Billionaire Happy After

Four

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Damon's offer of some kind deal naturally make me uncomfortable and a little suspicious. After all, everything with Lucas had started with a charming smirk and a seemingly harmless deal. I was wary enough that I almost refused it without even hearing what Damon had in mind.

Still I decided I was curious enough to hear him out so I gestured for him to contine explaining.

"You want me to do something for you and I want you to do something for me. How about an exchange?" Damon offered.

I blinked at him. "What do I want you to do for me?"

He gave me a look that told me it was obvious, and maybe it was, but at the moment I was drawing blank. I wanted to get out of these therapy sessions, but I doubted he would stop them, since you know, it was kind of his job and source of income.

"The first thing you told me you wanted to do," he said. "See Lucas."

I froze. "You said you wouldn't do that."

He raised an eyebrow. "I said I would if I believed it would be helpful," he corrected.

"So you think seeing him would be helpful for me now?" I challenged.

Damon sighed. "In all honesty, I don't think it would help all that much."

"Then why suggest it?" I demanded, feeling the small flare of hope in me die down. I shouldn't want to see Lucas, I knew that, after all the s**t that happened because of him, but I wanted answers from him. And I guess a small part of me missed him.

I would make sure to get rid of that feeling before I visited him.

If I visited him.

The couple times I had gone before, they had said Lucas was undergoing inspection or some s**t like that, and wasn't allowed to see anyone.

"You haven't heard all of the deal yet," he pointed out.

I gave him a wary look. "What do you want in exchange?"

"You go on the road trip," he said. Okay, I wasn't really surprised by that, I had figured the condition would be something along those lines. "And you talk to Christian ."

I blinked at him. "What do you mean by that?"

"You don't go through the whole trip ignoring him," Damon clarified.

"Talking to him won't help me," I said, raising an eyebrow. I could manage going on the road trip - probably-, but I didn't want to have to talk to Christian Harvey who asked for startovers and who's charming smirk reminded me all too much of Lucas.

"Give it a shot," he encouraged. "You might be surprised."

I shook my head. "I don't want to talk to him."

"But you want to see Lucas," Damon challenged.

I hesitated. "I'll find a way to see Lucas msyelf."

He raised an eyebrow, but surprisingly didn't argue. "The offer still stands."

Wait, what? "You're not going to try and stop me?" I asked incredulously.

"Would I be able to?" Damon replied with a shrug. "I doubt you'd listen."

He was right. I wouldn't.

I glanced at the clock on the wall. "Are we done?"

He sighed and nodded. "You're free to go. Just think about it."

I took a bus into Hampton Hills after that. It had been a while since I'd last tried to see Lucas, a little more than three weeks. Maybe things had changed, and they were done the whole observation thing and I could see him and get some answers.

It took almost an hour to get to Hampton Hills' psychiatric ward since I still hadn't gotten my car back and the route took two buses and a bit of walking. By the time I finally arrived, it was starting to get dark and visiting hours were probably almost over.

I walked in anyway. "Hi, I'd like to see a patient," I said to the woman at the receptionist desk.

She glanced up at me. "Did you book an appointment?"

"No," I hesitated. "Do you need to?" They hadn't asked me this before, they'd just straight up asked who I wanted to see. If the only reason I wasn't able to see Lucas was because I didn't call in advance, I'd probably strangle someone.

"It's best if you arrange a time in advance, but I can check," she offered. "Who would you like to see?"

"Lucas Troop," I told her.

She stiffened a little, but bent down to type on her computer anyway. "He's out right now," she told me after a couple clicks.

"Out?" I repeated. What was out supposed to mean? He couldn't have been released, they told me he had to stay for at least seven years. Or, if they decided he was okay to be released, he would have to go to jail for the remainder of those years. How the hell was he out?

She nodded. "Would you like to make an appointment for some other time?"

If I did would Mom and Dad find out about it? I decided to go with it, anyway. "Sure."

"Do you have any form of identification on you?" she asked.

I handed over my driver's license.

She glanced at quickly, then looked back at me. "Since you're a minor, you'll need an adult to accompany you to visit and their permission to schedule an appointment." She leaned towards her computer and clicked a couple things. "You want to see Lucas Troop, right?"

I nodded, then realized she wasn't watching me. "Yeah."

"What's your relation to him?"

"We're friends," I said after a moment of hesitation. I had a feeling saying I was his ex-girlfriend definitely wouldn't grant me access.

"Only immediate family and doctor approved individuals are allowed to visit him right now," she told me. Immediate family? Lucas didn't have any immediate family. At least not anyone he'd told me about. Then again, I guess I couldn't really say I knew him all that well.

Damnit. "Alright, thank you." I stepped back from the counter, and walked back outside. It was starting to get dark, though I wasn't sure if it was because of the clouds overhead or the time. I pulled my phone out of my bag and checked the time, then swore under my breath.

I had to get down to the bus station fast, or else I'd miss the last bus home. I shoved my phone back in bag, and turned to walk down the steps, only to run straight into someone.

No.

He felt like Lucas, and he smelled like Lucas but there was no way it could be him. Not only because it couldn't be this easy for me to see him, but also because the whoever it was wore some kind of designers jeans and Lucas definitely wouldn't blow a hundred dollars on pants.

I gulped, then forced myself to look up.

My wide eyes met a pair of icy blue ones. "Luke." The name I used to call him when we were alone he hated it but I still called it anyways.

His name escaped in a quiet whisper before I could stop myself.

He stared at me, his brow furrowing. "What are you doing here, Gigi?"

I forced myself not to flinch at the nickname.

"Move it along," a gruff voice interrupted. It was then that I noticed a man standing beside him dressed in a security uniform, muscles bulging and a stern expression on his face.

"Just give me five minutes," I said.

The guard's hard look didn't waver.

"Two minutes," I bargained.

He stared at me for a long moment, then relented. "I stay here."

The last thing I wanted was someone watching, but I'd take what I could get. I whirled to face Lucas , who had watched the exchange silently with a distant, vaguely amused expression. "Did you plan it from the start?"

He raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"The fire, all of it!" I hissed.

He smirked. "You're going to have to be a bit more specific than that."

"This isn't a joke!" I exclaimed. "Just tell me if it was some kind of game to you all along and I'll leave you alone."

"Now Gigi," he said in such a soft tone that I almost flinched. For a second he almost sounded like the Lucas I thought I had known. The one who I believed had really cared.

"Why would I do something that'd make you stay away?"

I spent another hour trying to talk my way into seeing Lucas after the guard took him back. Of course, no dice. So he can go out on a shopping spree but I can't talk to him for two minutes to find out why he burned my house down? To make matters worse, I ended up missing the bus.

Which was a pretty stupid move on my part since now I had no way of getting home. I didn't have any friends I could call and ask for a ride, I had lost contact with then over the summer, or if not before then. And the last thing I wanted to do was call Mom or Dad for a ride and have to explain what I was doing in Hampton Hills.

Yeah, that conversation wouldn't end well.

I decided to stop at a diner to get out of the rain and grab something to eat. The diner was small and quiet, but nice. It was casual and from the decorations, I had a feeling that during the day it was simply a coffee shop. It was called Kitty's Corner, which I had never heard of but I wasn't going to be picky.

Except I had the worst luck in the world.

I walked in and somehow from across the room met that the eyes of the last person I want to see. Christian Harvey stared back at me from over the shoulder of his companion, a guy with short dark hair.

God or fate or whatever was staging all this must really hate me.

It was seat yourself so I found a table near the door, the farthest available table from where they sat. A waiter came by a little after with a menu. I ordered a sandwich since between what had happened with Lucas and Christian I didn't feel all that hungry.

I stood up to go to the bathroom, keeping my eyes downcast so I do not end up meeting Christian's gaze again. I had only made it a little down the hallway when someone grabbed my wrist from behind.

"You know that stalking's against the law, right?" Christian said when I turned to face him.

I rolled my eyes. "You think I find you interesting enough to stalk?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Apparently I'm interesting enough to warrant a Google search," he retorted.

"Get over yourself," I hissed even as I felt my cheeks flush against my will.

"Why are you here then?"

"I can't just be getting something to eat?" I demanded.

"It's a long way from Sysco," he repied. Right. Hampton Hills was a gated town for the rich and privileged. And while he didn't say it outright, his tone clearly implied that I didn't look at all like I belonged there.

God, Christian Harvey was a complete and utter asshole.

I definitely wouldn't be able to spend an entire week with him.

How else are you going to see Lucas and get your answers, then?

"I'm meeting someone here," I said when I realized he was still waiting for an answer. As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I wanted to kick myself for how stupid they were. I wasn't meeting anyone here and that would be proven true in just a matter of minutes.

"Oh, a hot date?" he asked, the mocking tone in his words telling me he was aiming to wound instead of tease.

"Something like that," I replied, digging myself even deeper in the grave I had started. Just shut up, gig, just walk away. "Why do you even care anyway?"

"I don't," he replied abruptly, dropping my wrist.

I hadn't even noticed he had still been grasping it.

"You're the one who followed me out here," I said. "Maybe I should be worrying about you stalking me."

"Trust me," he replied. "You're not my type."

"You're not mine either!" I called to him as he turned and walked away in a petty attempt to have the last word. Not that it was a very good comeback.

I ducked into the washroom and splashed some water on my face to cool my burning cheeks. I hated how Christian set me off. He got under my skin even though contact with him was the last thing I wanted.

I washed my hands and headed back into the restaurant, determinedly keeping my eyes averted from his direction.

I took some time as I waited for my food to arrive to look up a bus schedule and map. I found a bus that had a route from Hampton Hills to Sysco in an hour, but the closest stop was five blocks away. It wouldn't have been so bad if it wasn't pouring rain outside.

I groaned under my breath. All this trouble for nothing except finding out that Lucas was still up to playing with my head.

I knew I should probably just ignore him and move on but it killed me not knowing if the fire and everything had been his intentions from the start. I wasn't sure why because it wouldn't help me in any way but it felt impossible to move on from it until I got answers from him.

And I couldn't do that unless I saw him.

And I couldn't see him unless I went on a stupid road trip with Christian the asshole.

Which I really didn't want to do.

I rested my elbows on the table and leaned forward to bury my face in my hands.

"Uh, Miss, are you alright?" I lifted my head to see the waiter in front of my table holding a platter of food with a slightly uncomfortable expression on his face.

I felt my cheeks heat up. "Yeah, sorry, I'm fine, thank you."

He gave me an awkward smile and set the plate down. "Enjoy your meal."

I ended up picking at the sandwich for most of the time. Not because it was bad, but because I felt awkward eating when I was acutely aware of a pair of green eyes watching my every move. I played around with my phone, pretending to be texting someone to keep my gaze from straying acoss the room.

I glanced over a while later at the sound of a quiet screech to see Christian and his friend standing up. The other guy headed over to the counter while Christian made his way towards the door.

Or me, I realized a moment too late when he stopped at my table.

"Get stood up?" he sneered.

I sighed. "I didn't come here to get harassed by you all night."

His friend, who I now recognized as Ares Ka, came up beside him. "Come on, Ian, let's go."

For a moment, Christian looked like he was going to say something, but seemed to decide against it since he stepped back and without another word, walked out the door. Ares gave me an apologetic look, then followed after him.

I checked the tiem on my phone to see that I had about fifteen minutes until the bus was scheduled to come. It was around the time I should leave, but I decided to stick around for a couple more minutes to make sure Christian and Ares were gone because I didn't want another confrontation with them.

I flagged the waiter down and asked for the bill.

"It's already paid for," he told me.

What? "I'm sorry?"

He nodded. "The guys who just left paid for it."

I wanted to ask him again if he was certain, but he looked busy with the other customers. "Okay, thank you," I said, even though I was really confused.

Why would Ares or Christian pay for my meal? Maybe Ares had done it because he felt bad for me because of Christian. Christian wouldn't have done it, I knew that for sure, especially since Ares had been the one to pay.

I pushed the thought out of my head and shrugged on my jacket. First thing I would deal with was getting home. The bus would be at the station in only a little more than five minutes, so I would probably have to run the five blocks there.

Fuck.

It was f*****g freezing outside. I pulled my jacket tighter around and shivered, starting towards the sidewalk. It's just five minutes, Gigs , you'll be fine. If having pneumonia counted as fine, sure.

I pair of headlights flashed across the road, nearly blinding me. Then the car slowed to a stop beside me.

Oh my god, I'm going to get kidnapped and sold into slavery or some s**t.

I glanced back at Kitty's Corner, wondering if it was close enough that I could run for it without getting caught by my attacker.

Then I froze.

Wait, I know that car.

It almost ran me over.

Almost as if he had realized that I recognized his car, Christian poked his head out. "Want a ride?"

Instinctively I took a step back. Had I fallen into an alternate universe or something? First paying for my meal -though I wasn't sure if that ahd actually been him- and now offering me a ride.

He rolled his eyes. "I'm not going to attack you."

"Could've fooled me," I replied.

"Do you want to get out of the rain or not?" he demanded.

I hesitated, then scooted around the car and opened the passenger side door. A towel hit me in the face. "Put this under you," Jacen ordered. "The seats are leather."

"Wow, thanks," I replied. But I spread it out over the seat then climbed in. "What are you doing back here?"

"I was dropping Ares off," he told me. "Where do you live?"

I gave him my address, then reached around to buckle myself in. I drew my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them, trying to keep from dripping rain water everywhere. Christian didn't say anything, focusing on seeing through the thick sheets of rain, so I took the chance to study him.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer," he said, somehow knowing without even glancing at me.

I scoffed, even though he wasn't watching me. "Of all lines you chose to use that one?"

He glanced at me briefly with a slight smirk. "It applied to the situation."

Just like last time, my breath caught with his grin, and how similar it looked to Lucas.

I realized something then.

A loophole in Damon's deal.

I couldn't ignore Christian ... But it wouldn't be my fault if he ignored me. If he hated me enough to not want to talk to me at all. I could survive the roadtrip like that, and get out unscathed. It would work. We would ignore each other and I wouldn't have to risk liking Christian .

I turned away from him, trying to think of a way I could shut him out.

Thankfully, he gave me an in all by himself. "Something I said again?"

"Just because you wanted to play knight-in-shining-armor doesn't make us friends," I said.

"You have serious problems," he retorted.

"I have serious problems?" I demanded. "You're rude as hell half the time then nice at others. Make up your damn mind."

"It'd be a lot easier if you didn't suddenly turn into a b***h when I try to start a conversation," he shot back.

"Yeah, because I don't like people like you!" I exclaimed.

He laughed, short and dark. "People like me?"

"Yeah, people like you," I repeated even though I had no idea what I was saying. "I don't want to talk to you anymore."

Thankfully, he listened for once, and didn't try to start another conversation, or pick some kind of fight. I wasn't sure what the hell I could say if he did. A couple moments later, we pulled up in front of my house.

"Thanks for the ride," I said, struggling to keep my words cool.

Christian didn't seem to have that problem though. His tone was icy enough that it almost sent chills done my spine. "I'm not as heartless as you think."

I had barely shut the door when he backed out of the driveway and sped off, kicking up a huge wave of water. It was freezing, but it told me that if I went on the road trip, the last thing Christian would want to do is talk to me. And I could live with going on the road trip then.

I walked in the front door to find mom in the living room, curled up on the couch with her laptop. She glanced over and opened her mouth to speak- probably to ask why I was soaking wet, or tell me I was going to get sick- but I cut her off before she could say anything.

"About the road trip..." I started.