Part 18 (1/2)

”Angelique was Noah's ex.” The words tripped out of my mouth, hurriedly.

”Yeah, but did you also know she hooked up with Zane?” Braydon's eyes were hard and he leaned forward as he pushed the dagger further into my heart. ”That's one of the reasons Noah stopped speaking to Zane. He found out that Zane had f.u.c.ked her.”

”You're lying.” The blood left my face and my hands felt clammy. ”Zane would have told me.”

”He's not the perfect guy you think he is, Lucky. He's not the perfect guy you think he is at all.”

”You're a liar.” I turned around and walked away from him, quickly. I plastered a smile on my face as I got back to the table. ”Hey, guys. Sorry about that.”

”No problem,” Leeza giggled. ”This wine is so good. Have some.”

”Thanks.” I took a gla.s.s and drank quickly, trying to forget the poison Braydon had tried to put in my mind. There was no way Zane had slept with Angelique. He couldn't have. He would have told me. We were being honest with each other now. I trusted him.

It was 2 a.m. and I laid in Zane's bed alone with my cell phone. I had tried calling and texting him several times since we had gotten back to the house, but he hadn't responded, and he wasn't home. I had no idea where he was or who he was with. And I very much doubted he was still at a business dinner with the j.a.panese businessmen. If there had ever really been a dinner. A single, solitary tear fell and I closed my eyes. I was too tired and distressed to stay up any longer. I didn't know what to think anymore. All I knew was that Zane and I had to have a very serious conversation.

Chapter 9.

Zane I opened the front door, slowly, and peeked inside before stepping in. I half expected to see Lucky and Leeza sitting there, waiting for me. Lucky would be in tears and Leeza would have a smug look on her face. I was surprised to see that the living room was empty. I half-hoped that Lucky had fallen asleep early, and didn't realize that I had been gone the whole night. I took a deep breath and closed the door before leaning back and closing my eyes. I hadn't intended on spending the night with Angelique, but I hadn't been able to leave. I just wanted to go to my bed and think, I needed to process everything that had happened. It just didn't seem real.

”Why, good morning stranger.” Leeza walked towards me from the kitchen. ”Good night at your business meeting?” She smirked and flung her hair over her shoulders. Even though I knew she wasn't involved in anything shady, I still thought she was a big b.i.t.c.h.

”Where's Lucky?” I didn't even acknowledge her question. I knew now that she wasn't working with Evan to bring me down, but I still couldn't stand talking to her. It made me wonder what Lucky's other friends were like.

”In the kitchen.” She paused. ”I'd go say your goodbyes if I were you.” She laughed and the sound was as close to a cackle as I had ever heard.

”Goodbye?” I stared at her in disdain, but my stomach was flip-flopping with worry.

”You don't think she's going to stay here with you after last night, do you?” She looked at me like I was an idiot.

”You have no idea what you're talking about.” My voice was cold and I wanted very much to tell her to go back to Miami.

”I knew you were a sleaze ball. All you care about is s.e.x. You aren't made for commitment. Guys like you and Evan just use nice girls like me and Lucky.”

”I'm sorry you feel that way, Leeza. But I have no idea what you're talking about.” My voice was low and I walked past her, quickly, my heart thumping fast. The last thing I needed was to get into it with Lucky's best friend. I was in enough trouble as it was.

”You're a player Zane. I don't care what excuses or issues you have. Lucky's a smart girl. I'm sure she sees through you, now.”

I ignored her and walked into the kitchen. Lucky was standing by the island with a gla.s.s of orange juice in her hands. She was wearing the same outfit she had on the night before. I could tell from the tenseness in her body that she knew I was there and she was very upset with me.

”Morning, beautiful.” I gave her a wide smile, trying to mask my worry. She looked up at me with red eyes and I could tell she had been crying. s.h.i.+t! I should have known she would have been worried. I had been more concerned that she would be angry, but I knew in my heart that she must have been out of her mind with worry, too.

”I called you.” The words were coa.r.s.e in her mouth and her eyes looked at me unflinchingly. ”I called you about ten times and you didn't answer.”

”Sorry. My phone battery died.” I walked closer to her. ”I'm sorry I wasn't able to call you back last night.” I reached over to take her into my arms. ”I didn't mean to make you worry.”

”That's not good enough.” She walked backwards and away from me. My stomach dropped as she looked at me with cold, hard eyes. ”Where were you?”

”I told you.” I sighed and saw her face crumple. I knew that it was time to come out with the truth. ”Okay, I'm sorry. I told you a lie last night.” I continued after taking a deep breath. ”I'm sorry. I really am.”

”You lied to me. It's like you can't help yourself. You just keep on lying to me.” She nodded, as if she were confirming something to herself. ”Zane, have you had s.e.x with Angelique?” Her voice was loud and my heart stopped at her words. How did she know?

”What?” I took a deep breath, hoping that she was grasping at straws. This was not a conversation I wanted to have.

”I saw Braydon last night and he told me that you slept with Angelique. I didn't believe him, but now, I think he was right.” Her voice broke and her shoulders trembled. ”You slept with her, didn't you?”

”You spoke to Braydon last night?” My voice was murderous and I was furious. ”Where the f.u.c.k was Leo?” I clenched my fist in anger. How had Braydon gotten to Lucky? What if he had done something to her? Oh my G.o.d, what if he had seen her just a few hours after everything had gone down with Angelique and me? He would have harmed her or even tried to kidnap her. I knew what he was capable of and I was furious. What had Leo been thinking?

”Don't change the subject.” Lucky shouted at me and I stared at her, in shock. ”I'm fed up of your bulls.h.i.+t, Zane. All your lies and suspicions. This has nothing to do with Leo.”

”He was supposed to be your bodyguard, Lucky. He was supposed to be looking after you. Anything could have happened.”

”What could have happened, Zane? What?” Lucky came forward and pushed me. ”I'm so tired of your bulls.h.i.+t. Braydon's not the one who hurt me, Zane. You are. You're the one who hurts me every day you lie to me. I can't take this, Zane.” She started crying and my heart broke. I didn't know how to respond. ”Say something.”

”I'm sorry.” My voice was low and I reached my hands out to her. She recoiled from me, and I felt as if someone had just sucked away all the oxygen from my body.

”I want more than an apology.” She came towards me and pushed. ”Where were you last night?”

”I was with Angelique.” My voice was bleak and I watched as the light died in her eyes. ”It's not what you think.”

”So you're still sleeping with her?”

”No.” I grabbed her hands. ”Please believe me.” I begged her. ”Please, just listen.”

”You knew when you were leaving last night that you were going to spend the evening with her, didn't you?”

I nodded. How could I deny her the truth?

”So it was all a lie, the bulls.h.i.+t about the j.a.panese businessmen?”

I nodded again, willing her to understand why I had to lie. ”Please let me explain, Lucky.”

”Have you had s.e.x with Angelique?”

”I did not have s.e.x with Angelique last night.” I pleaded with her to understand.

”But you have before?” Her breath caught. ”Have you f.u.c.ked her?”

”Lucky, please.” I grabbed hold of her. ”Let's not talk about her.”

”Why didn't you tell me?” She cried and my heart broke at her tears. She looked so small and tired. Her bright smile and happy eyes were dimmed and I was responsible for making her miserable. My heart dropped as I realized that it hadn't been worth it. The events of the night before hadn't been worth it. Not if it meant I was going to lose Lucky.

”It was a long time ago. It was one night, before she and Noah started dating. It meant nothing, Lucky.”

”Not to her,” she gasped through tears, daring me to refute her claim.