Chapter 8
Drew – Two Days Later
I gently nip my bottom lip as I press my hands against my lilac maxi dress, trying to push out some of the creases. I make sure the thin straps aren't twisted and turn slightly to make sure I don’t have any panty lines.
My eyes go to my long, sandy blonde hair. I am wearing it wavy down my back, the tip just hitting my butt, and I swallow hard.
“Maybe I should put it up?” I mumble to myself as I eye my hair while my heart pounds hard in my chest.
But then again, he hasn’t seen my hair down yet…
Crap, I think I’m nervous, and my dad is to blame for this, no matter what he says.
“Sweetheart, he would have come to find you even without my pushing. I just pushed him into doing it a few days earlier, that’s all.”
Dammit Dad.
After I confronted him in front of Mom, instead of both of us shouting at him for making me feel like I was being asked out as a pity date, he made me fricking melt, and even Mom's lips twitched.
“If he gave you his legal name instead of telling you to call him Cage, then he’s already claimed you…”
I groan and go to grab my brush, deciding to put it up again, but just as I grab it, a knock sounds at my door, and I swallow thickly.
Two days, that is how long I have known Bellamy for.
Over the two days, he’s been at my studio, watching me in my element while also allowing me to get to know him.
He even told me about his little sister, Angie.
He doesn’t talk about her and that evening at the pond he told me she had passed away when she was twelve.
He didn’t go into detail, but even mentioning her made him look like he was in pain.
Dad mentioned if he told me, that I should feel privileged because he doesn’t speak to anyone about his little sister, not even his own family.
Whereas with me, after I finished rehearsing with my students yesterday, he explained all about Angie’s personality and how even though she couldn’t swim, she’d sneak into the pool.
How chocolate brownies with whipped cream were her favorite dessert and how she was light of his life.
His little shadow that followed him everywhere and he loved it.
I stayed quiet the whole time, until I don’t know what came over me, I climbed onto his lap, straddling him which shocked both of us and I kissed him. He was so deep inside his head I couldn’t let him continue to sit there in pain.
He kissed me back, sending shockwaves throughout my body before he finally smiled and we had a moment. A moment where we both knew we’d become each other's person and yeah, that was also scary as hell.
Dropping my brush, I shake out my hands before making my way through the apartment and towards the door.
Today is our first official date, because apparently the duck pond didn’t count. He was just trying to win me over first – his words, not mine – but it isn’t the fact we’re going on a date that has me nervous.
Tonight is our family meal night at Mom and Dad's, but since Mom heard I had a date, she insisted we go just for dessert. Unfortunately, despite Dad demanding that Elizabeth go out for the night, she and Drake will be there. He was pissed, while Mom was conflicted because she didn’t want to push out my sister from a family meal.
Mom had messaged half an hour ago and mentioned Elizabeth had shown up after someone in town mentioned I had been spending time with a biker who was riding through town. She apparently had no choice but to admit we were coming over after our date.
She’s slowly putting her first again, I can see it and it’s going to hurt me when she’s no longer there for me.
Taking a deep breath, I open my door before coming face-to-face with a man I know will steal my heart, and I suck in a breath at the vision before me.
His hair is in his usual man bun, but damn, he’s wearing a button-down with his cut over it.
Okay, I’m calling it, Elizabeth is basically going to sit in his lap.
“I think you need to change,” I mutter, not able to take my eyes off the man, and his head shoots my way from where he was staring at my hair with a look of awe.
“Why?” he questions, “And why in the fuck have I never seen your hair down before?”
I wiggle my nose and admit, “Because it’s just easier to put it in a bun, this took me an hour to straighten, and it still has a slight curl. And you need to change because my sister will basically climb your lap…” I frown a little, “Maybe we could put a bag over your head or something?”
Bellamy’s shoulders shake with silent laughter. I scowl before I gently shove him and say, “It isn’t funny, Bell!” His laughter gets louder as he grips my hand and yanks me into him, making me gasp before I fall into him willingly.
I wonder what it would be like to just sleep on top of him every night?
I shake my head at the question before we lock eyes. Laughter still shines in his eyes as he cups my cheek and murmurs, “How can she try and sit on my lap when you’ll already be sitting there?”
I swear my cheeks flush with a blush.
Damn this man…
Bellamy leans down and gently presses his lips against mine before whispering, “I think you should always wear your hair down, baby. Now let me spoil you. Your dad mentioned you love Dantes…”
I give him a timid nod and try to push away my insecurities and traumatic experiences of Elizabeth getting whatever she wants.
I move out of Bellamy’s hold, though I instantly miss his touch.
I grab my bag before going back into his side, where he’s lifted his arm and he shuts and locks my door for me.
He guides me down the steps and towards the street.
Instead of moving away from him, from his warmth, I burrow into his side, causing his arm to tighten around me.
It’s weird, I barely know the man, yet I gravitate towards him. The more he’s around me, the more I want to grab hold of him and never let him go.
“Little bird, you ready to tell me all your secrets?” Bellamy asks as he guides us down the street, and I snort.
“Sure, if you’ll tell me all yours,” I playfully retort as I look up at him, and he grins widely.
“I’ll tell you whatever you want to know,” he rasps, and I swear I may be looking more into it, but I think he might mean his words.
My heart flutters at the intensity, and I choke, “Favorite color?”
He grins widely as he opens the door to Dante’s.
“Dark blue,” he admits with a tilt of his lips, and I shyly look at him.
“What about you?” he retorts, and I pull away from him a little and show him my dress, making him laugh and confirm, “Lilac.”
I hum and reply, “Yep, though dark brown is pretty close…”
He smirks as a waitress I cannot stand walks over and asks, “Table for two?” but her eyes are on Bellamy.
Would it be bad if I bitch slap her?
Wait, where did this jealousy come from?
I clear my throat and mutter, “Yes, please,” a little shocked by my reaction, and Bellamy eyes me with knowing smirk on his face.
The little…
I narrow my eyes at the joy that radiates from him at my reaction, and he chuckles lightly as he pulls me closer into him and kisses my head, making me melt.
The waitress scowls when she notices she’s not getting Bellamy’s attention, and I try not to roll my eyes.
Mariah Mathews, my sister's friend and a grade-A bitch.
Huffing, she turns, and we follow as she guides us to the other end of the dark restaurant. She swings her hips, and my jealousy kicks up yet again, which honestly scares the living shit out of me.
Bellamy kisses my head again, and guides me to a seat, pulls it out like a gentleman, which completely contradicts the biker image he has. Mariah huffs again, seeing she hasn’t gotten his attention.
She slams the menus down and storms off, and I snort while Bellamy chuckles as he sits opposite me, then grabs my hands across the table.
“Okay, baby, twenty questions,” he says, and I can’t stop the grin from forming as he asks, “Before ballet became the dream, what was before that?”
I smirk and admit, “Ballet,” and he laughs.
“Thought so,” he mumbles as he shakes his head slightly, and I ask, “What did you want to be?”
I don’t really know what he did, or what he does, to be honest. I don’t know when he first went to prison, but I do know drugs, drinking, and fighting each time he was sentenced were the reasons why.
“For as long as I could remember, drawing was my passion,” he says softly, “I loved it, which is why, before I lost my sister, I was opening a tattoo shop. While I was in prison, the club still opened the shop and forced me to work there each time I was released.”
“Forced?” I question a little, “Do you not still like tattooing? Drawing?”
He half smiles and admits, “I love it, I just felt like I didn’t deserve it,” and my heart instantly aches but the smile that graces his handsome face is everything as he continues, “I hear there is a shop in town and I’m going to see if they have a chair available because a certain blonde has caught my attention and I don’t want to leave her any time soon… ”
I bite down on my bottom lip to try and stop my smile from coming out, but by the grin he gives me, I know he can see it. He leans forward and gently rubs his thumb over my hand. We stay like that, getting to know each other better, before we face my family, or rather, my sister.
I have known him for two days, yet my heart already wants him forever.
What am I gonna do?