Page 71 of Ruin
Annika cocks her head to the side as she studies me. “Why don’t you think anything would come of it?”
I shrug. “Well, I mean… It’s been eight years since I quit. I’ve never had a job and know nothing about running a business, so I’m not sure I have any chance of pulling this off, even if I do get in to one of the courses I applied for. I’d have to audition to get in for the fine arts degree, too, and I’m so out of shape.”
Annika frowns. “Lily. I one hundred percent believe that you can do this. And Sebastian obviously believes in you too, or he wouldn’t have encouraged you to apply. And as for the business stuff - of course you don’t know how to run a business. But that’s what you’ll learn at university. And, if you haven’t noticed, Sebastian runs like a thousand businesses, so I think, even if you just focused on dance and teaching, you’d be able to get his help with the business stuff. Or Daniel would help. You’ve got a support network now, so use it.”
I stare at her for a moment. I hadn’t really considered asking either of the DeLuca brothers for their help on the business side. To be honest, it all just feels like a pipe dream. Something to get my mind off the mess that my life still is, despite the fact that I’ve been hidden away inside the world of Dark Desires for the last four months.
Eventually, I sigh. “It doesn’t really matter, because no bank is going to give me money for a business.”
Annika scowls. “Guess you better just give up now, then.”
“Hey,” I say, annoyed.
She crosses her arms as she stares me down. “Well, you’ve clearly decided you’re going to fail before you even try, so why bother, right?”
I glare at her. “I see what you’re doing, you know.”
“What, believing in you? Trying to make you realise that this self doubt is all just a by-product of your shitty parents and arsehole ex-husband?” She pauses, tapping her finger against her bicep as she thinks. “You know, you actually have a lot in common with Imogen on that front, now that I think about it. But she refused to let those arseholes tear her down. Come with me,” she says, grabbing my hand and pulling me along behind her.
I don’t bother resisting, having learned it’s just best to go along with Annika’s plans. It’s going to happen, either way.
She drags me all the way up the stairs and down the hall to Sebastian and Imogen’s office.
“Where are we going? Sebastian isn’t even here,” I ask.
“He got back like an hour ago,” she says over her shoulder, before barging into the office without knocking.
I don’t even have time to process the fact that he’s back without me even knowing before freezing in the open doorway.
Annika, however, barely reacts to the scene before us. Sebastian has Imogen bent over his desk, her bare arse directly in line with his face. He’s fully clothed, but it’s obvious from the blissed out look on her face that she’s just had an epic orgasm.
Neither of them even flinches at our sudden arrival, and I wonder just how often people walk in on the two of them fucking.
Still frozen in place, I feel my face heat up. I don’t know whyI’m reacting this way, given what happened the last time the three of us were together in this office, but something has me feeling off balance. It’s obviously just me, though, because Annika moves to stand beside the desk, completely unfazed.
“Im, I need your help to talk sense into this woman,” Annika says, watching her best friend straighten and smooth her skirt back down.
“Oh?” Imogen says, glancing between the two of us.
Despite clearly having been in the middle of something when we busted in here, she seems completely unbothered, without a single hair out of place and her make up perfectly done. I have no idea how I look after an orgasm, but I doubt it’s half as good as her.
Finally looking at Sebastian, I find him studying me closely, a concerned expression on his face that he immediately hides behind his usual mask of indifference. I can tell he’s trying to work out how I’m feeling about what was obviously just happening. I doubt he can figure it out though, because I’m still not entirely sure how I’m feeling about what I’ve just walked in on.
Is this jealousy?
No, I don’t think that’s what this is. I had no issues seeing Sebastian with Declan or Cam. And I wasn’t upset when I knew he’d slept with Annika on Sunday morning.
So what is this feeling then?
I wrench my gaze away from Sebastian’s to tune back into the conversation.
Annika is explaining how I’ve obviously decided I won’t succeed, so have given up - which isn’t entirely true.
I’ve onlysort ofgiven up.
Annika finishes her explanation and Imogen raises an eyebrow while I brace myself for a tongue lashing.
But she surprises me.
