CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
ALEXANDRA JONES
CLARK WHISPERED, HIS VOICE TINGED WITH SADNESS, “so he isn’t gay?” I shook my head, knowing that Ares was definitely not gay.
“Definitely not gay, Clark.” Clark let out a disappointed sigh and slumps onto my bed while I absentmindedly flip through a magazine.
He turns his head to look at me, his disappointment evident.
“Because he’s the complicated man I was telling you about,” I finally confess.
His eyes widened in shock, and he quickly sat up, exclaiming, “no fucking way.”
“Yes way,” I admit, feeling guilty for keeping this secret from him to spare his feelings. “I didn’t want to ruin your mood.”
“Alexandra Jones, please tell me exactly what happened when you asked him if he was gay.” he pleaded eagerly, his curiosity getting the better of him.
I hesitate, unsure if I should share the intimate details with him, but he was insistent. “I-ahhh-I don’t think you want to know,” I stammer, trying to evade the question.
He looks determined, his mouth hanging open.
“I so do!” He declares, wanting to hear every detail.
“Well, he sort of…we kissed and nearly done it before I stopped it.” He groans, slamming my head with the magazine he once had. “Ow!”
“Are you stupid! You had a handsome, six foot five, muscular man ready to go down on you and you stopped him!” He slaps me again with the rolled-up magazine, I let out a long laugh and push him right off me.
“Ow! Okay, okay, I get it!” I say, rubbing my head with a playful grimace. “But you don’t understand, it’s not that simple.”
He narrows his eyes, clearly not convinced. “Not that simple? What’s not simple about it? He’s practically a Greek god and you stopped him? Are you insane?”
I sigh, trying to find the right words to explain. “It’s just... complicated. And besides, I didn’t want our first time to be in the tattoo parlour like some cheesy romance novel.”
He rolls his eyes, clearly unconvinced. “Yeah, because waiting for the perfect moment always works out in real life, doesn’t it?”
I shoot him a pointed look. “Where did you lose your virginity?”
“In the back seat of a car.” He replies instantly. “Her name was Katerina Mackenzie, and she was what made me gay.”
“And that is something I would not want to be remembered as.” I shot out, sliding off the bed.
“What? Are you scared you’re going to make Ares gay or something?”
I let out a laugh and throw a pillow at him. “No!”
“Well, I guess that settles it then,” Clark said, shaking his head in amazement. “Definitely not gay.”
I nodded, glad that Clark now had his answer.
“So, what are you doing tonight?” Clark asks, his eyes sparkling with curiosity as I rummage through my clothes in my cramped closet.
“We’re going out on a date,” I reply, frustration building as I realised, I had nothing suitable to wear. I finally pulled out a dress that was slightly longer, but it still had a touch of allure that I desired.
“But I have nothing!” I groan, slamming the cupboard door closed and sliding down against it in exasperation.
Clark’s face lit up with a mischievous grin.
“Then this calls for a shopping trip,” he declares, getting up from my bed. “Come on, let’s go and find you a nice dress and some lingerie.”
I looked at him, surprised by his suggestion. “Lingerie? Why would I need that?”
He chuckled, his eyes dancing with amusement.
“Because you’re going to lose your virginity tonight!”
I roll my eyes at him.
“Fine.”
It was a dark shop, filled with racks of different coloured lingerie.
The fact that it is my first time ever entering a shop like this weirds me out a little, but Clark struts in ready to start shopping. I follow behind him like a lost puppy, my fingers trailing the hangers.
“I think red would suit your skin tone.” He speaks as he raises the red bra against my body, I glance down at the price and my eyes widen.
Sixty dollars for one bra?
“Clark, I can’t afford this.” I whisper, embarrassment glowing on my face. I wanted to leave; I knew shopping in a store like this would be expensive.
A good escape comes through as I slide out my phone to see Catherine calling me. I raise a finger at Clark before heading out of the store for better signal, “hello?” I speak.
“Alex…hey…ahhh…I miss you!” She slurs out her words, clearly drunk.
“Catherine? Are you drunk?” I question her as I look around the busy shopping mall.
“No!” She hiccups. “I…am not drunk!” She begins to laugh, and I sigh.
“Where are you? I’ll come pick you up.” Clark comes in front of me, raising his hands and I mouth that it was Catherine.
“No! It’s not like I’m at the club downtown…” then I hear her vomiting.
I glance up at Clark, “can you take me to the club downtown?” He nods his head as we make our way to the car, I end the phone call-slightly annoyed since I did want to do some shopping but at the same time relived.
Once we reach the club, I step out of the car. “It’s okay, you can go-sorry about this.”
“No problem, call me if you need anything.” I shut his car door and slip inside the club. The club was packed, bodies pressed against each other in a sweaty frenzy. Why was it so busy this early on?
“sorry, excuse me-just passing through. Cathy!” I shout above the music, my voice barely audible.
And then, I spot her.
Half asleep, leaning against the exit door, Cathy looks like she was about to collapse. She wore a tight red dress that left nothing to imagination, and I turn my head to see a couple of guys checking her out-about to head towards her drunken state.
“You are going to be the death of me,” I mutter under my breath, pushing my way through the crowd to reach her. Apologising and excusing myself to the annoyed club-goers, I finally reach her side. I crouch down, gently whispering her name, “Cathy?”
I push her hair away from her face, she looks up at me- her mascara stained her cheeks, she’s been obviously crying. What had upset her so much? “Hey, come on lets go home okay.” I tuck my arm under hers as I slowly begin to lift her from the ground. She sniffles, crying into my shoulders as I prop her onto her feet. There was no response from her; she seems to be lost in a hazy stupor. I try shaking her gently, but she remains unresponsive, though I could see that she was still breathing.
Concerned for her well-being, I knew I had to get her out of there before the same which happened to me thing happens to her. Pushing open the exit door, we entered a dimly lit tunnel that led away from the pulsating music. She was too heavy for me to lift; she didn’t even attempt to take some of the weight off, but I managed. I tried.
“Hey, wake up,” I urge her, hoping to rouse her from her dazed state.
Suddenly, her eyes shot open, and she doubles over, vomiting on the floor. I wince at the sight but kept a firm hold on her, not wanting her to fall.
“It’s alright, Cathy. Just let it out,” I reassure her gently, rubbing her back soothingly as she continues to be sick. Once she was done, she leans against the wall, looking exhausted and disoriented. “Cathy, what happened?”
“He dumped me.” She cries out. “He broke up with me.”
I hear footsteps, my head turns, and the group of guys exit the same way we did. One specific tall one locks eyes with me, a smirk spreading across his lips. “One second guys.” He speaks, heading over to us.
Oh, for god sakes.
“Catherine, get the hell up.” I whisper, trying to pull her onto her feet.
“Sorry Miss.” I drag Catherine onto her feet. “Sorry, don’t mean to bother you.”
“Well, you are.” I respond back. “Come on Catherine.” She is getting on my nerve; never have I met a stubborn drunk before.
“You don’t need to be rude; you know.” I look up, and I could tell that I angered him.
“Leo, let’s just go man.” One of his friends speak up, walking towards us.
“Nah, this girl thinks she’s all that- well you aren’t. Your friend is though.” He takes a step forward, and I stand up immediately.
“Go away!” I snap, my voice trembling with a mix of fear and frustration. Leo’s eyes widen with amusement, his laughter cutting through the tense air like a knife. His friend approaches, and I glance desperately in his direction. “Please,” I implore, though a surge of anger rises within me at the thought of having to beg for our safety. It shouldn’t be this way. A woman’s words should be respected without question, but Leo’s bruised ego refuses to yield. Instead of leaving like I begged him too, Leo takes another menacing step towards me, his hand reaches out to grab my face.
Instinctively, I recoil, pushing him away with all the strength I can muster.
“Oh, you’re going to get it now-” Leo begins, his voice dripping with anger. But his friend grabs his arm and shoves him back. “What the fuck are you doing?”
Leo’s friend steps between us, a protective barrier against Leo’s mounting anger. “She’s with Ares,” he speaks, his tone firm.
Leo’s gaze flickers to me, and I feel a shiver run down my spine at the intensity of his stare. His eyes linger on the delicate necklace around my neck.
“Sorry, Miss,” Leo mutters, his voice laced with frustration. He raises his hands in surrender, a gesture of acknowledgment of his mistake. “I didn’t see that necklace of yours. I’ll leave you to it.” I watch as Leo turns away, his steps heavy with unresolved tension. His friend follows closely behind, casting a cautious glance over his shoulder as they retreat into the crowd.
I let out a slow breath, the tension in the air dissipating with their departure. I glance down to see a sleeping Catherine, and I wake her up. “come one, Catherine, let’s go.”
“The necklace of love protected us.” She chuckles, her hand grabbing onto my necklace. “I want this necklace!” She yells out, barely getting her words right.
“Catherine, let go.” I grab her wrist, trying to remove her hand away from the necklace. Suddenly, the necklace is ripped of my neck. My eyes widen as I watch it fall right into the drain before I could even attempt to catch it. “No!” I yell out, I rush towards the drain.
“Oh my god, I’m so sorry-” Catherine speaks before vomiting, I reach the drain and look down, using my phone as a flashlight.
I turn back to her, my eyes filled with a mix of anger and sadness. “Why would you do that?” I choked out, trying to comprehend her actions.
“Alex... I’m sorry,” she whispers, her face now registering the shock of what she had done. But her apology couldn’t bring back the lost necklace, the sentimental value it held, and the memories attached to it. Ares is going to kill me.
Instead of struggling, I text Ares:
Alexandra (8:07pm): Ares, can you pick me up please.
I take a seat beside Catherine, her head dropping onto my shoulder as she begins to sniffle. A wave of emotion washes over me, and I find tears welling up in my eyes. What if that necklace held something for him? Now it feels like everything has been thrown away.
As I wrestle with my thoughts, frustration begins to bubble up inside me, mingling with the sadness that hangs heavy in the air. And yet, even as I grapple with my own emotions, I can’t help but feel a growing irritation towards Catherine,
Ares (8:11pm): send me your location.
We wait patiently for Ares after I sent him my location, my fingers rushing through my hair. The sound of tires on the road breaks the silence, and the bright headlights pierce through the darkness, heralding his approach. With a sense of eagerness tinged with apprehension, I watch intently as he steps out from behind the wheel, his presence commanding attention as he strides towards us. I stand up, his arms wrap around my waist as he hugs me. “You good butterfly?” He whispers.
“I’m fine,” I reply, mustering a faint smile. “Can you take us home, please?” His nod is all the confirmation I need, and I watch as his gaze flickers over to where Catherine sat against the wall. “She’s drunk.”
“I can tell,” Ares responds, his voice tinged with understanding as he approaches Catherine. With a gentle yet firm grip, he lifts her up from the ground, offering her support as we make our way towards the car. He guides her inside before closing the door with a resounding thud.
The journey back home is marked by a heavy silence, each of us lost in our own thoughts. I steal glances at Ares from the corner of my eye, observing the furrow in his brow and the tension in his shoulders.
Reaching the house, he helps me bring her up the stairs silently.
“Let me get the bath on.”
I head to the bathroom and turn the water on to fill the bathtub. Once it’s filled, I return to my room and gently pull Cathy from my bed. She groans and leans heavily against me as I guide her to sit on the closed toilet lid. Carefully, I help her out of her dirty clothes before assisting her into the warm bath.
“I’ll get you some Advil and tea for your hangover, and please stay here for fifteen minutes, okay?” I tell her, hoping the warm bath will help her feel better.
She grabs onto my hands, her expression apologetic. “Sorry about the necklace.”
“So am I,” I whisper back.
I shut the door behind me and watch as Ares looks at the collage of photos stuck on my wall. I head to my wardrobe to find some medicine, and as I’m rummaging through my belongings. I turn around, as does he.
His eyes briefly glance at my neck, and I know he’s wondering about the missing necklace. His fingers gently graze my neck, and I understand that he’s asking without saying a word - where is your necklace?
“Where is your necklace?” He finally asks, voicing the question that hangs between us.
I take a deep breath, do I lie? Wait, why do I need to lie?
“Catherine ripped it of my neck, it fell down the drain near the club.” I whisper, in the dim light, his eyes glimmer like precious gems, hinting at a hidden fire burning within. The contrast between his strong, masculine features and the softness of his gaze creates a paradox that leaves me both breathless and at ease. When he looks at me, it’s as if he sees straight into my soul, peeling away the layers of my guarded heart. The depths of his eyes seem bottomless, filled with an ocean of emotions that I long to explore.
“Guess I’ll have to give you a new one.”
I raise a brow as he steps forward, I step back, and my back collides against the shelves of my cupboard. He pushes my hair away from my shoulders, revealing my neck to his greedy eyes as he sinks his lips onto my skin.
My head falls back, and the towels that rested in one hand suddenly drops. I gently gasp as I feel his mouth pressing down on my skin like a vampire, and I softly groan. I slowly rush my fingers through the back of his dark hair and release soft moans under my breath.
His lips crawl back up as his mouth presses onto mine, “Alex?” I hear Catherine call my name, I gasp and push Ares away.
“One second.” I yell out, I bend down onto my knees and stack the towel.
Before slowly looking up, I realise I’m right near his groin, and he notices, his gaze lingering there for a moment. He crouches down, wiping the wetness off my lips with his thumb. “I prefer you on your knees,” he murmurs, his voice laced with desire.
A blush spreads across my face, and I shoot up, feeling flustered by his suggestive comment. “Stop,” I manage to whisper, my voice barely audible.
He arches an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. “Stop what?” He questions innocently, his eyes twinkling with mischief.
“Stop doing that.”
“Doing what, butterfly?” He teases, the smirk on his lips deepening.
I take a deep breath, trying to compose myself despite the heat rising to my cheeks. “Stop teasing me,” I finally manage to say, my voice firmer this time. I push past him, heading to the bathroom. I push the door open and hand her a towel, she changes into the clothes I’ve given her and walks out of the bathroom.
“Can I sleep on your bed?” She asks, I nod my head as she walks ahead and drops onto my bed, snoring already.
I turned my head and see Ares sitting on my chair, casually flipping through my sketchbook. “So, what did you do today?” He asks, I make my way toward him settling down on my desk, and he took my swinging leg, spreading them as he fit in-between, his presence sending a jolt of excitement through me.
“I was actually shopping,” I reply, smirking as I brushed my fingers through his soft hair while he looked up at me.
“What were you buying?” He questions, his eyes locking with mine.
“Lingerie,” I whisper, feeling a surge of arousal as my hands fell to the sides of his face. He slowly stood, towering over me, and his grip on my neck tightened slightly.
“Show me,” he demands in a low, husky voice.
“I didn’t buy anything; it was so expensive.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
I chuckled, sliding off the desk and heading to close my cupboard. “Why would I tell you?” I asked playfully.
“Why wouldn’t you tell me?”
Without hesitation, he reaches into his back pocket, pulling out a sleek Black American Express card. I raise an eyebrow in surprise as he held my bottom lip, gently opening my mouth and tucking the card inside.
He leans in, pressing a soft kiss on the side of my lips, leaving me breathless. “Use it, it’s yours,” he murmurs against my skin before heading towards the balcony.
I quickly took the card out of my mouth, “Ares!” I whisper loudly, realising that Catherine is still asleep. I hurriedly put on my trainers and rush after him as he made his way down the balcony stairs.
“Ares, I don’t need your money,” I said, trying to catch up with him.
“I know,” he replied calmly, opening his car door. “My favourite colour is red, by the way.”
I rolled my eyes playfully and tucked the card into my bra.
“I’m going to spend all your money.” I threaten him.
He scoffs, “let me know when you do.”
I grinned, feeling a surge of playful energy between us. “Oh, don’t you worry,” I tease, leaning back in the passenger seat as he started the engine. “I’ll be sure to give you a full report on my spending spree.”
Ares chuckled, his eyes flickering with amusement “Looking forward to it.”