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I woke up with fur in my mouth and a tiny body across my face.
"Jay? What the hell?" I laughed as I gingerly lifted him off and set him down on the pillow beside me. He stood up, turned and stretched so that his miniature butt was directly in my face again. I shook with silent laughter. When I could open my eyes again he was done stretching and just sitting, looking at me. Meiw.
"Good idea, I'm starving too." I sat up in bed, shutting my eyes to let the wave of vertigo pass. As the dizziness faded, images of the night before sprung back into my mind's eye. Pandora's sneer, Julian's arm tucking me close to his side, Jared's "subtle" way of implying that Julian was letting up way less than he should have, Gabriella's designs and too many flashing lights. The dizziness was back.
I shook my head and stood up. If anything I would think about that later. For now, I had responsibilities to take care of. I threw on a thin silk pajama mini dress, cashmere slippers and quickly brushed the sleep tangles out of my hair. Jay began to race back forth across the floor, his paws getting caught in the carpet.
"Okay okay, relax! I'm getting your breakfast." I said as I plucked him off of the ground and brought him to the kitchen with me.
After setting down a bowl of milk and soft food next to the stove, I made myself a hearty breakfast of eggs, turkey bacon and rye toast with a side bowl of strawberries. I was about to dig in when I heard my phone ring back in my room and sprinted to grab it. A picture of Daddy's smiling face appeared on the screen and I smiled with glee.
"Hi Dad!" I greeted him, sitting back down at the table.
"Hey princess." I could hear the grin in his voice, imagining him talking to me on speaker as he whirled around whatever hotel room he had rented out that night, dressing in one of his favourite Armani suits for the already busy day I knew he was going to have.
"How is your trip going? Reel in any new clients?"
"Just finished up a deal with Microsoft last night actually." He answered proudly.
"Microsoft? What are you doing with Microsoft?" I questioned him through a mouth full of bacon.
"Just stock investments. I'll tell you all about it when I come see you. How are you liking your new place?"
"Daddy it's amazing. The view, the kitchen, my closet!" I looked behind me again at my wide but cozy living space in awe once more. "Jay loves the place too, I think. Thank you so much for getting him for me. He helps make the adjustment process much easier."
"You're welcome princess, anything for you." His voice was full of emotion and I had to stop chewing for a second to let the closed throat feeling abate.
"I really miss you."
"I miss you too baby girl. But I should be done here and out of Europe in a few weeks so don't be too sad, alright?"
"Okay." I continued to eat small bites of food. Jay had finished his spread and was now trotting off to the laundry room.
"Now the surveillance camera people are scheduled to come in at noon so don't go anywhere before then alright?"
"How would I even get anywhere?" I half-joked, remembering that he had programmed his most trustful driver into my phone's contacts.
"Have you looked in your mailbox yet?" He asked.
"No... should I have?" I questioned him dubiously, tossing the last bit of strawberries into my mouth and sucked the juice off of my fingers.
"Always check your mail whenever you can." He answered.
I looked to the side, narrowing my eyes. "Okay?.."
"Well I've got to go now. Taylor has probably messaged me thirty times throughout this entire phone call to tell me I have clients calling." Taylor was his overseas assistant who could speak as it seemed almost every single language known to man. "Call me if anything though, alright? I love you Olivia. Stay safe. And away from boys."
"Okay Daddy." I laughed.
"I'm not kidding. I took some shooting classes in Venice and I did pretty good if I do say so myself."
"Alright alright. Go be important. I love you too. Bye."
"Bye princess." He said and the line went dead. It took all of ten seconds for me to rush to the door, pressing the elevator door repeatedly in silent giddiness. I snatched the scanner card and my mail key off the coat rack surface and bounced my foot up and down. Jay meiwed from behind me and I scooped him up, not even caring that I was scantily dressed or carrying a pet into the lobby of the building. Pets were allowed, right?
I pressed the ground floor button and held Jay out in front of me so I look at him head on.
"You aren't leaving my sight for the next little while." I told him and kissed him on the head. The elevator sounded and I cuddled him back into my side, still excited for what I would find.
I stepped forward and the doors slid open and facing me were Julian and Pandora, clad in their nightwear as well, sharing a very deep kiss. Her hand was laid lightly on his black undershirt and his was clutching the skimpy dress she had on that barely covered her skinny body. My jaw slackened and my cheeks burned, feeling like I was intruding on a private moment even though they were essentially putting on a show for anyone who would watch.
They broke apart and Julian's eyes popped so wide when he saw it was me standing there, he could have rivaled any cartoon character.
"Olivia?" He let out a strangled laugh.
"Oh hey I forgot you lived here." Pandora curled her lip at me. Jay tensed up in my arms and hissed at her.
My mouth snapped shut and I narrowed my eyes. "Good morning Pandora. Julian."
"Hey we tried to get you to come back last night..." Julian trailed off, and I could see him looking down at his feet in the corner of my eye. My attention was mainly on Pandora, holding her with a withering glare that she returned back.
"I must have fallen asleep already. Did you guys have fun?" I asked, tilting my head to the side.
"Plenty." Pandora sneered at me. Julian dropped his hand from her waist but she just as quickly grabbed it up and held it firm. "If you don't mind though, we'd like to get back upstairs."
"Of course. Have a good day." Bitch, I added mentally. I shoved through the both of them and strided over to my mailbox without a backwards glance.
"... just a second..." I heard Julian begging Pandora as I thrusted the key into its hole, the large letter box door swinging open. They seemed to argue for a few seconds before she finally shouted "FINE." at him and I caught the sound of the elevator doors sliding across the ground, pinging as it closed and went up.
I focused back to right in front of me, readjusting a now slipping Jay onto my shoulder and gasped. A set of two car keys sat on the metallic surface, one for a Mitsubishi, the other for an Acura. A little blue card was folded beneath them. I looped each key on my right ring finger and picked up the letter.
The safest cars I could find just for you. Try not to drive them too much - remember Saoirse will drive you anywhere you wish. Have fun but not too much! I love you. - Dad
I shut my eyes, forcing back the tears that threatened to overwhelm me. He had bought me a car. And then bought me another one. I definitely needed to have some sort of surprise waiting for him when he came home to visit.
I felt someone hovering behind me and was snapped back to reality, flicking my eyes open. I slammed the box door closed, locked it and whirled around.
"Good friends huh?" I spat at Julian who stood at a safe distance away. I wasn't seething exactly, but was extremely upset at being lied to.
"Olivia..." He said in a voice that normally would have made my body tingle coming from a guy as attractive as him. Unfortunately it had no effect whatsoever just then. "I didn't lie. Pandora and, what you saw-"
"Looked a hell lot like something people who are more than 'friends' just do." I rolled my shoulders back and set my jaw. "Now I don't know what kind of person you are yet but I'll tell you right now that I don't like liars. I hate them. And you seem like a nice guy Julian, you really do. So if there's something going on between you and her just be honest about it. It isn't fair to me and it definitely isn't fair to her."
It felt like I had to swallow a bus-sized lump of mud to get those words out. It was just my pride in actuality but it still pained me to defend the harlot.
"I-"
"Besides. You have no reason to lie. I met you yesterday so there's no possible way we could even have feelings for each other, correct?"
"Yes you're right about all of that." He said quietly. "But I haven't lied. Pandora and I have a... very close bond. No special labels are put on it, and we're both fine with it being that way."
He shifted uncomfortably as he said the last part and Jay miewed impatiently.
"Whatever you say." I scooted around him, still clutching Jay to my shoulder with my left hand, my keys in my right.
"Wait!" He followed, stumbling into me as I made a very sudden stop.
"Yes?" I looked at him over my shoulder.
"We were all planning to go out for dinner tonight at our favourite place. Ever heard of Aloma's?"
I shook my head, still not turning to face him. He took a step closer and I could feel his body heat through my thin dress. I casted my eyes downward, suddenly feeling conspicuous and exposed.
"Please come. It'll be the best Italian food you've ever eaten since birth." He joked.
I looked away, towards the elevator. "Probably not. I've been to Italy."
"Okay maybe not since birth but I promise you won't be disappointed."
I hesitated, almost caving right then and there.
"Please?"
"Sorry. I don't feel like it tonight. Have a good day and let everyone know that I said hi for me, would you?"
I left him standing there, dejected and took a deep breath once I was in the safety of the elevator, on my way back up the building.
He was lying. About something. I could feel it, I just didn't know what and wasn't entirely sure if I wanted to find out.
Once I got home I put Jay down, who sauntered off to the main bathroom to do god knew what, and I checked the clock on the DVD box beneath the T.V. It read 11:13am so I supposed changing into day clothes before the tech men arrived would be a suitable idea. I had moved a total of three steps before the doorbell buzzed. I sighed and told myself it was just the tech men repeatedly to calm my now racing heart as I went over to the button and pressed. I waited and waited, the doors finally breaking apart to reveal... the absolute last person I had wanted to see just then.