Chapter 21 The Angry Make-out
Ryan didn’t flinch at Barth’s harsh tone, instead his lips formed into a smirk as their eyes met. The air filled with tension and malice.
“Just spreading some Christmas cheer, Barth. No need to be hostile…”
“I know things got a little bit messy back at the game. I hated myself after that, letting my competitive side take over. I will make it up to you, and Yvonne.” He turned back to me, snapping the velvet box open. A delicate gold chain sparkles against the dark lining.
“You haven’t been speaking to me, not taking your calls or responding to my texts and you have been ignoring me in school. I don’t know what I did wrong but I’m sorry.”
I stared at the box, pursing my lips. I could hear Barth scoff behind me. I glanced at Summer and she shrugged her shoulders.
Every instinct inside me wanted to scream at him to leave but, Summer’s words echoed in my head: Your mum is happy right now, don’t be selfish.
I took a shallow breath and forced a small, fake smile. “It’s a beautiful necklace, Ryan. Thank you.”
The silence that followed was thick that it could probably be sliced with a knife. I could feel Barth standing behind me, his hot breathe fanning on my skin giving me goosebumps.
Aurick and Valerie stared at each other and cleared their throats.
“Well, we will upstairs if you guys need anything,” Aurick said.
Mum sent a glance over at me, raising a brow before walking away.
“Do you want me to put it on you?” Ryan asks with a smile but without waiting for me to respond, he takes the necklace out of the box and stands behind me.
Barth walks down, his face twisted in anger as he grabs Ryan’s hand, flinging him away from me. “Get away from her!”
Ryan stumbles backwards, regaining his balance. His jaw twitches. “Relax Barth.”
“I said get away from her! Get out!” Barth thundered.
“Barth,” I muttered softly, his gaze turned towards me sharply and I shook my head.
I could see confusion fleeting in his eyes.
“Ryan is here to see me and not you. Don’t disrespect my guest in front of me.”
Barth’s eyes widened with shock and Ryan snickered behind him, a wide grin on his face that made me sick.
“Yvonne, are you serious right now? You know what he did! He’s not a good person to have around. Don’t you get it?!”
“You have no right to tell me who to keep around me and who not to,” I retorted, inhaling a sharp breath.
Barth’s jaw tightened, his fists clenching into a hard ball. I stared at him blankly, hoping he would understand. I didn’t want a fight to break out between them.
He turned and walked towards the door, not looking back and my heart bled. I looked at Ryan.
“Thank you for gift. I will put it on myself,” I said, trying to give out a smile.
“Oh sure of course,” Ryan smiled back, handing me the necklace. “I will be taking my leave now.”
I nodded, not bothering to show him out. My heart went out to Barth. I knew exactly where he would be and I wanted to run there and hug him tightly, not letting him go.
“Well, that was epic drama,” Summer sighed. “Would you like me to put it on for you instead?”
I gave out a sad chuckle.
“It’s a pretty necklace though. And anything to make Barth mad is what I will do.”
She placed the necklace on my neck, hooking it. My hand instinctively reached out to it and I felt disgusted. I didn’t understand why. Ryan had already apologized, I shouldn’t be feeling this way.
“I will be back,” I say to Summer.
Heading towards the gym house, I found Barth viciously punching a dummy, his jacket on the floor, wearing only a black pant. Each punch rhythmic with the thrumming in my heart as I took slow steps towards him.
His muscles tensed with each punch he delivered. Sweat beads rolling down his back and his forehead. His hair covered his face, bouncing as he held the dummy in place. His lips were slightly parted and I inhaled a sharp breath remembering how they had tasted when entwined with mine.
“Barth?” I called out in a low tone.
He stopped. “What are you doing here?” He asked without looking at me.
I bit on my lower lip. “I came to see you.”
Barth gave out a small laugh. “See me? Don’t you have a guest? You should go back to attend to him. You know, it’s bad manners to leave your guest to come watch your brother fight with a dummy.”
Without waiting for me to respond, he continued his exercise. The word ‘brother’ brought a sharp pain to my chest. Although, that was what he truly was to me, but I wanted more.
I wanted him.
“I want you!” I said to his hearing underneath my shallow breaths.
He didn’t stop.
“I said I want you, Barth!”
Still, he didn’t stop to look at me.
I ran towards him, hugging his back. “I want you, Barth. I really want you.”
He stopped, his muscles tensed. I could feel his heart racing as I traced my fingers on the hard outline of his back. From the first time I saw him, I had always dreamt of running my hand over his muscles.
He turned around, grabbing my arms, pinning me tightly to the wall and I gasped. Our eyes met and my lips parted on their own as I stared deep into his brown, ember eyes.
His gaze dropped to my lips and then my neck, then his eyes hardened. He ripped the necklace off my neck and threw it to the floor.
“I hate another man’s scent on what’s mine,” He said in a deep, husky voice that made me melt in his arms.
Covering my neck with his palm, his lips crushed on mine.
“You’re definitely going to be the death of me, Yvonne Bree Smith…”