Roses & Ruin

Chapter 107 (Lexi)

Anthony avoided me for the rest of that week. By Saturday I was so done with him. I finally flipped out and asked what the fuck his problem was. He was taken off guard since he'd just come out of the shower and I was suddenly yelling at the dude. But sighed and answered me, "I told you nothing's wrong. I don't really know what else to say" he bullshitted me.

"You fucked someone else. At least grow some balls and tell me that instead of avoiding me and evading my eye line all goddamn week."

Lexi Vero would never waste her time yelling at a man who...who what? He's not my boyfriend. Lexi Vero wouldn't waste her time on a fuck buddy this way. Who am I right now? I didn't like Lexi Petrov, and now I don't like Lexi Rizzo. Identity crisis.

"I didn't-" Anthony went to deny it, but then he stopped. He looked at me and there was this strange conflict somewhere etched within his features that confused me. "You're right," Anthony finally Womaned up and told me.

Even though I knew that as the truth already it still felt like a sucker punch to the gut when he finally admitted it. I didn't know what to say. I just bit my lip and nodded at the truth of things. Anthony didn't come home the other night because he was at another woman's house.

Shit. That hurts way more than it should.

"I'm sorry, Lex. I didn't mean to avoid you and make you worry all week" he started talking, running his fingers through his wet hair. We were having this conversation while Anthony was in nothing but a towel around his waist. His muscles taunted me.

He looks like a damn statue you wanna post up in museums because the carvings are glorious. And you wonder, 'How did someone etch that so smoothly? So perfectly?'

        "You don't owe me anything" I stopped his bullshit speech. Anthony looked really conflicted. Guilt maybe? I just could sense it in his aura and demeanor that something was off. I guess what was off was his penis, off sticking it in other women.

"Are you upset?" He asked me. I wanted to laugh. I wanted to punch him in the nose. Instead I shrugged and said, "Why should I be?" I left the room after that, and then I left the house altogether. With no set destination and no wallet my options were limited on where I might go. It started with a walk, but a million blocks later and I was suddenly at Mia's building complex. Weird.

        When I tried walking in, the man at the door stopped me. I forgot you can't go in without being on the list or whatever. I figured I should call Mia first anyways. When I pulled my phone out it lit up for about two seconds and then died. Goddamnit. I forgot to charge it.

"Look, buddy, can you call up for me? Because you just saw my phone die as I did" I asked him. "I can do that," he nodded. Well good on him. The man radioed inside and said, "Sorry, what's your name?" before telling whoever was on the other end of that radio to call up to Miss Mia Fiore's apartment.

"No response, but you may want to call up to the penthouse. She's more likely to be there" the old bat told me. I waved for him to do that.

         Why am I here? I feel ridiculous. This is Mia's fault for always telling me all her business and getting into mine. I'd almost call us friends.

When the old man opened the door for me I knew I got the green light to go up. "How do I get to the penthouse?" I asked the front desk. "Just step into that elevator over there. Hit the call button and they'll send you up" the woman in a navy suit explained to me. Well, well, well, quite fancy.

The elevator shot me right up. When the doors opened I realized they opened straight into the foyer of Domani De Luca's penthouse apartment. Ah, that's why there was a code pad inside. This is like his front door.