28.
Isla
We stayed in New York for a week and a half. When Levi was at work, I’d go for long runs through Central Park and try not to think about the fact that Sophie and I still hadn’t talked. I kept expecting her to call or text, but she didn’t. We’d never gone this long without speaking before, but every time I went to pick up my phone to call her, I couldn’t make myself do it.
“I think it’s time to go back to Ibiza,” Levi said. “This is the best time of year to be out there, you know.”
“Can you do that?” I
asked. “Just leave work like that?”
“Yeah. Frank Carlisle isn’t due back from California for at least another week,
so now would probably be the perfect time.”
“Cal’s not going to
mind?”
Levi shrugged. “He probably will, but it’s not like I won’t come back. Besides,
I’ve gone into work every day this week, and though I can’t say I was hugely
productive, that is pretty good, for me, anyways.”
“If you want to go back there, I’m not going to argue,” I said. I hadn’t talked to my mother since we’d left Bel Air, either, which also felt strange, though she hadn’t made any effort to get in touch with me. If I had thought inheriting money was going to make my problems go away, I had certainly been wrong.
“Let’s do it then,” Levi said. “I’ll let Cal know after we get there.”
It did feel a bit as though I was running away from my problems, getting back on the plane to go to Ibiza with Levi. I knew he kind of felt the same way too; there was stuff going on at work that he was supposed to be taking care of, but he’d put it off until we got back. I decided to keep it to myself that I didn’t actually want to come back.
We spent the first glorious day at the beach, surrounded by other happy people who were enjoying their vacation. Or “holiday,” as the Europeans put it. I sat on a lounge chair and drank a daiquiri out of a coconut shell cup; I went swimming in the clear, warm water with Levi; I grabbed onto his shoulders as he went past and he pulled me along in the water. When he stopped, he put his feet down and stood up, the water up around his shoulders. I kept my arms around his neck and wrapped my legs around his waist. His hands went gripped my hips lightly. The sun shone down on us, and for a moment, it really was as though I could forget everything else that was going on and just enjoy things right now, here with him.
“This was definitely the right choice,” he said. “Though I don’t think coming to Ibiza has ever been the wrong choice.”
“Clearly not.” I kissed his neck, tasting the saltwater.
He moved one hand from my hip lower, sliding his fingers underneath the top of my bikini bottom. I looked around as I felt him stroke my clit. We were the only people this far out, and we were far enough away from the beach that I didn’t think anyone would be able to tell what we were doing. I hoped, anyway. He slipped a finger inside of me and I gripped his neck tighter, my breath catching in my throat.
I rocked my hips against him a little bit, trying to get him in further. What I really wanted was to feel his cock inside of me, but having sex like that, in the middle of the day on a public beach was probably not okay. This was, though. He shifted his hand slightly, so he was able to slide a second finger into me, while at the same time running his thumb over my clit in a circular motion. My whole body was tingling, and he brought his other hand up and ran it lightly up and down the length of my spine.
The stronger the sensation got, the tighter I gripped him, so when I came, it felt as though I was going to snap him in half. I tried not to thrash around too much and make it obvious, and when he pulled his hand out, I let go of him and floated on my back, buoyed by the warm water, good feelings all around me.
We started the next day off by sleeping late and then having coffee and pastries in the backyard by the pool. Levi was asking me what I felt like doing for the rest of the day when I heard the doorbell ring, faintly, through the open slider door.
“I’ll go see who it is,”
Levi said. “You want me to get you more coffee while I’m in there?”
“Sure,” I said, handing him my empty mug. “Thanks.”
He went inside and I stretched out on the lounge chair, hoping that the
sunscreen I’d put on would keep me from burning but help me get a tan.
“Now’s not a great time,” I heard Levi say after a minute.
“It’s not going to take long.” The guy had a British accent. I glanced toward the sliding door, but they were both just out of view.
“Fine,” Levi said. “Let’s talk in here.”
I considered going for a swim while they were talking, but I just stayed where I was on the chaise lounge. They had moved further away from the door, but the windows were all open, and the light breeze was just right, so I was still able to catch snippets of what they were saying.
“ . . . not going to let you do this . . . Just doesn’t make sense . . .” the British guy was saying.
“It makes perfect sense .
. .” Levi replied. “But even if it doesn’t, it’s not up to you to tell me what
to do.”
I got up and moved a little closer to the house so I could hear them better.
“I’m not trying to tell you what to do,” the British guy said.
Levi laughed. “Then what
is this? What are you doing right now, Alfie? Trying to read my horoscope?”
“You’re just getting a little ahead of yourself,” Alfie said. “I can see that;
everyone else can see that. I’m looking out for you, is what I’m doing.”
“I definitely don’t need looking out for.”
“Sure ya do, mate. You just don’t realize it yet.”
I inched closer. What on earth were they talking about?
“Listen, Alfie. I really don’t know how else to put it to you. You’re a smart guy—we both know that—and you’ll be fine. You just keep doing what you’re doing, and everything will be great. It’ll be just like it is now, minus one. And you know what that means, Alfie? That means that you’re in charge. You get to call the shots. All of them.”
“I already was, mate.”
“So then what’s the
problem?” I could hear the exasperation in Levi’s voice. “Why are you just
dropping by here unannounced when we’ve already been through this?”
“Sorry, mate, I didn’t realize that I had to book an appointment now. When did that start? It doesn’t matter. What does
matter, Levi, is that you can’t just decide to pull out like this for no
reason. We’re partners. You don’t just suddenly pull out of a partnership like
that.”
“Partners? You’re acting like we’re boyfriends, Alfie. Is that what you’re saying? That we’re like boyfriends and you don’t want me breaking up with you?”
“Ha. Listen, mate, you’re a handsome fella but I’m not into that sort of shit.”
“It was an analogy. A bad one.”
“Well, regardless, you
can’t just do something like this for no good reason. I would never do that
sort of thing to you.”
“How is my father dying not a good enough reason for you?”
“Because it doesn’t make bloody sense! Why would your father dying mean you
need to stop doing this? If anything, it gives you more freedom to get a better
hold on the market. Really become the main source. Isn’t that what you want?
Doesn’t that sound bloody fantastic?”
“See, that’s good, Alfie,” Levi said. “You have vision, you have goals. So do something with it. I’m just not going to be a part of it.”
I was about to go back to my chaise lounge—I didn’t want them to come out here and find me eavesdropping—but then Alfie said, “Then I need two million dollars.” I paused, curious what Levi would say.
“I’m not giving you two
million dollars, Alfie. What the hell do you need that much money for anyway?”
“That much money?” Alfie scoffed. “That’s a drop in the bucket for you. You
giving me that is like me giving one of my mates a tenner.”
“Giving you an amount like that probably would raise some suspicion.”
“What do you mean? You said we’d tell anyone who asked that I’m your personal assistant.”
“Right. But I don’t know
anyone who’s just going to up and give their personal assistant two million
dollars. For no reason.”
“But this is for a reason.”
“Not one that I’m a part
of anymore. Listen, man, there’s no other way for me to put this, but I’m out.
And I don’t want you coming around here anymore if your sole purpose is to try
to get me to change my mind. Because it’s not going to happen. I’ve got
different priorities now. I’m sorry.”
I hurried back over to the chaise lounge and stretched out on it. I heard
Levi’s footsteps a few minutes later, and I opened my eyes and sat up.
“Hey,” I said. He was alone.
“Sorry about that.”
“Who was it?”
“That guy, Alfie. I think you met him briefly. He’s a friend. Just wanted to
come by and talk to me about something.”
“Oh.” I paused, waiting to see if he’d elaborate, but he didn’t. I thought
about asking him directly, but I decided not to. If he wanted to tell me, he
could. If he didn’t, I was okay with that. Because I trusted him. That’s the
thing my mom and Sophie didn’t understand about me and Levi: I trusted him, and
I knew that he had changed from who he was all those years ago, and he wouldn’t
do anything to hurt him.