- Are you coming with me politely, or should I make a fuss and worry your friends? - Hero says in my ear. As he moves away, I notice a dangerous smile on his face. With panicked eyes, I look toward the two guys who are his men, then shift my gaze to Eve and Mike. - Hmm?
- I'll go with you, leave my friends out of it. They have a child, unnecessary worries about me and Felix," I reply.
I can feel the New Yorker watching my every move as I approach my friends, devising a scenario in my head.
- I'm sorry, but I'm going to go home now.
- What and why? - Eve looks puzzled. - Is something wrong?
- I think the adrenaline was too strong, because I felt sleepy. I'll call a cab and get back to my place.
- Can't you hold out a little longer? We'll be going in an hour. - Eve doesn't let up. I smile nervously.
- You yourself said recently that I am already a big girl. You don't have to drive me home, I can handle it.
Mike looks in one direction, and I follow his gaze and notice that he squints at the sight of Hero.
- This has nothing to do with the type? You're not going to go anywhere with him, are you?
The feeling of heat flows through my body and stops in the facial area, causing my cheeks to turn red.
- Are you crazy? I don't even know him," I lie.
- Mega tight, I would be interested in him myself if I were free. - Mike throws his girlfriend a furious look. - Oh, honey, after all, you know that being with you, I will never look at another man.
- You just made me realize that you are looking at other guys.
I roll my eyes, feeling guilty about the upcoming argument.
- Eve, you will never change. First you say something, only then you think. - I glance at Hero, and he points his finger at his watch.
- I will write to you when I am home. Have fun," I announce, putting my arm around their shoulders. - And you, Mike, don't be angry with Eve. After all, you know she has a bird brain.
A friend looks at me with reproach in her eyes.
- Get lost in that house already.
I head in the opposite direction of Hero so that my friend doesn't see me leaving with him. I think the New Yorker understands what's going on, because behind the fence he joins me only after about ten minutes.
- I feel like an evasive teenager. I've often done that in front of my father so he wouldn't suspect anything, but he never fell for it," Hero says stammeringly as he dismounts from his motorcycle and stands beside me.
- Where do you want to take me? - I change the subject, looking at him with frightened eyes. - I swear that the last time I spurned Felix. I let him know that there would be nothing between us.
I watch his every move as he unexpectedly extends his hand to me.
- My real name is Lucas. I won't say nice, but you can officially meet me," he announces, and I tentatively squeeze his hand, only because I'm terribly afraid of him. - I won't hurt you, Selena, as long as you don't do something against me.
I nervously swallow my saliva.
- Why are you so possessive of Felix?
I notice the sour smile on his face and realize that I rather asked the wrong question.
- Because I'm the one who helped him get out of this shit, while you brought him to this state and locked him up in a psychiatric hospital.
I nervously rub my shoulder as I lower my gaze, feeling guilty about his condition.
He's right. To a large extent, it was me who destroyed him.
- Where do you want to take me then? What do you want to do with me?
Lucas crinkles his eyebrows, looking at me with pity in his eyes.
- No worries, I won't hurt you, Selena.
And how can I believe it, when from the very beginning he threatens me? He does not burn with sympathy for me, at the first meeting he fixed me in a rather easy way, I was lucky then that Sebastian took care of me.
- In the beginning you had no qualms about driving me to the grave, why have you changed your mind now?
- Because you are quite interesting," he replies, smiling at the corner of his mouth," but certainly not suitable for Felix.
- You still haven't answered my question, where do you want to take me?
- Home, mouse," he says, bringing his face closer to mine. - So that you definitely end the relationship with Felix. I want to see that.
- How do you expect me to do that? Do you think he'll just let me go if I say I would rather not see him again?
- No worries, I'll help you with that," he declares, stroking my chin. - Hop on, mouse," he adds, patting the motorcycle seat.
Why is my life so heavily complicated by Felix?
*
With my mouth open, I look at the villa that belongs to Lucas' family. It is three stories high, the size of an apartment block. In the middle are rooms with balconies.
I look around me and realize how huge and beautiful the garden is, which houses an illuminated fountain. Next to the house is an open garage that houses a dozen cars. Walking past, I see sports cars, sedans, and SUVs. There is even another motorcycle, in a different color than the one we arrived on.
The man is disgustingly rich.
I forget my fear when I step inside. I gasp in awe when I see the luxury of the interior. White lacquered ceramic tiles reflect the richness of the graphite walls. With my mouth open, I look at the silver hanging chandeliers and paintings that look expensive at first glance.
I am not a materialist, but I do not hide the fact that I would like to live in such luxury.
- My father, when he was still alive, loved luxury. And what's left of it for him now that he's rolling over in his grave? - Lucas' statement makes me open my eyes wider in shock.
- Brother? - It's Felix's voice. I emerge from behind Lucas' back and see his face fade in the light at the sight of me. He stands on the stairs, one hand holding on to the railing. - Selena? Why are you with Lucas?
- Fantastic. I was afraid you were already sleeping like a baby at this hour, and I brought a guest....
- Brother, please... - Felix closes his eyelids. I get the impression that he is cowed by fear. He looks terrified.
- And what are you whining about? I'm not going to do anything to her. I just want us to have a conversation," he declares, shaking his head at the sight of Felix. - Selena is fascinating. Now I regret that I wanted to hurt her earlier.
Smiling, Lucas heads for the living room. I look toward Felix, who runs down the stairs and grabs my hand. He stares at me with panicked eyes.
- How did this happen? Why are you with him? - His voice trembles with fear.
- It's a long story. I had no choice but to come with him. I was afraid that he would implicate Eve and Mike. I was with them at the races, there I met your cousin.
Felix rubs his forehead.
- Are you going, or are you waiting for a special invitation? - Lucas' raised voice is heard from the living room.
Holding my hand, the brunet leads me into a giant room. The fire in the fireplace shoots out as I sit down on the leather couch. The New Yorker takes a seat in the armchair, keeping his foot on the leg. Felix sits next to me, looking like a convict.
- Stay out of our lives, please," my ex-boyfriend begins, without looking at his cousin, as his eyelids are closed. - Selena is not the main reason for my illness, you know it well.
Lucas raises an eyebrow, looking amused.
- Do you think so?
- You should know this best. Don't look for a reason in others.
I can see that the older boy does not like the way Felix addresses him.
- Don't play coy in her presence," Lucas warns him.
- Please, just let us live our lives. Selena is the only happiness that has happened to me. It is only with her that I see a bright light.
- Brother, it's not good if you see a bright light. It seems to me that it can lead you to death.
I am shocked by Lucas' response. I look at him with horrified eyes, and he notices this when he shifts his gaze to me.
- Selena... - drags, leaning over and resting his elbows on his knees. - Mouse, tell me, were you happy at Felix's side? What was your relationship like?
He is a hyena who knows how to attack. It must know our past well, know how we both suffered in the relationship, even though we loved each other very much.
- Even though he hurt me several times, I couldn't live without him," I say quietly.
- Sounds very toxic," he declares, Lucas, wrinkling his eyebrows. - Doesn't it, brother?
The gaze that Felix pours into the older man is truly frightening. He looks like he wants to kill him.
- I'm grateful to you for getting me out of the hospital and making me be myself again, but.... - He is unable to finish because Lucas brazenly enters his sentence.
- I gave you a new life, and you would like to return to the old one and ruin yourself again. Should I let that happen? I put in so much effort to let you screw it up now! - He raises his voice, looking at him with piercing eyes.
- Are you sure you are worried about me? You just took me out of the hospital to show me what your life is like, what it has been like all this time. You wanted to show me you're suffering and punish me for not letting you live my life," Felix attacks him. - When we were children, it was because of you that I suffered all the time! - he shouts, and at that moment Lucas' face expresses madness. - You dreamed of living my life, you were jealous of everything, and until now, you are! Now you want to take Selene away from me because you know that she is everything to me!
Lucas gets up from his chair and walks over to Felix. He grabs him by the collar of his blouse and jerks him around like a rag doll.
I'm sitting next to him and can't do anything because I'm panic-stricken about this man.
- And who made me lose my chance for a normal childhood! - he shouts. - It was your fault! You did not want me in your house, you wanted to get rid of me from there at all costs!
- Because I suffered because of you! Every idea you had was blamed on me, I was always the worst, my parents thought I was weird!
- Because you were a fat, unsuccessful idiot! I wanted to make a strong guy out of you! In middle school I succeeded....
- You just made me sick! You created a monster out of me, and now you're doing it again! You want to take all happiness from me!
I put my hands to my face, covering my mouth. I am shocked because I did not know the truth before. I had never heard of Lucas, Felix told me that it was his mother who made him act this way.
The truth turns out to be quite different.
Lucas lets go of his cousin, breathing hard.
- Think what you want, but I will never let you have a relationship with Selena," he says through his teeth, then shifts his gaze to me. - End this quickly before you really make me angry, mouse.
He leaves the living room, and I feel a cold sweat pouring over me. I shift my frightened gaze to my ex-boyfriend.
- I'm afraid of him, Felix, I'm panic-stricken.
- Me, too," he just replies.