With a simple flutter of her long lashes, leaning in close enough to give him a whiff of her perfume, Annie had offered Duncan her prettiest, most sympathetic pout when she’d asked him to pull up outside of Eli’s apartment complex. She knew he was under strict instructions to take her straight to A Novel Idea, and people rarely disobeyed her father, but she also knew that Duncan had a soft spot for her. The way his cheeks flushed under her gaze, his lower lip wobbling as he stuttered over attempts to impress her, the uncertainty that flickered in his gaze whenever she offered up her arm upon entering some high-profile party she was being forced to attend. She knew fine well he was into her, and Jax had rattled off countless warnings to her that he might be a little more smitten than she was given him credit for, if the high-pitched giggle he emitted whenever she called him Duncy was anything to go by. All the same, it was benefiting her tonight, and she’d be sure to repay the favour by buying him a drink and redirecting him into the arms of an equally gorgeous woman before midnight. 

“Just wait out here for me, cutie, okay? I won’t be long, I promise,” she insisted, catching the look of uncertainty that crossed his features. She knew how desperately Duncan hated to go against her father’s orders, particularly given how many drivers she’d given the slip, sneaking out of some side exit while they were dutifully awaiting her return. Not tonight though – tonight she had plans. “Don’t look at me like that, Duncy! I mean it. Eli doesn’t even know I’m coming to steal him away, so we need to give him a few minutes to get ready, okay?” 

With those parting words, she slipped out of the limousine, onto the sidewalk and started heading towards the lobby of Eli’s building. 

As eager as she was to make the most of the night, she hated thinking of Elias all alone up there, ringing in the New Year on his own. For the second year running, she found that she hadn’t been privy to Jaxxy’s plans, and Matty had informed her – with a look of sadness so great she couldn’t help but wonder if he’d excel in the Gay Porn industry – that Eli hadn’t been up for talking much lately, so much so that he’d turned down his best friend’s invitation to come and party. But that simply wouldn’t do, and if she had to kick off her heels and throw herself down onto the sofa next to him for the night just to ensure he wasn’t alone, then so be it. He was hurting, that much was obvious, but there wasn’t a hope in hell she’d let him do it alone. Not anymore, not on her watch. 

Catching sight of herself in the mirror as the doors to the elevator opened, Annie smirked. God, she looked good. Scooching her way in, she gave her lipstick one last touch up, fixed her curls, and hopped off at the third floor. The walk to Eli’s apartment was as natural to her as wandering the walls of her parent’s own mansion. She’d always loved it at Eli’s. It was cosy, homely even, and this very building housed one of her favourite people in the entire world. She gave his front door a delicate rap of her knuckles and waited, patiently – or so she thought – for him to answer. 

Barely a minute had passed before Annie grew impatient and she gave the door another knock, this time a little harder. 

“Elias! It’s just me!” she called out, confident he’d recognise her voice without context. Annie wasn’t afraid of drawing attention to herself, but she knew Eli was a lot shyer than her. “If you don’t answer, I’ll knock the whole thing down myself! These heels are very sturdy, honey!”