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I watched him leave, and then all I could do was smile up at her.
“You can't say that to my boss. I think he pays me enough to bully me.”
“Oh,” she said, her eyes going across my face as though she didn't hear a single word of what I had just said. “You look different. Like very different.”
I immediately lowered my gaze then and began to gather my things.
“It's the hair,” I said and smiled at her. “How are you? How’s UCLA?”
She frowned then as she cocked her head, and then she began to move around me as though studying me.
“Your voice is different, and your body? What happened? I saw you like a month ago.”
“A lot has happened,” I said and immediately moved into the apartment, needing to get out from under her scrutiny.
She followed, but once again, my amazement at his apartment momentarily distracted me from my concern that she was seeing way too much of a difference between me and Sophie. The views were astounding, and as I watched Lucien head over to the refrigerator, I wondered how he ever left this place.
I turned around then to look at Elena, who was still looking at me, but this time around, she was smiling.
“What’s new?” she asked as she headed over to the kitchen to join her brother.
I tried to watch them both and realized that, though they appeared casual, they were both just staring blatantly at me as though watching and assessing. It was very disconcerting.
“Nothing much,” I realized. “Just busy as always.”
“Lucien told me you two went to London yesterday, yet you couldn't even stay for an extra day to rest. I can't believe it. Did you at least get me a gift?”
“Uh…” I was extremely lost then, and her eyes narrowed at me, and then they widened. “You forgot my birthday?”
“Uh… holy shit.”
At this, she laughed out loud, and when my gaze moved to Lucien, I thought for a moment that I saw the corner of his lips tilt as well.
“We only have a few more minutes,” he said as he turned to his sister. “You can use the jet for five days. You’ll be chaperoned by the flight attendant, and you must listen to him.”
“For Pete's sake, I’m twenty years old, not fifteen. I don't need to be chaperoned.”
“Whatever,” he said. “I'm not sending your careless self off to an island in God knows where without security.”
“Security?” she shrieked.
“Wait, you just said chaperone. Minimal watching by your flight attendant. Why the hell are you talking about security?
“If you want to go on your terms, then fly economy, but if you're leeching off me, then you have to stick to my rules.”
“You're the worst,” she muttered under her breath, and I couldn't help but smile. Elena, of course, didn't miss it. “See, Sophie thinks so.”
Her brother ignored us both, but I nodded behind his back and agreed with her.
“I’ll head up to open the safe for you. Remember to lock it when you’re done. Your passport and emergency cash are in there.”
“Sure,” she said and smiled at him. He headed up the stairs then, and I watched him go. However, so much had happened within the space of just a few hours that I truly needed to sit down, so I headed over to the counter and took my seat.
She stared at me, a smile on her face. However, there was something in her smile that made me extremely nervous.
“So…” she said and I smiled back.
“So…”
