I WANNA KNOW YOUR SHIPS. Who are you shipping who with? @AddHeading please refrain from this paragraph.😂😂

"You didn't need to read it out loud. I know what I said." Lara said.

"We said to each other we weren't going to cross boundaries. I'm keeping my word." He let her know.

"I'm not."

"I'm not going to touch you, Lara."

"Wanna bet?"

Jayden chuckled at that, rubbing the back of his neck, then returned his hand to his pocket.

"I'm just really surprised at how tables have turned."

"Did something happen between you and Kira?" Lara suddenly asked, crossing her arms across her bosom.

She needed to know. She had a hunch that Kira was up to something. She had sent him away for three weeks when she had initially said two.

The jealousy in Lara's eyes was quite visible even though she tried hard to conceal it.

"Why would you think that?" Jayden asked, curious as to how far Lara was willing to go.

"Well, for starters she kept you for three weeks, instead of two-"

"Kept me?" He had a confused expression on his face.

"She's probably the reason you cut off communication during those three weeks. Something happened?"

Jayden got closer to her, "Lara, I don't think you're in any position to ask me that."

"I don't understand what you mean." She replied grimly. Why was he behaving that way?

What did Kira do?

"Nothing happened." He decided to answer nonetheless, "We needed that extra week, plus she and I share a bond."

Lara felt her heart begin to sink. She and him shared a bond?

"And We don't?" She tightened her arms across her bosom with a scowl on her face.

"I was attracted to you."

Sinking.

Her heart dropped lower. "Was? Past tense? You aren't anymore?"

Jayden sighed, "Please don't make this any harder."

"Then explain it to me," She almost yelled. Almost. "What happened? Is it because of her? What did she do?? Did I suddenly become unattractive to you?"

"No." He answered, way too fast for his liking.

He rubbed his forehead and explained, "What I feel for Kira has nothing to do with physical attraction. It's different. It's deep."

"And when did you realize this," She airquoted, "Deep connection?"

"When she came back into my life. I have you to thank for that."

Lara's eager words had forced themselves back into her mouth and had refused to come out. They had felt defeated in advance.

The Jayden she had met in the kitchen that fateful night was not this Jayden. That Jayden couldn't keep his hands off her for even a second. His room door was always open for her, his lips always craved her taste, his hands always craved her touch, and his eyes undressed her every single time.

But this time, his gaze was different. It lacked the hunger and the raging desire it used to possess. His hands weren't aching to wrap themselves around her waist, or to fondle her.

He was different.

"Lara, I really think we shouldn't keep doing this."

"And when did you realize this?" Lara felt her heart thud in her chest in shame.

The humiliation engulfing her was a cruel one. It slowly seeped into her veins, perforating each corner of its frail walls and plunged her into an oscillatory state of anguish.

"I just wanna do things right." He placed his hands on her arms, "It's for your own good, and mine too. I need to set this straight."

He had to put an end to the whole personal maid drama.

'Jayden and Lara' had to come to an end.

***

"He said WHAT?" Brie who was sitting on Lara's bed with Katy and Lara in the middle, asked with utmost shock.

"Exactly what I said." Lara stared into space. She had never been this humiliated in her life. She had thought Jayden would want what she had proposed in the text message, but he didn't want it. He didn't want her anymore.

Kira had probably advised him against it. Those three weeks had certainly taken her Jayden away.

Katy stroked Lara's back, "So what are you going to do?"

"Nothing. What could I possibly do?" She shrugged, "It's probably better this way." She told them, so why was her chest still wrenching in pain?

Lara began to get off the bed when Brie caught a hold of her arm.

Lara turned to her and Brie warned, "Not so fast buddy. You can't not do something about this. He came onto you first, now he's the one ending it when you've practically caught some feelings. He ain't getting away that easily."

Subconsciously, Brie had felt she was in the same position as Lara concerning Mr. Benson.

What was happening to these men? Had the plague of good morals suddenly struck them?

"What do you mean?" Lara asked Brie.

"I know exactly what you're going to do." A smirk played across Brie's pout. A smirk Lara knew all too well. "Mama knows best."

"Don't listen to her, Lara." Dana walked out of the bathroom with a white towel wrapped around her as she dried her wet hair with another one. "Don't listen to anything Brie says."

Brie threw her head in Dana's direction, "Oh shut up, Mother Theresa."

Dana ignored her and focused her tilted gaze on Lara, "Anything she says will end you up in a bad place. It won't go well with you." Her Mexican accent was most prominent when she was being serious.

"Don't listen to that taco." Brie pressed Lara's arm, "She's not getting any of that hot stuff, that's why."

Dana scoffed, "And I don't wanna. Jayden is hot we know, but that's Mrs. Benson's son. I wanna live long."

Brie rolled her eyes. Even she was onto the woman's husband but she wasn't fretting.

Dana continued, "Lara, when you told us everything that happened between you and Jayden, I was actually scared for you. I mean, what if Mrs. Benson had found out? Have you thought about that? Do you really want to go through what Tess did?"

Lara gulped. "No..."

"So why did you send that message in the first place? You're playing with fire. I don't want my girl to get burnt."

Suddenly Brie burst into an outrageous laughter that drew their attentions. She faked wiped tears and exclaimed, "God! You are such a wimp, Dana! How am I just realizing this? Don't brainwash Lara with your stupid fear. Life is all about taking risks. Risks worth taking, and Jayden is obviously one. Also, we can't let him win this. He doesn't call the final shots, Lara does. Where is Ella when you need her? And Katy, aren't you going to say anything?"

Katy laughed nervously, "Yeah, yeah, Brie. I agree with you. Lara should have the final say."

"And that is why I'll help her." Brie draped her arms around Lara from the side and placed her head on her shoulder, "I'll help my girl."

It seemed as though Brie was glad she had a counterpart. That she wasn't the only one who was messing around with a Benson man.

"Katy," Brie called out, "Tell Ella to check under my bed; there's a blue box there. She should bring it to us. I'm waiting."

***

Lara found herself making her way up the stairs to Jayden's room, though clumsily. It was thirty five minutes passed ten in the night. She was wearing the red silk robe that Brie had insisted she wore and her dark wavy hair fell graciously down her back.

She was fifty percent aware of her current circumstance as she made it to his room door. Whether she knew what she was doing was right or wrong, it didn't seem to matter because she still went ahead with it. It was her last resort, Brie had mentioned.

She lifted her hand, hesitated a couple of seconds before lightly knocking on his door.

♠♠♠♠♠

Lara, Lara, what is she up to? And will Jayden fall into this supposed 'trap' Brie has put in place?

So I said Thursdays and Sundays. But I could pull up a chapter tomorrow if you want?

What's your eye colour? Mine's dark brown :)

(Don't forget to vote, thanks!)