Was this man serious?
Go home with him?
He's insane if he thinks I was going to just drop everything and go with him. I didn't even know him.
"No," I stare at him like the crazy person he is. Ignoring the frown on his lips, I continue. "I have a life here. School and-"
"If you're worried about your schooling, it's not an issue. We can work around it."
We? There was no we.
What was with this guy? He acts as if he's already made a claim on me.
We both knew how this all works. I chose a name and my father gets in contact with the family and we all sit and talk about our future and the benefits of a union. And yet, this guy was taking his interest to the next level.
"You are insane." I breathe pushing off the counter.
He shrugs, the nonchalant look once again making its way to light. "Call me whatever. Do I have to pack your bags for you?"
"Absolutely not." I snapped, crossing my arms. "As I said before, I still have time to choose and you just appear out of nowhere, expecting me to just leave with you, is just crazy. You're not the only one on the list."
"So, you want me to prove myself to you?" He mused.
"No," I shook my head, walking towards my door, pulling it open. "I want you to leave."
He sits there, eyes pinned on me. In our stare contest, I could see the sparkling delight dancing in his irises. Finally breaking the awkward moment, he stands walking toward me.
He stops in front of me, his body towering over me through the open door. "We all have a role, Tiana." He says, those green orbs flickering across my face, lingering.
Those were his last words as a low hum leaves him and he walks out of my apartment with bold strides. I closed the door quickly, locking it.
Carter's indication of what is expected of me not only made me angry but I wanted to act ignorant of it all.
I was in college. This was my last year and I was going to enjoy it.
Starting with Donovan's party.
Despite whether my father, Carter or anyone else had a problem with it.
"What are you doing, Tiana?" Danielle asked me while trying her hardest not to laugh at the silly poses I was making.
"I'm taking pictures of myself." I respond while making another face in the camera. I looked amazing and I was going to relish my appearance.
Danielle chuckles, sliding on her shoes. "Hopefully tonight ends with a little bit of excitement."
"Be holy, Dani." I laughed.
She waves me off, a wicked look on her face. "We are going to be sinning." She rolled her hips before going to use my bathroom.
I walked through my room, the sound of my heels clicking against the wood floor of my apartment. I stood in front of my tall wall mirror and looked at myself. I was in a dress that was asking for attention. Something I needed. The tight material hugged my curves in all the right places, making me look alluring.
I also needed a drink to ease my mind with all the things that have been happening in my life. Sighing, I forced the thoughts away. It was frustrating. All of it.
Danielle comes out of the bathroom, looking nice in her own dress. Her blonde hair was cropped short at the nape of her neck and she accessorized with sparkly dangling earrings.
"Ready to have a good time?" She smiles, the excitement oozing off of her.
Yes, I was. That and possibly finding a handsome guy to hook up with. Tonight might end well in my favor.
People were intoxicated. The strong smell of alcohol fills the air thickly as well as sweat from the people that danced against each other, grinding with the exotic music.
Witnessing drugs being passed swiftly and people taking them with urgency just to feel good. Perhaps numb.
Danielle dragged me over to a table full of people that she associated with. Greeting everyone with smiles and positive words, I got myself a red cup and grabbed a drink. The effects of the burning alcohol gliding down my throat were an intense yet good sensation.
The night became much more interesting when they wanted to play a few party games. One is a dirty game of Truth or Dare. Something I believed that we were too old for.
"Hey, Marcus." Danielle greets her boyfriend, pecking him on the lips before sitting on his lap.
"Aren't we a little old to play this game?" I questioned, sitting in the empty seat next to Marcus while glancing around at the people that surrounded the table.
"Lighten up, Tia." Danielle says just as more people came over and joined the party.
"Yes, Tiana. Lighten up." A deep, but familiar voice fills my ears.
My heart nearly stopped when I almost snapped my neck at how fast it looked in Carter's direction. There he was, sitting comfortably on the opposite side of me. Dressed in all black, leather, he was staring at me with a devilish smirk as if he knew something I didn't.
Was this guy stalking me now?
How did he even know where I was going to be tonight?
I inhale sharply, trying my best to remain calm and not give a reaction. Especially at the sight of him. But it was hard not to.
I looked away from him, ignoring the way he was staring at me.
"Since we're all playing, who goes first?" Marcus spoke calmly. Danielle decided to volunteer herself and she decided to ask me something.
The strong feeling of irritation consumes me and though I had no reason to be by Dani, I was. More so because Carter was watching me closely, waiting for me to do something irrational. Our eyes found each other once again and I almost stopped breathing at the dark look that glints in his eyes silently telling me he wasn't going anywhere any time soon.
"Truth or Dare, Tia?" Danielle questions and I break eye contact with Carter to look at her.
"Truth." I chose, my voice calm and body relaxed while feeling Carter's eyes glued on me.
"Truth?" Danielle smacked her lips.
"You're no fun." A girl I did not know said but I did not care. I shrugged and grabbed my red cup.
"Since you're starting off by playing the truth card, are you a virgin?" Danielle smirked.
I choked on my drink, my eyes narrowed at her. I heard some of the boys' whistles and a few of the girls snickered. Why would Danielle ask that? She knows it's personal to me.
I honestly didn't care about the reaction of others. It was the fact that she boldly decided to ask something so personal to me in front of everyone.
Pithily, I glanced Carter's way and he was staring at me, waiting. The warning in his eye didn't go unnoticed. He wanted to know the truth.
You see, it was required for a girl in my lifestyle to be as pure from the day they were born. Consider our lifestyle as a monarch. If a girl was not a virgin and married off to one of the powerful men in the Clandestine Family Organizations, the girl and the family will be shamed.
And punished severely.
I wanted to piss him off and lie but I felt it would unleash something I was yet ready to see. So, I do the smart thing and tell the truth.
"Not that it's no one's business but yes, I am a virgin. A proud one." I nod my head towards the girls who were staring at me with a look of judgment.
There was no problem with it. Not everyone loses their card in high school.
"I can take you for a ride, baby-" Some guy comments but stops with a painful groan, and I see the guy holding his face.
My eyes widen at the sight of Carter with a clenched fist. Everyone stared but it didn't bother him. Instead, he sits back in his seat, pulling out what looks to be a cigarette, and acts as if he didn't just punch a guy. The guy wants to fight back but he takes in Carter's physical appearance. It was large and he didn't stand a chance. So, he did the smart thing and excused himself away from everyone.
No one dared to speak as if they knew what Carter was capable of.
My eyes find those intense green orbs, filled with so much coldness. Murderous and just about as terrifying as can be.
"Keeman, truth or dare?" Someone asked, breaking the awkwardness.
"Dare." He said simply.
"I dare you to tongue kiss, Sasha." He did the dare and the game continued.
Though I have yet to see Donovan, I was ready to leave. I wanted to have some fun. Not sit in a circle and play some childish game.
"Tiana," She whines. "Please do a dare." I huffed in disagreement.
Yes, I've been picking truths and it's all because of what Danielle did at the start of the game. I didn't trust her and I felt she would give me some wild dare that I might not be able to come back from.
"Please." More people slurred.
"Fine, alright. Dare." I said in defeat.
"I dare you to make out with Carter. With tongue." She motions to Carter and I almost want to hit her.
My heart nearly stops. I couldn't breathe. I looked up, meeting his intense glare and I swallowed the lump in my throat. I wanted nothing more than to run and hide under a rock but I refused to look weak.
"I think I should-" Stopping mid-sentence, I noticed Carter move.
The guy who had turned down truths and dares who had been smoking and acting uncaring while being on his phone had finally decided to play the game.
Not a surprise.
Why? Because it involved me and the man seemed to enjoy wanting to play with my emotions.
Hasn't he done enough?
Not if he was currently standing in front of me. I stood up quickly, creating some sort of space between us.
"It's up to you, la mia regina." His voice was thick and raspy. {Italian | my queen.}
And though I had no idea what he said at the end, God, it sounded so good. So fluent.
I shake my head, looking at him as if it was the first time. Then my eyes couldn't help but look down at his lips. They were pink and appealing.
He might be one scary man but my sinful mind was not depriving me of my reality. Yes, Carter Mason was attractive and could make any girl fall to their knees for him but I wasn't going to be one of them.
He was so close staring at me with an arduous look, waiting for me to make a move.
"I'm not going to kiss you." I tell him, my tone is serious.
And he doesn't look surprised. Only interested.
Ignoring the reactions of the people, my narrowed eyes find Danielle's. "I'm going home." and just as she opened her mouth to protest, I placed my cup on the table and pivoted around the wall of muscle that was Carter.
I make my way past the crowd and outside the house. The muffled music thumped so loud it could be heard from ten blocks out.
I stood on the porch for a minute, taking in the cool breeze that fans my skin. I was out here except for a few people off in their worlds. Talking or making out like the couple who was against the tree devouring each other's faces.
Sighing, I ran my fingers through my hair as I closed my eyes.
"Penny for your thoughts."
My eyes squeeze tight at the familiar voice filling my ears. Did he not understand that I was trying to get away from him?
My lips remained sealed, not responding to him. So far, I learned that I was nothing but a source of amusement to him and he was taking advantage of this situation between us.
"Ignoring me doesn't make me go away." He continues, shifting in the corner of my eye and I was slightly uncomfortable to find him closing the distance between us.
Scoffing, I move to go around him and straight to my car when he moves swiftly in front of me, blocking my path.
"What do you want, Carter?" His name rolled off my tongue naturally.
With a raised brow, those green irises flicker across my face, lingering on my lips. A low noise comes from him, almost sounding like a growl, making me take a step back, caution.
"Say my name again." He mutters.
It wasn't until I paused to take in his posture. He looked tense, the muscles at his jaw flexing. I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat, almost making it hard to breathe. "W-What?" And the dark look he makes me attentive.
He steps closer causing me to step back which was a mistake. I didn't realize how close I was to the steps of the porch until my heel slipped on the edge. I gasped, unprepared to catch myself when I leaned back. But before I could meet the hard concrete, I'm pulled forward and a firm grip around my waist.
My hands reach out, resting them on the firm chest in front of me. I pressed, trying to push away but his arms tighten around me, keeping me in place.
"Careful." He breathes lowly, eyes narrowed at me.
I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out. My heart plummets against my chest while my breathing is strenuous at how close I am to him. "You can let go of me now." My words are soft while I stare at his chest, refusing to meet his eyes.
I couldn't handle how hard he was staring at me. With a look that was dark, however, filled with a foreign glare of fascination.
"Now why would I want to do that?"
"Because I'm telling you to."
A smirk plays on his lips, finding my response amusing. "Yeah?"
"Yeah," My hands fist the material of his sweater. "Now, let go of me."
"So demanding." He bites his lip, his eyes roaming all over me. "That will be fixed with time."
A scoff leaves my lips at his confidence. What did he think he was going to do to fix me?
Just as I go to respond, a throat clears, gaining my attention. My eyes averted to the source and widened at the sight of Donovan.
"Donovan." His name slips past my lips in surprise but he doesn't look at me.
Instead, he takes in my situation with Carter. He's reading this entirely wrong and I didn't want him to think that this was something that it wasn't.
"I didn't know you had a boyfriend."
"Fuck off." Carter grunts, the annoyance dripping in his tone apparent. What was his deal?
I glare at him in disbelief. "He's not my boyfriend." This time using all my strength to push him off me. Carter lets me go reluctantly. Turning my body to face Donovan's, ignoring the harsh stare from Carter.
"Oh," Donovan looks between us confused before nodding towards Carter. He holds out his hand, greeting. "Donovan."
Carter looks down at his hand as if it disgusted him. Awkwardly, Donovan retracted his hand, shifting uncomfortably at the intense stare Carter was using.
I look up at him, over his macho act. "Would you stop it?"
He had no right to be mean to Donovan. He did nothing to him nor was he a threat of any kind. A warning glare passes through Carter's eyes. "Tiana-"
"I don't even understand why you are here." I interrupted him, not caring that Donovan was standing there. "I told you I didn't want you. How clearer do I have to be to make you understand?"
Silence hovered between us as a dangerous look invoked his features. Dark and terminal. I may have just pressed a button that unleashes a monster but I wasn't going to stand here and let him think he had control or some kind of claim over me.
He doesn't and he never will.
"Is he bothering you, Tiana?" Donovan breaks the silent battle between us, his voice deepening as he steps beside me.
Carter takes notice and it's like fuel to a fire, the action fueling his silent rage.
"How about you mind your business." Carter warns his jaw is tight.
"It makes it my business if she doesn't want anything to do with you." He pumps out his chest, showing off his virile physique.
My nerves began to go wild as Carter took a threatening step and I knew he would hurt Donovan without an ounce of remorse. Quickly, I step in front of Donovan, blocking Carter from coming closer.
He towers over me, that stoic look dwelling on his facade. "I'm giving you more time to think but I can only wait so long, Tiana." He murmurs, his eyes looking behind me before rolling his eyes and then steps away from me, walking off from the house.
"Who was that?" Donovan questioned, but I didn't hear him.
My eyes watched Carter until he disappeared into the darkness, raising the fear inside me with not just his words but by the possibility of what he was capable of doing to me.
"Tiana?"
I turned to Donavan, shaking my head. "He's no one you should be concerned about." He opened his mouth to protest but I continued. "We should get a drink, yes?" I walked back inside before he could answer and he followed me without hesitation.
I know I said I was going to go home but I needed another drink. Especially when I couldn't get the feeling of Carter's calloused hands that were once on me. The smell of him lingered and it only made me think thoughts that shouldn't be in my head in the first place.
Thinking back to the list of names and my father's request to pick resurfaces, adding to my frustrated state.
I just didn't know what I could do to get out of this. Hell, was there even a way to do so? That I didn't know but I could always try to find out.
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I know you guys are waiting for the exciting things to happen. Just bear with me for the next few slow chapters. They are necessary.