Deeper Healing

47| Self-Appointed Girlfriend

Leilani Edwards

"Tonight marks the second time you've shown up to a special occasion with Nikolai," Isla observed, looking at me with attentive eyes whose sincere emotion I couldn't quite decipher.

I took a last drink from my wine glass before placing it on the counter with a soft sigh and a tight-lipped sigh. "How observant of you, Isla, something I've realised is a trait of particular interest when it comes to your relationship with Nikolai."

Tonight wasn't the first time she was indirectly questioning my closeness to Nikolai and this wasn't my first time dodging the question either.

Telling her what was really going on didn't sit well with me, especially with the impudent possessiveness edging her whiskey-soaked voice.

"Nikolai is my best friend so naturally, I'm keen on his whereabouts and every other new person latching onto him, especially if it's a female," she told me confidently, washing down the rest of her wine in one go.

I smiled softly to shield the vicious words crawling up my throat in response to her suggestively bitchy tone.

"For his best friend, you've surely been spending the least time with him over the past couple of days," I pointed out as normally as I could.

Since I moved in with him, specifically. Unless they met at work, he wasn't meeting her or communicating with her often because he was with me the entire time.

Was she even aware I'd been living in his penthouse for weeks now and I wasn't planning on moving out any time soon?

Isla lightly cleared her throat with a somewhat forced smile, flipping her sleek ponytail off her shoulder to her back. "Lani, you speak like you've been on the receiving end of his misaimed attention."

Misaimed attention.

My fake smile stretched a bit wider.

If his misaimed attention entailed his warm cuddly hugs, late-night heart-to-heart conversations, accidental gazes and skin grazes, intentional long make-out sessions and toe-curling orgasms, then yes, I fucking had it and I appreciated it more than she'd ever understand.

"It's just a friendly observation I made and even if I was, I think I wouldn't tell you with that obsessive self-appointed girlfriend enigma roughening your tone and making you roll your eyes at me."

My statement must have taken her by surprise given her sudden freeze motion. I'd surprised myself too with the sudden bold elaboration, but I was easily getting fed up with the sweetheart façade.

It took a few seconds before she burst out laughing, shaking her head lightly as she framed my right shoulder with her left hand. "Sweetie, remind me again of how long you've known Nikolai?"

The mockery in her voice was solid, something I'd let slide if I hadn't had a conversation with Bianca a few minutes ago. I couldn't believe how blind I'd been to this aggressive side of hers, shielded by the angelic appeal she used to defend her personality.

Perhaps it was because she was a soft-spoken bitch and I was used to the aggressive and obvious type. This one was shocking but interesting.

I maintained a small smile to avoid a full-blown bitch sulk. "A few weeks, and you've obviously known him for a couple of years which is way longer than a measly few weeks," I told her what she wanted to hear.

I knew better about the complexity and dynamics of relationships. Time barely ever mattered when it came to meaningful connections. The impact of the relationship was what made a statement and I had confidence in what Nikolai and I mutually shared.