Lost in a Reverie 18+ Only (Book 1 of Lastor Series) ['23/'24 EDIT]

Chapter 51

Rick and I somehow came to a silent agreement. I would stay with him during the day as an adoring and playful lover. And then lose myself during the night with a needle to my vein.

He didn't cry or beg for me to stop anymore. He accepted the lie I offered him in the day and lived with the reality at night. It was the price we both had to pay for clinging onto this delusional affair.

The past two days had been good though. We entertained ourselves by going on tours and doing shit that I had no interest in. I was decent enough to join in with the pretension. It made them happy, pretending everything was okay and I wasn't dying, that was all that mattered.

We were scheduled to go hiking today, get some fresh air and be one with nature, as Rick put it. As if getting bitten by mosquitoes and trampling around a mountain for an entire day could help me curb my addiction, but still, I appreciated the gesture. Didn't mean I liked it though.

We were in the middle of breakfast witth everyone, and Rick and I bickered over my eating habits like aways, when a knock suddenly broke through our peace.

The weight. The sound. The beat. I knew it so well, that knock, my back instinctively turned rigid. Still, I continued with the lie, wanting to prolong this delusion. It was not night yet. I refuse to live in reality before sundown.

The knock came again and Stella made a move to stand but Jude pulled her back down. Rick muttered something before getting to his feet but I yanked him back. Andrea just kept her attention on her phone, wilfully oblivious.

"The door isn't going to answer itself," Rick said.

I shook my head, glancing at my brother. "What time is it?"

He took a cursory glance at his watch.

"9:35. Do you think it's him?"

Just then, the knocking went on. Firmer and louder.

I shook my head again. "It can't be. It's too early," I muttered, my brows furrowed. "He always comes for me at eleven to make sure I'm already up."

"It's almost eleven in New York," Jude mumbled thoughtfully.

"He adjusts to the time difference because he's terrified of finding me asleep. He doesn't know how to wake me up." I sighed. "He's always been weird like that."

"Maybe Father sent him."

"Father doesn't care enough to send someone after me but–" I raised my gaze, looking at him. "–you're here. The both of us in a foreign country while unguarded at the same time is not something he'd allow for long. I'm surpised he didn't send him sooner."

"What are you talking about?" Rick asked, suddenly wary, obviously noticing Jude, Andrea, and I's reaction at every knock. "Baby, what is it?"

I sighed, placing a hand on his thigh. "Reality check," I said, smiling weakly. "You're in the presence of Jude and Angel Lastor, babe. We're more important than our father. Supposedly."

"I checked in under an alias. No one's supposed to know we're here," Andrea muttered, her eyes focused on the screen of her phone.

"Did you use your credit card to pay for anything since you got here?" Jude asked.

She grimaced. "Dammit."

"Maybe it's just housekeeping," Rick said.

"The staff would have announced itself already," I interjected.

"Mr. Lastor?" a deep voice called from the front door of the suite. "Miss Lastor?"

"And the staff would have asked for Miss Waymon since Andy checked in under the name Eunice Waymon," I added.