PROLOGUE #2
Feeling cold, I instantly missed his embrace. “Where are you going?” I frowned, rolling onto my stomach.
“I’m not new here, baby girl, I’m going to get you coffee before you turn from a sweet little sex kitten into a bloodthirsty monster.”
He rummaged through his duffel bag, and I took the opportunity to shamelessly ogle his gorgeous and toned ass while he slipped on a pair of shorts.
He must have snuck out in the middle of the night to grab the overnight bag that he packed—originally planning to spend another drunken night in Nolan’s room.
“Okay fine, but only because I can’t say no to coffee.” I laughed and snuggled further into the bed. Luke walked over, leaning down to place a kiss to the top of my head. He started to move away, but I grabbed his face and placed a quick kiss to his mouth.
“Thank you for my She’s All That moment last night. It was truly perfect,” I muttered against his lips. He returned the kiss, then slipped out of my room in search of coffee before he could be seen by one of my family members, or our staff.
Despite only getting four hours of sleep, as soon as the door was shut behind him, I was immediately restless. I had never felt more energized, and I hadn’t even made my morning coffee yet. I was floating on cloud nine.
Luke Cavan liked me.
I got out of bed, threw on a pink matching lounge shorts set, and ran a brush through my hair. I didn’t want my appearance to scream to the entire house that Luke altered my brain chemistry and rearranged my guts last night. When I finally looked presentable, I headed in search of Luke.
The kitchen in this house was on the other side of the grounds, but during the most recent renovations the builders discovered and left open a hidden back hallway.
It led to the old servants’ stairs which took you directly to the butler's pantry nestled between the kitchen and dining room.
I quietly padded down the hall trying not to wake anyone on my way to climb Luke like a tree.
As I entered the pantry, I paused when I heard the sound of my brother's voice in the kitchen.
“Okay bro, please tell me, where the fuck did you sleep last night?”
My stomach dropped. My mind immediately started putting the pieces together about who else could’ve heard us, assuming that we had been caught.
Nolan would get over the fact that Luke and I were together, but I didn’t think that he would get over us sneaking around behind his back.
Nolan was one of the most fiercely loyal people I had ever known, and he expected that loyalty in return.
I peered around the corner but remained out of sight.
“Mike said he saw you head into the house with some blonde who was smoking hot.” He nudged Luke and smirked. “Who was it? Cammy? Not again dude. Please tell me she already left so I don’t have to chase her out of the house again.”
My stomach turned; not only had their friend not recognized me, but he assumed I was another one of Luke’s nameless conquests.
Hearing my brother unknowingly refer to me as ‘smoking hot’ didn’t help ease the growing nausea in my stomach, either.
I wasn’t naive to the fact that Luke was rumored to have slept with half of the girls in our school, but I felt like last night was different.
At least, I hoped he felt that too.
“Nah man, it wasn’t Cammy. I would never go there again,” Luke laughed. “It’s someone you don’t know. She didn’t go to our school.”
Wait, what?
Nolan doubled over in laughter. “You’re literally such a slut, dude. How do you have these girls literally begging for your dick?” Nolan spoke in a half-decent Yoda impression, put his hands together at his chest, and bowed to Luke. “Please teach me your ways, Obi-Wan.”
Luke shrugged. His face showed little to no emotion when he said, “I can’t help it if these girls are so desperate that they’ll let me put them on their knees at my will. You should’ve seen her. She was practically begging for it. It was honestly a little pathetic.”
Luke's words pierced right through my heart as I collapsed against the wall.
I needed to get out. I needed air, but no matter how much I sucked in, it never seemed to fill my lungs.
I practically threw myself at him last night thinking that he actually wanted me, but those girls at the party were right.
How could I have been so stupid?
I was a conquest. A pity fuck.
I was a stupid little girl who fell for a brooding jock and sweet nothings.
I struggled to breathe as tears started streaming down my face. I ran back up staircase toward my room. I knew at that moment that I had to go. I needed to leave the house, leave the town—hell, I needed to leave this coast.
I grabbed my suitcase from the closet and threw random clothes inside before running to my en-suite bathroom, and tossing all of my important toiletries and makeup into a cosmetics bag.
After grabbing my purse and slipping on some shoes, I bolted out the front door.
It was early the morning after a party, so the grounds were completely quiet.
Most people were still in bed milking their hangovers.
I threw my bags in the trunk of Baby Blue, my aptly named light blue Jeep Wrangler, and got behind the wheel.
I turned the key and squeezed my eyes shut, praying that no one heard the engine start.
When nobody came outside to check it out, I took off down the driveway and didn’t dare glance back. I pulled up my father's contact information and typed out a message.
Hey dad! The party last night was amazing!
Thank you so much for your love and support!
Also, surprise! I decided I’m going to accept my offer from CCU.
In fact, I decided to drive Baby Blue out to the Malibu House to spend the summer and scout out my new neighborhood! Walk in mom’s shoes for the summer.
I hit send and pulled up Maeve’s number.
911. I decided to spend the summer in LA. Can you be the best sister ever and pack the rest of the things and ship them to the Malibu House?
I’ll buy you a plane ticket to come out and spend the summer with meeee :). Also please don’t mention this to anyone. I texted dad but I just need some space. No. Questions. Asked.
Maeve texted back almost immediately.
Maeve
Idk what happened, but Nolan and Luke are freaking out. Dad just came storming in saying you’re off to CCU? I’ll get your stuff shipped but it better be a first-class ticket.
Also, now you owe me a no questions asked ;)
With that I threw my phone onto the passenger seat and started the drive to the only place that I knew was safe.
Three days later, I rolled up to the sprawling twelve thousand square foot mansion in Malibu that my siblings and I planned to live in this fall while we commuted to Coastal Crest University campus.
My dad bought this property when we were little so he could commute to his company’s west coast offices and called it the Beach Bungalow.
Although, I was not sure you could call it a bungalow when it had an infinity pool, seven bedrooms, twelve bathrooms, a movie theater, and a detached garage.
My siblings simply called it the Malibu house.
Walking into my new home, it was stunningly beautiful, but felt hollow and empty like it was lacking life; I never related to a house more in my life.
I pulled out my laptop on the kitchen island counter and booked Maeve’s flight for the following week.
I knew that Owen, Aiden, and Nolan would be joining me in late August, but that still gave Maeve and I two full months together to have a proper hot girl summer.
I sucked in a calming breath and walked out to the back patio overlooking the ocean.
I squinted into the sun, taking in the casual beach-goers lounging in the sand, and the carefree surfers in the water.
The breeze whipped through my hair and the smell of saltwater calmed my soul as I made two promises to myself in that moment:
1. I would never be left in the shadows of anyone ever again.
2. Luke Cavan was dead to me.