Chapter 2 #2
Some of my fondest memories are of the occasional nights when my dad and I would attend a party that one of their families hosted. My mother often chose to stay home. She was much too sweet and innocent for the likes of those people. She never felt comfortable, and my father never forced it.
However, I was always fascinated by the inner workings of the elite.
The guys are only three years older than me. When I was five, they were eight. We were the only children who attended the parties, and they always asked if I wanted to play. I’ve never been happier than the times we spent hours in the garden playing hide and seek in the maze at Jasper’s place.
Things changed when I turned ten, and they turned thirteen. Overnight, we went from friendship to nothing. They ignored me at parties from then on, remaining at their fathers’ sides while the men talked business.
I tried asking them to play with me only once after that. In response, Jasper curled his lip into a sneer, looking down his nose at me with disgust, and told me to grow up. He took great pride in telling me that they were no longer kids and this was the real world.
After that, I stopped attending the parties with my father.
For the longest time, they wanted nothing to do with me, and they let me know I no longer meant anything to them.
So why, as soon as I started high school, did I start to feel them watching me?
Every time I felt eyes on me, I’d look around, and one of them would be there; in the hallways, the parking lot, they were watching me.
And for some fucked up reason, I loved their attention.
Not long after, I realized the reason they were watching me was because they were protecting me from the shadows.
And that's when my obsession began.
Despite not knowing why they ended our friendship in the first place, I chose to believe it was because of the life they grew up in.
They were always meant to take over and be something bigger, and even though my father is a part of that world, I wasn’t. I didn’t belong there.
Maybe this whole time it wasn’t because they hated me, but because they wanted to protect me. At least that's what my delusional mind has settled on.
When I’m a few feet from the driver's side door of my Jeep, Sylas steps in front of me.
I suck in a surprised gasp, caught off guard by the unexpected close proximity.
My eyes dart up to meet his bright green ones, which instantly capture my soul.
The corner of his lips tilts upward, and my pulse skyrockets. “Lola Girl.” He practically purrs the words, and it takes everything in me not to clench my thighs together. “It’s been a while.”
Licking my lips, I nod. “It has.”
His eyes rake over me slowly, and for a moment, I feel a little insecure. As a rule, I don’t normally care about what anyone thinks of me, but these three are the exception. I want them to want me, to like what they see.
And right now, I’m regretting wearing my comfy leggings and baggy crewneck. I’m practically swimming in it, the hem of my top hitting just below my knees, appearing to be more of a dress than a sweater.
“Awfully warm to be wearing this.” He reaches forward and plucks at the arm of my sweater. Holy fuck, he just touched me. I think I’m going to pass out.
Breathe, Nola, breathe.
“Awfully warm to be wearing that.” I surprise myself by replying, nodding to the leather jacket that hugs his shoulders perfectly. “Aren’t you sweating under it?”
A low, surprised chuckle rattles from his chest, and a smile takes over his lips. I want to swoon, and I might melt into a puddle at his feet. “You know what? Yeah, I think it is.”
I’m flabbergasted as he proceeds to strip the jacket off. My brain glitches as I gape at him, unable to pull my eyes away from his sinfully sexy body.
“Much better.” He tosses his jacket at me, and I catch it a second before it hits the ground.
“Good seeing you, Lola. Stay out of trouble, yeah?” He winks before walking away, joining Wesley at the car.
I watch him, still disoriented by what just happened, as he rounds the front of the vehicle and slides into the passenger side.
I blink, dumbfounded, wondering if this is really happening or if I’m stuck in a vivid daydream.
Since I’m not bent over that car getting choked out and railed from behind, I’m going to say this is not a dream.
My eyes shift to Wesley, and he holds my gaze for a moment before slipping into the driver's seat. As soon as the door is shut, the car engine starts up. He revs it once before peeling out of the parking spot and taking off.
I watch for a moment as they drive off into the sunset, then turn my attention to the remaining man. I lock eyes with him for the smallest second before he slides his helmet over his face. He starts the bike up before turning his head my way.
I can’t see his face, but I can feel his gaze boring into me.
Then he’s looking away and taking off after his friends.
What the fuck was that? And how can I get it to happen again?
My eyes flick down to the leather jacket. I had unconsciously cradled it against my chest with a death grip, and a giddy giggle bursts free. “Holy fucking hell,” I whisper, practically vibrating.
I stare at the jacket for a moment before bringing it to my nose. Bracing myself, I inhale a lungful of the addicting scent and exhale a lusty moan as the bergamot and cedarwood scent floods my system.
So this is what Sylas smells like. I’m never washing this thing, ever.
I scramble into my Jeep, placing the jacket carefully in the passenger seat, before pulling my keys out of my backpack and tossing it into the back seat.
There's a smile on my face stretching from ear to ear. To anyone else, it’s just a jacket. To me, it’s a whole new chapter in my little fantasy world.
Wait! Is this like when a boyfriend gives their girlfriend their hoodie to wear? Does this mean things are getting more serious? At some point in time, this is practically like a marriage proposal, right?
Baby steps, Nola, baby steps.
Connecting my phone to the Bluetooth, I press play on my pre-selected playlist.
Smoochie Girl by Ashnikko starts playing, instantly adding to my already exhilarating mood.
I feel like I’m walking on cloud nine as I head for home.
I need to get there fast and figure out what those three have planned for tonight. Because I want a front row seat.