Page 18 of Piece By Piece

Three hours later, we’re at Lily’s with painted nails – hands and feet – and a clean face from another treatment she decided to spontaneously book when she saw the flyer. I don’t think anyone has ever wasted so much money on me in the span of a few hours, and while I appreciate every part of her surprise, it’s also making me feel like shit.

The gallery plus this plus wherever we’re going tonight is just too damn much. I didn’t do anything to deserve all this.

On Lilianne’s birthdays, the best I can manage is a nice picnic with some of the wine she prefers or a trip somewhere all right for dinner. And I save up for months to manage that no matter what a downgrade it turns out to be from Lily’sday-to-day life. It makes it even harder for me to accept her presents.

“Okay, you shower first, I’m setting out a bunch of clothes you have to choose from for tonight. Then we do our makeup. The guys are picking us up in two hours,” she tells me.

I nod without further protest, keeping my inner war to myself. Now’s not the time to voice them. Today’s not the day.

The first thing I notice when we go outside to meet the guys is that it’s not Sebastian’s McLaren waiting for us, so I already know he won’t be in the car. When he’s with us, he drives. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him in the passenger seat.

As I get in the backseat, I realize that Mattheo isn’t here either. It’s just Andrew behind the wheel, turning around to beam at me. “Hello, birthday girl. Sorry for the piss-poor greeting. I’ll make up for it once we reach our destination,” he promises. Then he leans over to give his girlfriend a kiss. “Hello, gorgeous.”

She pulls away first. “Shut up and drive,” she teases him with feigned huffiness, then softens the blow with a kiss on the cheek.

“Bossy,” he mutters even as he starts driving. “So, did you two have a good day?”

“Definitely. Your girlfriend spoiled the shit out of me. I’m already scheming for her birthday in three months,” I respond, acting like I’m under a lot less pressure than I actually am. Internally, I’m freaking out.

“Oh, we’ll have to put our minds together for that. I have an idea or two as well,” Andrew interjects. My first instinctis to turn him down since it’s Lily’s and my tradition to organize something for the other’s birthday but I keep quiet. Andrew’s her boyfriend so it only makes sense that he wants to plan something for her.

It’s nice, I guess, and it would certainly allow us to go a little more overboard since he has access to much more resources than me. If only I were a little better at handling change.

“Hey! There she is!” Mattheo cheers as soon as I step onto the VIP platform of yet another club I’ve never been to. It’s beautiful; classy and spacious with a raging dancefloor. A crazy light show’s going on with colorful beams of light jumping over the room.

There are more lights, steady ones, casting the room in a blue hue whenever they don’t shut off to leave only the tiny lasers and spotlights to provide light. I don’t want to know what all happens on the dancefloor in the safety of the darkness.

And then there are the flashing lights that occasionally disrupt the steady sounds of the club as the crowd erupts in cheers. To say the party’s already in full swing would be an understatement and I’m convinced it’ll only get better.

The VIP part is elevated a few steps so we can see over the dancing crowd. It’s equipped with three black satin couches that look surprisingly clean and some space for dancing, if anyone wants to put on a private show, I guess. Oh, and there’s a small box that looks like a minibar and a button on top of it that says “service”.

Fancy. This seems like my kind of place.

Mattheo is sitting on the couch, and I make my way over to him before he can bother to stand up, throwing myself into his welcoming arms. I haven’t seen him since the nightI was attacked, and I missed the idiot. I clumsily settle on his lap, hug his narrow middle and bury my face in his neck, sighing contently. Oh, how I adore tight hugs. Especially the ones coming from giants like Mattheo that can envelop me entirely.

It’s been too freaking long since I got a hug. One from a guy, at least. A guy that isn’t my best friend’s boyfriend since Andrew hugged me once we got out of the car in front of the club. Embraces like that are obviously appreciated too but it’s not the same. I don’t know.

“Someone’s happy to see me. How are you?” he asks, letting me pull away slightly to look at his handsome face.

“I’m great, thanks. This place looks awesome!”

“Did you expect anything else? You know your best friend has taste,” Lily pipes in from another couch. I smile at her over my shoulder.

“She does. She also spends way too much money on me though!” I insist again.

“We split the price, Sweetie. Don’t worry about it,” she brushes me off. Like that would make me feel any better.

“You all paid for this?” I ask, looking at all of them. They nod.

“Seb too,” adds Andrew. That reminds me.

“Where is he, by the way?” I ask, looking around the empty space apart from the four of us again.

“In the bathroom, I guess. I’m sure he’ll be back in a second,” Mattheo replies, caressing my arm sweetly. I nod at him and smile.

“Well, I’m not waiting for him. Come dance with me,” I say, getting off his lap in the hopes that he’ll follow. Only that he doesn’t. Instead, his face turns apologetic, something I don’t like at all.

“As much as I’d love to do that, and you know how much I would, I’m afraid there won’t be any dancing for me tonight,” he tells me.

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