The Billionaire's Contract

Forgive and Forget? {22}

Malea's POV

I'd been avoiding Lucian for a while now and I haven't even heard back from Ales in over a week. It was the end of my shift and I was headed downstairs to the lobby. I shifted the folders that were tucked under my arm and looked up just before I bumped into someone.

Lucian steadied me by grabbing hold of my shoulders tenderly. "Woah there. Try to be more careful." He said, his hands still on my shoulders, sending spirals of tingles up my spine. We stood there for what felt like hours but what must've been seconds. With me just wishing I could drop the facade and get lost in Lucian's kisses. My eyes flitted down to his lips.

I stepped back from him uneasily. "Sorry." I cleared my throat and began back down the hallway.

"Malea. We need to talk." He called after me. I pretended as if I couldn't hear him as I rushed into the elevator and sighed as it closed shut. Out of sight, out of mind.

I rang Ales's doorbell and stepped back in surprise when Winter opened the door, her red hair toppled on her head in a messily precise bun. Her full pink lips stretched into a sly smile as soon as she saw me. She looked as if she owned the place, her presence making me uneasy. I wanted to talk to Ales myself.

"Darling. Your name's Malea, right?" She asked. She pulled her silk pink robe tighter around her incredibly fit figure.

I nodded. I glanced past Winter and into the house. "I actually came here for Ales. Is she around?"

Winter bobbed her head over enthusiastically and moved out of the doorway to allow me entrance. With a coy smile, she ushered me into the living room where Ales sat in a silk robe, her body turned towards the insanely large TV.

"Winter, who was it?" Ales sighed while popping a peice of popcorn into her mouth.

Winter smiled thinly and took a seat, muting the television with the remote on the glass coffee table. "Ales. We have a guest."

Ales groaned. "Who the hell could it be?"

Winter crossed her legs and shot me a quick glance. "Malea."

Immediately Ales tensed, all the muscles in her body rigid and looking mechanical. A vein protruded from her neck in strain. She turned to me, her wide eyes set with no emotion.

"What brings you here, Malea?" She asked icily, her manicured fingers splayed out as if she'd just painted them.

"Can I sit, first?" I asked.

They nodded in unison and I sat next to  Ales. I pretended not to notice how she moved a bit further away from me.

"I wanted to know how you were feeling. Every time I call your phone it's always on voicemail and whenever I come over, the maid always tells me that you're not feeling well." I reached for her hand but she avoided my touch by tucking a flyaway hair away from her face.

"I've just been busy." She said simply. Coldly. Ales glanced over at Winter who looked at her with a knowing look that had an underlying meaning. Ales immediately softened. "I just didn't have time to return calls. I've been stressed as of late."

I nodded knowingly.

"How are you and Levi?" Winter butted in. She had the look on her face that said she wanted to smile but tried her hardest not to.