Stay Away from Pleasure

Chapter Thirty-Nine

17:19PM

"Yeah, she's just sat in her bed all day; I don't know what to do."

"I'll check on her. Are you okay by the way?"

"Yeah. I'm fine."

A door opens. Someone sits on the bed.

"Hey Liz." He says, petting her head. "How you doing?"

No.

She pushes his hand off, ignoring him and turning to face the other side. Pulling the covers up her body, she shields herself from everyone else, refusing to bare with the pain that comes with talking about her deceased father. She's hiding.

"I thought we were gonna talk when you got back from Michigan. We haven't had the chance to, maybe we can now?"

She twists her body, facing away from him completely.

"Can you at least listen? I finally got a girlfriend..." He says, anticipating an eager reaction.

"I'm sorry my father's death seems more important that your relationship that will probably last one week."

His repulsed scoff ripples around the room while his face is torn with anguish and scorn, but empathy and compassion lingers.

"Cool." He mutters and stands up.

She doesn't budge, expecting that he's probably leaving.

The cold rush of air bites her legs and her bare arms. Hissing at the disappearance of the sweet warmth and the cruel arrival of the cold air, she flips over to see Leonard holding the covers.

He has pulled them off her.

"Leonard!"

"Sorry but, I'm not going easy on you. Matt says you've been like this since this morning so I think it's time you got the fuck out of bed and took a shower." He snaps, walking out of the room with the covers.

"Leonard!" She hollers after him.

No reply.

Fixing her tank top and pulling down her shorts slightly, she walks out of the room to find everyone seated in the front room and kitchen. Surprised eyes wander over Aiden, Theo, Maria, Alice, Leonard and Matt.

Where's Denny?

Shifting in her position uncomfortably, she makes sure her shorts are covering her valuables as all their heads turn towards her.

"At least he got her out of bed." Aiden scoffs, breaking the silence.

Recognising a familiar face, Liz finds her eyes trained on her. It's the same tall woman from the banquet dinner. The woman walks to Leonard and he kisses her cheek.

His girlfriend...

She's actually quite stunning. She has beautiful tanned skin that looks kissed by the tropical sun. Her hair is light brown and beautifully wavy. Twinkling blue eyes define her face along with soft, pink lips. She's in light blue denim jeans and an oversized sweater. Long and lean legs frame her body and slim hips make her figure. She looks like a model.

His eyes are laced onto her, but her eyes are cast elsewhere. Following her gaze, Liz finds that her eyes are trained on no other than Matthew Legato.

A buckling urge dawns within her. She feels the icy sweep of possession reverberate within the walls of her body and she fails to hide her glare, pleasantly exposing her hatred for the brunette that has her eyes cast on the last place they should be.