Driving back, I walk in.

"Bex!" I walk up to her door and knock. "Bex, I know you're in; unlock the door."

I watch Ivy step out of her room. "Now, what did she do?" She laughs, looking at me.

"Bex! You have three seconds, or I swear, I will pour out your vodka." The door unlocks, and she opens it, standing smiling. "You left me with him!"

"Did you not want to get into Jake's daddy's bed again?" she smirks, and I groan.

"You slept with his dad?" Ivy stares at me.

"No! Nowhere near. You left me alone." I look at Bex.

"Sorry, but well, I only had an idea it was him. I wasn't sure, you're right though, he is hot."

"Bex!" She was meant to stay.

"Did you two have fun?" She grins, and I walk in and sit while Ivy follows.

"We spoke, and he gave me a guided tour of the place and told me to do research, real research."

"Okay, well, Jake has been calling you. You didn't answer, so he called me." I look at Ivy. "He's been calling nonstop for half an hour, pissed off that you're not answering."

Reaching into my bag, I look for my phone, but it's not there. "I think I left my phone at the club. Fuck."

"And here he is again!" she says, holding out the phone. "Please answer so he leaves me alone!" I answer, Taking the phone.

"What, Jake?"

"Ouch, Ruby, is that any way to greet your ex, me?"

I laugh. "As you said, my ex, why do you keep ringing?" He should have taken the no answer as a fuck you.

"Can we talk?"

"No." There's no talking to be done.

"Ruby, please, just let me see you for five minutes to talk and apologise. After that, I will go and never speak to you again."

"Five minutes, and if you do try to speak to me again after, I will stab you." I hang up and hand the phone back to Ivy. They are both staring at me. "Don't, five minutes, let him say what he needs to that makes him feel better then he's gone for good.

Chapter 8 Begging

Sitting in the living room, I watch Jake walk in. He looks from me to Bex and Ivy.

"Can we speak in private?"

"Oh, you want to talk to her in private after telling the world about her in bed?" Bex glares at him.

"Ruby, I can't talk with these two here." He looks at me. "The five minutes doesn't start until we speak alone, without your guard dogs."

"Tempt me, Jake, and I will bite," Bex says, barking at him, and I laugh.

"Fine, five minutes, Jake, that's all." I watch him get up and walk upstairs.

"He just makes himself at home. We could have left the living room." Ivy laughs.

"Come up in five minutes." Standing, I walk up and go into my room. "Start," I look at him.

"I'm sorry, I realised I messed up." I laugh. "I did love you, Ruby."

"Jake, what do you want?"

"To apologise and maybe sort things."

Is he joking? "Let me guess: You don't like the fact I kissed Oliver. Well, I don't care; the answer is no."

"Ruby, it wasn't a fling, we were engaged!"

"For money, well, you were anyway, not me. For me it was real, for you it was a ticket to cash." Why is he set on getting back together? "Please, just consider it. I'm sorry. I messed up. I said awful things, but I didn't mean them."

"Jake."

"No, just listen, come with me. Let's visit my dad, get away for a few days, and we will fix things." I laugh.

"I'm not going to see your dad with you."

"Ruby please, he rang me and wants me to go down."

"Then have fun." I'm not going with him.

"Please! Stop being stubborn. He asked me to bring you."

"The answer is no, Jake."

His eyes narrow. "Come on, Ruby. I'm here trying to sort it out. Just for a few days, my dad wants to see you again. Apparently, he wants to talk to us."

I don't believe that. "Jake."

"I swear, he is insistent you come with me. Anything I tried, he ignored." Why would his dad insist I go?

Looking at Jake, I now realise he wants me to go to keep up the act. "We go, Jake..." He nods and smiles. "And you tell him we're over when we get there." "You're not willing to at least give it another try?"

"Jake, you had cheated on me more than once." I will go with him, purely because he said his dad insisted, so I am guessing he wants to bring it up with me there.

"Look, I'm sorry. Please." I watch as he kneels and holds out the ring. Is he joking? "Ruby, I love you. I'm sorry, I swear. Please, I will do anything!" "Anything?" This could be fun.

"I swear down, anything you want, I will do it!"

"Message everyone you spoke shit about me to and tell them you lied." He nods, and my hand goes up. "You tell them that I wasn't the problem. It was merely you who can't fuck me right." "Ruby! That's too far."

"Oh, so you mocking me and calling me names isn't, but speaking the truth about yourself is? I guess you don't want me to be there when you see your dad. Have fun seeing your dad alone." "Fine! When we get to my dads I will send the messages, I swear it."

"Time." I laugh hearing Bex.

"You can leave, we've sorted things." Jake stands and smiles at her.

"Jake, I never said things were sorted." He's not listening.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

"Then let's talk and sort it." My eyes roll.

"Bex, it's fine. Go to bed. You have work tomorrow." She nods and leaves.