Chapter 5 #2
His charm rivals Wyatt’s, but he uses it to get whatever the hell he wants from people who glue themselves to him like moths to a flame, hoping to get noticed by him or take advantage of his resources. But his intellectual nature sees right through them.
Wealthy, powerful, merciless, cruel, and…wicked.
A man who embraces his vices and never hides himself from the light, showcasing all his sins in their hideous glory, almost laughing at those who find it disturbing and horrifying.
The deep V-neck of his T-shirt opens to where a certain tattoo is written across his skin, reminding me of the runes, as if he’d written a certain message with them. My limited knowledge about them doesn’t allow me to read or understand them.
Many men are considered handsome. He’s stunning in a dangerous way as he seems to know all the secrets that might ruin your life, and your soul is a toy in his hands that he easily disposes of once he gets bored.
Belonging to one of the most influential families in the world, his reputation precedes him. Although he had to give up his football career due to an injury, he shows great potential to rule the family empire. Compared to Wyatt, he has an almost ideal relationship with his father.
In fact, both of their families are thick as thieves, and being in their company always hurts me, as their love for one another rips open older wounds in my heart that never really healed.
My brothers fell in love with their sisters, so we are forever connected.
The air hitches in my throat when his piercing blue eyes meet mine, the impact of his stare so strong I barely hold myself from stepping back.
Their intense color reminds me of the ocean during a storm back on our family island, the kind of color I never thought possible to see anywhere else. Yet his eyes…they make me remember things I wish to forget.
They are beautiful and rare, so most people wonder if maybe he wears contact lenses. It should be forbidden to be this hot.
“And who is that?” the same girl who gaped at Wyatt asks. “He’s so intense.”
“That’s Levi Scott.”
“As in Heartless Scott?”
“Yes. He moved back to New York months ago and transferred to the university here.”
“Are they both single?”
“Yes, but they get around. How do you think they got their reputation?”
One of them sighs. “Screw that then. I have no time for emotionally unavailable dudes.”
“I’d make an exception for them.”
Tearing my gaze away from Levi, I roll my eyes at the ridiculous nickname, and my heart squeezes in my chest, unfamiliar sensations rocking through me that seem so strange and foreign I can’t even name them.
All of them must be barely twenty, though, so the word ridiculous in a way describes their life choices as they have their whole adulthood to figure out who they are.
I have no such privilege, and that’s my cue to finally leave and maybe understand why my heartbeat speeds up whenever I see my brothers-in-law.
The in-laws who happen to be ten years younger than me, and one of them is my psychiatrist’s son.
Generally speaking, ethically she shouldn’t work with me since we are family. I refused to work with anyone else, though, and due to my fragile state, they made an exception, so we are stuck together.
Before I can hightail my ass, though, Wyatt speaks up, and his deep voice should be illegal for how intimidating it sounds, no matter what he says.
“Darling,” he addresses me, moving closer, his scent washing over me when he leans forward and kisses me on the cheek.
“How are you?” He hooks the loose strands of my hair behind my ear and grins, the dimple on his cheek deepening, and his knuckles gently graze over my scars.
The thing about Kings?
They give zero shits about personal space when it comes to family, and I’ve long given up trying to act standoffish with Wyatt.
“Haven’t seen you since that disastrous family dinner my sister decided to throw.
I’m avoiding those at all costs from now on.
I think Mom still has nightmares, and I’m in no mood to listen to another lecture from my father. ”
Oh God.
That family dinner will forever be imprinted on my brain, since it ended with Wyatt and Ian, his twin brother, getting into a fistfight. Levi was the one to pull them apart.
“I’m good, thanks.” I notice red droplets on his shirt that are barely visible. “You have a few stains there. You must have spilled something on it.”
“You could say that. It was an eventful lunch.”
I blink at this rather cryptic statement.
His words almost sound like a promise to me.
I don’t have much time to focus on it, though, as another voice speaks up, this one deeper and more sinister.
It creates a sense of silk gliding through me and slowly wrapping around me, pulling me closer to a man, because its sensual tone is impossible to resist. “Lavender.”
The only man who speaks my name in a way that makes my cheeks heat, and the familiar burning in my chest comes back.
Compared to Wyatt, he never calls me anything else.
“Levi.” I mimic him and jerk when he extends his hand to me, expecting a shake, I guess, so I grip it, only to swallow when he lifts it to his mouth instead and presses a soft kiss to my knuckles.
A zapping electricity rocks between us, causing the fire to glide through my veins and awaken something that only confuses me. My heart starts galloping as always, and it’s a sign I need to protect myself from whatever this is.
Pulling my hand away from him, I blink at his bruised knuckles. “Who did you beat up?” At my question, a strange light glistens in his eyes, scaring me.
My relationship with Levi Scott, or rather, the lack thereof, is very simple.
We don’t talk at all and just greet each other.
No way I’ll ever change that, especially with his intense stares.
At least most people pretend to never notice my scars, but he looks at me in a way as if he never wants me to forget they exist. My hideousness probably stands out among the beauty that constantly surrounds him.
“Actually, you know what? Forget I asked.” Stepping back a little so I can see Von as well, I try to keep my voice even.
“Catching up with you all was great, but I have to go now.” I half turn and address the crowd.
“It was nice to meet you.” They all wave at me, and I look at the trio once again.
“Bye, and say hello to your parents for me.”
“Let me know if you need help with your studies.”
“Thanks, Von, and sure.” More like never.
I spin around and hop two steps at a time toward the library, quickly reaching the doors and pushing at them, ready to enter. Instead, I freeze when Levi says, “Someone who deserved it.”
Placing my hand on the door, I look over my shoulder, and ask, “What?” All the while everyone stares at us. Everything inside me shrinks because I despise having everyone’s attention on me, but as always, Levi leaves me no choice.
Since our very first encounter, his single goal in life seemed to be to put me on the spot, as if forming chains around me, not letting me escape and hide in the shadows.
I lift my chin to the sun as warmth travels through my entire system, while the light breeze skims over my legs, bringing much-needed relief in this heat.
Why Rush decided to have his engagement on our island is beyond me. This land has seen so much destruction, one should be forbidden from entering it, letting it heal from all the injustice done to it.
Seagulls chirp soundly in the air, and my eyes open to study them, flying high up as the waves crush against the rock and the ocean nips at my bare toes peeking from the sand.
Gazing into the distance, I wonder if one might find atonement for ruining one’s own life? Or are we forever destined to live in our own hell filled with regrets and lies?
The hair on the back of my neck stands up, and something akin to nervousness, bordering on fear, slams into me. I turn around only to come face-to-face with one of the most handsome men I’ve ever seen.
Although my judgment shouldn’t be trusted in this regard, since I have almost zero experience with the opposite sex.
This man…he seems straight out of a fairy tale.
A prince in search of his princess encountered a beast instead. I twist my head to my “normal” side, too afraid to scare my brother and his fiancée’s guests.
“Hi. You’re probably lost.” He stays silent, so I point behind him.
“The mansion is that way.” My gasp echoes in the space between us when he picks me up swiftly, bridal style, the air whooshing from me.
My feet dangle, dripping water and sand all over his white pants.
Crumpling his shirt, I yelp. “What are you doing?”
My heart clenches in an odd way when our eyes meet.
“Jellyfish.” I look down, and indeed there are several a few feet away. “They can be very vicious.”
“We wouldn’t want you to get hurt during your brother’s engagement party,” another voice calls, and a dark-haired guy comes toward us.
“The idea of making your brothers sweat is a very tempting one, not gonna lie. That being said, not at the expense of you, darling.” He taps me on the nose, and it snaps me out of my stupor.
Wiggling free from the almost deadly hold, I glance between the two of them. “Who the hell are you?”
That’s when I see Aileen and Emmaline running toward us right before the guys envelop them in hugs, and laughter erupts all around me.
“That’s the answer to your question.” Levi’s words bring me back to the present from the hurtful memory.
Because on that day, I saw how true brother-sister bonds flourish in a loving environment where families love each other and stay together, no matter their differences.
The kind of bond I’ll never have with my brothers.
They may love me, but they don’t know me. I don’t trust them to protect me, and as such, our relationship…is a facade and a charade.
And once the truth comes to light?