April
I glance up at the mirror behind the cash register. Oh man, I look like a freak.
Who wears their sunglasses inside shops? Women with black eyes, that’s who.
I’m supposed to be working from home today. I worked all morning, but this afternoon I’ve snuck out in search for a dress for the wedding this weekend.
I have to look perfect. I am meeting Sebastian’s lifelong friends, after all. I hope this bloody black eye fades before then.
I think I found the perfect dress. First store, first dress I tried on. When is shopping ever this easy?
“Next,” the cash register girl calls. I step forward, and my phone vibrates. I look down to see the name:
Jeremy
“How are you today?” The cashier smiles as she takes my dress and rings it up.
“Good, thanks. How are you?” I stuff my phone back in my bag. I’ll call him back later.
It’s just gone 9:00 p. m. when I climb into bed. I turn the television on in my bedroom and lie back. Time for some trash TV. My phone rings, and the name April’s Fool lights up the screen. I was wondering when he was calling me.
“Hi, there,” I answer with a smile. “I thought you’d forgotten me.”
“I’m downstairs. Buzz me in.”
I sip up in a rush. “What? Really?”
“Uh-huh.”
I run to the security camera and see him standing there with his overnight bag. Excitement fills me, and I push the buzzer as fast as lightning. I glance around at my apartment. Shit, it’s pretty messy. Oh well, it is what it is.
I do a little jig on the spot and open my front door as I wait for him. He’s here.
Gah, I’m seriously pathetic over this man.
Oh crap, my dress I bought for the wedding is laid out on the chair. I quickly roll it up in a ball and throw it in the linen cupboard. I don’t want to seem too eager.
The elevator dings, and he comes into view wearing his custom gray suit, carrying his black leather overnight bag. He looks every bit like the walking orgasm that he is.
His eyes find mine, and he gives me a slow, sexy smile. “Miss Bennet.”
“Here I am.” I do a little wiggle on the spot. “Looking hot in my flannelette pajamas.”
He chuckles and takes me into his arms to kiss me. “Flannelette works for me.”
“What are you doing here? I thought you weren’t back until tomorrow.”
“You wouldn’t believe the day we had.” He takes my hand, and we walk into my apartment. “I need a shower.”
“Okay, have you eaten?”
“Yeah, we had something on the way home.”
We walk into the bathroom, and he strips off his clothes and gets under the shower. I sit on the toilet to talk to him.
“So, what was so bad about your day?” I ask.
“Get this.” He soaps himself up. “Remember how I said I didn’t remember speaking to you last night?”
“Yeah.”
“I think I was drugged.”
“What?” My eyes widen. “By who?”
“Bart’s wife.”
My mouth falls open.
“You can’t tell anyone this.”
“I won’t. What happened?”
“I woke up and couldn’t remember anything. I started freaking out, so I went to see Bart. I got to his hotel room at the same time as Jeremy, and when we opened the door, Bart was asleep with two naked girls beside him. He was covered in lipstick.”
My eyes widen in horror. “Oh no.”
“But he doesn’t remember anything, either.”
I frown. “What?”
“His wife had him drugged and ordered hookers. Then she called Jeremy this morning saying that she couldn’t get in touch with him and asking if he could check on him for her.”
“Hang on, why weren’t they together in the room, anyway?” I ask.
His eyes hold mine.
“Yes, I know about Jeremy and Bart.” I scoff in a rush. “Everybody knows. It’s not half obvious.”
He shrugs, relieved that he didn’t reveal that secret. “How would I know? It’s a fucking weird set up if you ask me. Married to a woman with a boyfriend on the side.”
I roll my eyes. “Sleazebag.” My mind goes to Jeremy. “Oh no, poor Jeremy. Shit. He called me today and I didn’t pick up.”
He keeps soaping himself up. “So, yeah, Jeremy and Bart had a huge fight, and Bart was freaking out and screaming at his wife on the phone who swears it wasn’t her.”
“Wait a minute. Why were you drugged?” I frown.
“I was unlucky enough to be sitting next to him when the drinks arrived, I guess.”
The hairs on the back of my neck stands to attention. “What did you do last night?”
“Nothing, thank fuck. I was freaking out for a while there, but I spoke to the security guard. He found me drunk in the bathroom, and he walked me back to my room early.”
I stare at him. Something is off with this story. “So, you weren’t with the women?”
“No.”
“Why did you think you were at first?”
“There was lipstick on my collar.” He keeps washing himself.
Alarm bells start to ring. “Where did the lipstick come from?” I ask.
“The girls in the bar. Apparently, they came over and were trying to talk to me, getting all flirty. Thankfully, I got the hell out of there. Poor Bart didn’t have the same fate.”
I stare at him as I imagine the scenario he is setting. Hmm.
Interesting.
“Fucking nightmare.” He exhales heavily. “I’m glad to be home, put it that way.”
“How do you know the security guard walked you home?” I ask.
“I saw him, and he told me that he walked me to my room and that I got into bed while he was still there. I checked all the details, don’t worry.”
“And nobody else was in your room?”
“No. I told you that.”
I don’t like this.
“Bart needs to go to the hospital and get drug tested. This is a criminal offence,” I tell him.
“He is going. That’s why we came home early.”
“Well, you should go, too.”
“I’m fine. Nothing happened to me.”
“How do you know? What if something did? What if you had sex with one of those hookers? What if they took photographs? What if this is some elaborate blackmailing scheme? You’re the Deputy Prime Minister, Sebastian. If anyone is a target to be blackmailed, it would be you, and not that stupid sleazebag Bart.”
“I would know if I had sex with someone, April.”
“How? We have so much sex that you wouldn’t be able to feel a change in your body.”
He rolls his eyes and continues to shower.
I stare at him. “I want you to go and get tested.”
“I’m not. Drop it.” He puts his head under the water and begins washing his hair. “All I’ll be doing is wasting six hours at the hospital for no reason.”
Ugh, infuriating, stupid twat.
I walk out into the kitchen as my mind goes into overdrive.
Something is off.
Darkness looms around the corners of my bedroom, just like the shadows in my mind.
Sebastian is fast asleep, lying on his side, facing me. I watch as his chest rises and falls, the flutter of his lashes, and his lips that slightly part when he breathes in.