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Jess
Iwatch Reid and Valen come back outside with the beers in hand. I'm still hurt by what Valen said. He is sorry, but it's better to rip the Band-Aid off the wound. He doesn't have to pretend I'm here because I'm his favorite because I know, deep down, I'm only his favorite when I spread my legs. There hasn't been a guy that has taken the time to care what I like or know what my favorite color is. It goes for every man in my life. It looks like I never will, or maybe it will when I start my life and become the first generation to move out of the trailer park.
My eyes take in Reid with his inky dark hair. The same straight hair I remember gripping with my fingers while he was thrusting inside me, the first time we had sex. I never knew piercings were sexy until I saw them on him, but then again, I don't have much experience to go by when it comes to guys or sex. It was kind of forced on me, like a kid being thrown into the deep end to learn how to swim, but instead flailed her arms and began to sink to the bottom.
His dark lashes make his eyes look like he is older than he is. The piercings on his nose and lip are my favorite compared to the extra ones he had in his ears that I love to swipe my tongue over. His tight muscles and abs that ripple when he's on top of me make my clit throb inside my panties, wanting a repeat.
I can't forget how he treated me the night I collapsed in his arms from being drugged again by Michael. I hate to say that it is weird to feel thankful that he did that when I had agreed to his proposition for sex in exchange for giving my mother a job and now for sparing her life, according to Michael. His words, but then again, I get confused as to why he goes to all the trouble, knowing I'm sure when it comes to the random encounters I must endure when he shows up.
Reid walks up to me, and I must have been staring at him longer than usual because he hands me a bottle of cold beer. I'm hesitant to take it. I don't think they would purposely drug me. Reid and Valen aren’t the type of guys that need to take advantage of women. Not them. I don't think they are sick and would do that to me, but a girl is paranoid, thanks to the asshole that is Michael. I swear he has ruined me for anyone else, not in a good way.
"It's okay. I wouldn't. Ever," he assures me, knowing why I’m hesitant. I lower my eyes and stare at the bottle he is holding out to me. He pushes it in my hand to convince me. "Take it, Jess."
I take it and bring it to my nose. Paranoid. My eyes find Gia's, and her expression softens. She gets up from the chair and walks over. "Here. Take mine," she says with a smile. "I drank from it, Jess."
"Go get the girls two beers, sealed, and bring the opener,”Reid tells Valen when I take it with a nervous laugh, embarrassed, and hand her mine, but Reid cuts in and brings it to his lips and drinks. When he pulls the tip of the bottle from his lips, his pitch-black eyes find mine like he is possessed, staring at me, and I watch his lips move.
Valen disappears back in the house, and Reid lowers his head to my ear and hums softly before he whispers, causing chills to run like a river over my skin. "I'm not stupid. When I find him, I'm going to kill him extra slowly. The barista Gia told you about was child's play. And I will find him, Jess. It is only a matter of time. The maggots come crawling out sooner or later."
Valen returns and Reid pulls away from my ear to kiss me. He changes his demeanor like whatever possessed him for a few seconds left his body. "You're staying the night. Drink up."
Valen hands me the bottle opener and the beer. Gia has a blank expression because she is probably wondering what he said. My eyes dart to hers, and she grins, trying to play it off, to make me feel more comfortable holding the unopened beer.
"You boys sure know how to make a girl feel comfortable,” Gia says, trying to lighten the mood.
"Of course," Draven says, pulling from his beer. "Anything for you girls. It's good to ask and question when someone gives you an opened drink. Good practice, so to speak. Don't take anything offered when you're not sure."
I can tell it's Draven because he is quieter and more observant than his brother. He is astute like him too, and one could tell nothing gets passed him.
"There is a ball this weekend. It's on Saturday. We are not going to that party on Friday. None of the members' offspring are going because they have to prepare. It's mostly Ohio State that is going to the frat party anyway. Gia would love for you to be there since she doesn't know anyone too well. Moral support."
I nod. "Of course, but I don--”
"Have anything to wear?" Dravin interjects.
"We wouldn't dream of inviting you knowing you would need a dress. That will be taken care of. It will let you go have a shopping day."
Gia smiles and bites her lip, bouncing on her toes. "Will you go?"
I smile because I could never disappoint her. She probably feels like Cinderella, and I want her to be happy. We both don't belong in a room full of members of the Order. I can even send pictures to my mother, and she will be excited. She will probably blow it up and frame it. I don't mind being a fourth wheel for her or Gia.
I glance at Valen. His expression looks torn. I wonder why? Reid's face is stoic.
Gia is looking at Reid and Valen with a giddy expression. She's excited that we are all going out to a fancy ball. "So, which of you is taking my best friend to the ball or both of you?"
My eyes widen at her. I didn't expect to go with either. They didn't ask me to go. The twins asked me for moral support to Gia. I know she’s just trying to make me happy, but she shouldn’t have asked them.
"We're not. She is going as your guest," Reid answers dryly.
My ribs feel like they are cracking, breaking me in half. My thoughts run to Zero. My masked stranger. Where is he when I need him? Where is he when my insides are breaking me in half? I shouldn't feel this way, but I do. I'm alone. I feel abandoned. Not wanted. Unworthy. It reminded me of when I was back in high school, and the guys wouldn't ask me out because of the rumors of what Michael did to me at the party. The whispers in the hallways. No one wanted to be seen with the trailer trash whore at prom.
Gia pinches her brows in confusion, looking between them. "Why? Who are two going with?"
"Let it go, princess," Draven says, pushing Gia's hair behind her ear.
Valen takes a hard pull of his beer, sucking his lip when finished. "Members of the Order go with their wives or their betrothed to the annual ball. Unless one hasn’t been chosen,” he says grimly. The silence stretched between us.
"I understand."
