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Making our way into the crowd, I start to feel a panic arise in my chest, a small vibration of worry crawling up my body until it starts to churn negative thoughts in my mind. I grab Cora’s hand, making sure she is here with me. We don’t like to be separated at parties.
Anything can happen in a split second and since Edward isn’t with her, I need to make sure she is safe. I know it’s a slim to none chance that what happened to Cecille will ever happen again, but when you lose someone so close to you at such an early age, it becomes a permanent scar on your brain and in your heart. It’s a loss that will never dull. She should be here and sometimes I still feel like it’s my fault that she’s not.
I rein in my thoughts and reroute them to more positive things. X leads us further into Kohen’s incredible house. I gawk at the black walls and silver accents. There is new furniture in every room, like he remodeled since the last time we were here. That was only about a month ago. I feel a little crazy, like maybe time has warped and somehow more time has passed than I realize. There is no way he re-did all of this. One more reason why I can never be with someone like him. I bet they just tossed all the old furniture out, not thinking that there are families that are in need of bare minimum household furniture, like a couch.
The entryway is as big as our living room, and because there are crowds of people standing all around, it takes us a while before we get to the grand hall that leads to the kitchen. The ceilings are over twenty feet high. I feel like a mouse in a mansion. Small and insignificant, unworthy of walking through this luxurious house. We make it to the kitchen, and I release Cora’s hand to wipe the sweat away. X leaves us to get drinks.
“Are you okay? Your hands are sweaty.”
“Yes, I was anxious, but I pushed through.”
“Me too.”
It brings me comfort that I’m not going through the motions of anxiety alone. Cora busies herself texting Edward to find out where he is, and I take the opportunity to scan the room for Kohen. Having no luck, I bring my attention back to my best friend. She looks stressed and I’m sure it’s because Edward is being a little bitch. I hope for his sake that he doesn’t leave her hanging.
The kitchen is huge, and the marble countertops are gorgeous- white with gold flakes throughout the glossy surface. I run my fingers across the top and shiver at its coolness. My body temperature runs hot for a woman. Whenever Cora and I share a bed, she brings a separate cover for herself because she says I’m a space heater.
Xzavien makes his way back to us, smiling. He has three red solo cups. I’ll admit, he couldn’t be more perfect. The simple gesture speaks volumes about the kind of guy he is, the kind of guy I should fall for.
“Here you go, ladies. I got you some Malibu and pineapple juice.”
“Thank you so much. You are too sweet.” I give him a peck on the cheek as I grab my cup. I see a flush of pink spread across his tan skin and it makes me smile.
Cora widens her eyes at me, trying to send a message with the gesture, but it isn’t what she thinks.
“Yes, thank you so, so much. I feel like a third wheel, especially because my dickhead boyfriend isn’t here to serve me himself,” Cora says, her voice lined with disappointment.
“No thanks needed. We are all friends here.”
My mind wanders as I take my first sip. I think about how I was so attracted to Xzavien first, and just like the last time, Kohen is nowhere to be found. My head must have been shaking on its own accord because when I look up, Cora and X are both staring.
“What’s wrong?” they ask in unison. Maybe they should date each other. God knows Cora needs a good man and X is amazing.
“Oh, nothing. Just having conversations with all the personalities in my brain.” We laugh and some of X’s other friends come up to chat with him. Suddenly warning signs go off in my head. Anxiousness sets in but not like how it did before.
I shake the feeling off, blaming the alcohol. My thoughts pull me away as X, his friends, and Cora turn into background noise. I don’t know why I’m here in this huge house, waiting for a guy who doesn’t even want me while on the arm of his best friend. Why am I falling for the bad boy again? I feel bad for X like I led him on without meaning to. Sure, I wanted to make Kohen jealous, but I like X. He’s a good guy. Maybe I should choose X- he is here and Kohen isn’t. He makes an effort to talk and hang out, he wouldn’t have left that night...
Standing here quietly, listening to the people talking in this little huddle, a familiar scent invades my nose. I feel stuck in place like stone. I can’t move a single muscle, my body tensing up in anticipation of the man that scent is attached to. It’s heavenly. I hear a whisper in my ear, the slight smell of sweet mint follows, and I quiver. Chills roll down my spine and goosebumps erupt all over my skin. Kohen.
My body must have been warning me that he was near. Responding to him the way it does only for him, he makes my skin feel like it’s on fire in the best way. The words that hit my ear make me tighten my legs together.
“You look so fucking delicious in this skirt, Angel.” His hand slides down my body from my waist to my hip, and he lightly runs his fingers over the mounds of my ass. “I want to rip this off right here, right now, and fuck you for all these people to see.”
I audibly gulp. Everything about him awakens my senses and my body is tingling from head to toe in response to the closeness of his body. He is close enough that I feel the heat of his body but not enough that he is touching me. I wish he would.
I’m terrified to turn around and face him, but I want to see him so badly. He probably looks drop-dead fucking gorgeous and that’s precisely why I am torn about looking. I hate that I feel this way, that he does this to me. Why does my body betray me and respond to his filthy words? This is why I’m here, though, right? For him, to see me, to want me. Shit!
I’m pulled out of my little trance when X pops into my head. I completely forgot about him. Did he see us? What the hell is wrong with me? I’m such a bitch. I shake my head at Kohen, still not looking at him, and walk away without saying a word. I pretend like there is no way he noticed how my body reacted and that I am completely uninterested. I move away and look over at Xzavien, relieved to see him and Cora engaged in deep conversation. They didn’t seem to notice whatever the hell that was between me and Kohen.
“Oh really? You three came together? Where’s Edward?”
Cora is caught up in another conversation with the girl from her class and I’m grateful. They are talking about Edward like he isn’t standing a few feet away. I know she is embarrassed to be here alone. Especially because he lives here, too.
“I don’t know, bro. He was supposed to pick her up. We talked earlier and he had a plan to get her before I picked up Alex. We actually came here together. So, we are just hanging out until he gets here. I didn’t want to leave her alone, so she walked in with us.”
I feel X’s arm run behind my back, his touch gracing the skin that peeks between the two pieces of my outfit. It makes me shiver, but not in a good way. It feels wrong. His touch isn’t meant for my skin.
I shoot a glance at Cora and she is already staring at me with wide eyes. No words are needed, that’s all it took for Kohen’s smirk to disappear. The look on his face lights a fire inside me. There’s a flash of jealousy in his eyes, making them darker than usual. I’m glad. Who does he think he is? He can’t just pick up where we left off after he left me there alone with no explanation, no calls, no texts. Hell, he didn’t even respond to me, so he has no right to come and claim me now.
