Chapter 50 Aslan
Aslan
For half a second, I let myself stay there. In Aitor’s space. In his steadiness. In that stupid, dangerous, celestial comfort—my face barely brushing against his.
Then I glanced sideways.
James’ jaw was practically on the floor.
Across the room, Garrett looked like a bull about to charge through the bar and take out three innocent bystanders just to reach me.
And Aitor—calm, solid, too close—was still standing there like he hadn’t just tilted my entire emotional balance.
I shook my head lightly, straightened up, and forced a grin.
“You know… I’ve never really been to a Halloween party before.”
James gasped theatrically. “What?”
“Kate and I used to take her siblings trick-or-treating,” I said, ignoring him. “Then we’d go home, bake cupcakes, watch Halloween movies with my mom.”
Aitor’s face softened. “That’s actually amazing.”
“And so lame,” James cut in immediately.
Both Aitor and I shoved him at the same time.
“We need to properly celebrate your first Halloween party,” Aitor said. “What’s your favorite Halloween song?”
“Thriller,” I answered without hesitation.
“Of course,” he nodded. “Let me see what I can do. I’m getting us drinks. Beer?”
“Sure.”
He headed toward the bar.
That’s when a female voice cut through the noise.
“James!”
A girl pushed through the crowd, wearing a short black cocktail dress with a gold masquerade mask resting on top of her head like a crown. No fake blood. No wings. Just effortless and expensive-looking, like she hadn’t tried and still won.
She hugged James like they hadn’t seen each other in years.
“Well, if it isn’t trouble,” James laughed.
“Always,” she replied smoothly.
James turned to me and grabbed my shoulder. “Aslan, this is Olivia—Garrett’s half-sister.”
He leaned closer to me and stage-whispered, “The better half.”
She rolled her eyes but didn’t deny it.
Her gaze shifted to me, warm and assessing without being rude.
“Oh,” she smiled. “I’ve heard so much about you.”
“All lies,” James cut in immediately, dramatic as ever. “Every single one.”
Olivia leaned closer to me, lowering her voice. “Not really… You seem exactly as special as I heard you were.”
Heat crept up my neck.
Then she straightened, scanning the room.
“Where is my little brother, anyway?”
James and I both turned.
Cut to the bar.
Garrett was mid-shot—tequila.
He slammed the glass down, grabbed a beer without waiting, already arguing with someone I couldn’t see clearly.
Aitor stepped in, saying something calm, but Garrett shoved him off. Then pulled Trisha against him, one hand gripping her waist possessively as he leaned down to say something in her ear.
Olivia sighed.
“Charming as usual…”
And even from across the room, I could feel the storm building.
Right then, Aitor came back balancing two beers, handing one to me without even looking—like he already knew I’d need it.
“Thanks,” I muttered.
Olivia’s eyes lit up the second she saw him. “Well, if it isn’t the Son of God himself. Just when I thought you couldn’t look any more angelic.”
Aitor laughed, shaking his head. “It’s just a robe.”
“It’s commitment,” she corrected.
Then she glanced between us. “So… who are you here with?”
“Aslan and some friends,” Aitor said easily. “You?”
“With friends, too. They’re on the dance floor. Causing trouble.”
As if on cue, the music cut. The DJ’s voice boomed through the speakers.
“And now… a special request!”
The opening beat of Thriller hit.
My eyes widened before I could stop them.
James gasped like someone had announced free therapy. “OH. MY. GOD.”
We didn’t even speak. Drinks were abandoned. Olivia laughed and grabbed my wrist. James shoved his way ahead of us like a man on a mission.
The dance floor was already packed, but that didn’t matter.
James turned, pointed at me dramatically, and started doing the choreography.
“You better know this,” he warned.
I smirked. “Of course I know this.”
And then we were doing it.
The shoulder snaps. The zombie arms. The spin. Olivia tried to follow, failing spectacularly. James corrected her mid-move, like a deranged dance captain. I laughed so hard I nearly missed a step.
Aitor resisted for about five seconds before we dragged him in.
“Jesus can dance?” James shouted.
“Apparently,” I shot back.
Under the flashing lights, surrounded by idiots in costumes, doing the most iconic Halloween dance ever invented, I forgot to think.
For a few minutes, I was alive and free.
Across the room, I didn’t have to look to know he was watching...
But I did anyway.
Garrett stood near the bar, jaw tight, drink in hand, devil horns crooked, eyes locked on me like he wanted to burn the entire room down.
Trisha was saying something to him, but he didn't seem to be listening.
His gaze followed every move I made.
Every time Aitor stepped closer.
Every time James grabbed my shoulders.
Every time someone brushed against me...
He didn’t look away.
Why the fuck?
He didn't just want me without him. He wanted me alone.
Something reckless woke up inside me.
Fuck you, Garrett.
Let him watch.
When Aitor laughed and pulled me closer for the final beat of the dance, I didn’t step back. I leaned into him and, hell, he felt good.
When James spun me dramatically and dipped me like I weighed nothing, I played along.
When Olivia cheered and dragged us tighter into a circle, I leaned in.
I laughed louder. Moved closer. Let Aitor’s hand stay on my waist a second longer than necessary....
And every time I risked a glance, Garrett was still there.
Fuming, breathing heavier, not blinking.
Good. Let him see. Let him feel it.
The song ended in chaos and applause, and we were still laughing when the next song started, louder and faster, and the crowd shifted again. We stayed on the dance floor. Song after song blurred together until I stopped checking who was where and just moved with whoever was closest.
At first, it was impossible not to see him near us on the dance floor with Trisha, making out with her as they swayed through every slow song.
But the night didn’t give me time to sit in it.
Just as Aitor excused himself for a second, Olivia moved closer, offering me a beer with a big grin. “Having fun?”
“Oh, yeah. It’s a great party.” We took a sip before I worked up the nerve to do a little fishing. “So, you’re Garrett’s half-sister…”
“I am.” She nodded, smiling. “And so, you’re Garrett’s half-lover.”
I almost choked on my drink. “What? No! He’s with—”
“Oh, I see who he’s with.” She waved a hand dismissively. “And I also see who he’s looking at instead.”
I inhaled slowly, refusing to spiral.
“I told him you’d be good for him,” she whispered.
Before I could even process that, Olivia dragged me into the next ballad with dramatic flair, laughing as she spun under my arm.
Crazy to think those two were related.
James cut in halfway through, insisting he could “lead better,” which was a lie, and nearly twisted my shoulder off trying to dip me. I laughed so hard I forgot to care about anything else.
When another slow song came on, Aitor approached me hesitantly. “Would you feel weird if—”
“Of course not.” I took his hand, suddenly feeling on safer ground. “If we can dance Thriller together, why can’t we dance this?”
My heart slowed as he wrapped his arms around me and guided me through the song, steady and controlled, like he did with music every day. Even in the middle of chaos, he made it feel quiet.
Somewhere between the fourth and fifth beer and Aitor’s calming presence, the sharpness dulled. The image of Garrett with Trisha stopped slicing and started fading into background noise. I was tired. Warm. A little dizzy. Sweaty under leather and laurel leaves.
Eventually, breathless and overheated, I leaned toward Aitor and told him I needed a minute.
“Are you okay?” he asked, brushing his lips lightly against my forehead.
“I’m fine.” I smiled. “I’ll be right back.”
He nodded and blessed me dramatically, like I was heading into battle.
I pushed through the crowd and slipped down the hallway toward the bathrooms. When I glanced back before stepping inside, I caught Aitor still watching me, and it kinda made me smile.
I needed a moment to process, to breathe through everything I was feeling, so I braced my hands on the sink and splashed cold water over my face, trying to steady the buzz in my head.
The peace didn't last. The door behind me creaked open, and I didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.