It’s hot. So scorching hot, making Lucas flap his closed eyes and wince. He really needs to know what’s biting his skin like that and forcefully slamming his eyes open, the sun bashed into it.
Acting on autopilot, Lucas slammed it shut instantly and grunted, profanities slipped from his mouth. His eyes are gritty like a bucket of sand was poured into it.
On a second attempt, he gently fluttered his eyes open again, mildly adjusting to it under the sun’s rays. Lucas took in his environment and began wondering how he ended up here.
A clinic!
He tried getting off the bed when he noticed the gauze wrapped around his palm.
Shocked, he homed his eyes more closely on the wounded palm, struggling to remember what actually warranted the wound.
Like a storm, the events of last night stacked in the recesses of his mind soar back. He remembered resting on the railing of the hotel balcony watching Sia’s pictures and videos stored in his phone when voices from the balcony obstructed him.
He remembered watching Sia cackle carefree, took shots from her glass, and murmur whatever it was to Jake. He remembered when he clenched his phone in his left hand and the screen cracked and lastly, the images of Jake sucking on his woman’s lips flashed through his mind.
Lucas remembered hearing the noise of shattering glass and the blood oozing from his palm.
‘Wait! The bottle of bourbon I wanted to drink.’ He mused inwardly. Now, he has an inkling of how this wound came about. He broke the bottle and unknowingly stabbed the sharp edges into his palm before blackness dotted his vision.
While pondering on this, the door to the room creaked open and a short lady fitted in scrubs shuffled in with a friendly smile on her face.
“I can see you’re awake.” She gushed, inching closer to Lucas. She took the thermometer and sifted Lucas’s temperature. “And your temperature has normalized as well.” She added.
Lucas pegged her with his stare, wondering how he ended up here. “How did I get here?” He asked, squinting his eyes.
The woman chuckled seeing the look on his face. “I think yesterday was your first time having a panic attack.” She said and shock blanketed Lucas’s face.
“Panic attack?” He asked, unsure of what he heard.
“Ah, yes. The staffs saw you lying on the floor and rushed you here to the clinic. But it’s not a dire case. Maybe you saw something that stirred the attack. You were anxious about something.”
Lucas pursed his lips, unable to let the words out. Of course, he was anxious about something. He just helplessly stood there when another man savors what was meant to be his. Now, he’s wondering how they ended up last night. Did he take her to bed where they finished their make-out session?
Did that dude have a taste of her cunt and smelled her musky scent? Lucas cringed as the thoughts floated through his mind.
He can’t believe someone had a taste of all these goodies in Sia’s body.
“How did the staffs know about my state?” He managed to ask in between his warring thoughts.
“Oh, Mrs. Monson called them. Guess she took cognizance of the situation. So they rushed you here in a jiffy to get treated.” She answered, her genuine smile glued to her face. If not for the situation Lucas is in, he’d have gotten a grip of the woman’s
friendly gesture but he has no time for it now.
He reveled in the fact that Sia cared to call the staffs to check up on him but Lucas thought it’d have been better if she was the one that came into the room.
“I need the go.” He spewed hastily, getting off the bed.
“Yeah, was just about to tell you so.” She said.
By the time Lucas returned to the hotel he was told Mrs. Monson already flew back to Florida hours ago. He quickly picked up his things and headed back to Florida as well. However, Lucas didn’t head straight to his apartment but rather to the orphanage.
It’s been a while since he last saw the girls hence his yearning to see them.
Nica was riding a bicycle in front of the porch when Lucas arrived. Upon seeing him, she jumped off of it and shuffled her feet toward Lucas. In a blink of an eye, she clamped onto his leg, cheering.
Lucas ruffled her hair lovingly and Abbey stormed outside as well, hugging Lucas. Other kids who had grown accustomed to having Lucas around equally came out for a hug. In a split second, Lucas forgot about the thought ravaging his mind when he left California an hour ago.
“Where are you coming from, fine uncle?” Abbey asked when she parted from Lucas’s leg. Mindlessly, Nica already clamped on his suitcase, trying to pry it open, making Lucas laugh.
“I traveled,” Lucas responded earning a sharp gasp from Nica.
“You saw the ocean? You traveled upon the ocean? Yay! How blue was it? I heard someone can die in it…is it true, uncle?” Nica sent dozens of questions to Lucas. She had so many times rambled about wanting to see the ocean she watches in the movies. Lucas explained a few things to them before their chaperone joined them.
The instant the chaperone joined them, Lucas remembered the paper he got from Hera’s bag.
When the kids moved back to their respective positions to continue playing, Lucas cautiously asked her questions.
“Did someone break in here?” He asked.
“Not at all. Any problem?” She asked.
Lucas deliberated on telling her what he saw but on second thought, he decided against it because he feared the lady would stop him from visiting them if she begins to see him as a threat.
“Not really, I’m just asking.” He whispered, shoving his hands into his pocket.
**
“Welcome back, the greatest orator of our time. How was your trip?” Estrella gushed the moment she saw Sia scrambling into the Monson villa.
Sia never excepted her to be here that’s why she yelped in surprise when Estrella walked up to her in the foyer.
“What the actual hell? I thought you were in Hawaii, girl?” She said, handing the servants her suitcase and pumps which she exchanged with her penguin flipflop.
“I was until Ethan agreed to rush to Dubai to have his contract rounded up.” Estrella rambled as they hobbled into the Living room.
Settling on the couch, Sia welcomed the glass of water Michelle brought to her and took a swig.
“So, you finally smashed the show. I saw the videos online. Omigod, I couldn’t believe you didn’t jitter one bit. That was amazing!” Estrella rattled on, throwing her hands around Sia.
“You told me not to. How was your honeymoon…the fuck and all?” She asked Estrella, changing the subject.
“Oh, I couldn’t have enough of his cock…babe it’s not our first time having sex but that honeymoon attached to it made it all a novelty. The feelings we both share, the soothing weather, and the pampering that comes with it. Not that Ethan doesn’t pamper me but the honeymoon made it exceptional.” Estrella rambled dreamily.
“Uh…I’m jealous.” Sia snapped, chuckling.
“Of course, it’s worth being jealous of, you know.” Estrella spat and they both laughed. “Sia, who was it that…you had a quickie with on my wedding day?”
Estrella had wanted to ask Sia about that but hadn’t gotten a sound footing for it. So now they’re on the same topic, she feels she should ask.
“Estrella, can’t you forget such things?” Sia whined, pouting her lips.
“Not when it has to do with you. So no! Tell me, was it, my cousin brother? He couldn’t get his eyes off you.”
“Seriously, I think he found it hard to talk to me.” Sia’s voice takes on a surprised note.
“Well, you should know the reason. You’re Mrs. Monson, the potent widow. Not all guys can approach you even if they die to.”
Sia swat her arm as she dropped into hysterics. “That can’t be true.” She said, her words came out slightly above a whisper.
“Take it or leave. Enough about that. Tell me…”
“Him. Lucas.” Sia mouthed, and a tinge of sadness laced her words.
“Oh. Have you…settled or something?”
Estrella knew her instincts never lie. She got a read of Sia’s look when Danika kissed Lucas and it wasn’t a look of irritation but of jealousy.
Sia was jealous which only means one thing.
“Not. I…can’t…”
“But you were jealous when Danika sucked on his lips, Sia.”
“No, I wasn’t.” Sia said defiantly.
“Stop denying it, Sia. Quit denying your heart what it so much craves. You were jealous. I saw the look on your face and that means one thing, Sia. You still love Lucas Evangelista.”
Sia cut her eyes at Estrella, hearing the words she forced her mind not to mention these past few weeks seeping out of Estrella’s words made her jolt and her heartbeat spiked.