Chapter 4 #2
“I’m Luke,” the last man finally speaks up, flashing me a wicked grin in the process. His pearly whites and pointed canines have me feeling flustered. “Welcome to Melrose.”
“I actually grew up here,” I start off, mindlessly twirling a strand of my hair in between my middle and pointer fingers. “I was Saint’s neighbor. I’m surprised we haven’t met.”
Luke twists his upper half, grabbing something from the counter behind him before he responds. “Oh.” His eyebrows scrunch together slightly as he studies me. Although he tries to be subtle, I don’t miss the way he lightly elbows Saint into the side. Looks like he has heard of me.
Saint finally breaks his stare from me, and looks towards Abby. His blue eyes soften as he takes her in, and a ghost of a smile dances across his face. “You didn’t tell me she was coming, babe.”
Abigail hops off her stool and prances over to Saint.
She stares up at him with lust, a look he returns, making my stomach sour slightly.
“And you didn’t tell me that Luke had party favors.
” She bites back with a playful tone before reaching up to him.
I watch as she lightly pulls his face down to hers, kissing him lightly.
Confused, I look at the other two, and while Luke is busy looking down at his phone, I do hold Jackson’s attention. “Uhm,” I start off, wiggling myself slightly in the stool while I attempt to feel less awkward. “Aren’t party favors for kids' birthdays? Like goodie bags?”
Saint breaks their kiss, looking towards me like I’m an idiot.
Luke doesn’t make me feel any better, letting out a snort of amusement.
Even though he seems to find this situation funny, he doesn't once break eye contact with his screen.
Their reactions make me wish I could swallow my tongue and never speak again.
I clasp my hands together under the counter, absent-mindedly digging into the skin around my left thumb.
The only guy who doesn’t treat me like a child is Jackson.
Instead he slips past the side of the counter and slides onto the stool next to me.
His painted nails brush the hair away from my ear before he leans in.
His warm breath fans lightly against my cheek before he responds in a whisper.
“In this town, party favors means coke. But you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. ”
I let out a light gasp before I turn my head to look at him. He returns my glance with a sheepish wink before standing up and walking back over to his spot. The other three all watch me now. Different levels of curiosity are painted across all of their faces, waiting for me to say anything.
“You don’t have to do anything that makes you uncomfortable,” Abby finally responds after a long minute of silence.
She stretches out her hand, lacing her fingers over the top of my own.
Her touch brings me a slight sense of cover.
I’ve only ever drank before, and the idea of mixing coke with my SSRI’s sounds like an absolute disaster waiting to happen.
“Trust me,” Saint starts up, leaning backwards on the other counter, glaring at the two of us.
“Nova’s selfish without encouragement. She’ll only do what’s in her best interest.” He takes another swing from his bottle, emptying out the remaining drops.
His words slash deep into me. What the fuck was that?
I think to myself, frowning over to him with malice.
“Dude,” Jackson starts off, looking over at Saint as if he had just grown a third arm. “Chill man.”
Saint raises up both hands into a surrendering pose. “I’m just saying there’s no reason to worry over peer pressure. This isn’t a fucking DARE class.”
Abby lets out an annoyed sigh, straightening her spine before she attempts to respond.
I cut her off the moment she opens her mouth, she’s done enough for me as is.
She doesn’t need to argue with her little boyfriend over his bad attitude.
“You’re right Saint,” I start off, licking my top teeth before giving him a cheery grin.
“We’re all grown up now, right? No need to worry about me.
” I look over to Luke who’s now fully focused on the people around him.
His arms are crossed over his broad chest as he takes us in like we’re the next hit television show.
His delight in this little battle is evident across his face.
Saint snakes an arm over Abby’s shoulders, although his body is still visibly rigid, he tries to play off the situation. “So Miss Super Nova, will you be joining us?”
Abby practically melts into his body with pleasure when he finally joins her side of the argument. She seems completely unaware of the nickname that had slipped past his plump lips, but I don’t miss it.
“Why does your mama call you supernova?” The nerdy boy asks from next to me on the porch swing. We had spent the afternoon making posters for our lemonade stand. When his mother called us over for some cold water and a snack, we rushed over here as fast as our little legs could carry us.
“I don’t know,” I blubber out through a mouth full of peanut butter and jelly. The gooey goodness coats my mouth before I wash it down. “I think because I’m going to be a star someday.”
Saint pushes his feet off the ground, rocking the swing further. His large glasses make his eyes look as though they’re swimming in little fish bowls. Little blue fish in their little glass containers.
“That’s silly,” he starts off before looking over to me. A light sunburn has turned his cheeks and nose to a bright peach color. “Supernovas burn. It’s like the death of a star.”
I pull myself out of the memory before the rest of it can flood my brain.
“Yup.” I respond, unenthusiastically. I stand up as Abigail makes her way over to my side, looping her elbow through mine the moment both feet are on the floor.
She lets out a light giggle as she hands me another shooter.
Once I snag the little plastic bottle, she retrieves a matching one for herself.
We both quickly down them before following the guys out of the kitchen.
She does it for fun, I do it because I’m desperately going to need some liquid courage for what’s about to come next.
Play Best Friends by Grandson
After the guys had finished checking in on a few of the rooms, we headed upstairs and into what I imagine is Luke’s room.
Like the rest of the house, it’s flawless here.
Ivory walls and floor to ceiling windows blend in beautifully with the giant California king bed.
Crisp white linen covers the mattress, the only indent from where Jackson hops on to it.
It’s so clean in here I almost expect Luke to yell at him.
My chest tightens ever so slightly only for the pressure to release when Luke joins him.
Not every man is an angry one, Nova, I scold myself silently while I make myself comfortable on the small couch across from the bed.
Abigail and Saint sit on the floor in between me and the boys.
Saint wraps his arms around her waist, pulling on her body until her ass is perched on his lap.
He leans forward and gently nips at her neck.
I’m not sure if it's the two shots sloshing around in my stomach or watching them touch so intimately that has my face heating up, but either way I pull out my phone to distract myself. Only one new notification, and it’s from my mother. How exciting.
Mom: Hey SuperNova! The Diaz’s invited your dad and I over for a night cap. We’ll be home late.
“Why don’t we make this fun!” Luke gestures, crossing his arms behind his head and leaning back onto the oak headboard. His muscular arms pull tightly against the sleeves on the button up, and compared to the warmth of the room, his blackwork tattoos look even more harsh than they did downstairs.
“What do you have in mind?” Jackson asks, pulling his legs up from the ground to sit cross legged. The cut off sleeve holes dip down, his toned abdomen peaking through ever so slightly.
“Truth or dare?” Luke questions, raising an eyebrow in a mischievous manner.
Abby bites onto her bottom lip, letting out a small giggle in excitement.
Jackson nods his head, holding back a smirk of his own.
I, on the other hand, feel my nerves intensify.
With their reactions, I can tell this is so much more to them than some child’s game.
Saint seems to be the only one who doesn’t agree. “No. Not with her.” He states blandly, nodding his head towards where I’m sitting.
His constant aggression finally gets the best of me as I down the rest of the beer that Jackson had snagged for me before we had headed upstairs. “What?” I start off, glowering down at him. “Are you fucking scared, Saint?”
“Ooooo.” Abby lets out in a playful tone, reaching up to gently pat her palm against Saint’s cheek.
I can practically see the anger in him. It rises off like steam on an overheated engine.
I subconsciously pat myself on the shoulder for finally standing up for myself.
He has no idea what I’ve gone through. He has no idea who “Nova” is anymore, and he doesn’t get to treat me as if he does.
“Fuck it,” he curses out, raising his second beer to his lips before downing its contents.