“No, they’re for Reed. What the fuck do you think?” I snapped, rubbing the back of my neck. I’d never given any girl anything before. Not even my mother because I didn’t think it was worth it. Yet, I had brought the damn flowers and gift because I wanted to see her face light up, and now, knowing that I caused it only made me want to do it more.
I scowled, hating her as much as whatever other feeling emerged because of her.
Placing the large gift I got her on the floor, she brushed her hair back to smell the flowers. Then, finally, her eyes found mine, her head tilted to the side, and a beautiful, spell-breaking smile appeared on her face. An expression I had never seen her make either. “Thank you. They’re beautiful.”
Though not compared to you.
I bit my tongue to stop myself from saying it out loud. Once more, my control was slipping. I needed to make it more than clear that it meant nothing. I may have gone out of my way to get her a personalized bouquet rather than getting one of my household staff do it. I may have gone back to the mall and got a speeding ticket because I was cutting it close before closing time.
But none of this was for her.
At least, that’s what I liked telling myself.
“They were on sale. So it’s whatever,” I lied before she went to grab an empty vase. She placed the flowers inside, smiling ever so warmly. It was weird to see how happy and relaxed she looked. When we weren’t going at one another’s throats, and she showed this other side, it made my heart feel … content. This was a really strange feeling and it baffled me that I had never experienced it before.
It made me want to remove whatever walls she had that made her act out, and build her back up.
Build her back up with me in it.
When she was done, she pointed at the large box on the floor. “What is it?”
“Open it already,” I grumbled, shoving my hands into my pockets. “It’s not a bomb or some shit, in case you’re wondering.”
“I wasn’t,” she commented. “Though now I feel like I should be concerned. Unfortunately, Nina isn’t home either. She went over to sleep over at one of her friend’s, I think—not sure. So if a bomb explodes, she won’t be taken with us.” She grinned.
For my cock’s sake and my sanity, I wished she didn’t tell me she was home alone with me right now. Or that she wasn’t smiling at me like that. Also, how could she be so trusting though?
Was she like this only with me? Or with everyone else, as well? What about her best friend, Justin?
I watched with bated breath as she slowly picked up the box. She took a seat, staring at the box for a while before opening it. She gasped. Watching her reaction like a hawk, it only confirmed my suspicion of her.
My little Starlight enjoyed the simple things in life like drive-through meals and flowers over elegant restaurants and materialistic goods. Though Tori had wanted those shoes, it wasn’t because of the brand but rather because she liked how they looked.
Ever so slowly, she lifted one heel out of the box. Her face was so devoid of any emotion, I thought I’d got her the wrong pair—but that was until her eyes pierced mine. “You … How did you know I wanted these shoes?” she asked, sounding timid and small like a child.
“I have eyes, Starlight,” I murmured. The look of pure confusion about what she should feel when someone had paid attention to her almost brought me to my knees. I hadn’t liked the fear in her eyes when I pushed her into the pool, and her distraught expression now was no better.
Christ, had anyone ever given her the time of day?
How could they be so blind to the purest woman to walk this Earth?
She was so easy to read, and once you got past her sarcastic shell, she wasn’t a wolf at all. No, she was nothing more than a small rabbit that would barely hurt a fly. Once more, I didn’t like the look on her face and the emotions coursing through me. I liked it when I was in control, which only ever happened when I was sizing her up and trying to get her to submit.
“Thank you.” She smiled at me and set the shoe back down. “But you should return them, though.”
I should have expected that one. I pressed my lips into a thin line. “No.”
“I can’t accept them. They’re too expensive,” she rebutted, shaking her head vigorously. If only she knew that it barely made a dent in my wallet to start with. Almost as if she could read my mind, she set her lips into a grim line. “Or use the money for something more practical. What do you rich people do? Invest it?”
Baby, if only you knew, I am investing right now to get you into opening yourself more to me.
“I threw away the receipt,” I told her, crossing my arms. There wasn’t a chance I’d be losing this battle. “If you want, I’ll just throw them away then. Not sure if you knew, Starlight, but no one does return stuff in this town, and it certainly won’t start with me.”
“Egos,” she mumbled. “What about donating them?”
I almost blurted out that’s what I was doing, but that would have led to an even bigger fiasco. She wasn’t a charity case, she’d told me several times—nor did I see her as one. I just didn’t know how else to get her to accept something other girls would kill themselves over. “We don’t have a donation center anywhere near here, and you know it. So stop wasting my time and wear them already before we’re late.”
She locked her gaze with mine for it wasn’t like her to back down, but there wasn’t a damn chance I’d let her get the upper hand. Whether she liked it or not, I had set my eyes on her, and I’d do anything to keep her. Finally, after what seemed like forever, she sighed and glanced down. “How much were these again? I’ll pay you back.”
“You’ll pay me back by accompanying me and not making me late,” I retorted instead, straightening my back. “Hudson and Zayn are already there, and I don’t want to keep them waiting any longer than necessary.”
“The event can’t start with you?” she asked.
Christ, I sometimes forgot how out of the loop she was. I exhaled and counted to ten before saying, “The charity event is hosted by Accessicom, so I’ll be the one giving the speech this year. Technically, therefore, it can’t start without me. It’s sort of a breakthrough speech for me, because afterwards my father is supposed to hand the company over to me. I’ve been working there for years in different roles through the ranks, and he wants to retire. See, my parents had me late in life so now they’re older.”
Little did everyone know, this was going to be the last charity event under Accessicom’s name. I needed to do a good job tonight so everything would go without a hitch and he wouldn’t change his mind about retiring. Maybe I should have come alone, or with Nina, so as not to rock the boat, but I’d reached a point in my life where I’d set some pretty hard limits. He was going to have to deal with it. .
Of course, he thought me the perfect pawn who’d let him pull the strings from behind the scenes once he’d stepped down, while all I wanted in the past was the chance was to destroy what he’d built.
Now though, that desire to destroy his empire didn’t eat at me so much. After all, I’d worked hard to get where I was, and he owed it to me. I was done playing around. He knew I was ready and tonight was just a formality.
She slipped into her heels, and thanks to the slit in the the fuck-me dress she was wearing, she could show them off to her heart’s content. She looked stunning, and I doubted I’d be able to keep my eyes off her tonight. I’d have to cut down my five-minute speech at least by half for I couldn’t give anyone the chance of touching what was mine. The rich got easily bored, always searching for new excitement. Maybe that was why I had found a special interest in Tori in the first place.
“All right, let’s get tonight over with.” She gave an overdone, beaming smile that made me chuckle. Pride and some primal instinct swelled inside me when she checked her phone, and the picture I had set of us was still on the home screen. When I opened the car door for her, she gave me a puzzled look. “Thank you.”
&nb
sp; “You don’t think I have manners?” I teased.
She rolled her eyes. We drove to the event in silence. Truthfully, I knew people were going to try to talk to her. After all, I had never brought someone as my date. A part of me questioned how long it was going to take before she snapped at someone. She didn’t care what others thought about her—all the more reason why I was fascinated with her.
Also, all the more reason why I was hellbent on making sure everyone in my world knew who she was and to not mess with what I considered mine. Without a care, I placed my hand over her thigh, squeezing it while I was driving and she gave me that hot look that always made me mad for her. Of course, she tried swatting me away, but I only tightened my hold with a devious grin.
“You better behave yourself tonight, Starlight,” I warned her. “That means no talking to other men and staying with Hudson or Zayn if I’m not there. You understand?”
“Or else what?” she challenged, glaring at me, using her fingers to pinch hard at my skin. I claimed her as mine, so I didn’t like that she was giving me that attitude.
“Or else I’m going to flip your dress up and spank you in front of everyone.”
She gasped, her eyes finding mine as I took my gaze off the road momentarily. Her pupils dilated, and I groaned upon realizing I could make out her nipples protruding through. “You wouldn’t.”
“Don’t try me.”
Because when it came to her, I couldn’t predict my own reactions.
Chapter Fourteen
Tori
Bland, old, and dry.
Those were the first words that popped up in my head to describe the people around me. But, really, I didn’t understand what was the purpose of me being here. From what I realized, everyone was stuck up and tried to one-up one another with how they dressed and talked. The only thing that seemed worthwhile was the unlimited food and drinks you could get for free. Small bite-sized delicacies that, I hated to admit, tasted and smelled mouthwatering.
It had only been an hour, and I was already thankful I wasn’t born into this class of people. If I had any doubts before, they were gone now. I had to admit the place was rather spectacular. Classical music drifted to every corner, and luxurious elegance marked every square inch.
Colten had been rather busy. It seemed he hadn’t been lying when he said the town worshipped him.
This was the exact opposite of Colten’s party when we first met. Still, just as that time, he didn’t look like he belonged in either scenario. The most comfortable I’d ever seen him was when he hung out with me. When there were no expectations of him, and none of us had to conform to anyone’s rules.
Since yesterday, I couldn’t help but question my preconceived notions about him.
Most of the time we were here, he had one hand possessively wrapped around my waist. He even introduced me as his girlfriend to people, which made me both warier and tingly deep inside, too. I told him afterwards that I wasn’t his girlfriend, he didn’t like that. This was the man who bullied me and tried to make my life a living hell. Yet the way he growled and glared at anyone who seemed to show interest in me only made me question his true intentions where I was concerned.
“Are you going to lay off on the food?” Colten asked as I reached for another cocktail shrimp.
To prove a point, I only gave him a deadpan expression before reaching over to grab the whole plate. The server didn’t try to stop me, either. Everything tasted so good and I just couldn’t help myself.
“You are going to make me jump out of the window and break my leg,” he murmured, shaking his head in dismay. Some heads turned our way.
Hushed whispers and stares didn’t bother me in the slightest. People didn’t know me and from what I understood, they had never seen Colten with any girl before. He was known for playing the field but when it came to events like this, he usually went solo. This whole thing of being the first, feeling and doing stuff for the first time, was scaring me, but I needed to grow a pair. He obviously cared about me, otherwise he wouldn’t insist on bringing me here.
“You can do a flip and maybe try landing on your feet, Mr. Perfect,” I quipped.
I realized a moment later that I had made a grave mistake when the edge of his mouth twitched and pulled upwards. “You think I’m Mr. Perfect?”
“To this town? Yes.”
“What about you?” he pressed on, reaching over to brush back a strand of hair that had fallen forward. Shivers raked down my body as his fingers clasped my chin, forcing me to look at him. “I have to say, Starlight, you must be a huge masochist if you think your bully and tormentor is Mr. Perfect. What do you have to say?”
“Colten! Tori!”
Thankfully, I was saved from answering by the familiar voice. I pushed Colten away with my free hand and turned to see Hudson. Unlike every man in this room wearing a dashing navy, grey, or black suit, he had on a white blazer jacket with yellow embroidered prints and what appeared to be medusa heads as the buttons. He grinned as he and Colten did a weird handshake, then turned to me, whistling softly.
“Jesus Christ, Tori. I would fucking bang you r—”
He didn’t get to finish his sentence for Colten punched him straight in the gut, causing someone behind me to laugh. I turned in time to see Zayn, who was in all-black attire. The only sign of color was his blue silk tie. He took a shrimp from my plate and popped it in his mouth before frowning. “I’m confused. Are you a waiter or Colten’s date?”
“It’s not a date,” I corrected him, swatting his hands away. “Not a waiter, either. I’m planning to make the most of this by stuffing my face with food. Not to mention, it’s actually delicious.”
“I didn’t think you would make it,” Hudson admitted while still rubbing at where Colten had punched him. He cocked his head to the side, curious. “What did he do to persuade you?”
“As if I needed to persuade her.” Colten snorted in retaliation, scoffing rather loudly. He glanced down at his designer watch before sighing. “I got to get ready for the whole speech shit,” he murmured and turned to me. He seemed rather nervous and I didn’t know what the big deal was. I thought he’d have done public speeking countless times before. “I’ll be back in ten or fifteen minutes. Would someone watch over her?”
“What am I? A child?” I rolled my eyes.
“No comment.” Hudson grinned. “While I would love to keep her company, I can’t. My parents are here, and they’re on a mission to pitch-sell me to other companies. The Anderson Co’s next CEO has to make the most connections now since we’re all graduating soon.”
“I would,” Zayn frowned and sighed heavily. “Though I can’t right now, either. I must meet Cera’s CEO in five as well. If I finish before your speech, which I’m not sure I would, I’ll find her,”
“I’ll be fine.” I waved them off. “Let’s be honest, I’ll be sitting in a corner eating, anyway. I’m sure no one is going to try bothering me. From what I’m noticing, no one is even eating or sparing any glances at anyone with a plate in their hands, so it works out perfectly for me.”
All three of them exchanged looks. I could say I was thankful there was nothing he could do about it for just then, a guard approached Colten and murmured something into his ears before leaving. His jawline clenched as he raked a hand through his hair that he hadn’t bothered to style. He stared at me, reiterating, “I’ll be back in fifteen minutes. If anyone is making you uncomfortable, tell them you’re with me. You hear me?”
I scowled. “I’m not a damsel in distress. If they even try laying a hand on me, I’ll smash their plastic surgery face with this empty plate.”
All gave me a rather amused face, and I dared believe Colten looked proud before he nodded. Then, he surprised me by pulling me close and kissing me right on the lips without warning. My heart skipped several beats at his hard, bruising kiss that stole my breath away. Damn, that was hot and I bloody wanted more.
“Be good,” he growled, then laid one more kiss onto m
y forehead before stalking off.
Hudson gave me a wink, while Zayn only shook his head in dismay before leaving, too. My lipstick was probably smeared, and my face had to match the color of it as I huffed. Colton really did do things on his own terms. Weirdly, I’d started to become used to it.
I handed my empty plate to the waitress as I waited for Colten’s speech to start. I didn’t know anyone here, and frankly, I didn’t want to talk to people. All they cared about was business deals, and upon realizing I didn’t have a name for myself, they would immediately become disgusted.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
I turned, and I was mentally pushing myself out the window when I caught Nina giving me a look of shock and disbelief. Two long strands of hair curled perfectly as they fell on either side of her head while the rest was gathered into a bun. Her white and silver dress shimmered and sparkled with every breath she took, and it only made her look more like a disco ball than something elegant and classy, in my opinion. Her face was caked with makeup, and she had so much skin showing, she was just an inch away from flashing someone as well.
I masked my surprise shortly after with boredom.
“What does it look like?” I retorted instead, popping some sort of hot dog wieners in my mouth. A few bites later, I wished I had taken the plate before turning back to her, who was still looking for a clearer answer. “I’m enjoying the free food, in case you didn’t realize. You know? Chewing and swallowing?”
“You weren’t invited,” she gritted out before her eyes widened. “Did you sneak in? If so, I’m calling security. This is a private event, in case you didn’t know. Please don’t act like we don’t feed you either, especially the expired food you insisted on keeping in your room.”
“I’m on the list.” I shrugged. “You can call security if you’d like. What about you? I thought you were at a friend’s sleepover or something. What’s your excuse for being here?”
“Nina, baby? Who’s this?”
Bringing down the Star: Small Town Bully Romance Book 1 Page 10