Page 98 of Deeper

Victoria snorted, covering her mouth to hide her chortling. “Bianka.”

“I’m serious.”

“Your body is his canvas,” Victoria mumbled. “Wow. He’s fucking perfect.”

“He’s got flaws, trust me, but he’s trying to do better, so I guess I have to try to be softer with him,” I said. “I don’t want to push him away. I like him a lot, and I’m hoping it works, I really do.”

“Then let him in and don’t overthink it,” she told me. “After a string of bad luck, you’ve finally hit the jackpot. Don’t let your fear and ego fuck it up. Believe it or not, Bia, you deserve to be happy.”

I deserved to be happy, a truth I hadn’t allowed myself to realize and accept. Hearing my best friend tell me made it feel that much better.

It had been a hard day, in some ways, a lot was lost, but in others, so much more was gained. Having my best friend beside me, supporting me, that was all that mattered.

19

BRIGHT

Islept better knowing I had Victoria on my side again. I slept better knowing I had a place to live amid being abruptly evicted.

I returned to work Wednesday and stayed over to get extra hours on top of the ones I missed when I’d called off Tuesday. When I wasn’t at work, I was back at my apartment instead of going to visit Zander. I was making the most of my last moments in my first home. It was my first taste of freedom and independence, and though it wasn’t much, I was proud of it. It had been mine.

Victoria was being extra hospitable about my coming to live with her. She’d texted me Thursday about possibly getting together to paint and redecorate since her landlord allowed tenants that freedom. It was sweet, but I didn’t want Victoria to step outside of herself for me, to break her routine in any way. She was accommodating me enough by letting me move in as it was.

I really loved her for that, for being there just when I needed her most. Sometimes, water was thicker than blood—a painful truth I’d come to know all too well.

My father hadn’t so much as called me since Zander and I walked away from him Tuesday, and I told myself not to care, to put it behind me.To no longer bleed for him.

If the only family I had to my name at the end of the day was Victoria, I was more than okay with that.

It was Friday afternoon and I’d just gotten in from my shift at Angles when my phone rang out a special ringtone. “Chill” by Zander was playing, letting me know Zander himself was calling me.

“Hello?” I slumped down on my bed as I picked up the call, happy to hear from him.

“Hey, you busy?” he asked.

“Just got in.”

“Can you come over? I need to see you and talk to you about something. It’s last minute, and I apologize, but I’ve been busy.”

Zander had been in the studio all week, also making it easy to just stay home in my apartment. He was dedicated to the process of puttingAbstracttogether and I was more than okay with giving him creative space.

“Give me about forty minutes and I’ll be there.”

I was quick to change my clothes and put on some perfume to pretty myself up before making my way to Beverly Hills. The last time I’d seen Zander I’d been an emotional wreck, and with things finally squared away, I was ready to just fall into place with him and be happy.

Over half an hour later I was flinging myself onto him as soon as I parked my car in his parking area and he came out to greet me. It had only been a few days, but we clung to each other. The taste of his lips and the feel of his arms around me pulled me under a deep spell I never wanted to break. I ran my fingers through his thick, silky hair and reveled in his expensive scent.

“I guess you missed me, too,” Zander said as he reeled back and grinned at me.

“If I didn’t have to work tomorrow I’d try to spend the night,” I said, offering a frown.

Zander took my hand and brought me inside. “Don’t worry about it. That’s actually something I need to talk to you about.”

Inside the house music was playing loudly. Miguel’s vocals were easy to recognize after being a longtime fan.

“What’s going on?” I shouted.

Zander led me to the source of the music where it was playing from the stereo system in the entertainment room. Paul was inside, having been enjoying his one-man party.

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