Besieged (12 page)

If there's one thing I've learnt in this life it's not to trust anyone.  The only one you can truly rely on is yourself. When someone like Theodore Ellis pops up on your radar you should run like hell. He's a head fuck and no matter how he makes me feel, one way or another he will screw me over in the end. Guaranteed. The best thing I can do is just ignore him. We had sex, it was good, end of.

"Wow. Are those from him?" Molly startles me from my thoughts. Molly and George had the biggest I told you so smiles when I told them, oh and not to mention the fact that I lost a hundred quid.

"Um, yeah." I stumble.

"Well he's persistent." She smiles innocently.

"I find men often can be when they want something." I raise an eyebrow at her.

"You're such a cynic." She mutters.

"No, I’m realistic." Molly is the sort of woman men flock to. She loves men and they love her. She has a boyfriend for a couple months then gets bored and moves on, leaving a string of broken hearts in her wake. Molly however has definitely never experienced a man like Theo before. Molly attracts nice boys. I apparently attract arseholes.

"Well, he's already screwed you, so if that's all he's after then he wouldn't be sending flowers now would he?" She looks so pleased with herself. I just scowl at her.

"He's that guy that every girl wants to believe she can change Molly... I'm not that naive. I'm just disappointed in myself for being so damn weak. God knows I hate that feeling." I frown down at my hands.

She smiles sympathetically.

"What do you fancy for dinner?" She asks changing the subject.

"I don't mind as long as it's accompanied by copious amounts of wine." My stress levels are off the chart right now.

Molly laughs. "Ok. Where's George?"

"I think he's rehearsing again." George got the big job he auditioned for last week. He's been out rehearsing almost every evening since. The rehearsals are ruthless and unrelenting. Twice this week I’ve found him stood in ice baths. It's punishing.

Molly and I spend the evening eating chicken fajitas, which is one of my favourites, washed down with white wine, lots of white wine. I'm aware that I’m being less than talkative. I'm in a bad mood and I’m stressed. Molly doesn't try to coax conversation out of me. She knows better.

The weekend comes around quickly and brings with it a rare bout of sunshine in the disappointing English summer. Last month its flood warnings, now they're warning there might be a heat wave, still, it lifts my spirits. Molly and I decide in a slightly over enthusiastic move to try and soak up some vitamin D and go to the park across the street from the flat.

I lay sprawled on my back next to Molly on a blanket which we've spread across the grass. I close my eyes and sigh contently. The sun feels so good against my bare legs. The distant hum of London traffic is drowned out by the birds singing optimistically and the gentle rustle of leaves in the soft breeze.

"This is so nice. I wish it were this sunny all the time." I sigh.

"Yeah right. I'm waiting for the rain to roll in any minute." She sighs.

I put my ear buds in, deciding that a little snooze in the sun will do wonders for my shockingly pale skin. I pull up my tank top, exposing my stomach to the rays. I'm halfway through listening to Taylor swift singing about being twenty two when the hair on the back of my neck stands up. Nothing’s changed, but the atmosphere feels suddenly charged. I open an eye, but all I see is blue sky. A tap on my shoulder from Molly makes me turn on my side to face her and pull my ear buds out.

"Holy shit, serious talent at ten o' clock." Molly hisses at me whilst death gripping my forearm.

I swing my gaze to where she's looking and my stomach bottoms out. Two guys are running along the path that runs around the outside of the park. The blonde guy with his top off I don't recognise, but the other is a face I know only too well. His dark hair is stuck to his forehead and neck with sweat. He's wearing a sleeveless gym top that leaves his bulging shoulders and arms on display and showcasing the artwork that decorates his skin.

"Fuck." I drop my glasses onto my face and roll back over onto my back, wishing I could disappear into the ground and hoping he doesn't recognise me.

"Oh my god, is that…? I swear he wasn't that hot before." She whispers.

"That's because you were drunk and he wasn't exposing so much inked up manliness." I sigh. “He just had to come to this park.” I grumble. I keep trying to avoid him, but I seem to bump into him in random places. I’m starting to think he’s stalking me.

"Why are you ignoring him?" She hisses.

"Why do you think?" I whisper. "I haven't spoken to him since I left his office...still harbouring wet knickers I might add."

"Wow, you're so eloquent Lill’s. Oh, and too late, he's coming this way with his seriously yummy shirtless friend." She squeals.

I groan. "Not good. I'm asleep okay."

A few seconds later and Molly greets the two guys. "Lilly." Theo says in that deep voice that has me trembling, but I say nothing. Molly laughs beside me just as a stream of cold water touches my stomach. I shriek and turn onto my side. "God you're an arsehole." I grumble.

He laughs lightly. "Hey. You do realise it's not actually that warm right?" He indicates toward my bare midriff. His mocking smile seems to outshine the sun.

I roll onto my front and glare up at him, hoping he'll make small talk and then leave. "Yeah, well you never know when you'll next see sunshine. You have to grab your opportunities." I hear Molly's exasperated sigh beside me.

"So who's your friend Theo?" Molly is so bloody obvious. The way her eyes roam over the other guy is ridiculous. Her lips are slightly parted as she flicks her tongue over her upper lip. The guy doesn't miss it. He smiles and winks at her. Oh Jesus, another cocky one. I will admit though, he has a pretty impressive upper half on show, nowhere near as good as Theo's, but that's because Theo looks like a bloody god. This guy is athletic where Theo is chiselled and beautifully honed.

"This is Hugo. Hugo, Molly and Lilly." Hugo's eyebrows shoot up at my name, which I can only assume means he knows who I am, which I can then assume means Theo's spoken about me. Weird.

"Nice to meet you." I say.

"Very, very nice to meet you." Molly practically purrs. I swear to god, put her in front of an attractive man and she completely turns into a weird sex stalker.

"Likewise." Hugo responds before dropping onto the grass next to Molly. I roll my eyes at exactly the same time as Theo and laugh.

Theo drops into a crouch near me. I catch his scent of sweat and body wash and just pure man. His eyes are bright like a Mediterranean ocean today as he meets my gaze. He reaches out and pulls my sunglasses of my face, brushing my cheek as he does. "That's better." He smiles.  "Do you mind if I have a sip of your water?"

"Sure, I guess you poured yours on me." I grumble, still feeling a little scattered from his touch.

He smiles as he picks up my bottle and takes three long gulps. His adam’s apple moves as he swallows, and a drop of sweat rolls across his stubble covered jaw and down his throat. I swallow hard and try to control my hormones which are currently going haywire in the presence of all those muscles and male pheromones.

"Thanks." He says quietly, flashing me that come to bed smile. He grabs the bottom of his shirt and wipes his face with it. All conversation seems to drop into silence as that glorious body makes an appearance. Hugo chuckles, but I can't pull my eyes from those bulging abs and deep cut guidelines. Then all too quickly he drops his shirt again and winks at me, that sexy as hell smile still on his face. Ugh, bastard! He's good, I'll give him that. I turn my gaze to Molly, whose eyes are still firmly trained on the spot where Theo's shirt was just lifted.

I lightly hit her. "Jesus Molly it's not that good." I grumble.

"Are you shitting me!?" She stammers. "What is wrong with you?" Hugo and Theo both laugh.

"Don't worry sweetheart, he has that effect on all the girls. It's really hard trying to be his wingman sometimes." I roll my eyes. He feigns a sad face before cracking a wide smile.

"I'm sure." Molly says.

Throughout this entire exchange I can feel Theo's eyes burning into me. I roll onto my back again and pull my sunglasses down, clearly stating that I wish to end the conversation.

"So I'm having a few people over for some drinks at my flat tonight. You ladies should come?" Hugo asks.

"I'm busy." I say quickly.

"With what?" Molly snaps.

"I said I'd meet a friend from work for drinks." I quickly lie.

"Bullshit, we both know you don't socialise with those boring fucks you work with." She says. Both guys laugh again. "We'll be there. What time?"

"Molly!" I snap.

"Say ten?" Hugo replies. "Give me your number and I'll text you the address. It's just around the corner from here." Molly practically purrs as she puts her number in his phone.

"Have I just become fucking invisible or something?" I whine.

"Great. We'll see you tonight then." Hugo says casually.

"Yep, apparently so. Great, just great."

"Oh, Lilly." Theo says quietly.

"What?" I growl. Suddenly he's leant over me, his lips press to mine in a spider man kiss. I can do nothing but lay there. My traitorous body reacts to him immediately. My lips part and my tongue skims his lower lip. All too quickly he pulls away and I'm left bereft and panting.

I keep my eyes closed, not wanting to look at him. "Damn you." I murmur.

He laughs. "I'll see you tonight." He says huskily. Not likely.

 Molly waits a moment before turning to me. "Holy shit. That kiss was so hot. I can't even imagine what kind of sex you two have. Jesus." Molly starts physically fanning herself with her magazine. I roll my eyes at her. What the hell just happened?!

I'm stood outside Hugo's flat, much to my horror. Molly whined, bribed, blackmailed and finally begged me to come with her. So here I am, knowing that everything I don't want, but desperately do is in that flat. Molly's long blonde hair is pulled into a sharp pony tail. Her skin tight purple dress is very short and her long legs slip into a pair of my black Louboutin's. I'm wearing a little floral summer dress and cowboy boots. As per usual I couldn't be bothered with my hair so it's in its usual disarray of loose waves. I’m trying to look like I made no effort, which isn’t hard because I really didn’t.

Molly presses the buzzer and some random girl throws the door open. She's already drunk by the looks of it as she staggers back a step. We step inside and she walks away without a word to either of us. The flat is sparse, lots of white furniture with a couple of bright paintings decorating the walls. Flat really isn’t the word, massive bloody apartment is closer.

Music blares around the place, vibrating the walls. The front room is full of swaying bodies. The female to male ratio is about five to one, most of which are in a state of undress. A few turn their heads when we enter the room, and as per the bitch code they look us up and down before sneering and looking away.

"I can't believe you wanted to come to this shit." I grumble.

"Oh, ignore these bitches." Molly shrugs.

"Fine. Let’s get this over with. An hour Mole and then we're leaving." I say sternly.

She rolls her eyes. "Fine, but if I get laid with the man candy then you're going home alone, or with Theo." She giggles. I don't even respond to that.

We wonder into the kitchen where various bottles of alcohol are on the side. I grab a bottle of Corona. I don't trust unsealed drinks. I wedge a lime slice in it and take a sip. I look around the room, but I can't see Hugo or Theo.

One of Molly's favourite songs comes on and she drags me into the front room. I finally spot Theo on one of the sofas in the corner. One girl is sat on his lap whilst another sits next to him nibbling his ear, both are wearing next to no clothing. He seems to be completely oblivious and carries on a normal conversation with the guy on his other side. For some unbeknown reason I'm...I don't know, disappointed I guess, I'm not sure, but I'm definitely bothered and that disturbs me. So I decide it's a good thing that there are women all over him. The more women that surround him, the better to distract him. Still, the sight of him with Malibu Barbie attached to his neck is enough to make me hurry back to the kitchen for several shots of tequila.

"Interesting." Molly says as she stalks up behind me.

"Not a word." I growl.

She shrugs. "I just find it fascinating that you should be pushed to tequila because he's sat with another girl." She smiles smugly.

"As if. I'm pushed to tequila to get through this bloody party with all the half-naked tramps. I feel like I might catch an STD just looking at them. I shouldn’t have expected anything less with Theo and co organising."

She laughs. "Okay. Let’s dance." She grabs my hand and tows me to the centre of the room.

The tequila quickly numbs my senses and lowers my inhibitions. I dance with Molly and forget about everyone else in the room, forget about Theo. I didn't want to come here, didn't want to see him, but there's that weak part of me that kind of did want to see him. There's a part of me that wants to own him body and soul, that loves that he still wants me after I slept with him. Fucked up I know, but that's exactly what I am... fucked up. The problem is that I will never possess him, because he's a player, just like me, and if he thinks anything like me then just the thought of being possessed will scare him shitless. By this point we've garnered the attention of the few males in the room, a normal occurrence when I've had a few shots and decide to start busting out the moves. I dance with Molly like I'm being paid for it. She grinds and shakes against me until Hugo appears with another bottle of tequila and a huge grin on his face. I take the bottle from him as he becomes Molly's willing substitute. I swear to god, Molly may be pregnant by the time they're done.

I take a few deep gulps of the burning liquid before I turn and dance with the first guy I come into contact with.  I wrap my arms around his neck, still holding the bottle. He puts his hands on my hips as I snake my body up against his. I don't miss the hardening crotch of his jeans pressed against me. This is what I need, what I love, to own a man, to control him, to have power over him. He is a slave to my body right now and that gives me power, power is strength. I edge us back to the wall and push him up against it. He's attractive, with rich hazel eyes and dark copper hair that falls slightly over his forehead.