Chapter 16: Twenty (Caden's POV)
She huffed in frustration. I bet she wishes she would have just stabbed me when she had the chance.
"You see, I've known you since we could walk. And I've always been told to stay away from you or to make your life as miserable as I possibly can. But the problem is... I can't stay away from you. And I don't want to hurt you too badly," I explained.
"And why is that?" she asked.
"Because I am incredibly attracted to you, I thought we established this."
She opened her mouth to say something but no words came out. "We have but..." she groaned. "Let me go, I have to get back."
"I don't quite want to yet," I sighed, leaning in closer. My heart was pounding in my chest now even though clearly, she didn't know what to do. I've never been this close to her before. I won't lie, I have wondered what it would be like. Now I know.
"And why is that?"
I pulled one hand down before letting her wrists go. She pulled them down, letting them rest on the wall trapped again as I put my arms up, caging her in. I tucked her hair behind her ear and leaned in. "Why would I let you go when there's so much I could do to you?"
"Shove it, Caden," she huffed, pushing at my chest and walking away.
I grabbed her arm and pulled her back once again with an agitated huff. It's getting annoying now.
"What?" she groaned as I trapped her against the wall again. She pushed at my chest. "What?" she pushed herself off the wall, her back arching as she got closer. Intentional or unintentionally, I'm not quite sure. "I don't have time for this," she mumbled.
My fingers delicately went around her throat and I pinned her back to the wall. Before she could even blink or think of what to say, my lips crashed on her. Probing, demanding, clearly angry, and frustrated. The kiss sent the message. That's exactly how I felt.
She threw me off. "What is wrong with you?!" she whisper-yelled. "Don't you know what would happen if someone saw that?"
"What?" I leaned against the wall opposite her while tracing my bottom lip with my thumb. I could still feel the kiss on my lips if that makes sense. "Someone would go tell your family and then mine. What else?"
"Our families will kill us."
"And if they don't? Then would you let me?"
She rolled her eyes, "Quit dreaming, Caden."
I bounced off the wall and grabbed her waist, nailing her to the wall before she could move. "I can't. That's the problem. I can't quit dreaming about you. I think about you twenty-four/seven, Venus. And I hate you for it. But hating you doesn't mean I can't want you," I said, shooting her a pointed look.
She stared at me, trying to mask how she was really feeling, which she did a miserable job at hiding. Her eyes gave it all away. She thinks about me just as much as I think about her.
"But fine," I sighed in defeat, pulling back. "I'll let you go. But just so you know, I wouldn't if you didn't want me to." I pointed a finger at her. "Tell me though. Do you ever think about me?"
"I think about killing you," she replied.
I chuckled, "Other than that, darling."
She didn't answer me, instead, she looked to the end of the hall, making sure no one was there. She pushed herself off the wall and headed out.
I grabbed her hand but didn't pull her back. Swallowing down an angry growl, I sighed, wrapping my arms around her from behind, resting my chin on her shoulder. "If you do," I paused to look at her. "If you do ever think about me. Then meet me upstairs in twenty minutes," I whispered.
She turned to look at me. "And if I don't?"
"Then don't show," I answered. What else could I say? "Twenty minutes," I repeated. I pecked her lips quickly, leading her to stare at me in shock. I winked and then walked away.
I walked out of that hallway, back into the main area, and spotted her dad immediately. Sure enough, he was looking right this way. I really wished her dad hated me a little less. Maybe then we wouldn't have to sneak around so much. But it doesn't even make any sense. He should just hate my dad, not me, but whatever.
I waited only five minutes before slipping out of there and upstairs. If someone comes up here, I'll just say I was looking for the bathroom.
I kept an eye on my watch and exactly twenty minutes from then, she came upstairs, checking behind her, probably to make sure her dad didn't see her. And boy is she angry. She walked over to me where I stood near one of the rooms. "What is wrong with you?" She gave me a hard shove and I took a step back, biting back a smile. "Are you crazy?" She pushed me again. "How dare you kiss me?" And again. "Don't you understand what I'm telling you?" She pushed me one more time and my back hit the wall. "We can't-"
I grabbed her waist, jerking her forward. "Shh! Quiet," I demanded.
She stared at me silently, blinking and dumbfounded.
"I told you to meet me in twenty minutes?"
She nodded slowly.
"If you think about me. And here you are, which means you do?"
She didn't nod but her eyes gave her answer crystal clear.
"Now, Ms. Princeton," I sighed, pulling her closer, her body pressing against me.
She struggled gingerly but gave it up in a second.
"We had a deal. If I convinced you, you were to agree. And I've been trying my best for a week. I've given you numerous bouquets and flowers, all the candy I could find, I got a teddy bear, and I even made sure it was small so you could hide it in your room and your family didn't question you about who gave it, didn't I?"
She nodded again.
I leaned a little closer to her, our lips inches away. "So now tell me in a simple yes or no, have I succeeded in convincing you yet?"
She thought for a minute, contemplating her answers. Either I have succeeded or I still have a little way to go. A little more groveling to do.
"Let me make this a little easier for you. I'll ask you a set of questions and you have to answer honestly. As quick as you can, understand?"
"Fine," she grumbled.
"Did you like all the things I brought you this week?"
"Yes," she mumbled.
"Do you want more?"
"Maybe."
"Do you want... time?"
She frowned in confusion.
"With me?"
"Time to do what?" she questioned.
"To know me," I answered. I came to the conclusion earlier that if I want to get anywhere with her, I have to let her in. I realize that it's her first and even if she says she doesn't give it so much thought, a part of her does and always will whether she realizes it or not. And to make her as comfortable as possible, I need to let her in. We need to know each other a little better. "Do you?" I pressed further.
"Yes," she admitted.
"And are you willing to give me that time? To take a risk and come see every now and then? The way I do."
She nodded hesitantly. We both heard footsteps and panic set into her. She opened her mouth to say something but I beat her to it.
"Shh." I grabbed her hand, pulling her into the nearest room. It was what appeared to be a guest bedroom and we were inside in pure darkness but the curtains were pulled back so the moon lit up the room a little. "So, apart from the time we need to spend with each other, have I convinced you? In other words, do you trust me, Venus?"
She paused, biting her bottom lip in thought. "I trust you," she exhaled.
"If you trust me." I bent down, my lips going to her ear. "Then go back home in the next ten minutes. And I'll come over a while after."
"What?" she sputtered.
"I don't think we can make much time. So if we have an opportunity where you're home alone. Shouldn't we take it?"
"But tonight?"
"Up to you, darling," I shrugged, taking a step back.
"Don't call me darling," she groaned, taking a step back.
"I can call you whatever I want," I smirked.
She shifted her weight from one leg to the other, staring out of the window and trying to figure it out.
"We can start another night," I offered.
"I'm never home alone at night," she replied.
"Then I'll come into your room with everybody in the house."
Her eyes widened.
"Relax. What are the chances of your parents coming into your room in the middle of the night?"
"My parents? No. But Clarissa? She comes into my room in the middle of the night all the time. When she's hungry or she can't sleep."
"Then I'll hide," I shrugged. I really didn't care about her sister finding out. Clarissa is the least of my worries.
"No. That's a huge risk for the first night. Tonight. I'm leaving in ten minutes. Don't follow me out," she said quickly before turning to leave.
I grabbed her wrist, pulling her closer. "I don't even get a goodnight kiss?" I whispered in her ear while her back was pressed against my chest.
She turned to look at me. "No," she answered.
"That's fine, I'll take it later," I retorted.
"Don't bet on that," she mumbled before elbowing my ribs and then scurrying out.
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Chapter 16
next chapter: suffocating