"Didn't Lucas tell you to stay in your room?" He asked, his fingers digging through my skin.
"Um...." I looked around to avoid staring into the deep pair of burning eyes.
"You think this small mask can hide you from me?" He said.
"I thought... Ummm...."
"You thought nothing, like every other time." He said under his breath as he swayed me along the music. For two people who don't like each other, we were in a really cozy position.
"Is it a crime to want to socialize?" I asked.
"Oh so that's what you were doing with that guy? Socializing?" He gritted.
"Yes." I said as he twirled me so my back was towards him and then pulled me back into himself. Damn. I may be a feminist but when a handsome guy twirls you around like a sack of potato, it feels weirdly good.
"That guy killed his wife and two children." He whispered in my ears and my eyes widened, bile rising to my throat.
"You are lying." I said. Sean Miller seemed like the kind of guy who would enjoy such jokes.
"Oh but I am not." He said.
"Why have you invited him to your party then?" I asked, turning around to face him but ended up standing a little too close to him. His face was few inches away from me and his warm breath was tickling my forehead.
"He is rich and powerful. I could need him one day." He said with a straight face.
"You're sick." I chewed my words.
"I was not the one dancing with him." He shrugged.
I was about to walk off when he wrapped his arm around my waist and twirled me around again. This time, I was too angry to feel good about it.
"Be subtle. Don't create any drama." He whispered in my earlobe and a shiver ran down my spine.
We were frozen in the same position, with my back digging into his front when a voice interrupted. "Babe, won't you dance with me tonight?" I didn't need to think much to recognise the person behind the mask. The dusky skin and bitchy demeanor was enough of a tell.
"Time to dance with your girlfriend, Mr. Miller." I said and slapped his hand away from my waist. He narrowed his eyes at me but didn't say anything and turned to Hailey.
I walked off to the food corner and picked up some starters along with a glass of champagne. As I sipped the burning liquid, my eyes inadvertently fell to the couple that was the centre of attraction Both of them were tall and fit, like those sexy couples you see on the front page of magazines. It made so much sense that they were together then why did I feel this uneasiness on seeing them? Maybe because they were both such assholes that it was hard to digest their sight.
"Penelope, is that you?" Jason called me, pulling me out of trance. He was in a three piece suit today, looking like a meal himself.
"Am I that easy to guess?" I groaned.
"Kinda. I mean, you have very distinct hair." He said, pointing at my Auburn locks.
"Uh. That's how." I sighed at the realization. Next time, I would have to wear a wig.
"You look good." He said, eyeing me up and down.
"How good, on a scale from 0 to 10, 10 being smoking hot?" I said jokingly.
"Uh...." He trailed off, warmth appearing on his cheeks.
"I'm kidding." I said.
"Oh." He grinned. "By the way, you are an easy 10."
"Aren't you the sweetest?" I said. My voice came out flirty despite any intention of doing that. He was the only safe option here because apparently, all the other guys were murderers or kidnappers.
"Well, that's enough drink for tonight." He said, taking the second glass of champagne out of my hands. "You're ditzy."
"Not enough to go barf at Sean Miller's stupid face." I said.
"You want to barf at Mr. Miller's face?" He said amusingly. "Most girls would want to do something else to his face."
"Well, most girls don't know that he is a dick." I said.
"Don't say that out loud." He said, chuckling at my words.
"I'll say it. He is a dick. Dick. Dick. Dick." I repeated.
"Who is a dick?" Someone said from behind me. And the way Jason's eyes widened, I instantly knew who it was.
"Uh..." I turned around to come face to face with the dick in discussion. I turned towards Jason for emotional support but he had vanished into thin air.
"Come on, you've enjoyed enough." Sean laced his fingers with mine and tugged me along. His hand was large and warm, nearly engulfing my small ones.
"Where are you taking me?" I asked.
"To your room." He said and dragged me through the less crowded hallway.
I wasn't too keen on staying in the boring party so I let him drag me. He climbed the back stairs to avoid being seen and then led me to my room where I had carefully set the cushions on bed in the form of a body.
"All this just for a party. Desperate, are we?" Sean said, leaning against a wall.
"Solitude tends to make people do desperate things." I said and lay down on the bed, closing my eyes. The alcohol had started to make me feel weak.
When I didn't get any reply from Mr. Know-it-all, I opened my eyes and found him staring at me with hooded eyes.
"Isn't your girlfriend waiting for you?" I asked, breaking him out of his trance.
"Who?" He asked.
"Hailey." I reminded him.
"Oh." He nodded. "She can wait. I first needed to dispose the trouble at hand."
"The trouble at hand being me?" I raised my eyebrows.
"Apparently." He shrugged.
"Poor Sean Miller, being troubled by a girl." I stuck out my tongue at him.
Suddenly, he started walking. I half expected him to lunge at me to smother me to death but instead, he kneeled down beside me. I was already in a weird position, with my legs partially hanging off the bed. Ah! Embarrassing!
A gasp left my mouth when Mr. Miller held my feet. I lifted my head off the bed and stared at him with bulging eyes as he took off my sandals and then shifted my feet onto the mattress.
"Go to sleep." He said, tucking me under the blanket.
While he turned the lights off and left the room, I struggled to register what had happened. Did Sean Miller just tuck me to bed? Maybe he was drunk as well, only that could explain this soft side of him.
•••••••
The next morning started with a killer headache. As I reached downstairs in time for breakfast, I was welcomed with a taunting look by both Miller brothers. I ignored both of them and sat down on my seat, holding my head with both hands.
"Good morning princess, would you like some tea?" It was Lucas who broke the silence.
"Some coffee would be appreciated." I said.
"A headache is what you get for not listening." Lucas said.
"Can we delay the lecture? I'm not in mood. Last night is all blurred. I just remember dancing and then...." I moaned as the memories slowly tortured their way back to my mind.
"You made a complete fool of yourself and I had to send Thomas to take you back." Sean said but the fog had started to clear. It wasn't Thomas who dropped me back to my room, it was Sean.
"Is that you would like Lucas to believe?" I whispered while Lucas got up to attend a call. "Don't worry. I won't tell him that his brother has a soft side."
"Shut up and eat." He said in an annoyed voice. "Or this time, I assure you Thomas will be the one delivering you upstairs."
"Sure." I said and poured some cereal for myself. The rest of the breakfast went smoothly until I remembered I had wanted to ask him something.
"Can I go to a superstore?" I asked him as nicely as I could so he won't reject.
"Why?" He asked.
"I need some things." I said honestly.
"What things?" He questioned back.
"Things. A girl needs certain things." I said and his earlobes got red all of sudden.
"Jenny will give you that." He mumbled.
"Ugh. Not that, Mr. Miller. I need some makeup, some skincare products, some undergarments. And yes, that too."
"Make a list. Thomas will bring you whatever you want." He said.
"Ugh. You don't expect me to tell Thomas what size of bra I wear and what brand of tampons do I prefer, do you?" I said in indignation.
"Fine, Miss. Woods. I'll take you to a store tonight. Can you manage till then?" He asked.
"Ok." I said and went back to clearing my plate.
•••••••••••••••••••••