Chapter 9 #3
I shook my head, a jerk of motion that left me slightly dizzy. “No, it’s okay.” It wasn’t him. Not at all. I could breathe again. “I’m good. It’s fine. People stare for all kinds of reasons.”
The music picked up and distracted me, the tempo more upbeat. I let myself get lost in it, then time moved quickly. Before I knew it, people were getting up and leaving. What time is it?
I blinked fast, realizing I must have missed the conversation entirely. I looked at the guys. Julian and Barrett both watched the stage, but Jeremy’s gaze seemed locked on me. “You okay?”
I nodded. “Sure.”
“Good. Ready to go? It’s almost one.”
Almost one in the morning? My hands shook, surprised I lost so much time. “Yes, I think I’d better.” I needed to post an episode of The Poor Relation immediately then go to bed.
“Okay,” he said easily, then took my hand. We rose together, and the other two followed us. “I loved this,” I said as I turned to Barrett. “It was magic.”
He stroked my cheek with his thumb. “It was. The whole day was magical.” He gestured with his chin toward Julian. “Leave it to you to pull off the impossible, Jules, but you did.”
I didn’t understand, but the car arrived, so we all piled inside the big, black SUV. I ended up next to Jeremy, his thigh warm against my own. Darkness blanketed the city, and I leaned my head against the glass, closing my eyes. Julian said something to Barrett …
I woke up when the car slowed down in front of my building, having missed the entire car ride. My head leaned on Jeremy’s shoulder instead of hard glass, though. I sat up quickly, embarrassment heating my cheeks. “Sorry,” I muttered while trying to recover my dignity.
“Don’t apologize. I loved it.” Jeremy spoke as Julian took my hand in his, his thumb roughly stroking across my knuckles.
We climbed out of the car, my cheeks still on fire. “I hope I didn’t drool or snore or anything weird.”
“You didn’t.” He slid his arm around me and followed his brothers into the building. I didn’t recognize the doorman, but then again, I didn’t usually come through the lobby so late at night.
In silence, they led me upstairs and to my door. “Thank you,” I said to all of them.
The door suddenly swung open behind me, and I turned to see my aunt—still fully dressed—stumbling forward, martini sloshing ahead of her. “What’re you doing out so late?” She slurred her words, blinking at us with unfocused eyes. “Do you know how ’barrassing it is, you are out this late?”
My eyes dropped to the floor automatically, head bowed.
It only brought her bare feet to my attention, surprising me.
Somehow, her feet struck me as so much worse than her shoes, carefully pedicured yet wrinkled like a pale raisin.
“I’m sorry,” I muttered, my scripted response, my eyes locked on those feet.
It wasn’t like I had a curfew, but in any case, when family got angry, I learned it was easier just to apologize regardless.
She poked her finger into my shoulder roughly. “Your mother was such a bitch. Do you know what a bitch she was?” She shook her head. “Then she left me stuck with you. Died, and left me with her little bitch to raise!”
“Hey,” Jeremy began, stepping forward, but Barrett pushed past us both.
I wished I could vanish into the floor. It might be terrible normally to have her scream at me, but having them seeing it made it so much worse.
Barrett’s voice came out icy cold as he snapped, “We’re sorry she was out so late. We’ll be more considerate about getting her home earlier next time.” He glanced back at me. “It’s so late, Alatheia. So you should go straight to your room and stop keeping your aunt up.”
I understood his silent command—he wanted me to go to my room and shut the door while they were still there. It wouldn’t matter, though, which he didn’t understand. I hated nighttime, especially with no lock. Absolutely nothing stopped her from following me inside my room.
Julian’s fingers closed on my arm. “I’ll walk you there. Come on.”
“You can’t come inside our house. I didn’t say you could come inside,” my aunt slurred.
He ignored her, walking me past her and down the hall toward my room. In softer tones, he asked me, “Is she violent? I mean, I get that you’re private, and you like to keep things to yourself. I have to know, though, before we leave you here. Is she going to hurt you?”
I swallowed, realizing I couldn’t lie, not about that. “Not so far.”
“Okay.” He winced. “I hate that you don’t have a phone.
Go into your room and lock your door. She’ll sleep off her crazy.
You’re not a bitch, and I hope you know that.
I hate that you don’t have a phone. I know I just said that, but you do have a computer, right?
” He quickly rattled off his email address.
“In an emergency, send me a message. I’ll come. ”
I shook my head. “You can’t possibly wait up checking your email. Go to bed. I’ll be fine. There’s no lock, but … she’ll lose interest, I think, once you leave.”
Julian leaned over and kissed me square on the lips.
Heat sizzled from the point of contact, frying my ability to think and capturing my breath.
I started to melt when his lips lingered, teasing me into response.
My body heated up, butterflies fluttering through my stomach, and my cheeks probably glowed red as cherries.
“Good night,” he said, easing back as I blinked and tried to find my balance.
“I think you just gave me my first real kiss. Well, yesterday was sort of that, I guess.” I covered my lips with my fingertips, regretting my stupid honesty and sudden blabbermouth.
He kissed me again, and I forgot my embarrassment before he lifted his head again, lost in the fire of him. “I wish I waited, so it could have been mine, too. Goodnight.”
I blinked at him, confused, wondering why he would wish such a thing.
I stood frozen and watched as he exited around the corner of my apartment.
Eventually, I heard the front door close.
I waited, wondering if she would come down my hallway to continue her attack.
She didn’t. Eventually, I let out a jagged breath.
When I sucked in another slow breath, I reminded myself I would be okay … probably.
Back in my bedroom, I closed the door and tried not to regret the lack of lock. Turning to my computer, I published the Poor Relation episode I’d planned for the day. After changing my clothes in a completely zoned out state, I climbed into bed.
It was Saturday tomorrow, which meant I wouldn’t see their grandmother.
I started thinking of her as Granny, but I knew I shouldn’t think of her in such familiar terms. She wasn’t my Granny; she was theirs.
I needed to remember that, and their shoes.
Dina. She wanted me to call her Dina. D in her journal.
Jeremy wants to make plans. I didn’t know what kind, but something about the possibilities of them fascinated me.
Probably it won’t happen, though . I should resign myself in advance to being alone tomorrow, which was the norm anyway.
I reminded myself of how normal, in fact, even as I rubbed away the tears that wouldn’t stop streaming down my cheeks.
I woke in a daze. After a shower, I could almost forget how the best day ever ended with such an awful scene with my aunt.
Because the rest of the day had been the best …
ever. My lips curled into a grin just remembering it.
I spun in a circle, dancing a little since no one could see me.
Unlike the night before, I didn’t mind the idea of a day alone, so I pulled on old jeans and a cropped t-shirt with hearts.
The shirt wasn’t my usual style, but their grandmother liked it, and the fabric felt so soft against my fingertips.
My damp hair might be spiraling out, more frizzy than normal, but it didn’t really matter.
Part of my bra strap played peekaboo on my shoulder, since the cut of the shirt slouched, but it wasn’t like anyone would mistake it for flirtation in my own room.
Somehow, just thinking of flirtation brought back memories of the feel of Julian’s kiss, so I pressed my fingertips against my lips.
Heat suffused my cheeks as I admitted to myself if Barrett wanted to kiss me, I would let him.
Jeremy would also work. My smile grew. Oh boy.
It might be messed up, but I liked all of them, which had to be wrong in some way.
Maybe I should just tell them, again, to stay away from me?
As I stared at the egg shelf in the refrigerator, it didn’t offer any answers, so I tapped my fingertips against the door.
A noise caught my attention. What is that?
I looked around, absolutely baffled before I realized it was the front door.
My aunt wasn’t around, likely still in bed.
My uncle never made an appearance on a weekend morning, and it wasn’t like we often had visitors.
I peeked through the keyhole, curious who might be there.
Jeremy looked even more handsome than I remembered. My heart rate kicked up, and I opened the door quickly, my mouth falling open in shock before I managed, “You’re here.”
“We have plans, remember? I couldn’t reach you, so I just came over. I would’ve just knocked every ten minutes until someone let me in so I could get to you. I can be … persistent. Come on. Let’s get out of here.”
I glanced down at my outfit. “Is this okay or should I change?”
His grin spread, going slightly predatory again. “You should never change.”
“Funny.” Despite my dry response, a slight giggle escaped me. “Seriously, though, should I change my clothes?”
“Just grab shoes. You look great.”
I didn’t, but if he didn’t mind, I wouldn’t bother with pretense. I turned to close the door. “Do you want to come inside while I grab my shoes? Or maybe you shouldn’t.”
“Oh, I should.” He followed me inside, staying close behind me all the way to my room. My laptop sat open after my work on Poor Relation, so I quickly closed it and slid it into the drawer of my bedside table. He didn’t seem to notice, turning around slowly to take in my space.
“It smells like you here. Warm, and so, so sweet. I think I could spend hours just inhaling your scent.”
I slid my feet into my shoes as quickly as possible.
“You smell good, too, but listen …” I needed to be honest with him before things got out of control and we found ourselves with a problem.
“Julian kissed me last night—twice. Maybe we shouldn’t go out.
I don’t want to cause issues between brothers. ”
He shook his head, his smile somehow not at all the shocked expression I expected. “I know it’s not fair for me to ask you to trust me, but I promise, it’s fine if he kissed you. He didn’t tell us, and honestly, I’m not surprised. Still, you can kiss him yesterday and date me today. I promise.”
“Is this … going to blow up in my face?” I bluntly put the question out there, hoping he would be honest in return. “I’m not strong, not really. I can’t take another explosion in my life.”
Jeremy put his hand out to cup my cheek. “You are stronger than you realize, I can tell. But, no, I promise, this won’t blow up in your face. When it comes to us, we don’t ever intend for anything bad to happen to you, Alatheia.”