When I stepped out of the bathroom, I caught Rylan placing something inside of her suit pants quickly. I wanted to give a rude comment, but there was a flash of sadness across her face that stopped me. She stood upright with her hands folded on her back as she tucked away that look on her face and came back with the firm one.
"You look good, soldier," I smiled cheekily. Rylan frowned as she went over to the door and opened it, waiting on me. I'm not sure if she is feeling well or not since she did that, but I turned off the thought as I walked out of the bedroom. Sensing that Rylan is following me, I look at her for a second. She looks a bit off, and I wonder why.
The entire cab trip to the party was in silence. I tried to break it, but she never responded the way she usually does. It's kind of annoying me because I enjoy bothering her. I decided to give up when we arrived and figure out what my father would have wanted me to do and the opposite of that. I ordered myself a drink, leaning on the bar as I waited.
"Your father wishes that you could speak to Frank Ramsey," Rylan nudged her head at the gray-haired man. He is laughing brightly as he is in deep conversation with a few others who look just like him.
Even in England, they all look the same. Old fashioned men who have enough money in their pockets to attract beautiful women. I'm not going to sugarcoat it; I never did. It's the truth, yet people prefer keeping the truth hidden away.
"I'm not going to talk to him," I sighed, but then a beautiful young woman came up to Ramsey's side, whispering something in his ear.
"Her, on the other hand, I might," I pointed at the brown-haired on his side.
"That's his daughter," Rylan said, which caught my interest right away.
"You are not touching her," My guard warned me firmly, and I grinned at her.
"Are you jealous, soldier?" I asked playfully, and she let out a deep breath.
"You can't touch her," She repeated through gritted teeth.
"When you say it like that, soldier, you aren't really making it easier," I was on the way to walk over, but a firm grip on my arm stopped me and pulled me away from the bar. Before I could blink, I was pushed up against a wall with Rylan's hands on each side of my head as she is staring intensely into my brown eyes.
She looked to the side but back at me and leaned in closer. Her face was so near my own I could feel her breath on my skin, along with the heat that's coming from her body.
"I'm telling you not to touch her," She said hard, keeping me locked with her arms. I don't like being intimidated or that people look at me as if I'm small. I have been treated like that my whole life, and there is no way I'm letting her do the same thing.
"Oh, I will touch her all over," I raised my eyebrows, and she clenched her jaw in anger.
"Maybe I will even touch her in ways she has never been touched," I said, and her arms slide down from the wall and fell to her sides. She breathed through her nose as she glared at me with those cold blue eyes of hers.
"I was ordered not to let you do anything stupid," She said, and my hands turned into fists; of course, she was told that. It's my father, after all.
"Well, soldier," I placed my hands on her waist, feeling how firm her body is underneath my hands and made us take a step back.
"I never do what I'm told do to. Maybe you should try that sometime," I grinned and walked away, taking the drink on the bar that was forgotten. I turned to the side, seeing that Rylan stood further away with her hands hidden behind her back.
I downed the drink in a fury, but as I put the glass down, the brown-haired woman came up to the bar to order herself a drink.
"Hi," I said, and she turned to me in surprise.
"Hi," She smiled back shyly as she brushed her hair behind her ear.
"Are you having fun?" I asked, and she looked over the ocean of people over the floor for a moment.
"Not really," She closed the gap between us when she said that.
"Julie," She reached out her hand to me, and I gladly took it into mine, feeling how soft her pale skin is.
"Hadley," I smiled, holding onto her hand for a little longer than I should have, but she didn't seem to mind at all until the bartender placed her drink in front of her.
"It's a nice dress," I said, looking down at her while biting my lip as I breathed her in. She looks incredible in the red dress that is hugging her slim curves. The red color is dangerous, and I know if a woman wears red, she looks for something to excite her.
"Thank you," Her cheeks turned to a slight tone of pink.
"You look amazing," I said this time, and her whole face lit up with a red tone, almost matching her dress.
"Oh, no, I don't," She chuckled nervously, looking away with a smile brighter than the sunlight.
"You do," I grinned, staring her up and down on purpose for her to catch, but then I felt a hand on my arm.
"Excuse us for a moment," Rylan said and pulled me aside before Julie could answer.
"What do you want?" I asked harshly, crossing my arms over my chest.
"Don't do this to her," She said, and I shook my head in confusion.
"Why not?" I wondered why she cares so much, and she swallowed hard. Then she peeked behind me, and I followed her gaze to Julie. Rylan took a step closer to me and bent slightly down to my height.
"She lost her mother a few weeks ago, don't hurt her more than she already is," She said quietly, and I felt the anger in me fade away as I stared up into a pair of blue eyes. They are filled with compassion for the other woman, and I can see it right through her that it bothers her.
"Did you lose someone close to you?" I asked lightly, carefully as I know deeply what it's like to lose someone. Someone important that it makes your entire world crumble underneath the feet. Rylan's eyes narrowed as she looked down at herself.
"No," Was all she said, but clearly, she was bothered with my question.
"Are you lying to yourself or me, soldier?" I wondered, and a tidal wave of pain hit her eyes as she glared at me.
"My life is not for you to know," She said and turned around, leaving me alone with nothing at all.