Chapter 4

I felt his fingers trailing up my arm before I even opened my eyes. I forced back a tired smile and pretended like I didn’t know what he was doing. The feeling is surreal, to be lazily lying on my bed waking up to his touch. His fingers trailed over my shoulder and stopped at my collarbone. “You are so fucking beautiful.” My eyes flickered open and a frown fell on my face when I saw Ian on my bed. I sat up in one attempt and he looked at me. “Hey, baby.” I swallowed back the anger in me hearing him call me that. “What time is it?” I asked him ignoring every other thing he said. How long did I fucking sleep? I rubbed my eyes and raised my hand to my forehead. “Past 11.” “Oh shit,” I cussed at his response. How did I sleep for so long??? I already have a strike at work and missing today would mean I’ve officially lost my job. I cussed and pushed the covers from my leg. A sudden flashback of a sexy man putting them over me flashed and I paused. That was real, Ian’s father was here. He was easily the sexiest man I’ve ever been in close contact with and the thought of his hands grabbing my waist to offer me stability made me swallow hard. “Are you okay?” Ian’s voice sent me back to reality and I just hummed a yes without looking at him. I’m lucky the headache isn’t so bad and I don’t feel nauseous. Let’s just say I’m really lucky I’m not experiencing a bad hangover. My feet connected with the slippers by the bedside and I grabbed a towel. I was still dressed in the same gown I wore last night and when I looked at the chair he sat on; it was empty. When I was a few miles away from the bathroom, I paused and turned back. “What are you doing here?” He gave me this unbelievable look ‘cause I never questioned him or asked him questions like this. “I mean—you stopped by yesterday and then, today—before I wake up you’re here.” “Do you have a problem with that, baby?” A small smile formed on his lips that just left me confused. If I didn’t find out he was cheating by myself, I’d never believe it ‘cause he was so good at playing dumb. I paused. “No, just wondering if you want to tell me something.” He shook his head in disapproval. “I just love you enough to want to see you.” I stared at him but his words didn't move me and I didn’t even hide it. I barely moved an inch and there was only one look on his face; suspicion. “You really don’t look okay, babe. Is there something wrong? Don’t tell me you are still pissed about the birthday.” His nonchalant way of addressing issues made me sick to my stomach. Of course, he forgot my birthday and remembered only later in the day when Helena and I were having drinks as a way of celebration. She asked about him and when I shrugged, she called him to yell at him for forgetting my birthday. He apologized saying he’d make it up and I forgave him. How did I not see anything wrong? I was so foolish to think that she was having my back but she was only trying to clean their tracks. Fuck, I’m so dumb. “You know I’m really sorry for forgetting your birthday,” he said and climbed out of the bed. He walked toward me and stretched his hands to hold me. “It’s not that,” I snapped. “I’m not upset or pissed at you for forgetting my birthday.” “So what are you pissed at?” His brown hair fell lazily to his face and the curls remained on the brim. His dark eyes darted as they waited for me to say something. “It’s my job. Yesterday I got a strike and today, I’m certain I’ll be losing the job finally. For some reason, everything seems like I am unlucky.” “Is that it?” I cocked an eyebrow and he wet his bottom lip. “I just mean that’s not enough to get you really upset. For a moment I thought it was your grandma.” He probably meant it least provocatively but nothing pushed me to the wall more than bringing my grandma into conversations. I hated how it made me feel—a reminder that I have nobody and that the last person standing wouldn’t recognize me if I walked up to her now. He ran his hands through his hair and rolled his eyes. “Listen to me, babe. I’ve told you that you can always ask me for money. I have so much to give you okay?” No, you don’t. “Ian you don’t get it.” There’s no way he’d get it because his silly ass thinks all his father’s money belongs to him and he can spend it as much as he wants. “Of course I do. You hate me giving you money but sometimes you need my help. You need me to make you feel better and help you stop feeling these shitty emotions.” He paused to catch his breath. “I can help.” I stared at him long enough to notice that his brows were carved and that he changed the nose ring on his nose to a diamond—all in the last 10 hours which meant when he left my place, he didn’t go home. “.. so tell me what you want.” I struggled hard to catch up with his statement due to my unattentiveness but I couldn't. “I’m waiting. I can help you with anything babe, just tell me what.” Your father. The urge to fuck Marcus Hills to get even with Ian was only getting stronger and I knew it right inside me. “A job,” I muttered. “Can you get me a job at your father’s company?” I looked at him and curled my lips up. “That’ll mean so much to me.”