Chapter 12 SLOANE
Chapter 12
SLOANE
I froze.
The man I had been ignoring, the reason I had refused to go home, the reason I had been hiding in my room all week was standing in front of me, dressed like a freaking model, holding the neck of his beer bottle with so much steeze that I almost tripped and fell face flat.
He was staring back at me, lips parted, brows slightly arched. He was not expecting to see me here, just as I was not expecting to see him here.
Oh God. Can the ground just open up and swallow me whole now?
“Hey!” Rave, elbow dug into my rib, yanking me out of my daze. It was only then that I realized that I had been staring the whole time.
Oh. I gasped, swallowing, eyes flickering, pulling myself together as I turned to her. I had a black silk dinner dress on. My mum had me call Daisy to find out what sort of party it would be and thankfully, Daisy gave me a heads up that it was going to be a backyard dinner party.
So my mum, dismissed her colleague, took me to her room, pulled out one of her silk black dresses, and gave it to me. Daisy and Rave had picked me up. Their reaction was everything. Jaw dropped, eyes glinting with pride as they turned to each other and nodded in agreement like they made the right choice approaching me.
“Are you okay?” Daisy was the first to ask, “You spaced out.”
“It’s… Uhm.. I just saw someone I know.” I muffled, my voice low, barely audible.
“Huh? Who?” Rave and Daisy asked at once, eyes scanning through the yard, searching.
“You must be Sloane.” A woman’s voice came to my rescue, taking my hand. She cupped it together. With the way her eyes were glinting and how they looked exactly like Isaac’s it was obvious she was his mother.
I forced a smile and nodded, “Thanks for having me.”
“Of course.” she giggled, “Do you have any idea how hard I have been trying to get him to change his style of dressing?”
“Oh, I only helped pick out the clothes, Daisy was the one who dragged him down,” I muttered.
She took Daisy’s hands, together with mine and she pressed her lips on them. “You guys are a darling.” She muffled.
“It’s not biggie, aunty.” Daisy chimed.
Then a guy rushed over, tall, almost the same height as Xaden. His brown eyes settled on me, his curly hair covering his brows. He is slightly dark in complexion, with broad shoulders and obviously firm biceps. He looked like Isaac, the grown-up version of Isaac. Hotter version if I must admit.
This family has some strong genes. And I took a quick sneak at the older man standing behind their mother. He was the more mature version of the man standing in front of me.
Their mother gene stood no chance at all. They all look like their father.
Damn!
“So you’re the one who transformed my brother.” His tone was cheeky and teasing. Sweet talker.
I smiled and shrugged.
He laughed, “I’m Kyle, welcome to my birthday party.” He muffled, taking my hand in his. His palm was soft, very soft, like his hands had never known hard work all their life.
My lips parted to respond when I caught a whiff of that cologne, Xaden’s cologne, and my gaze left the man in front of me, tracing the scent, until it settled on him.
Standing in his full glory behind Kyle. His gaze pierced into mine. His jaw was ticking as his firm veiny palm clasped against Kyle’s which was holding on to mine. I could feel his grip as he took Kyle’s hands off mine.
“Sloane.” His voice was deep, knowing, stern, and dangerous. Intentional and tempting. Like he wanted everyone to know he knew my name, like he wanted Kyle to know that he knew me personally maybe a little intimately.
My throat bobbed, eyes flickered. This time, his hands were on mine, replacing Kyle. My gaze remained on his. Eyes glued on him. His gaze remained on mine. And in that moment it’s like time slowed down and it’s just us.
This same ridiculous feeling that I had years ago, is back… like it never left.
This was the reason I was running from him. This was the reason I made sure to stay away from him after he left my room that night.
Because from the moment he walked through that front door when I moved in with them, time slowed down and I knew, I never stopped loving and there is a high chance I would never stop loving him.
“Xaden.” I found myself calling his name, right there, instead of yanking my hands out and putting a boundary. Instead of knocking myself to my senses, I actually stood there, leaving his hands in mine as I stared into his intoxicating tempting eyes.
But then someone cleared their throat, breaking that tension between Xaden and me. I tried to yank my hands off immediately but he clung to them. Tighter.
“Oh, are you acquainted?” Kyle’s mum asked.
His lips parted to explain, “Yes… she’s…”
“His younger brother’s friend,” I said
“Family friend,” he said.
At the same time.
Leaving everyone stunned and confused as they stared at us. I turned to him and he turned to me. His brows arched as if asking if that was all I was to him.
What else was I supposed to say? Oh, the guy I kissed when I was eighteen?
“Okayyy… can we get the party started?” Kyle broke the tension and wrapped his hands around Xaden’s shoulder, forcing Xaden to let go of me. As soon as Xaden was gone, I was faced with Daisy and Rave whose jaw dropped lower than I could have comprehended.
“Give us every single detail and do not even think about taking out the part where you two might have fucked.” Daisy spat, her eyes glinting with this excitement.
My lips parted, cheeks flushed instantly. The thought of Xaden and me having se..,
“We… Didn't do that.” I stuttered, cheeks burning and I pulled away from them but those girls followed me, they followed after me like puppies chasing their mother.
And I ended up spilling everything.
“So he just left?” Daisy asked, brows arched, a little disappointed.
I nodded, pouting.
“Hold on, according to romance novels, there must be a very good reason. The male lead always has a reason for leaving and it’s always heartfelt, so maybe you should give him a chance to explain himself.” Rave pouted. I never knew she was a fan of romance comics.
God, I’m loving these girls.
“Except this is not a romance novel, Rave. It’s reality.” I pouted. It’s crazy how in less than 24 hours of actually meeting these girls, they already know my biggest secret, took me shopping, and even invited me to a party.
I’ve been so used to being with Jasper that I forgot the fun in having female friends.
“True but I agree with Rave. Let’s not drag this down this misunderstanding troupe. Talk to him. Find out why he left and see if there is still potential which I see by the way and if there isn’t, you’d get your closure and I can set you up with hot guys.” Daisy winked.
I giggled, unable to hold back.
They are right.
Why have I been hiding? Why have I been running?
Maybe all I need to do is just talk to him and find out.
“Okay, to the dance floor people! Pick a partner and let’s destroy this dance floor.” Kyle’s voice roared through the mic and speakers and then my jam came in, bursting through the speakers, followed by roars and cheers from the guests, and instantly, Xaden and I locked eyes because heaven is the only one that knows how much we both love this song… And just how much we’ve danced to it… How much I made him dance to it.