Player of Life (Perception Book 4)

by Shandi Boyes

  “I’m just curious who he is” I reply calmly, trying not to let Slater see that my heart is racing a million miles an hour. When his gaze flicks down to my clenched fists, I quickly unclench them and cross my arms.

  “She’s a friend and I just want to make sure she isn’t getting herself in any trouble” I continue. Really, I just want to know who the fuck this guy is and if Jenni is sleeping with him. Even though I don’t fully comprehend why it is annoying the shit out of me.

  “He is her friend too” Slater replies, allowing me to release the breath I was holding in.

  “Although from what I’ve heard from Marcus, he was a little more than a friend a few years ago” Slater responds with a smirk on his face.

  My fists instantly clench again, but because they are hidden by my crossed arms, Slater doesn’t appear to notice. I give him a hesitant smile, trying to mask my anger, before I turn and make my way back into the studio. This time I don’t even attempt to hide the fact that I am borrowing Noah’s phone. He looks at me with concern but doesn’t say anything as I go straight into his contact details and get all the information I need.

  ****

  My attempt at getting into Jenni’s apartment undetected was foiled by how strict the security on the door is. I had a hard enough time getting into the lobby of her building, let alone in the lift. As soon as the guys rounded up our recording session Friday afternoon, I bolted straight to the airport. The anger I felt Wednesday night after seeing Jenni’s arm wrapped around another guy was still playing havoc with my ego. I decided since she wasn’t going to answer my calls, I would have go and see her in person and force her to talk to me. Since my name wasn’t on the approved list for visitors to her apartment, I was refused entry. And no matter how many times I asked, the security officer wouldn’t tell me if anyone called Christian was on her approved list.

  I tried her home number that I had gotten out of Noah’s phone and those calls went unanswered. So I decided to wait outside of her building in a hope of catching her as she walked by. By the time two hours went by and it was hitting midnight, I dis-heartedly moved off the wall and started to walk down the street. Deciding to go and have a few hours’ sleep at a hotel for the night, before returning again tomorrow morning. Just as I rounded the corner, I noticed a black escalade pull up to the curb at the front of Jenni’s building. I continue strolling until I heard a familiar giggle. I would recognize that laugh anywhere. I quickly turned around and noticed the guy Jenni was photographed with was helping her out of the back of the black escalade. She looks just as beautiful today as she did in the photo a few days ago. She smiles brightly at Christian as she awkwardly slides out of the car into the street. She pulls down on the hem on her mini dress, before she starts walking towards the entrance of her building.

  This was the opportunity I had spent the last two hours outside of her building waiting for, and I am too stunned seeing her to be able to force my feet to move. Just as she is about to enter the building, her head turns and she looks directly at me, forcing me to stand a little straighter in my ripped jeans and polo shirt. She shakes her head angrily before she walks into the entrance of her building. Her dismissal of me directly impacts my already damaged ego. I slump my shoulders and spin on my heels feeling rejected and defeated.

  “What the fuck did you think she was going to do Nick? Run into your arms?” I mumble to myself as I recommence walking down the street.

  When I turn the corner, I swear I heard someone calling out my name, but it doesn’t stop my quick paces down the desolated street.

  “Nick?” calls out a female voice I immediately recognize behind me.

  When I spin around I see Jenni standing directly in front of me with a surprised and confused look on her face.

  “I knew it was you” she whispers while her blue eyes stare directly into mine.

  Chapter 21

  Jenni

  You know that feeling you get when someone is watching you? Well I got that feeling the instant Christian assisted me out of his town car. Christian’s movie has rocketed his stardom to a new level and I had become aware of the paparazzi that have started to follow him around. Perhaps that is why I felt like someone was watching me? I tugged down on the hem of my dress, ensuring that I was fully covered since I had just slid out of the car in an un-lady like manner. As I made my way to our apartment building, I didn’t notice the normal flurry of camera flashes you would normally experience with the paparazzi. I quickly darted my eyes around the surroundings and felt my heart rate increase and palms sweat when I thought I had spotted Nick standing on the footpath at the corner of my building. Feeling stupid and figuring that I was hallucinating, I shook my head and continued to make my way inside.

  I tried to shake it off as if it was my imagination playing tricks on me, but the further I moved away from the front door the more I felt like I needed to turn around and go back outside.

  “I’ll be back” I inform Christian just as he enters the elevator of our building.

  He looks at me concerned before he eventually nods his head while hitting the P button on the lifts dashboard. I quickly dart back out of my building and head in the direction I thought I had last seen Nick. When I reach the corner of my building, I flick my eyes up and down the street trying to work out which way he may have gone. It takes a few moments but I finally spot his long legs quickly strolling down the nearly empty side street.

  “Nick?” I yell, while standing on the corner. From this distance I can’t even be one hundred percent certain that it is him. It is only when I get a small gathering of goose bumps on my neck do I instantly know it is him. I quickly kick off my high heel shoes and gather them in my hands before I start jogging down the dark and scary unlit street.

  “Nick” I call out again as I close the distance between us. He suddenly stops before he slowly spins around. His blue eyes roam over my face as he smiles his panty combusting grin.

  “I knew it was you” I reply while looking at him confused. I don’t understand why after all this time he has decided to finally turn up on my doorstep in the middle of the night.

  “What are you doing here?” I question as my eyes roam over his face. He looks a little more tired than the last time I had seen him three months ago but he is still as gorgeous as ever.

  “I wanted to talk to you” he replies nervously. I was going to reply back that he could have just picked up the phone, but then I realised I wouldn’t have answered his calls anyway.

  He hesitantly steps towards me and reaches his hand out to gently rub my earlobe. It takes all of my effort not to sigh over his touch.

  “I’ve missed you Jen” he whispers. I feel my heart rate start to soar, but the crashing blow I felt a few months ago doesn’t allow my excitement to intensify too quickly.

  “Can we talk?” he questions. As I stare into his blue eyes, I nod my head, causing it to scream obscenities at my heart.

  Nick grips my hand within his as I feel the first splatter of a rain drop hitting my right cheek. When I peer up towards the sky, I notice that it has become blackened with large dark storm clouds. When they flick back to Nick, he is smiling as he uses his thumb to rub away the large rain drop that is running down my face.

  One of the last dates Nick and I had before I left for college was at Bronte’s peak. A huge storm rolled in before we had the chance to climb up the trillion stairs on the cliff’s edge. By the time we had made it back to Nick’s truck we were both saturated. That date still remains one of my fondest, as it was the first time Nick truly let his guard down. I was finally able to see the real Nick and that was the day I fell madly in love with him.

  “Do you want to get wet or do a runner?” Nick questions while he cocks his eyebrow into his hairline.

  When a loud thunder cracks through the quiet street, I turn my frightened eyes to look back towards the sky before replying “Run”. I hate storms in general, so the idea of being outside during a storm, petrifies me.

  As
the heavens open up and starts drenching the humid night, I sprint as quickly as my mini dress will allow towards my apartment building. Nick is following closely behind and when I notice the huge smile on his face I nearly falter in my step. Once he catches up to me and before I have time to protest, he throws me over his shoulder like he did over six months ago at the ‘Dungeon’. I squeal loudly, while trying to ensure that my panties are covered from anyone that may be walking in the pouring rain. By the time we make it inside my apartment building, Nick and I are both saturated and smiling brightly. He gently lowers me back down onto my feet as the doorman comes over and offers us a towel. His curious eyes flicking between us both since we look like drowned rats.

  “Thank you George” I say graciously as I accept the small black towel.

  I watch as Nick runs the towel over his head, before he starts drying his body. My heart and head starts their fight all over again as my eyes roam over Nick in his ripped jeans and blue polo shirt. The rain has caused his normal wavy hair to turn into a full set of ringlets. Once he has himself moderately dried, my eyes catch the large clock displayed behind the foyer desk. Holy hell, it is nearly one am.

  “Did you want to come up?” I question, allowing my heart to win this round with a hope that by tomorrow my head will convince my heart that this isn’t a good idea.

  He smiles so bright while nodding his head that my heart flips. I quickly turn away from him and make my way towards the elevators. Once he enters the elevator, I peer over towards him and notice that he is still smiling largely. I don’t think I have ever seen Nick smile so much.

  “What hotel are you staying at?” I question.

  Nick’s smile turns into a smirk. “I was hoping I could stay with you” he responds, forcing my eyes to flick up to his. When he smiles at me and shrugs his shoulders, my eyes turn to stare at the lifts dashboard. I needed to concentrate on something other than his captivating blues eyes and ruggedly handsome face. He moves a step towards me and when I smell his aftershave, my defences start to drop.

  “You’re sleeping on the couch” I inform sternly, forcing him to chuckle.

  Nick silently follows me as I walk into my apartment. When I enter, I flick on the lights, illuminating my small but adequate one-bedroom apartment.

  “I’m going to change out of my wet clothes” I inform. Nick nods his head before he starts walking towards my living room.

  After I have showered and changed, I walk out of the bathroom. When I spot Nick, I nearly rush back in there for a cold shower. He is standing in my living room in nothing but a pair of light blue cotton boxer shorts. His physic has changed since the last time I had seen him naked and he has added a few more muscles to his athletic build. I silently stalk him from my bedroom door as he slowly walks around my living room, taking in every detail of the space in true Nick form. It is only once I notice that he picks up the photo I have of him on the mantel do I quickly close the distance between us.

  “I forgot to take that down” I reply as I snatch the photo frame out of his grasp. My nervous gaze looks around my apartment, seeking somewhere to store the photo. When I notice Nick smiling at me cockily, I throw the frame into the unlit fire place, wiping the smirk right off his face. When his hurt eyes turn to face me, I nearly crumble into a heap.

  “The shower is free” I inform quickly, needing to create some space between us.

  He offers me a small smile, but doesn’t utter a sound as he makes his way to the bathroom. As soon as he is out of the room, I quickly grab his photo out of the fireplace and use my hands to rub of the ash that has covered it, before placing it in my desk drawer for safe keeping.

  When I walk into the kitchen to wash the ash of my hands, I notice Nick’s saturated jeans and shirt lying over one of my dining room chairs. I gather them and place them inside of a dry cleaning bag and call the concierge desk to ask them to collect them. When someone knocks on the door a short time later, I open it expecting it to be someone collecting his clothing. So you can imagine my shock when Christian comes strolling inside. Shit. I had forgot that I left him hanging after our date tonight.

  “Did you shower without me?” he questions cheekily as he walks over and plants a kiss right on my lips.

  “I got caught in the rain” I reply while closing my door.

  When I turn around, my heart drops into my stomach when I notice that Christian and Nick are in an intense standoff. Nick’s hair is still ringing wet from just getting out of the shower and he is only wearing the boxer shorts he had on earlier. Christian’s eyes turn from shooting daggers at Nick to look at me confused.

  “Are you busy?” Christian questions, while he cocks one of his eyebrows at me.

  I instantly start shaking my head, while Nick sternly replies “Yes”.

  Christian’s head flings back swiftly to look at Nick, and he stands taller and narrows his eyes. Nick smirks at him while crossing his arms and leans against my bedroom doorframe, like he has always belonged here.

  “I wasn’t asking you, I was asking her” Christian informs arrogantly while nodding his head back towards me.

  “She will tell you the same thing” Nick responds while smirking and roaming his eyes over my body seductively.

  I narrow my eyes at Nick, before I quickly place myself between the two bulls that look like they are ready to charge at each other. My eyes darting between both of them, before I eventually look into one set of narrowed eyes.

  “I will call you tomorrow” I inform gently into the confused eyes of Christian. His eyes flick between mine and his eyebrows lower down his face. He gives me his ‘are you serious’ face and when I nod my head, he turns on his heels and briskly walks towards the door.

  When my gaze looks back towards Nick, he has an arrogant smirk on his face and looks clearly victorious.

  “It is only because he has nowhere to stay” I inform Christian, triggering him to laugh.

  “You’re always helping the needy” Christian replies loudly, while leaning in to place another kiss on my stern lips.

  “I had fun on our date tonight” he continues, ensuring that he emphasizes on the word date.

  “Me too” I reply softly while offering him a friendly smile. His eyes slowly roam over my face, before he winks and struts his way towards the elevator. The instant the elevator doors shut, I close my front door and turn to see the furious face of Nick.

  “Are you two…”

  “Don’t say one more word” I interrupt angrily as I move towards my linen cupboard to grab Nick a pillow and blanket.

  I dump the blanket and pillow on the sofa while mumbling a goodnight to Nick, before darting into my room, ensuring I closed my door behind me.

  Part of me feels like tonight was fate. I had thoroughly enjoyed my date with Christian and had every intention on following him to his penthouse apartment when we arrived home, until I spotted Nick standing in the street. Christian has been nothing more than a friend the past three months. That didn’t mean that he hadn’t nagged me relentlessly to go out on a date with him, but I always denied his requests. We went out a few times with some mutual friends we both had, but we never once overstepped the boundaries of our friendship.

  Last weekend was the first time I had agreed to go out on a date with Christian alone as he needed a plus one for his movie premiere. I was excited about meeting some of the cast members that he was starring alongside of that I eagerly accepted his invitation. When Christian acted like a gentleman the whole night and only kissed me at the door when he dropped me home, I realised that I was tarnishing him with the same brush as Nick. I started to wonder if Christian had changed his player ways and this weekend I had finally decided to give him a chance to prove to me if he had. Seeing him leave here graciously tonight shows me that he has matured a lot the past three years.

  But just spending the last half an hour with Nick makes me realise my heart stills belongs to him, even though he ripped it out of my chest and stomped all over it.

 
I don’t know how long I was sniffling in my bed when I felt the warmth of a body slid under my sheets. It was only when I recognized the smell of Nick did my panic start to reside and my heart rate start to soar.

  He leant his arm out and gently pulled me towards him. When I turned my head to look at him, he used his thumbs to rub away my tears. He then pulled me into his chest and whispered to me that everything will be okay, while placing kisses on the top of my head.

  Over time, my tears gradually lessened and my breathing evened out before I settled into a peaceful sleep.

  The next morning, I wake up to a cold and empty bed.

  Chapter 22

  Nick

  After Christian had left and Jenni stormed into her bedroom I had considered leaving right then and there, but I couldn’t walk around New York half naked. When he had asked her if she showered without him, it felt like my heart was ripped straight out of my chest. I’d come here wanting to know if Jenni was sleeping with Christian and he had confirmed my suspicion without me even needing to ask one single question.