by Willow Dean
Shocking me into silence, my face heats as images flash through my head. Whilst it’s not something I think I would be in to. I can’t say that I have ever really put much thought into it.
My facial expressions must say it all as she cracks up at my awkwardness.
“Don’t worry your pretty little head about it, it’s actually quite satisfying once you give it a go,” she purrs.
Wow. Is it me, or is it hot in here?!
Winding down the window, the cool night air streams into the car.
After a while, the cab starts to slow as it reaches the wrought iron gates of a massive mansion.
Swinging open slowly, the gates move aside to allow us entry to a long driveway, lined on either side by lush lawns. Each decorated with a variety of exotic flowers and water features.
This particular party is invite-only and it is one of the most popular parties in town.
The house belongs to Rick Torres. People presume he’s just your typical wealthy jock. Yet, from my interactions with him in college, he never seemed to fit the stereotype.
Despite looking about as approachable as a brick wall, he’s a very down to earth and genuine guy once you get talking to him. Not arrogant in the slightest.
Sharing a few of the same classes at college, we’ve only spoken on the odd occasion and our conversations have always lacked depth.
He’s always been quite reserved and cautious when interacting with others. Never offering much information or insight about himself or his family.
Gem pulls me from my thoughts as she practically drags me out of the car in excitement.
Virtually chucking money at the driver, she waves him off before sauntering over to my side and looping her arm through mine, flashing the famous Gem smile. Full of mischief and definitely up to no good.
“Let’s go have ourselves some fun tonight, Mimi! Code word, warm socks!”
Oh boy, what a night this is going to be!
2 Mila
The party is as luxurious as always. They even have waiters in tuxedos walking around the edges of the makeshift dance floor with flutes of champagne and various shots, all ready for the picking.
It always amazed me as to how much money Rick and his family must have, throwing such lavish parties so often must cost a fortune!
I lost sight of Gem about an hour ago when she disappeared with a set of Spanish twins, probably to one of the rooms around the house.
I don’t know how she does it knowing it’s someone else’s property. I just wouldn’t feel right using someone else’s rooms, and I sure as hell wouldn’t be happy if I was hosting a party and someone decided to use one of my rooms as a romping space.
No, thank you!
Shoving all thoughts of Gem’s escapades out of my head, I continue to dance my merry self away with a few girls from college.
Situated in the centre of an open plan living room, an improvised dance floor has been erected. All the furniture having been pushed out to the edges of the area and up against the wall.
The ceilings are vaulted and adorned with beautiful wooden beams, giving it an almost chalet type ambiance. I imagine it to have a charming and cozy feel to it when used as nothing more than an ordinary living space.
A portable bar sits in the back corner by the large bi-folding patio doors that lead out onto a backyard, which subsequently houses a gigantic swimming pool and Jacuzzi.
Of course, it’s hard to miss the spotlighted pool house that sits off to the side either. Beautifully sleek and modern, it looks big enough for a small family to occupy as a holiday home.
Having had a fair few drinks, I’ve got that pleasant buzz that comes with having one too many. Not enough for me to lose my ability to function, yet just enough for me to relax and let loose.
As I continue to get lost in the music, a set of large hands settle on my hips and warm breath tickles the back of my neck.
“You’re looking mighty hot tonight darling. Mind if I dance with you?” A deep voice rasps, raising goosebumps along my neck.
Why the heck not?!
Relaxing back into his tall, hard body, I grind my hips backwards giving him all the answers he needs. A soft chuckle escapes him as his hold on my hips turns more possessive and he starts to match my movements.
We continue to dance for a bit before his hands start roaming and I spin around to face him. Looping my arms around his neck as his hands rest on my lower back, a sense of relief works over me as I see that he’s a fairly decent looking guy.
Sporting a soft tan and short buzz cut black hair, his golden eyes glaze over slightly as the alcohol courses through his system.
Wearing a crisp sapphire blue shirt and black ripped jeans, he goes for the smart but casual look.
He doesn’t look familiar and I don’t recall seeing him around before, but it’s not unusual for people outside of our college to be invited to these parties.
“So, who may I have the pleasure of dancing with?” I drawl.
Giving me a heated look, he leans in to answer with a mischievous glint in his eye. “The name is Chad and I believe you are Mila,” he purrs seductively.
Well…it would have been if his words didn’t creep me the fuck out. As it stands, his causal use of my name sets me completely on edge.
If he was someone I recognized from around college, I may feel a little differently about how he knew my name. This guy though, I’ve never seen before in my life.
Perhaps he knows it through a connected friend group or shared class? Then again, I’m not really close to anyone apart from Gem, and I’m not exactly a person who really stands out.
I suppose Rick could have told him about me, but it’s unlikely that either him or Gem would have mentioned me by my real name.
That’s what nicknames are for after all. Birth names are so overrated.
I know I’m probably just being paranoid, I suppose I can put that down to the few weird incidences that I’ve had lately. Each of them unsettling in their own way.
Mind you, that’s probably just because Gem likes to party it out in the more…seedier parts of town.
Ah well. I’m here to relax and have fun, why not enjoy it whilst I can?!
It’s not like I’m planning on going anywhere with him. We are in a house full of people. He would be dumb to try anything with such a big audience.
Plus, he probably just heard Gem calling me out earlier, middle name and all. She wasn’t exactly quiet about our entrance. As per Gem style, she was extremely loud and obnoxious.
“Maybe, maybe not. Where have you come from, Chad? I haven’t seen you around here before,” I enquired innocently.
“Mmm, that’s because I just transferred here from New York this week. I’m staying with a cousin who goes to the college up the road.”
Fair enough.
“Are you planning on enrolling at Eastwood then?”
As the only college in the immediate area, where the majority of those attending tonight are enrolled -including me- I figured he must have been talking about Eastwood.
He pulls back slightly at my question, a look of wariness flashing across his face. Passing quickly, he subtly tries to redirect the conversation.
“Let’s not talk about my boring life. I would much rather get to know this Angel in front of me.”
Yuck. He needs to work on his pick-up lines. Badly.
Heat flares in his eyes as he lets go of me to retrieve two shots from the passing waiters tray.
Taking the offered shot, we clink glasses before chucking them back. My face scrunching up in disgust at the awful taste. Tequila is really not my favorite.
Heading back into the throng of people on the dance floor, we find a space before continuing to grind against each other.
Dancing away to the music, I lose count of the amount of shots I indulge in and before long, the room is spinning wildly and dancing is getting increasingly more difficult.
“I’m gonna…gonna nip out furra…for a bit of fresh ai
r,” I slur, stumbling over my own feet and straight into his hard chest.
Gripping my shoulders firmly, he steadies me. Once I’m more stable on my feet, he moves his hand to my lower back and easily guides me outside.
“Come on, I’ll take you out front for a bit of fresh air. You’re looking a little worse for wear,” he chuckles breathily.
The raspy sound sends shivers down my spine and not the good kind.
“I ammm not. I am a- a- a kickass woman who is in need of a bit of fresh air. It is wayyyy too hot in here! I’m definitely not drunk,” I stammer out as another wave of dizziness hits me and I nearly stumble down the front steps.
Luckily, he’s there to catch me. Again. He doesn’t say anything more as he guides me down the stairs and towards the side of the house where the lights are out.
I stop dead in my tracks. A potent combination of danger and fresh air sobering me up rather quickly.
There’s no fudging way I’m going down there with him. Nuh-uh. You can forget that sunshine!
Noticing my reluctance, he crowds closer and tentatively runs a finger down my jaw line, before bringing his hands to rest gently on my shoulders.
Gently running his thumbs in small circles over my collarbones, he tries to coax me forward. “Come on Sweetness, I want to show you something.”
Nope. Nada. No way. Time to get the hell out of dodge!
“No offence. As lovely as you have been tonight, I’m not walking down there,” I say pointing in the direction of the black hole of Calcutta, “with you. Pretty sights or not, I’ve seen horror movies. Dark places and curiosity never mix well together.” Forcing a tentative smile, I playfully tweak his nose.
Such a cute little button nose!
His grip tightens, bordering on painful as his eyes turn hard and cutting. My heart starts to race as my instincts go haywire.
Adrenaline floods my system, clearing out most of the effects of the alcohol.
“Come on, Princess. I just want to show a pretty girl something beautiful,” he presses.
I may be half-drunk, but I’m not stupid. His whole demeanor changed in the space of a nanosecond and I do not trust him.
Not. One. Bit.
Leaning into him, I place my hand on his chest and walk my fingers down towards his waistline. Peering up at him through my long, dark lashes, I turn on the charm and whisper in his ear. “Okay. But before we do that, I have a little surprise for you.”
Raising an eyebrow, his intense gaze dissolves slightly. A mischievous and greedy glint seeping in, in its wake.
Yeah buddy…keep letting those thoughts wander.
“Do me a favor and turn around for one second and don’t peep. I promise you, it’ll be worth the wait.” I lick my lips and make what I hope is a sultry face as I adjust the neckline of my dress.
I’m drunk enough that I can’t feel my face, so I only realize I’ve pulled the whole thing off when the heat returns to his gaze and his eyes wander south. Licking his bottom lip he turns around to face the wall slowly.
“I’ll tell you when to turn around. But you have to promise not to peep before then or you’ll ruin the surprise,” I purr.
Nodding sluggishly, he swallows thickly. His Adam's apple bobbing in his throat.
Men.
So easily persuaded by lewd harlots. It’s pathetic really. Flash them a boob, turn on the heat or show them some skin and they’re completely lost to the world.
When his back is finally turned, I back away quietly and make a break for the front door, cursing silently at the fact there isn’t a single soul out here.
Just my luck!
Whatever, it doesn’t matter right now. I just need to get back inside or at least within sight of other people.
I’m almost to the front door when a large hand grips my left arm and a heavy body tackles me to the floor. I cry out as my body slams against the ridges of the concrete steps.
Pulling my arm up behind me at an awkward angle, he secures it there as I try to shift him off me.
He quickly puts a stop to that as he drops a knee into the middle of my back, effectively pinning me to the floor and causing various hot spots of pain to bloom over my chest and abdomen.
My right arm remains trapped underneath my body where I attempted to use it to soften the fall. Not very successfully may I add.
It doesn’t take a genius to know that I’ll be sporting some good bruises tomorrow. He could have at least let me get up to the top of the stairs and onto flat ground.
Bastard!
“Get off me, asshole!” I growl, following with a string of other obscenities as loud as I can.
Gem and I have taken self-defense lessons together since we were little, so I know how to handle myself. However, in the position that I’m in, it’s a tad difficult. Particularly when one’s actions are impeded by alcohol.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not one to ever give up. I’ll do everything I can to get him off me and get out of this situation myself, but I would be stupid not to make a commotion.
If he renders me completely immobile, I’ll need someone to come to my rescue.
I’m stubborn, not a fool.
First lesson of self-defense for you guys…run.
Moving my hips, I try to dislodge him from my back as I continue to shriek and curse, but it’s useless. With my left arm in a lock and my right arm pinned beneath me, I have no leverage.
I’m pretty much screwed. If I could just get my hand out, I would at least have a fighting chance. Sensing my predicament, he snickers, knowing I’m not going anywhere fast.
Completely un-caring about the pain I’m in, he roughly drops more of his weight onto his knee that now sits in between my shoulder blades, leaving me gasping for breath and halting my movements in one fell swoop.
Leaning down, he clasps his hand around my mouth, silencing my very colorful words, and hisses in my ear.
“Listen up, Princess. You may have made a mockery of me back there, but I assure you, it won’t happen again. I want you, and so do they, and they always get what they want. But, they can wait. What they don’t know won’t hurt them. That’s how that saying goes, right?!”
What the heck is this creep talking about?! He sounds like a shit villain out of the movies.
I grunt as his knee digs impossibly harder into my back.
“Before I hand you over, you’re going to give me a little something. Don’t struggle and I may think about making the experience a little more…enjoyable, for you. Maybe,” he sneers.
With no desire to see what he has in store for me, I bite down on his hand hard, drawing blood. Yelping like a dog, he extracts it from my mouth.
As soon as I’m effectively un-gagged, I start screaming. Thrashing about underneath him, I make him work for a good grip whilst making as much noise as possible.
Please, someone hear me! Anyone.
“You little-” Screwing my eyes shut, I tense in preparation for a blow as he raises his hand, just as the sound of the front door opening hits my ears.
When the blow doesn’t come, I slowly peel my eyes open, only to look up at the man who now stands at the threshold of the doorway. Momentarily distracted by his sudden appearance, my shouting stops.
His hair is as black as midnight and sits slightly longer on the top of his head than on the sides. It’s hard not to notice the dark, five o’clock shadow that dusts his jaw and the long eyelashes that flutter against his flushed cheeks.
Striking cobalt blue eyes offer a piercing gaze that roams over the scene in front of him, before they glaze over in fury.
Shivering at the intensity of his look, I can only hope that he’s here to help me and isn’t in cahoots with this guy.
As I peer up at him, our eyes connect and all my doubts fade away.
Moving insanely quickly, he tackles Chad, and they both go crashing down onto the gravel driveway at the foot of the stairs.
One second I’m pinned, the next I’m free.
Re-adju
sting myself, I manage to roll over to sit on the step as a hand appears in my line of sight.
Following it hesitantly, I’m pleasantly surprised to find myself gazing up into a set of bright emerald green eyes that are accentuated by a set of dark, squared glasses.
The intense color of his hair and eyes stand out vividly against his pale complexion.
Mussed, fiery red hair frames his chiseled face. Reaching to just below his jaw line, a few wayward strands curl around his ears in little wisps.
Both of the men who appeared seemingly out of nowhere are more than average in height, and from the way their shirts are stretched across their arms and chest, they don’t let up in the workout department either.
Fiery dude is slightly smaller in stature and has more of a swimmers physique, in comparison to tall, dark and handsome who is built like a brick house.
Despite all that muscle, Chad seems to be fighting back and gaining ground. A blur rushes past us, as another man clears the steps to help him.
I don’t realize that fiery dude is speaking to me until he leans into my line of sight, completely obliterating my view.
Now that the effects of the adrenaline are beginning to wear off, my drunken mind starts to return and is entranced with his colorful beautificence.
Is that a word?
Yes.
No.
Oh words, how you are drunk Mila’s worst enemy.
Wait! Are you my enemy or hers?
Psch, whatever. Words aren’t meant for me. Us? I? Neither makes sense. Does sense make sense?
Wait, what were we talking about…ah, colors!
My distraction doesn’t escape the fiery man’s notice either as he bends down in front of me with a playful smile that has me grinning in return.
“Are you okay?” Offering me a hand again, I gladly take it and attempt to stand up, hissing in pain as I put weight on my ankle.
Fuck, Creepy McCreeperson over there. I must have gone over on it when he tackled me. The pain is more than a little delayed thanks to the alcohol.
Well, at least my heels stayed on.
Bonus points for me!
He steadies me with a gentle arm across my shoulders as I wobble a little, trying to take the weight off my injured side.