20. Lorelei

20

LORELEI

" W hat are you doing?" I snap when Kian kills the engine and reaches to open his door as if he's going to walk me inside. Exactly what I just told him not to do.

"Lorelei," he warns, sending tingles shooting around my body.

"I don't need you to pretend you care, Kian. I have let myself into my building alone at night more times than I can count. I didn't need a babysitter then, and I still don't need one now."

"What if I told you that I'd sleep better tonight if I knew you were safely tucked inside your apartment."

"Then I'd tell you that I don't care how you sleep and stand my ground."

"You're a real pain in the ass, you know that, Miss Tempest?"

"Takes one to know one," I shoot back as my cell buzzes with yet another message from Matt.

Any thoughts about the message he sent last night being a one-off because he was feeling bad about what happened between us vanish. It was a stupid hope. I already know he doesn't care about my feelings or anyone else's.

All I want to do is get inside, talk to Wilder, have a shower, and crawl into bed. Is that too much to ask?

"Touché. So shall we?" he asks, pushing his door open.

"Watch me into the building. I'll message you once I'm safe inside my apartment. How's that?"

He shakes his head. I get it. The feeling of irritation is most definitely mutual.

"I'll see you on Monday," I say before we end up arguing about this any longer and push the door open, pressing my foot to the sidewalk.

"Thank you for tonight."

"Sure," I mutter before slamming the door closed and taking off toward the entrance to my building.

Despite my need to turn around and make sure he leaves once I'm inside, I don't. I keep my sights set on the elevator and keep moving.

He's my boss, not my father. I don't need anyone to take care of me.

No one else has, so why should someone start now?

I take care of me, that's how it's been for as long as I can remember, and it's the way it'll stay.

Sure, I might always have one eye out for Mr. Right, but that doesn't mean I want to end up as a little wife who relies on her husband. I will never be the kind of girlfriend or wife who asks her man's permission for anything. I want someone who will give me space to breathe and make my own decisions and mistakes, while always being there waiting for me to return with his arms and heart open.

Am I asking too much of the male half of the population? Yes, I very much could be. But I refuse to compromise for the sake of being in a relationship.

The elevator delivers me to my floor, and in only seconds I have my front door open, ready to lock myself inside and put the day behind me.

My cell buzzes again, and I groan.

"I swear to God if you're messaging me already—" My words are cut off when it continues vibrating, and I jump into action.

"Oh my god, Wilder," I cry the second the line connects. "You were incredible."

Kicking the door closed behind me, I dump my things in the entryway and walk toward the kitchen as he talks me through the entire game as if I weren't watching it. Every word he says makes my heart sing. I love hearing his excitement, his pride.

I barely get a word in as he explains about meeting the scouts at the end of the game and discussing what his future plans might be.

College football has always been a pipe dream—one that I've encouraged as much as I can, but Wilder isn't stupid. He knows that the chances of actually making it from where we come from are slim. He knows how much college costs, and he knows that even with a scholarship, it's going to be hard—especially with Hendrix wanting to go as well.

I don't think they understand, though. I'd sell my soul to the devil if I had to, to get them there.

"Shit, Lor, I need to go. We're having a party on the beach and then heading to Jackson's house. His parents are away and…you probably don't need to know that."

"No." I laugh. "Just please?—"

"Be good. I know, Lor. I know."

"Good. I love you, Wild Child. Send your brother my love if you happen to see him."

"At a football party? Not really his scene."

I can't help but laugh. "I'm sure he'll want to congratulate you," I say, knowing full well that Rix usually shows his face just to support Wilder. Despite their differences, they are tight as hell. It makes me jealous as fuck. I was so alone when I was their age. I would have given anything to have a bond with someone even close to what they have.

"Love you, sis. Speak soon, yeah?"

"Have a good night."

Placing my cell on the kitchen counter, I grab a bottle of water from the refrigerator and take off toward my bathroom to wash the day away.

My jacket has already been abandoned in the kitchen, and I unbutton my blouse as I walk, letting it fall to the floor to pick up later.

I step over the threshold with my hands on the zipper of my skirt when someone knocks on the front door.

I pause and tip my head back, asking anyone who will listen to give me strength.

Watch me into the building. I'll message you once I'm safe inside my apartment. How's that?

"Fuuuuck," I groan as I spin around and try to summon the strength to face him again.

"This is so un-fucking-necessary," I mutter as I unlock the door and pull it open.

But the man I find staring back at me isn't my infuriating boss.

It's worse.

"What do you want?" I snap, my fingers gripping the door so tight with my need to close it on him that they start to cramp.

"I miss you, baby," Matt says, his voice raspy with emotion, his eyes full of regret and pain.

But it's not enough.

"I'm not interested. Goodby?—"

He presses his palm against the door as I attempt to slam it in his face.

"I'm sorry, Lori. I fucked up. I should have told you. But it's over. I swear to God, it's over with her. It was, I just…we had obligations we couldn't?—"

"I'm not listening to this. You're a liar. I don't believe a word that comes out of your mouth."

"I swear to you, it's over. You're the one I want."

We might have only been together for a short amount of time in the grand scheme of things, but he feels so familiar, standing there.

Memories of our time together are still so vivid, the feelings he evoked within me still just within touching distance, although clouded with pain and anger.

I remember how easily he made me laugh. How electric his touch was. How he made me feel beautiful and sexy. He made me feel like I was the only woman in the world. What a fucking joke that was.

"I don't care. We're done."

I try to close the door again, but he steps closer, putting his foot in the jam.

"Matt," I warn, my heart pounding at a mile a minute as my head spins.

I don't want him back. I refuse to spend my life with a man who is capable of lying to me like that. It wasn't a little white lie to make himself look better, to impress me early in our relationship. This was huge.

"Please, Lori. Just let me explain properly."

My breath catches as he reaches out like he's going to touch me, but before he makes contact, another voice booms down the hallway.

"Get your fucking hands off her."

All the air in my lungs comes out in a rush as Matt immediately takes a step back and turns to the man who is glaring pure death at him.

"Who the fuck are you?" Matt demands.

"The man who's not going to let you get away with that bullshit you're spewing. Lorelei asked you to leave, and yet you're still fucking standing there. Why?" Kian spits.

Not once has he looked up at me, his attention purely focused on Matt.

Oh my god.

What the fuck is he doing? He should have driven away in his fancy-ass car by now and be safely locked inside his pretentious penthouse. He should not be here.

Matt shakes his head. "This has got nothing to do with you."

"Oh, but you're wrong," Kian counters.

I cringe, dreading what's about to come out of his mouth next. But despite needing to put an end to this car crash, I can't force any words past my lips.

"I refuse to let anyone talk to my girl like you are now."

The fuck?

If I weren't so shocked myself then I might be able to appreciate the look of pure disbelief on Matt's face.

Kian makes the most of Matt's inability to do anything and slips past him into my apartment.

"Your presence is not welcome here. Goodnight," Kian states before swinging the door closed.

I stand there frozen in place as the events of the previous few minutes repeat over and over in my head.

The only thing I can hear is the blood rushing past my ears as I stand there with my chest heaving and my head spinning.

"Lorelei?" Kian says after long seconds of silence. His intrigued stare burns into the top of my head, but I can't drag my eyes from the floor to look at him.

I've no idea if I'm relieved that he's here or pissed off beyond belief. Everything is just too…confusing.

He moves closer, his perfect shiny shoes appearing in my line of sight before he whispers, "Are you okay?" The second his warm breath rushes over my bare chest, my nipples pebble and I become very aware of the fact that I'm standing here in only a silk cami with an unpadded bra beneath.

Forcing down my shock, I stand tall and lift my eyes to his.

"That was completely unnecessary. You need to leave."

He smirks, his gaze dropping to my chest for a beat before returning to my eyes.

"Really?" he rasps.

"Yes. Really. Or do we need to go back to our previous conversation about me not needing a babysitter?"

"Who was that jerk?" he asks, changing tactics.

"No one you need to know about. I'm tired, Kian. I want to go to bed."

"I'm not leaving unless he's gone."

I sigh, very quickly losing patience. "I only opened the door because I thought it was you."

His annoyingly pretty smile emerges upon hearing my confession.

"To shout at you for ignoring me," I add. "Trust me, I won't be making the same mistake twice in one night."

"You're lying. If that were me on the other side of the door, you'd have invited me in…for coffee."

My chin drops.

"No, I wouldn't. But if you didn't turn up and ruin…that," I say, throwing my arm out toward the door, "then I might be getting my brains screwed out right now. It would certainly improve my day." The grin I give him is pure malice.

"You're lying. You didn't want him anywhere near you," he counters, stepping forward again, his body now dangerously close to mine.

"Don't pretend you know anything about me or what I want," I snap.

"I'm not pretending. I can read you, Lorelei. I know exactly what you want right now."

Just like Matt, Kian reaches out—only no one stops him.

My entire body burns up the second his knuckles brush my cheek before tucking a lock of curly hair behind my ear.

"No," I snap, my own arm shooting out to bat his away. "You do not get to do this."

"Do what?" he asks innocently.

Shaking my head, I pull my front door open once more.

"Leave, please. We're done here."

"Lorelei, come on. What if he returns?"

"Then I will deal with it how I see fit. This is my life, Kian. You are my boss. That is it."

I glare at him until he gets the message and finally steps back outside.

"See you Monday," I mutter before swinging the door closed and twisting the deadlock into place.

With my head held high, I return to my previous plans. I'm fully undressed by the time I get into the bathroom, and after popping my shower cap on my head to save my curls, I step into the shower, finally washing off the day and everything I want to forget from my body.