"If he found out that I was fücking his daughter, he is well within his rights to tell me to never speak to you or see you again..."
A R I A
"You know, I think I might like food as much as I like püssy and díck."
I choked slightly on the wine I was drinking and turned to stare wide eyed at Aaron as he scoffed down three canapes all at once, his innocent smile not reaching his eyes as he wiggled his eyebrows and hummed happily.
"What the fück?" I asked, wheezing slightly as I wiped the side of my lip and swiped against the slight dribble of red wine that had missed my mouth.
"One does taste better than the other though," he spoke casually whilst I stayed staring at him, watching as he downed his food with a tall champagne flute full of the bubbly liquid. "Obviously I mean püssy, also known as my favourite meal."
"I-" I blurted out, trying to figure out a response to his words whilst he casually ushered over a waiter to serve him more food. I failed miserably when Aaron went on like he'd said nothing, his habit of being a little spontaneous when he was tipsy coming into play which made me puff out a laugh whilst I sipped at my red wine and scanned the room full of people.
We were currently inside the ballroom of my father's home, the normal light colours of the interior now exchanged for black, orange, green and purple as a multitude of Halloween decorations hung from the ceilings and moving spotlights darted across the darkened space. It seemed that over the years Blake had acquired a habit of throwing Halloween parties since Lucien had told me on the way here, the annual event seeming to be a popular one when I knew that there were roughly three hundred people here and it wasn't even midnight yet.
Gesù Cristo.
It was bad enough that I hated being in a dark space, yet it was worse when I also had a dislike towards being touched by strangers even when it was moving past me, the very thought knocking inside my skull wildly when I felt the uncomfortable presence of an unfamiliar body press against me. I scowled slightly over my wine glass when a drunken man slid past me whilst shouting in Italian about püssy, the smell of his body odour soon wafting in the air around me which made my nose wrinkle as I watched him shout to his friends over the sound of Black Skinhead by Kanye West that was flowing loudly from the speakers.
"Cretino," I muttered under my breath, stopping myself from taking the bat I had in my hand and whacking him over the head as I moved my body more towards Aaron, my lips parting to breath out a sharp breath as I searched through the crowd for Lucien to see if he was back yet.
He'd been summoned by my father nearly the instant that we'd stepped foot onto the estate along with Jinx, the both of them vanishing steadily from my sight in the form of the Joker and a werewolf since Jinx was dressed as that.
Their costumes were the only thing that alleviated the ache in my chest at the fact that my father always seemed to find a way to ruin my fun, the very notion being the reason why I was silently pissed in the corner of the room and waiting for the both of them whilst Aaron stayed drinking and eating.
He seemed to be enjoying himself despite not really doing anything, his clear contentment being something that I was momentarily jealous of when I found him casually looking over to a man who's abs were on show courtesy of his caveman costume. It made me hum sharply under my breath as I ignored the slightly potent feeling of wanting Lucien's company, my hands quick to swipe another glass of wine from a waiter as I masked what I was feeling with the alcohol and tried to keep being patient.
It was easier said than done.
After another twenty minutes I was on my fourth glass of wine and accompanying Aaron with the food he'd put on his plate despite not being hungry myself, the small cookie that was iced in orange frosting and had a drawn on spider web soon crumbling in my mouth as I ate half of it and then downed it with the remaining wine in my glass.
It went down smoother than I thought considering I didn't really like sweet things, the slightly bitter taste of the wine masking my initial distaste as I felt the floaty feeling of being tipsy creep up on me slowly. It warmed me from the inside out as I twirled the end of my bat that I was holding, my blonde pigtails swishing around my face when I watched the part of the bat that was on the floor turn swiftly until I stopped it with my fingers.
It seemed to be entertaining as I felt the heated stares of men looking at me when I fixed my shorts and pulled them a little higher, the fact that I was basically half exposed in black fishnets and a tight cropped shirt not being something that I was lost on as I blinked lazily and then looked over my shoulder to see who was looking at me.
Prying eyes came in the form of a group of guys who I knew worked for my father and were also friends with my brother Dean, four out of the five of them looking away instantly when I met their gazes and narrowed my eyes.
Amateurs, I snorted, my vision soon moving to the one who stayed looking at me.
He was tall and had blonde hair that curled slightly against his ears, his bright blue eyes narrowed playfully at me as I looked over his costume, his limp suit and crystal cane making up a sad pimp interpretation which only gave away that he thought that he was too good for certain things.
I confirmed the thought when he raised his eyebrow enticingly, his tongue swiping against his lower lip as I hummed sharply under my breath when he purposely waited for me to watch him look down the length of my legs and then back to my face.
It was amusing how he thought that I was interested as Aaron said that he thought the guy staring at me probably had a small díck, the buzz of tipsiness soon soaking into my veins as I stopped myself from laughing at Aaron's words when I looked down and validated his words.
I knew it was uncalled for yet I didn't care considering I had something bigger and better, the sudden thought warming my body better than any alcohol did just as the hairs on the back of my neck stood when I felt a familiar presence in the room.
Instantaneously I turned, my dyed pigtails moving around my face as I spotted Lucien from across the room speaking to Alex who was dressed as a pirate, the glass in his hand half full of what I knew was probably bourbon when the amber liquid swirled inside and reflected the light that darted across the crowd.
From where I stood I knew Lucien wasn't in the best of moods, his body tense as he motioned to Alex with his hands whilst talking to him before slowly blanking when Alex said something again. I didn't know what they were talking about but it was clear Lucien was annoyed when he narrowed his eyes at his older brother once he had finished speaking, the scowl on his face seeming to be something that I liked when I felt my legs press together and then watched as Lucien told Alex to fück off before he looked across the room.
It made me fight back a laugh when he moved away from Alex with his forever present confidence in his step, his jaw set as he swallowed what was left in his glass and then shoved it towards a waiter at the same time he caught my eye.
At meeting my glance he relaxed, his movements making my chest tighten just as he rubbed over his jaw and moved in between people to get to me. Seeing him do so at a quickening pace made my stomach dip as I felt my fingertips tighten over my bat, a lazy but happy hum leaving my mouth until my reality was ruined when the blonde behind had grown a pair of balls and moved so that he was next to me, his awkward touch only kick starting my agitation when he then went out of his way to put his hand on my waist.
"Don't fücking touch me," I snapped at him as I turned abruptly, heat in my words as I heard Aaron groan out can't you see I'm eating just as the warmth of Lucien's body was next to me.
The instant smell of his cologne made me swallow roughly when he gripped the hand of the guy in front of me, my eyes stuck to staring at Lucien when he threatened the blonde and told him that he if he wanted to keep his life then he wasn't to breathe the same air as me.
Fück me.
His words made me inhale a shallow breath as I figured out the slight possessiveness in his words, the wine in my system only emphasising my lust infused mood as I kept staring longingly at the side of Lucien's white painted face and watched as he turned to me once the little boy had run off.
Well, he wasn't exactly a little boy...but it seemed that all men in Lucien's presence tended to look like that when I was too busy staring at him.
"Are you tipsy?" Lucien asked me loudly over the music whilst I hummed to myself without registering his words, my eyes soon zoned in on the stretch of tattooed skin that I could see from his shirt being open and unbuttoned at the top.
I silently praised myself for his outfit when I felt heat bloom between my legs at the sight of him, his words lost in my head when I leaned towards him and pressed my free hand to his stomach, my lips pressing together as I mimicked the tune of the music that was playing a loud bass which expanded in my chest with every beat.
"Aria."
Lucien's muscles left him rippled with harsh indents that were covered with smooth, hot skin, his body temperature being one that was always above average which made my body lull at the feeling just as his hand moved to my chin so that he could tilt my head up.
"You're tipsy," he said as I was subjected to his hold, the touch of his fingers against me doing nothing to stop the torturous process of wanting him as I revelled in the feeling and slightly hated myself for loving it so much. Despite it, I stayed looking up to him and nodded slightly, the sound of Can't Feel My Face by The Weeknd starting playing loudly over the speakers as Lucien narrowed his eyes at me when I coaxed his face down to mine so I could speak to him.
He leaned down easily when I moved my hand to the back of his neck, the heat of his face against mine only adding fuel to the fire that was ironically between my legs as I went to speak before he was pulling back when someone said something.
For fück sake.
With a huff I watched Lucien turn to his older brother, my eyes narrowed in a glare towards Alex as he looked between Lucien and I with a weird expression before he started talking when I blatantly pressed my lips together in an annoyed look.
"I need to talk to you about that thing with Salvatore," Alex spoke, side eyeing me when I stared him down and shifted my weight to my left foot, the point of my heel scuffing the flooring which prompted me to be petty and tell my father that he had poor choices when it came to things being worthy long term.
The thought made me snort to myself as I turned to Aaron, the sudden turn being too fast for tipsy me as I felt my balance shift until Lucien's arm was holding me up and his hand was pressing against my stomach.
"Lovely," I mumbled to myself as I tapped Lucien's hand happily and leaned back into him, his strong hold making me shiver a little as Aaron looked at me, his head tilting slightly as I kept my vision on him whilst listening to the conversation Alex and Lucien were having.
It was easy to feign my disinterest when I poked Aaron with the tip of my bat, a teasing smile curving at my lips as I used both hands to imitate me shooting at him which only left him glaring at me as Alex went on about a weapon shipment my father had at the docks earlier this afternoon.
From what I could hear the number he'd been provided with was underwhelming and uncalled for, the sudden change in business only shedding light on red flags which popped up faster when the associate in charge of the shipment had gone missing.
Idiot, I thought in my head bluntly as I moved into Lucien more, the heat of his body enveloping mine as I tried to coax his hand from being over my shirt to inside it. I failed miserably when he just pulled me closer and squeezed over me tightly, the harshness of his fingers making me fight off a mischievous smile when I hummed and realised what he was doing.
It wasn't news to me that he had wanted to keep whatever was going on between us as non-séxual as we could be, his intentions coming from a place of figuring what he felt for me which had only been confirmed indirectly when we had spoken a few days ago and he'd gifted me with a pair of heels that were stored away safely in a moving box.
It only left me confused for a second when I wondered why he was doing what he was doing since we both knew that we liked each other, the only thing I could think of being that he wanted nobody to know which only heated my body more when I realised sneaking around was something that I was especially good at.
I could do that easily.
Within seconds I formed a plan in my head that I was happily going to act on as I turned to trip a waiter but stopped, the sound of the song playing over the speakers suddenly muted in my head when my senses went into overdrive once my eyes caught onto someone who I didn't expect to see at the party.
"Why is Ryder here?" I asked, loud enough to catch the attention of Lucien and Aaron as I felt them turn just as Ryder smiled happily at me once he had found me in the crowd, the sudden wave of numbness that shot up my spine pooling into my blood that ran cold instantly.
His actions were enough to kick start a completely different mood, my happy and horny one completely eradicated and replaced with an uncontrollable urge to rip his throat out and crack his skull open.
My hand gripped tightly around the bat in my hand as my chest burned with anger, his last encounter with me summarised into an opportunity he used to expose me which only left me inhaling a deep breath when I knew that Lucien would be the one to take half the hit.
"You better hold her before she-" Aaron's words were cut off when I felt the tightening of Lucien's hand around me just as I elbowed him harshly to loosen his hold, his gruff groan making me halt for a split second until I realised I could attend to him easily...at least once I was done breaking Ryder's face in half.
I moved past people effortlessly whilst hearing Lucien call after me in a warning tone, my previous plan of tripping a waiter coming into play when I acted on my thoughts and heard the aftermath of a full tray of drinks and group of people falling to floor, the mess that I'd created only obstructing Lucien's path as I held onto my bat tightly and kept my eyes trained on Ryder.
He was smug and standing like the sad excuse of a man he was with his crutches, the lack of his costume only making him stand out like a sore thumb even more when I pushed my body past a man only to be grabbed roughly by him in turn when he spilled his drink on the floor.
"Get the fück-" I snapped, instantly pissed at the lack of focus I had when the man who didn't look familiar gripped at my upper arm roughly. His fingers pressed into my skin at the same time he glared harshly at me, the vein in his neck bulging angrily as his blood pressure probably sky rocketed and resulted in his wheezed heavy breath that stunk of alcohol and bad hygiene.
"Se fossi in te starei attento a dove vado," he retorted whilst shoving me away from his hold, telling me watch where I was going as I narrowed my eyes and grew angrier at the fact that Ryder was now nowhere to be seen. "Marmocchio del cazzo."
"Excuse me?" I spoke with wide eyes that soon turned into a heated glare at the burly man, his height towering right over me as I watched him turn back to his friends who he was talking to whilst completely ignoring me. "I'm not a fücking spoilt brat you piece of shít!" I fumed, my chest tightening with my anger as I breathed in a breath that felt hot and shallow, the alcohol in my system only goading my reckless thoughts as I acted on them without thinking.
Easily I swung my bat and hit the back of his knees harshly, the weight of him dipping into the pain of his joints collapsing underneath him as he groaned and hit the floor just as Lucien pushed past people and looked between me and the second mess I'd created.
I expected him to be pissed at me but when I saw him look at my arm where my shirt had crumpled from being manhandled he stilled for a split second. Everything around me suddenly seemed to follow through in slow motion when Lucien moved towards me, his eyes dark and trained on the heavy body folded onto its knees before he moved towards the man and pulled at his collar, the following split second blurring before my eyes when Lucien struck him hard and fast in the face with a closed fist that had rings on the fingers.
Oh.
The sound of cracking cartilage was heard over the loud bass of music, the tightening in my chest proving to be something that I secretly enjoyed when I watched Lucien pick up the man easily by the creased neck of his shirt, the weight of him clearly not fazing Lucien as he shoved him towards his friends who were already on the verge of defence.
"Don't fücking touch her."
His words made me breathe out a shallow breath when I stared at the side of his face again, the temporary green of his hair contrasting against his face as a few hairs flopped over his forehead before he moved them back and then turned to me.
Again, I expected him to be pissed at me but not at the rate that he was, the sudden glare in his eyes trained on my face telling me otherwise as I went to say something until I was cut off when he picked me up easily and threw me effortlessly over his shoulder, the wine coursing through my veins betraying me and ridding me of my split second instincts.
"Lucien!" I gasped, the blood rushing to my head as I groaned at the swirl in my stomach as he carried me towards where the guests were outside, the sound of security dealing with what had just happened slowly forming a background thought in my head when the breeze outside skimmed across my legs, the bubbling irritation I had at everything soon dissipating as I started to enjoy the feeling of Lucien's body against mine whilst he kept walking.
I didn't exactly know where he was taking me as we walked away from the bigger crowd of people, the slight repeated dip of his body leaving me to realise that he was walking down stairs which meant that he was walking through the garden and into the heart of it.
He walked down the path and kept silent all the way until we passed the shrubbery that acted like a circular wall around a fountain and stone seating, his hands becoming a little bolder on my legs which confused me until I was groaning when he sat down and pulled me until my legs were split over his lap and my knees were pressed against the grey stone.
"Why did you-"
Before I could finish my sentence he was already leaning in and kissing me hard, the abrupt feeling of his mouth against mine startling me until I relaxed and moaned into him whilst kissing him back without a second thought.
It was clear that I didn't realise how much I really wanted him until this moment in time, the feeling of his mouth against mine being something that I wanted mimicked between my legs as I felt his hands pull up on my booty shorts, his fingers pressing into the exposed flesh of my ass whilst he slanted his mouth over mine.
Scopami...
I was greedy and hot for him as I let the hold on my bat go, the sound of wood hitting the stonework mixing in with the trickle of water from the fountain behind us as Lucien pushed his tongue past my lips and gripped me closer by the waist, the sudden shift of my body only creating the perfect space for the bulge of his hardening cóck to settle between my legs.
At the pleasurable sensation we both moaned, my body moving accordingly to his hands when I felt the ache in my séx triple as he moved his mouth from mine and peppered kisses all the way down my jaw until he reached the soft spot just above my jugular.
"F-fück," I breathed out, my eyes falling shut softly as the heat of his mouth burned a hickey right into my skin, the sound of Him & I by G-Eazy and Halsey echoing softly from the ballroom doors as I smoothed my hands over the back of Lucien's neck until I was touching over his shoulders when he pulled back up to meet my heavy lidded gaze.
It was most likely clear to him that I was tipsy and locked in the lust bubble he'd created and blown bigger, the feeling somewhat suffocating when all I wanted to do was get him naked and watch his face when I made him cum from my mouth, the thought possessing my mind when I thought back to what had happened in his bathroom earlier today.
Fück yes.
The idea was enticing and only goaded my hands when I moved them down until I reached his belt buckle, the heated ache between my legs only growing more fervent as I watched the heated glint in his eyes turn darker at what I was doing, his reaction setting fire to my bones when I felt myself give into my obsessive need until Lucien stopped me from moving by grabbing both my wrists between one of his hands.
"Lucien..." I whined sharply, the overwhelming tug in my body to touch him or feel some sort of friction driving me insane as I breathed out a shallow breath and swallowed roughly, my mind trying to ignore the pulsing between my legs but it was hard when I kept repeating the way his mouth felt on me.
"Not yet," was all he said to me before he let go of my wrists and reached into his pocket to retrieve his lighter and cigarettes, my reaction to his rejection only provoking his own when he smirked at me and twirled a single cigarette between his fingers.
"I fücking hate you," I muttered under my breath as I proceeded to get up but failed miserably when Lucien coiled his free arm around my waist from the back, his hold tight and pressing against my skin which did nothing to help alleviate the need of wanting him naked and above or under me, the feeling soon morphing into me being pissed as a result. "Let go of me."
"Can't do that, princess."
At his words my slight irritation at not getting what I wanted flared into blunt anger from the hated nickname he'd called me, my hand moving quickly to grip the length of his cóck which only left him choking mid inhale on his cigarette.
"O-oh, you're so going to regret doing that," he groaned through gritted teeth, his sadistic smile despite what I was doing mirroring my own sick humour of the situation until I narrowed my eyes and realised what he was going to do since I'd indirectly been accustomed to his actions.
Despite knowing so the alcohol in my system betrayed me again and delayed my cat like reflexes, his hands quick to manoeuvre me until he was free of my hold and standing up. His arms moved against me as I felt my body float for a split second just before I was pinned face down to the stone curve of the seating, his hand gripping one my wrists tightly as he bent my left arm behind me and locked me into place.
"Asshole," I groaned through my teeth as the hard surface scuffed against my legs, the smug laugh that left his lips in a puffed breath goading my instinct to one up him until his free hand was between my legs and cupping my séx roughly.
"You really wanna piss me off when I know you want my cóck, tesoro?" he asked, his voice low as I stayed silent and swallowed roughly, the lust burning through my veins overriding every sense in my body as I found it suddenly hard to work a response out, my focus centered on his hands and fingers as I arched my hips a little bit in an attempt to persuade him to touch me further.
I didn't expect him to but it seemed that for a moment I was granted what I was needing from him.
Effortlessly he slid two fingers behind the hem of my shorts from the inside of my right thigh, my séx instinctively tightening at the nearness of his fingers as he slid the length of them against my slit that was covered by the soft threading of my fishnets and lace panties.
"Lucien," my chest caved against the stone as my eyes shut at the sudden feeling of teasing pleasure, my lips parting to moan in needy tone when I arched my hips back and yearned for better friction as I heard Lucien groan to himself.
"So fücking wet," he purred, the feeling of his fingers against where I wanted him the most leaving me feeling like a coil that he was tightening with every single stroke he smoothed against my püssy.
"Please..." I breathed out quietly, gripping the stone I was on with my fingertips as I screwed my eyes shut and anticipated his movements, my need to cum and rid myself of some of the weight that felt like a cement block in the lowest part of my stomach growing steadily as I moaned quietly when he pressed teasingly against my entrance over the material of my panties.
"Even your püssy is greedy, Aria."
His words made me swallow a harsh moan that caught in my throat as he let his hold on my arm go, his fingers continuing to tease against my püssy until the feeling vanished all together and he was pulling away and speaking smugly.
"But that's also the reason why I'm not going to do anything," he said, my eyes opening as my senses focused on everything around me when I registered what he'd said and saw red flash before my eyes.
Suddenly the trickle of water from the fountain next to us sounded more in depth as it echoed in my ears along with the sound of music playing through the ballroom doors, the feeling of the stone underneath me seeming harsher just as I did I double take with my bat on the floor next to me.
Without thinking my built up frustration persuaded my alcohol infused mind to swing at Lucien blindly, my body moving quickly as I picked up the bat and then turned over so I could whack Lucien for having a one up on me.
It was easier said than done when he anticipated my fücking movements, his stupid hands and stupid smirk making me groan loudly in frustration when he pulled at my bat and easily disarmed me, his other hand gripping my ankle as he hauled me towards him until he was kneeling against the stone and in between my legs whilst I stayed lying on my back.
"I could fücking kil-" my words were cut off when his palm stretched over my throat and put pressure on my airway, the glint in his eyes reflecting in mine which only made me hate him even more when I found myself hotter for him with what he was doing.
"Next time, don't act out and pull attention to yourself...especially in an environment where there are a lot of people," he told me bluntly, his eyes narrowed on mine as I stayed silent and slowed my breathing down as he kept speaking and seemingly scolding me. "It makes you look reckless and easily goaded, which is why you shouldn't fücking drink whilst you're at it."
"Shut the fück up."
He ignored my words and gripped my throat a little tighter, his actions doing the opposite of what he wanted when I moaned softly and felt the pressure between my legs grow to an overwhelming state, the pleasurable sound that left my mouth leaving his glare to soften as he swallowed.
"I fücking hate that you enjoy me choking you when I'm trying to be serious."
"I wanna fück," I breathed out candidly, my hips arching as I used my heeled foot to coax him further down, my séx aching for some sort of friction that only came from him. "It's not fair..." I whined, "Why won't you fück me?"
"Why?" Lucien laughed unamused at my words. "I won't fück you right now because if I do, I won't stop," he started, his eyes dark as he looked down at me with a strained look on his face, his words worsening the overpowering tightening between my legs. "I would be more than fücking happy to make you cum Aria, but I'd rather do that with you stomach down on my bed for the entire night instead of a quickie in a bathroom here."
Oh.
"You don't want people finding out about us..." I said as more of a loose statement than a question, my voice shaky as I swallowed and felt his grip loosen completely on my throat, my eyes closing as I tried to focus on his voice instead of what I was feeling.
"I don't want the hassle of your fücking father breathing down my neck," he admitted sharply, the thought of my dad suddenly being enough to pop the lust bubble I was suffocating in as I frowned and opened my eyes to look up at Lucien. "I took a blood oath for him Aria. If he found out that I was fücking his daughter, he is well within his rights to tell me to never speak to you or see you again...and I'll have to do what he says or I'll be killed."
His words only made me blink a few times as I struggled to register them, the type of world that we lived in suddenly being one that I hated immensely when I sat up and felt a little more sober just by realising what was at stake.
"So we have to sneak around?" I asked him, my chest tightening uncomfortably when I swallowed roughly, my mind suddenly blank when I wondered what we were exactly as I looked down to his palm where his blood oath was scarred into his skin.
"Until the heat dies down with your father, yes," Lucien said to me, his words making me breathe out an unamused laugh as he sat down next to me.
"The heat will never die down with my father because he hates me," I said blankly, instantly feeling sober at the topic of conversation as I fiddled with my fingers and felt my appetite vanish.
"Why does he h-"
Thankfully Lucien's words were cut off when his phone rung loudly in his slacks, his sigh resonating in my ears as he accepted the call and stood up whilst answering. I watched aimlessly as he spoke, his blank look soon turning into an agitated one once I'd realised that he was talking to Alex about the shipment they had been speaking about earlier.
"Now?!" Lucien asked incredulously, his eyes meeting my gaze as I felt my shoulders slump involuntarily and give away my slight disappointment at what I knew was about to happen. I knew I wasn't in the right to say anything but I wanted to scream at how I knew my father was using Lucien as a pawn, the loyalty Lucien had for him mutated into a way my father could use it against me and take him away when he saw fit. "For fück sake, give me a minute and I'll meet you outside," Lucien sighed sharply before hanging up.
With his words he shoved his phone into his pocket, the buzz of tipsiness that I was handling well suddenly morphing into something I wanted to get rid of as my mood slightly deteriorated at what was happening, my vision ignoring Lucien's gaze as I looked down to my heels and then spoke when I knew he was going to do the same.
"The heat will never die down with my father, Lucien," I reminded him quietly, licking my lips as I inhaled a big breath and then shook my head a little at the situation. "It's okay though...you go and I'll meet you back at yours."
"Aria..."
"It's fine I have Jinx and Aaron," I reassured him, the look on his face giving away that he struggled on what to say which I understood considering the circumstances between us. "Lucien, just go," I laughed half-heartedly, waving him away as he inhaled a breath and nodded before I watched him go to move towards me until he stopped and then backtracked to walk back towards the house after reminding me that he'd see me at his house later tonight.
As he did I stayed focusing on the back of him when he walked away, the sudden ache in my chest making me swallow roughly when an odd sense of something missing hit me, the feelings I felt for him only emphasising everything when I distracted myself with the trickle of water coming from the fountain.
It calmed me slightly, the silvery reflect of the lights from the outside of the house glimmering upon the surface of the water as it filtered through the fancy looking stone work before it poured out from the top, the pressured curve of water split in nine different directions until it slipped back into the pool of water at the bottom just to repeat the process.
Oddly I found myself relating to it, the fact that I always seemed to end up in the same situation no matter what direction I decided to take leaving me to sigh to myself just as I heard my name being called from the direction Lucien had walked in.
"Best friend!" Aaron shouted from across the garden whilst holding a champagne bottle and holding the hat on his head so it wouldn't fly away, his cape flowing in the wind as he tried to walk in a straight line down the pathway but failed miserably courtesy of his drunkenness.
Well at least someone was having fun.
"Jesus Christ, how much did you have to drink?" Jinx suddenly popped up from behind him with a shout, his arm moving underneath Aaron's as Aaron hiccupped and then stared happily at Jinx who helped him walk up to where I was.
"Only a glass," Aaron slurred as he moved away from Jinx once they passed the shrubbery wall, his body moving closer to mine until he sat next to me and hiccupped again. "Or maybe twelve or twenty, I don't know."
"You're a mess," I teased him, feigning my mood easily again as I looked over at Jinx and watched him sit on one of the remaining three out of four seats around the fountain.
It was odd having him here considering the only person I had shared Aaron with was Lucien, however with what I'd seen, it was clear that I could trust Jinx as he hadn't said a word to anyone since Aaron had shown up bloody and panicked at Lucien's door.
"I'm not a mess," Aaron slurred lazily as he went to take another sip of champagne until I removed the bottle from him hands and was subjected to his loud whine.
"You're supposed to be a vampire but you have a witch's hat on and a pirate's eye patch lingering around your neck," I told him, narrowing my eyes at him as he huffed. "Tell me again that you're not a mess."
"Spoil sport."
"You'll love me in the morning, shut up," I told him, letting him rest his head on my shoulder as he cuddled towards me until he had his arms around me and was speaking whilst half asleep.
"I met your man's brother."
"My man?" I asked, confused for a split second until my mouth formed an o shape and I was instantly wanting to whack Aaron since Jinx was now narrowing his eyes at me suspiciously, his eyebrows raising as he tilted his head and blinked.
Don't say anything.
Don't say anything.
Don't say any-
"Alex? Is that his name?" Aaron asked aimlessly whilst hiccupping again. "He played a drinking game with me and obviously I won because I'm a professional at swallowing things...I took his eye patch as a winning token."
For fück sake.
At Aaron's words Jinx's eyes widened until he dramatically gasped with two hands over his mouth, his sudden reaction that was dramatized confusing me until I put two and two together and squinted my eyes whilst pressing my tongue to the inside of my mouth.
"You kne-"
"Yeah, I knew about you and Lucien the entire time," he said, chuckling lightly when I hated the way the heat rose to my cheeks at the thought of someone knowing about Lucien and I.
Well...whatever Lucien and I were anyways.
"You guys are great at being secretive, but it's the eyes that never lie," Jinx pointed out, teasingly pointing his two fingers to his own eyes before he pointed them in my direction, his actions amusing me slightly until I wondered if he'd said anything to anybody else. "Don't worry, your secret it safe with me."
"It's not just my secret," I said to him, Lucien's words about the blood oath he'd taken for my father suddenly swirling in my mind and aiding the tightening in my chest when I tried to ignore the sharp feeling that cracked my ribs, the thought of him dying at the hands of someone who would probably do it just to spite me only leaving me to feel ill.
"Aria, I would never betray Lucien," Jinx told me, seriousness lacing his words as my head tilted to lean against Aaron's whilst I kept listening. "He's had my back through some tough shít...the least I can do is keep something to myself."
I sent him a half-hearted smile which only prompted him to do what he'd done with me before, his attempt to cheer me up courtesy of my mood bringing me back to the same moment he'd done the same when he'd driven me from Aaron's house to my father's the day Lucien and I had flown out to Sicily.
Oddly enough it was the topic of conversation for the next hour as Aaron sobered up and joined halfway whilst dipping in and out of sleep, both Jinx and him serving as a great distraction until I suddenly had the urge to smoke when I kept sending lingering stares at the couple who were standing at the balcony outside the ballroom.
Hmph.
"I'll be back, I kept some in my room here," I said, Jinx raising his eyebrow teasingly at me which made me roll my eyes as I told him to keep an eye on Aaron and that I would be back in less than ten minutes.
He didn't get a chance to reply when I was already walking and swinging my bat aimlessly in front of me, the ache in my chest coming from more of an emotional place rather than a mental one when Lucien's face popped up into my mind, the thought of him making me want to suddenly sneak into my father's office so that I could break his spine and make him pay for everything that he had done and was most likely in the process of doing.
It made me swallow harshly when I tried to ignore the bubbling anger that made my fingertips press hard into my palms, the tip of my nails indenting into my skin as I inhaled a sharp breath through my nose and walked down the pathway and towards the far side of the house that wasn't in sight of anyone else.
I was well aware of the security that my father had but I didn't care whether he saw me on the cameras, my eyes ironically settling on one which prompted me to push my middle finger into the air as I stood in front of a fenced off part of the house that secured a back door which led into the back of the kitchen.
When I did I assessed my situation and then rolled my eyes midway when I hated how I was having to do what I was since there was security loitered everywhere inside, my huff echoing in my ears as I stared at the silver padlock that was holding the door closed off and looking anything but threatening.
Anyone else would've touched it but I knew that my dad wasn't stupid, my eyes squinting as I looked up at the fence and then followed the barbed wire at the top until I was stepping towards where it connected to the side of the house. At seeing what I did I rolled my eyes again, the small red light that was barely visible behind the roof tiles giving away that the fence was buzzing with electricity which made me hum sharply as I figured out a plan in my head and thought it through before nodding once to myself.
With ease I tossed my bat to the floor and walked off the pathway and to the grass that was parallel to the roof corner where I could see the flashing red light, my hands rubbing across my legs to get rid of any sweat before I stepped onto a stone ornament and then jumped until I was holding my weight from the drain fixing.
"For fück sake, if I break a nail I swear to God..." I muttered under my breath as I cursed myself to hell and back and lifted myself with effort, my hatred of going to the gym coming back to bite me in the ass as I hoisted my body weight up until I was sitting on the edge of the roof, my head tilting to look down the other slope and to the ground that the fence was shielding off. "Good..." I praised, "...but not good enough," I finished when I saw the wiring that left the fence crawl up the rest of the roof slope I wasn't on, the multitude of curly silver wire coiled tightly into the tiles and stopping anyone from moving to the other side of the fence even if they were on the roof like I was.
Jumping from here would still mean that I'd end up caught in the electrical wiring...but thank fück I wasn't just anyone.
With ease I removed the tile that was on top of the box and looked at the panelled lid that said 'danger of death, high voltage' in bright yellow and black lettering, my mind unfazed by what I was seeing as I went to open the box until I realised that it was locked.
It made me inhale a deep breath when I was going to more trouble than needed for a high, however when I heard the loud laugh of the woman from the couple I'd been looking at before resonate in my ears, I couldn't help but grit my teeth and push my fingers past my wig to find a bobby pin.
It took me a little longer than needed to get past the lock of the box since I knew that it was probably sensitive and would alert the entire security system if I did it wrong, my eyes squinting through the lack of light until I opened the lid and looked at the wiring, my fingers quick to reach for the pen knife that was hidden in my bra as I looked at what I was seeing and assessed my situation again.
It took me a few moments to look over the hard disk drive right at the bottom, the gold chips that were indented into the metal connecting to the wires I saw as I moved them with my hands once I'd placed the knife between my teeth and hummed.
"Red or blue..." I whispered to myself in question whilst feeling the blade press slightly into my lips, my eyes narrowing a little before I sighed and prayed to God that I didn't die. With those words repeated in my head I pulled at the ends of both wires, my eyes staying open as I watched a tiny bloom of sparks and heard a crackle of electricity before watching the red flashing light on the front of the box die into a black fuzzy spot. "Lovely."
I hummed happily to myself whilst placing my penknife back under the band of my bra and discarding the box to be back underneath the tiles, my fingers quick to remove my heels before I threw them to the ground beneath me and then manoeuvred myself down to the ground in a matter of seconds.
When I did I couldn't help but pout despite being nearer to getting my high when I reached for my thrown heels and saw that they had grass stains on them, my distaste coming from a place of vanity that made me scowl when I realised the white and black suede would most likely stay stained no matter what I did.
"Hm," I hummed sharply as I swallowed and tied my heels once they were on my feet, the reminder in my head that told me that I was better off having grass stained heels rather than a broken ankle from jumping from the roof with them on being the only reason I ignored the flaw in what I was wearing.
Heels always made an outfit.
The thought lingered in my head as I moved back towards the fence and retrieved my bobby pin from my wig to unlock the padlock, my fingers quick to get rid of the useless mean of security before I successfully opened the metal fencing door and then picked up my bat whilst walking to the door that connected to the side of the house.
It was easy to open considering it was stupidly unlocked, the notion not being lost on me as I told myself not to give into my ego considering I knew that we were part of the mafia and it was most likely unlocked for me rather than it being a mistake.
"I wonder who would be so nice..." I said sarcastically as I moved into the room and towards the pantry whilst scoping my environment for anything suspicious, my vision narrowed on everything that looked normal which led me to carry on walking. The sound of the music in the ballroom was slightly muted with the distance it was at as I stepped through until I was seeing the cleverly hidden door at the side, my hands moving to open it as I revealed the staircase that spiralled up into the same guest room where I had told Lucien to meet Aaron and I at Dean's birthday party.
The memory wouldn't have normally left me feeling worse for wear but it did as I ascended the stairs with that ugly emotion of missing someone cracking in my chest, the very sensation leaving me feeling like a fücking mess when I hated myself for it whilst I walked through the guest room I ended up in before I exited it and stepped towards my room.
After the hassle I'd gone to, to get to my room it wasn't surprising that I wanted to just get back to Jinx and Aaron and smoke until I was as high as a kite, the goal in my head acting like an empty promise when I reached past pink childish pillow covers and retrieved the glass container that was airtight and contained the bud of weed I had been keeping here for a rainy day.
Just the sight relaxed me until I tensed when I heard movement in the corridor, my body freezing as I looked at the closed door of my old bedroom and waited to hear something else. For a few seconds it was silent and I deemed the coast was clear despite holding my bat defensively, my heeled feet barely heard as I recalled what I'd been taught and moved towards the wall where the door would've opened on.
I knew it was probable that the person who was behind the door was most likely the one to have left the door downstairs unlocked, the notion making me roll my eyes as I swallowed quietly and waited to strike whilst staying silent and listening for a few seconds.
When I did I heard the movement of scuffling feet again which led me to confirm that there was more than one person, the hushed sound of words in low voices making me narrow my eyes as I held my breath and heard a quiet sigh just as the door suddenly swung open.
At the same time I moved quickly and swung my bat harshly, the lack of alcohol effecting me leaving my movements to be faster and more normal until I froze slightly when I saw the size of the two men who appeared at the door, the both of them muscled and clearly twice the width of my body as they towered over me and glared.
Just the sight of them looking unfamiliar and seemingly threatening kick started the adrenaline in my system, the blood in my veins burning me from the inside out as I glared at the both of them and stood my ground whilst speaking.
"Who the fück are you?" I asked, attitude clear in my voice despite the fact that the slightly taller one had taken the hit of my bat against his arm without any problems, his unaffected stature making me press my lips together as he spoke without any emotion.
"A friend of a friend," was what he said as the man next to him cracked his knuckles, his words making my blood run cold as my heart beat picked up quicker, my fingers tightening across my bat at the same time I registered the threat and swung just as they both moved forward.
The man who had already taken my hit did so again, his body unaffected again as I moved as fast as I could to defend myself properly, my heels scuffing across my old bedroom floor whilst I reached for my penknife and felt the panic in my system become a numb overload to my body.
It was useless to scream when the music from the party was only going to overshadow my voice, the options I had lessening with every second that passed as I kept striking them with my bat until I felt the point of my bed stand poke into the back of my leg when I walked backwards.
"Hold her," the short one behind said in a gruff voice, the both of them clearly intent on spilling my blood as they stared at me menacingly, my wavered breath expanding in my chest and setting my body alight as I swallowed and grit my teeth.
I wasn't going to die...especially not at the hands of a fücking man.
The thought was what prompted me to kick the man in front, my right leg coming up to hit him in the chest as I gripped my left hand against the hilt of my blade knife. I knew what was going to happen and watched as it followed through in a split second, my ankle soon gripped in his hand where he thought he had the upper hand until I used my blade to cut against his wrist and split his skin down to his veins.
"Fück!" he shouted whilst holding his cut wrist, his shaking hands bliss to my eyes until the man behind him charged at me and gained better leverage, his hand soon clasping over my own that was holding my knife as he forced my fingers into the blade I was holding and then backhanded me across the face.
The pain that cracked at my cheek knocked my vision out for a split second as my body was picked up and pushed harshly against the wall, my penknife gripped in my bloody fingers as I ignored the sting and gasped as a thick hand pressed against my throat and pulled me off the ground.
"I hope your little friend regrets killing those men when he sees you dead," the man right in front of me said with a dark chuckle as I tried to pull at his hand around my throat but failed, his voice low and hinting at a slightly Canadian accent mixed with Italian whilst I felt the breath leave my throat, my face heating up with the lack of oxygen before I realised I wasn't going to get out of this unless I did what I was best at despite the situation I was in.
....putting up a smoke screen.
Easily I left my body limp and let my arms drop dead by my sides, my eyes feigning a roll as I held what was left of the oxygen inside me before waiting a few torturous seconds that went by feeling like years. I knew that they would think that I was dead considering it was most likely clear that my face was turning blue, my chest burning for oxygen as I heard scuffling feet and ignored the need to claw at the man's hand around my throat.
"Fabio, is she dead?" the one closest to me said, his breath hitting me face as the other who I now knew as Fabio gruffly groaned out that he didn't know and complained about his pain whilst I gripped the point of my knife and felt myself slip into a woozy state from the lack of air I was getting. "This bítch didn't even put up a good figh-"
With my muscles heavy and aching I took my opportunity and opened my eyes, my fingers quick to swipe down with my knife when I lifted my arm to the man who was strangling me, the point of my blade catching his skin from the right side of his forehead and all the way down his face until the cut I'd inflicted stopped at his jaw.
"Rosario!"
Rosario cried out loudly in pain and let his hold on my throat loosen instantly, my body sagging to the floor as I heaved in a breath and reached weakly for my bat that was discarded on the floor. I struggled for air as the floor felt a lot harder than it was against my body at the same time I mustered up the last of my strength and swung my bat to the front of the Fabio's knee joints since he was still standing, my aim to hurt him badly not following through as much as I would've liked it to considering I was weak and spluttering for air my body needed. Instead of his joints popping his body buckled and he fell to the floor in a heavy mess of blood that was coming from his split wrist, my body manoeuvring as quickly as it could to move on top of him and cut his air supply off by pressing my bat to his throat.
"You fücking whore," Fabio coughed out whilst Rosario stayed groaning loudly at the pain of his cut face, Fabio's hands clawing up at me until he was clasping at my throat as I cut off his oxygen, my breaths wheezing as I gained the upper hand and moved my bat to strike him harshly in the face. The wood smacked hard against his head as I watched him fall unconscious just as Rosario moved towards me with a frustrated and pained shout, his bloodied hands from handling his face settling against my neck as he pulled me off Fabio and held me against the front of him.
"You should learn when to quit it," he hissed as he tightened his hold on my throat, my free hand scraping at his own to breathe as the feeling of panic grew stronger, tears lining my eyes in turn when I felt my body grow weaker with every second that passed.
"Please..." I whispered, my voice barely audible to myself as I choked, my vision blurring at the same time I blinked and felt unconsciousness creep up on me, the heat in my head beginning to become overwhelming as I kicked out but failed to hurt him in anyway.
"Next time, don't act out," Rosario said as he tightened his hold, my breathing wheezing as I repeated his words in my head and then felt an uncomfortable feeling take over my body, his words repeating in my head when I felt a sense of deja-vu take over me since Lucien had said the same thing to me just over an hour ago.
His face popped up into my head and I felt my chest tighten further, the sight of him making me close my hands into a fist as I mustered up the last of my strength and felt my hands shake when I cried out weakly and shifted my arm back, my fingers finding the man's face before my thumb pressed sharply into the jelly like texture of his eye.
He screamed at the pain as he let go of his hold on my throat, my body falling to the floor weakly along with his as I gasped through my burning throat and felt my vision blur in a multitude of colours until it refocused, my hand pressing against my chest as I coughed and heaved for air that was hard to receive when I was already moving to try and get my bat.
It was within reach from what I could see but it was hard when my body was weak and my temples were starting to throb, my arms helping me move as I breathed in large mouthfuls of air until I was gripping my bat that was next to Fabio's unconscious body, the sound of Rosario screaming about his pain seeming like a muted sound when I tightened my hand over the handle of the bat and blinked a few times.
My chest was burning but I was determined to keep myself alive as I pushed myself to sit despite feeling lightheaded, the haziness in my mind ignored as I turned my body and set eyes on Rosario who was clutching at his face and scratching at the blood that seeping out of his wounds. Just the sight of him made my blood boil all over again as I regained as much of a clear mind as I could, my emotions rearranging as I prepared to kill the man in front of me and rid myself of one out of two threats, the fact that my body felt like it was on fire as well my breaths still being wheezy being a second thought as I shifted towards him and breathed in a large gulp of air before I swung forcefully against his hand covered face.
Crack!
With one strike came the next, the seconds that ticked by becoming an intake of breath for me and an outtake of blood for him as my lungs stung and my head felt heavy, his pained sounds ignored as my legs split over his chest as he laid on the floor and was subjected to my heavy rain of pounding his face continuously with my bat.
By the sixth hit he was unconscious and I was feeling stronger despite how weak I really was, the blood from his face splattering across my own as the anger inside me bloomed fervently, expanding in my chest as I breathed out a frustrated breath whilst the sound of cartilage breaking became a distant thought when I couldn't help myself.
It was like my feelings were possessing me when I knew he was dead but kept on going, the wood on my bat now splintered and cutting into the skin of his head as blood poured from his mouth, ears and now split skull, the sound of mushing brain matter and torn muscle mixing in with my wavered quick breaths as I felt tears line my eyes.
"Ugh!" I cried out, my chest expanding and collapsing quicker with every second as I felt it weaken with every blow as the hated feeling of wanting to cry crept up on me, my hands soon starting to shake as I looked down to the mess I'd made and blinked away my tears that seemed to continuously drop. When they did I dropped my bat weakly, my body shifting with effort to the floor as I braced my weight on my hands and felt my body shake when I gasped in a shaky breath and felt the air cool at my face that was stained with tears, my silent cry rendering my focus useless once again when I failed to do something when Fabio dipped back into consciousness.
My mind screamed at me to do something but my body had deemed itself too weak to fight back anymore, the sudden pull of my neck making me whimper quietly as I pleaded God to do something as my head hit the metal stand of my bed, the pain striking me and creating the dull ache that was present in my temples to triple as I opened my eyes lazily when Fabio spoke.
"Good fücking riddance," was what he said as he kicked me in the ribs, the sharp sting that cracked right in the middle of my chest radiating outwards as he did it again, my coughs spluttering as I tried to breathe but it was hard when my chest became too tight. Instead I tried to turn over, my feet scuffing across the floor to help me until a sharp pained cry parted my lips and worsened my headache, the sole of Fabio's foot stamping on the side of my ankle sending a piercing sting to be sent right through my legs and up my spine.
By then I couldn't help but feel like I needed to give up, the pain in my body and ache in my muscles enough to let me surrender until it seemed that I was being given a second chance, the sound of feet outside along with familiar voices leaving me to involuntarily relax just as the door swung open harshly.
When it did every sense within me became distorted and hazy, the only thing that I could hear being my heartbeat that echoed fast inside my head and my quickening breaths as Fabio's shadow over my lying body vanished. The sound of his ground was a distant one as everything went foggy, my shallow breaths resonating in my ears as my face stayed pressed against the carpet whilst the muted sounds of punches being thrown became a background thought.
I tried to focus on it but it was hard with the pain that I felt and the fact that I was still gasping for needed air, the sting from my chest, ankle, throat and head leaving it difficult to move on my own until someone helped me.
"Shít, Aria..." I heard Jinx say, his fingers lightly tapping against my cheek as I moaned in pain and blinked lazily, my head becoming cloudy with everything that was going on as I struggled to breathe. "Aria, hey, can you hear me?"
I tried to speak but it was like my jaw was wired shut, the sight of Jinx above me seeming like a blurry half memory when I heard another person's voice.
"Who the fück sent you here to hurt her?!" Lucien's voice bellowed in my mind like a harsh speaker, the sudden feeling of him being here making me muster up the strength to hum quietly as the rest of the conversation went unheard until the sound of a gunshot made me open my eyes suddenly.
The sound resonated between the walls of my bedroom just as I felt a wave of dizziness hit me at my abrupt movements, the sight of Jinx soon morphing into Lucien as he touched the side of my face and said my name through a laboured breath whilst having speckles of blood all over his face. The tightening in my chest was suddenly all worth it then as I leaned into his touch and felt better and him being near me, the feeling taking over my body as I looked at him until I felt a numbness wash over me.
"Aria," he panicked when I felt my chest cave in, my eyes blinking lazily when he said something to me but I couldn't hear him, his voice completely muted in my head as he turned to Jinx before the vision of him distorted, the next few seconds passing by like a multitude of colours until they refocused on his face and the sight of him worried was the last thing I saw before I blacked out and heard someone shout.
"Call a fücking ambulance!"
*A/N*
I-
Okay, hear me out before you kill me plsssssss
*nervously laughs*
I...hm...I don't really have an explanation other than I kinda warned you and said that the last chapter was the calm before the storm ahahahahahahahahelpmeahahahaha
Just saying though...this isn't really the storm, it's more like really high winds because the real mf hurricane is about to come and slap yall across the faces in 2-3 chapters since this chapter's format fücked sm with my plans
Ugh, so like I had plans for smut to be in this chapter but with what was happening I felt that it was nice having you guys catch up with what Aria was feeling and then all the drama. Just letting you know that there is MASSES of foreshadowing in this chapter so (:
I hope you guys don't mind that there wasn't any smut because I switched things around. That will come soon and hopefully next chapter and the one after that!
As for the drama ((((((((((:
Let's ask a few questions;
How do we feel about Laria so far? 💖
Did we like the cute lil moment between jinx, aaron and Aria?
Do we think that Salvatore would really use Lucien against Aria even under the circumstances that Lucien took the bloodoath under? Aka, him protecting Aria no matter what (;
Are y'all clear on what Aria is feeling? I tried to convey that as well as I could in this chapter but hmu if you have any questions
Also, any ideas on who those two men were working for? It's kinda clear but it's not but it is if ya feel me
Also 2.0, Aria? Miss Aria? Oh my fücking God she fücking deD
WHEWWWWWWW
Anyways omg
I was so nervous to post this chapter but hopefully you guys all liked it!
The next chapter will be PACKED with Laria moments so dw, I know this chapter didn't have a lot of them but that's because I was trying to be strategic (did it work lol?)
ANYWHO
Hmmmmmm
Can we get, 190 votes and 700 comments?
Yall got 1.7K comments last chapter and I was honestly so blown away I had to sit down for a sec and re evaluate my life
BUT OK IM RANTING
VOTE+COMMENT+ALL THAT GOOD STUFF
I have a wedding to attending to from the 8th of August to the 13th so I'm gonna try and get another update out next week for yall before I take a lil break and then come back to make Laria a couple before my birthday (aka the 23rd, put that in yalls diaries okURRRRR)
Ugh I hate myself why do I always rant
I'm gonna leave! Happy early birthday to Ari tho! This chapter was for yewwww girl!
Socials;
Twitter | btwitssurina
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Aria's IG | ariamxretti
Lucien's IG | lxcienromano
SEE YALL IN A FEW!
I love you all to the moon and back ✨🌙