie to him about anything before Ryan. I felt sick to my stomach but there was nothing I could do about it now so I slapped a smile on and divulged into all the things I wanted to do while my best friend was here. Jamie said he'd be more than happy to help show her around to which I just laughed and told him to do his best.
His phone vibrated on the coffee table and before I could see who it was he answered.
"Mr Ricciardo, what's up bud?"
DANIEL? What the fuck? I almost choked on the mouthful of beer I had been holding in my mouth. Jamie looked at me and burst out laughing as I tried to wipe as much as could off my t-shirt.
JAMIE'S POV
I was still pissing myself from the way Lex had spat her beer out all over herself. "Mate, what's happening over there?" Daniel asked half laughing on the other side of the line, I'd almost forgotten I was talking to him.
"My sister just spilt her entire beer all over herself, 'It wasn't my entire beer Daniel - don't believe him,'' she called from the kitchen. I just laughed again.
"Ah typical, I'm surprised she made it home in one piece," Daniel said while snickering.
"Huh, what do you mean 'made it home'? Did you see her?"
"Oh, she didn't tell you?"
"Tell me what?" I whipped around to see Alexia running out of the room, I followed her down the passage and repeated myself trying to get some answers. "Tell me what?"