Serena
It’s Monday morning after a quiet weekend. I spent most of it with Evie. I decided to sleep at her house Saturday night. After watching Midas freak out in his room, I needed to keep more distance between us because I wanted to comfort him. I wanted to rush over and hold him until he was calm. I wanted to be a shoulder for him to cry on if he needed it.
We drove into Richmond to find our costumes for the party that was coming up this weekend. I can’t believe it is almost Halloween already. So much has happened in such a short time. Thankfully, I haven’t noticed anything else of mine missing, weird text messages, or any more creepy notes in my room.
I’m starting to think it’s the Kings, but I can’t prove anything. It’s stopped for now, so I try to forget about it.
I pull into the café to get my morning coffee before school. I park my car and want to pull right back out again. Odin is leaning against his bike. If I didn’t desperately need caffeine before school, I would leave. Groaning, I get out of my car and walk past him. Of course, he follows me in.
“Good morning, princess. Did you have a nice weekend?” He asks while I wait in line.
I roll my eyes at him but can’t hide the smirk that follows. He is ridiculous, but that”s one of my favorite things about him. I turn back to face the front of the line, but I look up at him from the corner of my eye. His blue eyes remind me of the first morning light shining on the ocean. So bright and full of hope. I used to get lost when I looked into the ocean, and now I am getting lost in Odin’s eyes.
“I’m guessing not as good as yours.” The words are like acid on my tongue. I don’t understand how he can say the things he does to me and treat me the way he does, but he still takes them on a date. I thought we were connecting and getting closer.
“What the fuck are you talking about.” He grabs my shoulder and turns me around to face him.
“Your date with Valerie and Melanie,” I say plainly.
“Who told you that?” Odin looks confused.
“Zane, Ryker, and Axel. They all came over for dinner on Friday night. I thought you knew.” I pinch my brows, confused. “They said you three went on a date. I assumed they were talking about Valerie and Melanie.”
“If I had known my dad was at your house, I would never have left you there with them. You need to promise me to stay away from our dads.” He looks so vulnerable. I rest my hand on his cheek, and he leans into my touch. “Plus, we weren’t on a date. We would never go out with them. The only one we want is you.”
“You promise?” I whisper to him. His body relaxes, and he looks happy again as he nods. “What were you doing then?”
“Our dads sent us on an errand. No, I won’t tell you what it was, Club business. But I promise there is nothing with Valerie and Melanie.” His tone is final, brokering no argument from me.
What I don’t understand is why their dads lied to me. Why would they do that if they knew exactly where they were? Everything is too much to process before my first cup of coffee. We are finally at the front of the line, I order my coffee. Odin orders his own and then pays for both drinks. How does he plan to hold on to that while he rides his bike?
We wait in silence while the barista makes our drinks. Odin’s eyes scanned the coffee shop, watching everyone around us. When he doesn’t see anything, his eyes dart to me.
I feel so hot under his gaze. It’s like he is looking through the bullshit exterior I am trying to keep up with them. He sees through everything. I turn towards the counter to hide my increasingly rosy cheeks. I thank the barista and leave the café, Odin hot on my tail. I unlock my car and sit in the driver”s seat as he opens the passenger door. I stare as he leans over, puts his coffee in the cup holder, and gets out.
He walks over to his motorcycle, waiting for me to start my car. I can”t help but chuckle at him.
The drive to school is quick. I pull into a spot beside Evie’s car, far away from Odin. He quickly parks and runs over to my car. Odin opens my door. His hand out, waiting for me to grab it. Instead, I place his coffee in his hand and push him out of the way. I walk over to Evie, who is standing by the front door.
She looks over my shoulder at the still-stunned Odin, who hasn’t moved from my car. We giggle before walking into the school.
“Are you excited for the party this weekend?” She asks me.
Honestly, not at all, but I can’t tell her that. She has been talking about this nonstop since the beginning of the month, and I refuse to take away her joy. Plus, I spent too much money on my costume and don’t think I could return it. I am nervous about wearing it. It’s very revealing, but Evie talked me into it. The smile on her face makes it worth it.
It doesn’t even take me ten steps into the school before someone bumps into me, spilling my coffee all over my shirt. Valerie and her little minion Melanie are sneering down at me. I roll my eyes and try to keep the hot liquid away from my body. Valerie tilts her head and attempts to give me a menacing smile. It looks more like she is constipated, but I wouldn’t tell her that. It’s hard not to laugh at her.
“Word of advice, the Kings are mine. You would be smart to stay away from them. I saw Odin in your car. Did you offer to blow him in the parking lot or something?” Her whiny voice reminds me of nails on a chalkboard. Irritating and I need to be far away from it. I look over at Evie to see her trying to cover her mouth from the obvious laughter that is overtaking her.
“I’m not afraid of you, Valerie. And a word of advice. They are big boys. They can make their own decisions.” I bite back. The bitch doesn’t scare me.
“Don’t mess with me. I will destroy you.” She tries to threaten me.
I am about to stand my ground, but I feel a hand on my shoulder. Midas. His grip is tight. He doesn’t say anything and gives Valerie a look. She stomps her foot before rushing away. I try to walk away from Midas, but he doesn’t let go of me.
I am still mad and confused with him, but his touch still does something to me. I didn’t need him to step in to tell Valerie off or give her a look. I had that handled. I don’t need him to fight my battles. Anger is building me, and I need a way to get out. Everything he has done comes rushing back to me. How much of an asshole he has been to me. How we had an incredible night together and the next day he left with Valerie. Watching her kiss him.
I smack him across the face. His head snaps to the side, and a malicious smile grows on his abnormally handsome face. I instantly regret it, but I don’t show him that. Evie gasps beside me. No one has ever stepped up to him before, and I did it very publicly.
Midas looms over me, his hands in fists at his side. I never thought he would hit a girl, but right now, I’m not so sure of that. “You will be punished for that, angel.” His voice is low and full of promise.
He storms away from me. I watch him walk down the hall. Valerie tries to grab his arm, but he pushes her away. Valerie says something to Midas. He rakes his hands through his hair, pulling it hard. He groans before wrapping his arm around her and walking away.
Evie nudges me with her shoulder, taking my attention away from my heart breaking a little more.
“So, I was thinking we could head into the city tonight? Get out of town and away from the Kings?” Evie asks me between bites of her burger.
The day is only half over, but I am already so done with it. I haven’t seen the Kings since this morning, but Odin’s words are ringing in my ears. They didn’t go out of them. They want me.
And speaking of the devils, they walk into the cafeteria. Valerie and Melanie trailing close behind. As if they can sense me looking, all three zero in on me. I give them each a smile. Zeus smiles back, and it’s breathtaking. He doesn’t smile often, but when he does, my heart melts for him. Odin beams at me across the room, ready to walk over to me. Valerie steps in front of Odin, instantly souring his mood. She glides her finger across his chest. Odin grips her hand hard and pushes her away. Valerie pouts at him before grabbing Melanie’s hand and storming away.
Valerie and Melanie walk next to our table on the way to the line.
“I am so excited about the party this weekend. Did you hear that Midas and I are doing a couple”s costume? He is going to be Ghostface, and I’m going to be Sydney Prescott.” Valerie’s voice gets louder, making sure I hear her.
I drop my fork, losing my appetite. Evie sneers at Valerie, her hands in fists. She looks so pissed off. It just makes me love her more. I throw a fry at her and shake my head no. They aren’t worth the hassle. They get off on the attention, and I won’t give it to them. They are certifiably delusional. Anyone with eyes can see the Kings aren’t interested.
“Midas is the best boyfriend ever,” Valerie announces before chuckling and walking away. I laugh a little too loudly at her proclamation, earning me a scowl from Valerie. That only makes Evie and I laugh harder. “I can’t wait for the Kings to fuck me like they did last time.”
“Well, I have lost my appetite.” Evie drops her food. “Want to skip the second half of the day and just go into town?”
I look over my shoulder. Valerie is perched on Midas’s lap, her foot in Odin’s. He scowls disgustedly but isn’t pushing her away. Zeus looks so blank and has completely checked out. None look happy, but they are letting her maul them. I think I might be sick watching them.
“We can take my car,” I say back.
We clean up our trays before leaving the cafeteria. Evie walks off to her locker while I go to mine. I open it and out comes a manila envelope. I bend down to pick it up. I don’t have time to look at it now, so I shove it into my bag. I close my locker door and lean against it, waiting for Evie.
I open my phone, seeing way too many texts from Evan. I never respond to him, and I haven’t spoken to him since I answered his call on Friday, but he doesn’t stop. They all say the same thing. How much he misses me and wants me back. I deleted them without reading most of them. Hopefully, he gets the message soon. I am not interested anymore.
I hear footsteps coming my way. Expecting to see Evie walking to me, I was surprised to see Melanie charging at me. I stand up straight, waiting for the verbal attack I know is coming. Melanie stops in front of me.
“I don’t know you, but word of advice, leave the Kings alone. Valerie knows some dangerous people. If she feels threatened enough, she will sick them on you.” She warns me while looking around. Making sure no one can hear us.
I want to ask what she is talking about, but Evie comes down the hall to me, and Melanie takes off. Evie slows down, and we watch Melanie scurry away. I shake the weird feeling I now have off and link my arms with Evie. We walk out of the school and over to my car.
Her by Megan Thee Stallion starts playing through the speakers as we take off from the school. Evie and I sing along. I stop thinking about the weird warning from Melanie or the Kings.
“Where should we go?” I ask Evie when we finally make it into the city.
“There is this great restaurant we should go to. It’s called The Den.”
I type the restaurant name into the GPS and drive through town to find it. I pull into the parking lot and look at the brick building with a black sign with red letters that reads out The Den. The outside looks bland, but it seems busy even for a Monday afternoon.
The inside is beautiful—marble flooring with black accents throughout the space. We are seated in the middle of the restaurant at a nice booth. I look around at the packed restaurant. Most men here are wearing nice suits. I suddenly feel underdressed even if I am wearing a navy blue sundress. I take off my leather jacket and tuck it behind me. I feel a little more appropriate here without it. The menu isn’t too fancy, so I feel more comfortable.
The waiter came by. He looks like he is in his mid-thirties. He is wearing a white button-down shirt and black slacks. All the servers are wearing the same uniform. We order our food and some drinks before he retreats to the kitchen.
“Hello, ladies.” A sultry voice says from behind us.
I turn around and have to pick my jaw up from the floor. I didn’t think any man could compete with the Kings, but this guy could give them a run for their money. He looks maybe a year or two older than us. He is wearing a black three-piece suit with some fancy Italian loafers. He has slicked-back black hair. He is so tall and built but still lean. He gives me a wolfish smile, exposing his perfectly white teeth. What catches my eye about his smile is his sharp canines.
Evie is practically drooling beside me, and I don’t blame her. I am at a loss for words. I try to say hello, but my brain isn’t functioning right now.
“The name is Dante. Welcome to the Den.” His smooth voice makes my body tingle.
“I’m Evie, and this is Serena.” Evie finally figures out how to speak, but I can”t make my mouth move.
He sits down across from me and gives me a devilish smile. I can feel my face redden under his gaze, and I tuck a piece of hair behind my ear. The waiter brings our drinks and puts a glass of whiskey down in front of Dante. He takes a sip. His eyes never leave me.
He has such a commanding presence about him. Everyone eyes him warily as he sits with us. I suddenly feel like I could be in some real danger with him here, but he is so relaxed, not a care in the world.
“I haven’t seen you ladies around here before.” He comments while putting his empty glass down. It’s not even on the table for more than a second before the waiter brings him another. The waiter keeps his head down when serving Dante.
Evie starts rambling about how we are from Fallingbrook and that I am originally from Florida. He nods along with what Evie is saying, but his eyes keep glancing at me. He is polite, responding to her when needed and smiling at her. I can see her melting for him. I still haven’t said anything, but Evie keeps the conversation going by herself.
Not long after, the waiter brings our food and a meal for Dante. I watch while he takes a bite of his steak, his sharp canine making it look like he could rip apart flesh with no problem. I wonder what those teeth would feel like in my skin.
I need to calm my libido. I shouldn’t be thinking about any guy right now like that when I am still so stuck on the Kings. He catches me staring at him and winks at me. I duck my gaze from him and try to hide my rosy cheeks.
“So, do you ladies have any plans after lunch?” He looks at me, waiting for me to respond. “I know a great place we could go to.” He is so bold.
“We have plans.” I finally find some words to say.
“We do?” I kick Evie under the table. “Oh yes, we do.”
“Another time I guess.” He wipes his mouth with his napkin. “I hope to see you again, darling.” He looks me in the eyes and kisses the back of my hand.
Dante gets up from the table and walks to another group of men. All are older than him, but they get up when he approaches. He whispers some words to them, and they all nod. His eyes darken when one of them says something back to him. He is tense but keeps his composure. He replies to whatever, and the older man visibly swallows and backs away. His head bowed, and he nods to Dante.
Evie and I finish. I ask the waiter for the bill, but he tells me I don’t need to pay. The bill has been taken care of. I look back at Dante and see him watching me. He raises his glass to me and smirks. I give him a little wave before grabbing my jacket and walking out with Evie.
“Looks like you have another admirer.” Evie teases me when we get back to my car.
“Shut up.” I laugh back at her.
We didn’t have plans after lunch, so we drove around until I found a salon. A brilliant idea pops into my head, so I pull into the parking lot and drag Evie in. She profusely protested that she couldn’t afford this, but I plan to pay for both of us. My mom makes a great living, but I also have my savings. When my dad passed, he left everything in a trust fund for me.
What’s the point of having money if you can’t spoil your friends?
Evie and I spend the rest of the day getting pampered. Facials, massages, manicures, and pedicures. The perfect girls” day. It was exactly what I needed after dealing with all the craziness I have been in lately. I don’t think I have ever been so relaxed by the time we finish.
I went to pay, but the lady only charged me for one of us. I argued about paying for both, but she insisted the salon was having a two-for-one deal. I could see the lie in her eyes, but I didn’t bother arguing. They say you should never look a gift horse in the face, so I take it.
I dropped Evie off at home and promised to pick her up tomorrow morning. I hug her before she jumps out of my car. I make sure she gets to her house before taking off. The drive isn’t long, and my mind keeps playing lunch repeatedly. Dante”s smile flooded my thoughts.
I guess I have a new type: dangerous men with too much power. I watched him command those men. They all seemed so scared of him but respected him even more. It was such a different dynamic from the King”s MC. Zane controls with an iron fist- so does Midas- but Dante looks like a natural leader.
Then again, I could be completely wrong about him. I only saw him for a few minutes. I don’t know what he is involved in, and I don’t think I could deal with anything worse than an MC. That’s more than enough to deal with as is.
I walk into the house and yell hi to Mom before walking to my room. I plop down on my bed and turn some music on. I finally take the envelope out of my bag and open it. I dump the contents on my bed and instantly wish I didn’t.
Pictures of me scattered across my bed. Me at school, at the café, walking around town, with Evie. There is even one of me walking out of the King’s clubhouse, surrounded by the guys. Their faces scratched out. The last thing I turn over is a note.
Tick tock
I’m coming for you