Chapter 124


    I wake up disorientated and groggy, well rested but so out of whack. I’m in my own bed when I was


    sure I fell asleep on the couch during my movie marathon and blink at my surroundings. I sit up


    suddenly when I realise that I don’t have my duvet over me, but the throw from the end of my bed and


    can only assume I was put here by someone else. I am still wearing my sweatpants and yoga bra and


    try to get my bearings. Completely confused at how I ended up through here.


    The smell of coffee lingers in the air and I get up warily to stretch and yawn, knowing only one person


    would be in here brewing that foul stench, and he is probably the one who moved me from the couch.


    He maybe came up and wanted to sit in the living room and moved me for that reason. I shrug it off;


    run my fingers through my bedhead before padding out into the apartment sleepily.


    It feels eerily still and I can tell no one else is here anymore, but the mess I left on the coffee table has


    been cleaned up and the room restored to neat and tidy. I guess the cleaner has been already,


    although she normallyes at nine. A quick nce to check the wall clock has me nching when I


    see its past ten a.m.


    I didn’t wake up once, not at all. For the first time since forever, I slept right through the night without


    sleeping aids, and I cannot remember being moved from couch to bed. No night terrors, no


    restlessness or taking an age to pass out. I have slept more than twelve hours straight, and I am not


    even sick to warrant it.


    I rub my head, wowed by the fact I have probably never managed that in my entire existence and


    wander into the kitchen to make myself tea while I mull it over. I spot Alexi’s mug on the draining rack,


    upside down, drying from earlier use, a strangelyforting sight. He has been here, just like I thought


    with the smell of overly strong Italian coffee but the coffee machine is switched off now. I automatically


    feel it to see how cold it has gone but it’s barely lukewarm, meaning he left hours ago.


    That little inner drop of disappointment in my belly grabs me and I shake it away as being stupid. I


    shouldn’t care if he’s already left for the day and most likely not even in the club anymore. I have no


    reason to see him.


    It does mean he must have slept herest night, came in at some point after ten because I was


    definitely awake at the stroke of ten. That means he did what I asked of him and stayed away for


    almost the full duration of my birthday. If he came after midnight then maybe even stayed away for its


    entirety.


    The thought surprises me and I double nce around the room to be sure I am seeing this for how it is.


    It’s definitely his mug on the rack that was not therest night. He’s the only one who would even use it


    as the cleaner wouldn’t. He knows I don’t drink coffee, so the machine is only in use when he is up


    here.


    It had to be him.


    It feels weird knowing he’s been here twice while I slept and yet didn’t try to wake me. He carried me


    when he came up to bed and saw me passed out on the couch like sleeping beauty. He put me to bed,


    not that it’s the first time but it’s definitely the only time it hasn’t followed sex. He could have left me


    there, I wouldn’t have known any different.


    I rub my face, trying to push it out of my head and fill the kettle for a cup of tea with one hand as I ruffle


    my messy nest of hair into some sort of neatness. My bracelet catches in it and I untangle it carefully,


    remembering its existence and stare at it for a long moment.


    The small dangling dandelion charm catches my eye and ups the fluttering in my stomach and I ponder


    just exactly what possessed Alexi to buy me anything at all. Still warmed by the sight of it.


    I can’t deny that his behaviour since I came back has been confusing and contradicting, but I’m not


    willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. There will be an angle, I am certain of it. I just don’t care


    what it is so don’t need to ever find out.


    * * *


    After I am showered and ready to roll, I wander down to the club to start my day, of sorts. It’s almost


    noon and I am feeling decidedly rxed in my new navy dress and matching shoes; Conservative for


    today and low heels. I spoiled myself yesterday with my new lingerie and bought an outfit that had


    three quarter length sleeves, which showcased my precious new essory. I know wearing it might


    make him think I really like it a lot, but I‘m not bothered. It’s sparkly and pretty and it goes with my dress


    in all its understated elegance.


    The club is already bustling with the early staff thates in to get the ce ready every night. We


    don’t do clean up at closing, we do it from noon onwards when we restock and reset the whole ce.


    That means my staffe in shifts—some from noon to mid-evening and then those whoe in


    fresh and work till four a.m. It means our clientele get attentive and perky staff and surroundings that


    are constantly spotless. I worked out this new rota perfectly and it means I am no longer always


    required during the day to oversee mundane deliveries or watch the cleaning staff un-gunk the sex


    rooms.


    I am only required when I want to be here and it takes so much pressure away from me. I get to swan


    around barking orders and overseeing that all runs smoothly. It’s a much better set up this time from


    the one set of shift workers who worked long hours. I’m rather proud of myself for getting it right and


    allowing myself to breathe a little easier.


    I do a quick walk around to make sure people are carrying out their jobs and then lift the cat food and


    water from the kitchen down here to go feed Feral. I’mte today so he will be pacing the car park for


    his breakfast and waiting for me in a foul mood—Little grumpy fleabag that he is. I have a bit of a spring


    in my step, light and cheerful with a sunny demeanour for no apparent reason. It just feels like a good


    day and I wonder if it’s because I had a wonderful unbroken sleep.


    I pass Jackson in the hallway and throw him a genuine warm smile and get one in return.


    ‘Morning, Miss Cami.’ He beams my way as I pass and I just grin back, full of the vigour’s of life.


    Surprising, seeing as yesterday was my birthday.


    ‘Morning Jackson, I’m off to see furry psycho.’ I giggle at my own title for my little Ginger, heart


    brimming with genuine tenderness for the flea-bitten crazy.


    I don’t get another step further when a familiar husky voicees at me from behind, sending my inner


    body into an instant explosion of tingles and butterflies and my chest tightens as my heart rate ups a


    gear.


    ‘There you are, London! I was upstairs looking for you.’


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    I pause, breath catching in my lungs as Alexi catches up with me from the lift, obviously having missed


    me in passing, and turn with my brightest smile. God knows where he was in this building, probably the


    office floor, and I feel weirdly shy around him suddenly. A strange warmth and bubble of happiness that


    he is still in the building. I don’t know why there is a change in how I feel around him today, other than


    waking up tucked up in my own bed and knowing he did it.


    Maybe the gifts? The thoughtfulness behind them?


    I don’t know!


    ‘I’m right here. Where do you think I would be?’ I question him cheekily, definite perky mood at his


    appearance and no hint of sassy at all. I feel great and even he couldn’t dampen my sparkle today.


    He’s looking unusually suave in casual attire again, a t-shirt and jeans that are snug but not overly tight


    and has shades stuck on his head in his messy hairdo. It’s a good look but it’s not my perfectly tailored


    sinister mobster, and I feel a tad disappointed in it. He’s hot like this, but he’s smoking in a suit.


    ‘I left some files on the desk for you that you needed signed. And I wanted to say thanks.’ He grins at


    me, all dimples, sparkly eyes and great teeth, looking equally merry today and I wonder if maybe there


    is something in the water. He gestures me with his eyes, nodding down and it takes a moment to


    register that he’s sticking his foot out and lifting his jean leg to let me see his socks.


    I pause as I stare at them, momentarily dazed, and burst outughing when I notice the little Kingpin


    font around his ankle just above his trainer and smile stupidly. Losing all inhibition and breaking into a


    real grin of genuine amusement.


    I never actually imagined he would wear them and it’s ridiculously funny to me. Alexi can be surprising,


    to say the least. If only he was also naked … would have just made it for me.


    ‘You don’t have to wear them; they were bought as a joke.’ Iugh softly, forgetting myself around him


    for a minute and basking in the genuine happy look he throws me back. The air around us gets light


    and fluffy and my whole body rxes in his zingy presence.


    ‘I happen to appreciate the gift, even if it was bought to put me in my ce. London to New York! I love


    them.’ He reaches out and tugs a strand of my hair affectionately, a cheeky smile and a glint in his eye


    that only serves to make him more devilishly handsome. It sobers me up instantly as Ie to my


    senses and pull my guard back up; should never get too soft around this man, for anything.


    ‘I should go feed the cat.’ I swallow hard, moving away and turn back on my heel to get out of here


    before this goes anywhere else. He’s in an infectious mood, and I know that means I have less of a


    self-defence system in his presence.


    ‘Hold the door, I’ming. I have to leave,’ he adds in afterthought and follows me, despite it being the


    last thing I want, and catches up to keep pace with me as I get to it with easy strides.


    ‘Where are you going?’ I ask to cover the awkwardness I feel around him now, and he just pulls down


    his shades as sun floods in from the open door as I yank it towards me. Looking all yboy cover


    model like this, and I shake my head to dislodge the giddy weirdness thates over me with him


    getting closer.


    Damn this body and its infernal internal inability to not want to get this man naked between my thighs.


    He should bottle whatever it is he gives off and sell it to men who can’t getid. Works wonders on


    unsuspecting women.


    ‘Another of my clubs; I have a meeting with my bar manager about an overhaul of another ce.’ His


    tone is bright and warm, husky as usual with that very deep sexiness that I could listen to all day. It’s


    more evident when he’s beingpletely rxed.


    ‘A club like this?’ I question, intrigued and also a little green with that thought. Somehow having more


    than one of my little endeavours doesn’t sit well with me and I double nce at him, leading the way


    outside ahead of him and down the steps towards the bowls I keep there for Feral.


    ‘No … a regr nightclub that I have owned for years; it needs updating and some cash thrown in to


    give it a boost. It’s uptown, right in cash central.’ He smiles sexily at me and my stomach plummets as


    my insides churn crazily.


    Stop it, Cami.


    We walk in two directions when we hit the tarmac of the car park, and I sigh in relief to be getting


    control of my libido again. Me to the left and him to the right towards his car, throwing me a nce as


    we separate and I stop to rip the can lid off the food with the little tab on top, hoping focus will simmer


    my inner tingles a little.


    I have no idea why he’s majorly affecting me this morning.


    ‘You want toe?’ Alexi’s question makes me stop and turn to look at him in surprise as he stands at


    his car and opens his driver door.


    ‘What, me?’ I look around in case he’s asking someone else that I didn’t know was out here, and then


    look back to him when I realise he’s smiling at me in wide-eyed surprise.


    ‘Yeah, you … Girl who made this ce look amazing; could use your input over there and some of that


    Cam magic.’ Alexi is in a very good mood today, it’s weird. There’s probably something wrong with him,


    possibly a bang to his head—especially if he’s inviting me for a ride along to another of his businesses.


    He’s all smiles andid-back charm and I narrow my eyes at him, forgetting about dishing out Feral’s


    food as he starts yowling at me nearby in annoyance.


    ‘You really want mypany? On purpose?’ I nch at him, and he just narrows his gaze at me,


    amused but yet not. Looking at me like I might be a bit insane and he shouldn’t have to answer that.


    I jump in fright as something pushes against my naked leg, a warm fuzzy sensation that’spletely


    alien to me and look down in shock. Eyes bulging with what I see. Feral rubs his face across my naked


    ankle for a second, head butting me yfully. Affectionately purring like a maniac, or a vibrating toy and


    has another go at meowing pitifully.


    I don’t know why this little act of trust gets to me on a major level, but I just stop every fibre of my being


    and gawp down at the little crazy furball. He’s showing me some clumsy affection as he rubs his body


    back and forth across me in a bid to hurry the deliverance of food, but I just stare. A lump catches in my


    throat and I stand frozen, afraid to move as my eyes mist over and my heart swells so achingly it sticks


    in my rib cage painfully.


    ‘I think he’s telling you to hurry up and feed him.’ Alexi points out the obvious, seemingly not as


    impressed with this contact and not understanding the significance of this moment. My cat is touching


    me … On purpose, by choice!


    Feral refused toe near us, no matter how often we came out here and here he is, by his own


    volition, rubbing against me gently and purring at me because he wants to. It’s a massive show of trust


    and affection and I can’t believe Alexi doesn’t get it at all.