SIX
Aliya
PRESENT
Two days.
Two fucking days of skipping class and searching Midtown for my bracelet instead. I searched the parking lot, the sidewalks around the venue, and even the place where I was left.
God, I even called the Masonic Temple and asked if they had found a bracelet with a pendant when they were cleaning up, but of course no one got back to me.
So, my savings were used up on the many cab rides and I still haven’t got my bracelet back.
There’s one last place I haven’t checked, and to be honest, I’m afraid to do it.
Milan’s car.
I have no other choice. The bracelet is too important to me to just forget about it.
I catch sight of Shin in the break hall and walk toward him. He’s sitting at a table with a few others from the basketball team. Damian and Milan are out of sight.
“Masuda,” I address him, causing everyone at the table, including him, to look at me in surprise.
He raises an eyebrow, visibly annoyed that I’ve addressed him.
“Where’s Shane?”
His jaw twitches. “What do you want from him?”
“I need to ask him something.”
“Shane doesn’t go for brunettes. But I’d love to answer all your questions.” John McKinney, a basketball player one grade below me, winks at me.
Not exactly amused by his comment, I turn back to Shin. “Where is he? I know he’s here.”
Earlier, I overheard two girls talking about how one of them was bumped into by Milan this morning and the other was one hundred percent sure he did it on purpose to get her attention.
Even I’m not that delusional.
Shin eyes me uncertainly and hesitates to answer.
“Like I said, I-”
McKinney is interrupted by Shin. “He wanted to smoke. He’s probably at the back entrance.”
I nod my thanks to him before pushing my way through the students who want to get to the break hall.
Voluntarily placing myself in the clutches of a predator who has threatened to destroy me is not my smartest decision. But when have I ever listened to my mind?
I don’t know if he’ll listen to me, but I need my bracelet back.
Opening the door, I look around, but not a soul is to be seen anywhere. Nevertheless, I can detect the faint smell of cigarettes. He’s probably finished and gone back into the hall.
I’m just about to turn back when a hand rests on the glass door and pushes it open further.
I flinch and turn to the person behind me.
Night-black eyes look down at me dismissively. “You’re in the way.”
When I realize that I am indeed in his way, I immediately back away so that he walks past me and lights a cigarette. He takes a drag and relaxes his taut shoulders, as if he’s smoked for the first time in weeks.
I clear my throat to attract his attention.
It’s time to get this over with as quickly as possible.
He looks at me and examines me from head to toe before taking another drag. “I’m not in the mood for sex. Get out of my sight.”
“That’s not what I asked for.”
“Then why are you here?” He looks at me, bored, and I wonder how many girls have asked him for sex that he so easily assumes I would too.
But his question raises more question marks in my head. Does he not remember that I scratched his car or why is he reacting as if this is our first conversation? Maybe he really does have a short-term memory and has forgotten me.
“I’ve lost something. And I think it’s in your car.”
He raises an eyebrow, the cigarette between his fingers, until his features loosen and the corner of his mouth twitches. “Oh, you’re the bitch who scratched my car.”
I grind my teeth inconspicuously and try to contain my anger. “My bracelet. It’s probably in your car.”
He sits down on the steps and smiles. “A bracelet?”
“Can you look for it? Please.” It hurts my pride so much to say these words out loud.
He takes a deep drag and blows out the smoke, which slowly curls upwards, a hazy spiral that winds gently into the air and then disappears into nothingness.
“What was your name again? Alina?”
“Aliya,” I correct him grimly.
“There’s nothing in my car.”
I’m sure he hasn’t even looked. Maybe it slipped under the seats. It just has to be there, otherwise I don’t know what to do.
“Then check again.”
The tiny hint of amusement disappears abruptly from his expression. “First you scratch my car and now you have the audacity to give me orders?”
Okay, maybe I’ve gone too far.
“It’s important to me, okay? I need it back.”
Milan stubs out his cigarette, rises from his seat and now towers over me.
I look up at him as he leans down toward me with one hand in his pants pocket. Although his aura makes me nervous as hell once again, I try to hold his gaze.
He has to understand that I’m serious.
“Now that I think about it …” He pulls something glittery out of his pocket. “Are you talking about this?”
My eyes widen as I recognize my bracelet in his hand. Carelessly, I lean forward to snatch it from him, but he acts faster and holds it up so that I can’t reach it.
“Not so fast, sweetheart.” He wraps it around his index and middle finger.
“What are you doing?”
“Maybe I’ve taken a liking to your bracelet.”
I scoff. “It’s mine.”
His lips curl into a sly grin. “Not anymore.”
How naive of me to think he’d just give it back to me.
I watch as he plays with the bracelet, wrapping it around his fingers like a noose. I grit my teeth in frustration, swallowing my pride.
“I’m sorry I scratched your car. You can give me the bill. I’ll cover all the costs, but please, give back my bracelet.”
“Too bad, I don’t care.”
Before I can realize it, a painful crack shatters the silence.
My breath catches as my bracelet falls to pieces in his hands and the tiny pearls spread across the ground.
His smoky gaze meets mine and I can see the triumph in his eyes, the satisfaction at having destroyed something in me, just as he predicted.
“Oh no, now I’ve accidentally torn it.”
I fight the impulse to cry to avoid showing him a sign of weakness.
I won’t let him see how much he’s broken me.
I’d rather he had hurt me physically. But this … It was my last reminder of Lio.
“Talk to me like that again and your bracelet will be the least of your worries. Now, get out of my sight.” His dark voice is no more than a whisper, and though he smiles, his eyes spit black flames.
My gaze focuses on the lotus flower pendant at his feet.
I’m inferior to him.
I never should have messed with him.
Without another word past my lips, I walk past him to enter the building.
“See you around, Alina ,” he calls after me impeccably as the door slams loudly behind me.
Once again, I’ve been intimidated and humiliated.
And that by someone who can’t even remember five letters.