Mister West by R.J. Lewis (animal farm read .TXT) 📕

I got tired of your bullshit stories.”

“Maybe something else happened. Your face was everywhere two years ago, and suddenly you went dark. You must miss the attention. After all, you bedded Instagram goddess Nina Hamilton for a long time. Did that breakup destroy you? Is Nina the reason why you fled?”

Before I can answer, Fran is at her side. “This interview is over.”

Jolene isn’t looking at her. Her focus is still on me. “Just give me something, Mr West. I’d really love to humanize you to the public. Don’t you want to redeem yourself?”

Fran’s glaring at her now. “I will call security if you don’t leave.”

But Jolene is very persistent. “I mean well, truly.”

I keep my lips sealed. I know she’ll wind up twisting anything I say. I dismiss her by looking down at my phone.

“Please, Mr West, just try me!”

Ivy’s messaged me. Fuck yes.

Ivy: I’m on break and having sushi at the food court and listening to music.

A.W.: What are you listening to?

Ivy: Trampoline by Shaed and Zayn.

A.W.: I’ll listen to it too.

Ivy: I’m not sure it’s your style, Aidan.

A.W.: I don’t care.

“Mr West, please respond.” Jolene is getting desperate, moving to me now. Fran is chasing after her, crying out for her to stop.

I turn my bluetooth speakers on and search for the song on my phon. I blast it in my office, completely ignoring security who have now barged through the door. They’re forcing pissy Jolene out of the room and she’s throwing a fit. I still don’t look at her.

“Fuck you, Mr West,” she curses. “FUCK. YOU.”

I raise the volume and lean back in my chair, closing my eyes, imagining Ivy listening to this at the very same time.

Wait if I'm on fire

How am I so deep in love?

When I dream of dying

I never feel so loved

Ivy

Really wish Aidan was faster at messaging me. It’s taken me fifteen minutes to walk home from work and I’ve received nothing from him.

This is getting bad, isn’t it?

This weird dependency shit.

“I need twenty bucks,” Derek tells me two minutes after I’ve come through the door.

I rest my bag on the kitchen counter and run a hand through my hair. I haven’t even had two minutes to myself since knocking off work and he’s already demanding shit. “Twenty bucks for what?”

Then I look at him. He’s dressed in jeans and a jersey. He’s run gel through his hair. I go still when I really stare at his face. His cheekbones are poking out more than usual. He’s been drinking instead of eating.

“Game’s on tonight,” he tells me. “I’m going out with the boys.”

I frown. “I don’t know where I’m supposed to pull twenty out of the budget. Don’t you have any allowance left?”

“I’m not a fucking kid. You barely give me anything to rub together.”

“We’re struggling, Derek. That’s all.”

“It’s only twenty fucking dollars, Ivy.”

“Wouldn’t it be cheaper if you just drank here?” I return, feeling a headache come on. Panic is already forming at the pit of my stomach because he might get pissy any second now.

“You wouldn’t mind the boys coming here?”

I would mind, but I also know Derek’s spending will be less if he’s home and drinking from here. He gets impulsive when he’s at a bar. He would not stop at twenty dollars.

“Well, how many are we talking about here?” I ask.

But Derek’s already making calls. Fuck. I quickly run around the apartment and tidy it up. I also hide our valuable shit because it’ll either disappear or break.

“It’s a work night, okay?” I tell him. “They can’t be long, Derek.”

I’ve been crashing on the couch and I don’t want to wait around until the early hours of the morning to be able to sleep.

“Yeah, yeah,” he says distractedly.

I already know I’ve made a mistake.

Within a half hour, the guys are flooding through the apartment with drinks, collapsing on the couch. They’re loud laughter drowns out all my sanity. I disappear in the bedroom and sit on the bed, looking through my phone. My fingers move before I stop myself.

Ivy: You there?

Aidan answers a few minutes later.

A.W.: I’m here.

Ivy: What are you up to?

A.W.: Work.

A.W.: But I’m having a problem, Ivy.

Ivy: You are?

A.W.: It’s a really big one, and it involves you.

I frown, worried.

Ivy: What is it?

A.W.: I think I’ve forgotten the sound of your voice.

Heat rushes to my cheeks and a smile spreads across my face, even while there’s shouting on the other side of the door.

Ivy: Oh no.

A.W.: It’s a crime, isn’t it? To forget such a voice like yours.

Ivy: What are you going to do about it?

A few moments later my phones starts to vibrate. My heart jumps. He’s calling me on messenger.

I stare at it for a few moments – I’m terrified! – and then I answer. I put the phone to my ear, feeling nervous.

“Hello?”

“There she is,” he responds, sounding amused.

I shut my eyes, savoring that deep voice of his. Wow, way better than my memory.

“Am I fixing the problem?” I ask cheekily.

“Keep talking and you will,” he says.

I grin like an idiot. “What do you want me to talk about?”

“Anything, Ivy. Fuck, your voice is beautiful.”

“Well, that doesn’t help me very much.”

“Read the dictionary if you have to.”

I laugh. “I’d rather not.”

He chuckles too. “Tell me about your day then.”

“Absolutely fuck-all happened today worth mentioning.”

He lets out a deep sound from his throat. “How about you keep swearing then?”

I’m blushing so hard, I feel sweaty. “What?”

“Yeah, you’re good at that, remember?”

“You want to me curse at you?”

“How else am I to know for sure I’m speaking to the real Ivy?”

I lick my lips and say, “Fuck.”

He makes that sound again in his throat and I swear it’s doing things to me. “There’s the vulgar girl I know.”

I lean back against the pillows, realizing I’ve been sitting upright like a rod from all the nerves. “Satisfied?”

“For now.”

I swallow back a laugh. “Tell me about your day, Aidan.”

“Just between