Beautiful Boxset: Beautiful Series, books 1-4

by Anderson, Lilliana

  Before I know it, he’s roaring off down the road, squeaking tires and burnt rubber in his wake. I look at his Porsche parked in front of my house then back to the cloud of smoke. Oh fuck. “You’ve got my fucking car, you douche!” Which means he also has my house keys. “Shit.” I kick the side of the Porsche and the alarm goes off. “Fuck.”

  With my hands balled at my sides, I turn towards my house, catching sight of my neighbour standing in his garden with a set of shears and an open mouth.

  “Oh, hey, Mr Melnic. Nice day to garden.” I offer him a pained smile as I yell over the noise. He just shakes his head in disapproval, and I hang my head in shame, slinking towards my house to see if I can break in.

  Seven

  Marcus

  “What?” I grind out, finally answering my phone when I pull up outside my building an hour later.

  “Where the hell have you been all day?” Craig snaps. “You’ve been asked to do Triple J’s Like a Version.”

  “And?”

  “You know how they get hot artists to do a cover version of past hits then you all go on an album together?”

  “I know what it is, Craig. I’m not a fucking idiot. I want to know why you needed to bombard me with calls on a Saturday.”

  “Because I organised for them to record you tonight so they can air it during your time off. I need you in the studio, like, half an hour ago.”

  Half an hour ago? I glance at the time on the dashboard. I’m at least twenty minutes away. I’ll be a full hour late by the time I get there. I’m going to look like a right cunt. Fuck. I turn the car back on, expecting the Bluetooth to kick in on my phone, but The Doors starts playing instead. That’s when it hits me; I took off in Lisa’s LandCruiser. Shit.

  “Marcus?” Craig yells in my ear. “Marcus?”

  “I’m here,” I say, dazed. How the hell did I manage to drive all this way in the wrong car and not notice?

  “Can you get here or not?”

  I shake my head. Fuck. Lisa has really managed to get under my skin. I’m jealous, and I’m agitated, and all I want to do is lock her in a tower so she’s mine and no one else’s. That sounds creepy, but she’s driving me to distraction. I’m a compass and my needle keeps pointing to her. That’s a good lyric. I should write it down…

  “Marcus?”

  I put my call on speaker and open notes to type the lyrics in so I don’t forget them. “My schedule was supposed to be clear all weekend, Craig,” I say as I type.

  “Well, now it’s not. Get your arse to Studio 26, they’re waiting on you.”

  I clench my jaw. My life isn’t mine. “Fine. Tell them I’m a half hour away.”

  He says something more, but I disconnect the call and open messages to text Lisa.

  Me: I took your car…

  The dots bounce immediately.

  Her: I noticed…

  Me: I’m sorry about today. I’m sorry I overreacted about your brother. I’m sorry I can’t seem to behave like a normal human being around you.

  Her: that’s a lot to be sorry for.

  Me: I fucked up.

  Her: You also took my house keys…

  Shit.

  Me: Are you locked out?

  Her: I have a friend with spares. I’m OK.

  Me: I’ll get the car back to you asap.

  Her: You’re coming back?

  Me: I can’t. I have a thing at JJJ. I’ll get Karen to bring it to you.

  Her: Maybe she can share the wine and cheese with me…

  I smile, feeling calmer already.

  Me: I think she’d like that.