Page 50 of Between Never and Forever

She had no idea. None of my friends knew. Sometimes, being a friend meant shielding your friends from the pain your life could inflict on them.

“He’s not around much.” I glanced up and grabbed the bottle the waitress had just brought. I poured us both a generous helping of the bubbly champagne. “Anyway, I’m holding him off as long as possible. So, cheers to that, and cheers to us being here on their dime for six months.”

She clinked her glass and drank a healthy gulp. “Technically it’s your dime, Keelani. You’ve paid your dues ten times over to that record label. And I know you fought for me to come with.”

I hadn’t told Olive, but I was sure she’d gotten wind of how I insisted on bringing my own personal assistant. The fact that the record label tried to control even who was around me, including my closest friends, infuriated me. Yet, I tried my best not to become bitter about it.

Instead, I wiggled in my little black dress that I’d thrown on before we came out. The fabric was thin, but it bunched up when I sat and exposed much more of my leg than I wanted to. I pushed it down one last time and glanced around to make sure no one had seen how it rode up.

“Kee, we’re in a HEAT resort, remember?” Olive lifted a brow. “You don’t have to worry about paps. They need a pass.”

People paid hundreds of thousands to become a part of the HEAT’s exclusive empire. Everyone here wasn’t as concerned about my status, and somehow that made me breathe a bit easier. Even still. “Yeah, I don’t know. Should we leave?”

“We’re sitting in the corner of the restaurant in averysecure resort.” My friend grabbed my hand and squeezed it like she could steal away a bit of my anxiety. “Breathe, girl. We’re good here.”

“So, you want to stay out?” I still worried for her safety or anyone’s with me even more so than my own. We’d been bombarded a time or two before. “We could go back up to the suite if you want?”

“The penthouse with Dex?” She chuckled and then shook her head. “No thanks.”

My phone buzzed right then, and I murmured for her to give me a minute while I stared at the text that had come in.

Dex: When will you be home?

Was he serious? I frowned and then glared at the screen. Like he should care.

Me: I don’t know. Does it matter? You weren’t home last night when I went to sleep.

Dex: You could have texted me.

Me: I didn’t see the need to.

Dex: Where are you?

Me: I’m enjoying the company of my friends.

Dex: Are you with my brother?

Me: Seriously? Your jealousy is showing for literally no reason.

Dex: It’ll show more if you don’t answer the question.

Me: You know we’re not really engaged. I don’t answer to you.

Dex: Kee, I’m not in the mood today. I had a long day at work. Answer me.

Me: Go to sleep and stop worrying about your fake fiancée.

Dex: Won’t feel fake when I punish you for being out with my brother.

Dex: Tell me when you’re going to be home. We need to discuss the press release.

I growled at my phone, at how he thought he could command something from me so easily, how he thought this was about the press.

“Trouble in paradise?”

“He’s such an ass,” I grumbled.

“Dex is texting you?” she inquired, but I was too busy to think about her questions as I silenced my phone, consciously and deliberately not responding back.