"This house is terrific," Veronica utters, her fake eyelashes fluttering like butterflies as she glances around. "Who's the owner?" she asks Sam.
"That's the guy." Sam points out Malik's direction.
"Hmm, I see. I feel like I've seen him somewhere," Veronica remarks.
I sip the cold beer, trying to adjust. I don't feel like I belong here.
"And are you the one riding his dick?" Jeremy asks Sam, and the two ladies laugh as though it was something beautiful to say . . . or hear.
So disgusting.
"Jay, dear, when will you realize that not all men are as imbeciles as you are, huh?" Sam admonishes him.
"Statistics prove otherwise though." He shrugs while sipping his water, seated on the chair like a Baron.
"Of course not. Having a pack of women on their list isn't every man's desire, apparently. But what do you know about that?" My eyes are firm toward him.
Silence reigns as everyone studies me carefully. Have I grown an extra nose or something? Sighing, I glance away and swallow another sip.
"I think I agree with Kira," Traven says coolly, grabbing my attention. "Not all guys are crooked. There are still good men out there, or here." He points at himself. We all laugh. He's a comic one, and I badly want to believe his words.
"If you find that good man who doesn't want to whip off your pretty little panties, let me know. Like I said, statistics shows otherwise. And you ladies know this so well and still you keep throwing your ways unto us." He gives me a suggestive look.
What is he insinuating? A frown flits on my face.
"And since when do you read anything, Jay?" Sam snickers from across him. Another laughter fills the air, making Jeremy smirks. "You know, I like you a lot, darling, but that doesn't mean you're charming, and not everyone is impressed with your chauvinist ideas."
"Easy there, girl. Jay is mine so you better watch out, huh? You are not attacking him now, are you?" Veronica glares at her.
"Why don't you eat him while at it?" I think out loud. She glares sternly at me. "Sorry, it's just too ridiculous to think everyone has the same taste as you, McClellan."
Veronica huffs a vexed laugh. "Since when do you talk, huh? I think you're better off as—"
"Veronica. Don't!" Sam warns.
"No, let her," I intervene curiously. "I'd like to hear what you have to say, girl, so say it."
I just don't understand what her deal is. She's been quite a blabbermouth ever since we were in college; not a second passed without making those stupid comments. If it weren't for what I wore, then it's my personality, just to annoy me.
Fuck, not this time.
"You just think you're so special, huh?" Veronica says, and I only scoff. "The innocent one while in reality you are nothing but a slu—"
"Stop it, V!" Jeremy snaps, furious. "Are you five or something? If you add another word—"
"What?" Veronica snarls, and everything gets ugly in a whiff. "Are you still nuts over her? Is that it? You still dream about her as if she's your little obsession?"
"I said shut up!" Jeremy stands up briskly and his voice reverberates furiously. "I don't do stupid insecure jealousy chicks and you fucking know that!"
What's going on? My blood stirs and the others are in wonder.
"Okay, all of you . . . Chill." Sam tries to calm them as Malik and his crew turn their attention to us.
How embarrassing.
"Okay, I'll keep quiet," Veronica says. "Breathe in, breathe out." She demonstrates.
Are we high schoolers or something? This is so pathetic.
"Hey, guys," says Traven abruptly. We look at him. "Jasper has just landed, and he said we're meeting up at LIV tonight. You in?" He smiles sheepishly.
"Jasper Orton?" Sam cheers.
"The one and only, darling," Veronica tells her. "Get ready to relive the past and maybe rekindle the fire of romance."
"Oh please." Sam rolls her eyes. "I never swallow the puke."
Jasper Orton was her first love. She was insane about him and he hurt her badly.
"I'm damn serious, bitch," Veronica insists. "I heard he's now living in Paris and so very single, ready to mingle."
"That's news," Sam says, a little absentminded. "Maybe it's time I give a little payback for the sake of old times, huh? How I love revenge." Her eyes blaze.
Revenge? She surely does.
"So, are you going?" Traven asks.
"And what's that LIV?" Sam inquires.
"The hottest club, apparently," Veronica prompts.
"You can't be in Miami and never set foot on it, that's an abomination of the word fun," Traven says.
Sam turns towards me immediately. "We are going, right?"
"No, we're not, I want to rest tonight," I tell her flatly.
"Lame!" Veronica snickers.
"Can't you just shut the fuck up, you brainless bitch?" I face Veronica furiously. "Your voice is so annoying if no one has told you yet!"
All I can hear is a gasp of shock.
"What did you say?" She gets up and I do the same.
"I said shut the fuck up. What? Are you going to fight me? Let's do it, because I'm so sick and tired of the insults every time you want to deal with your inferiority complex!" I yell at her.
Damn, she makes me mad.
"Kira," Sam utters, stepping between the fuming Veronica and me, then pulls me aside. "Is something wrong with you today?" she asks.
Everything is wrong.
"Why? Can't I be mad when I'm being provoked?" I bark.
"No, I just—" She runs a hand through her hair, bemused.
Yes, I never lose it, but there's a limit to everything.
"Yes," I say, sighing heavily, "there's something wrong, but I'm pretty sure you'd never understand even if I tell you."
"I'm sorry if I've offended you by bringing them here," she says, and I can't believe her.
"You know what, don't make me feel more miserable," I tell her sternly. "Sorry, I'm not in the mood for the party." I turn my heel, unable to even stare back at her.
"What's wrong with her really?" I hear Veronica's pissed-off voice. "Did she just call me a brainless bitch? How dare—"
"Just shut up, will you!" Jeremy snaps.
Natasha calls after me with a sweet grin on her sun-tanned face. She beckons me to join them since the feast is ready, and I force a smile. I've lost my appetite all together but Malik drags me by the pool to share his large bowl of Korean vegetable noodles and ribs.
"Cheer up, Professor! You look like you're carrying the world on your shoulders right now. Let's dig in." Malik hands me the chopsticks.
"Sure." I smile back and get into the noodles.
"So spicy!" Malik cries.
I laugh heartily. "You should drink milk instead of water. And Liam, where is he?" I fail to conceal my curiosity.
Malik heaves an exaggerated sigh and shakes his head. "He's probably going through the weekly report sent from London. What did you do to him? I've never seen him acting like this?"
I've hurt him.
"Are you accusing me of something now?" I squint my eyes.
"Aren't you responsible?" he prompts.
"Well, I won't deny, but I never thought that I could be so irresistible," I brag, and it makes him laugh harder.
Jamal and Natasha join us shortly, and I believe I'm more relaxed with them than my previous companion.
"And my job here lads and ladies . . . is done!" Jamal announces cheerily, and from a distance I see the others enjoying the self-service.
"You're the best barbeque maker, I swear." I give a compliment when due.
I can't explain how tender and juicy this meat tastes inside my mouth. Hmm, yummy.
"I know, right? My boo is the best." Natasha kisses him.
Malik and I share a smile.
"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself, Kira," Jamal says, his voice calm and reverent.
"Oh you got that right." I give a thumbs up. "And I seriously need the recipe for this vegetable noodles," I tell Natasha and she promises to give it to me anytime.
The sound of water splash catches our attention. It's Sam, Traven, and Veronica in the swimming pool.
"So, those are your friends?" Jamal asks.
"Not really," I reply with all honesty. "They are more of Sam's friends, but we attended the same college. Um, excuse me for a while, I've got something to do inside," I tell them while getting up.
I need some alone time.
"Something to do, huh?" Malik mocks. "Are you sure about that, Professor?" He throws me a mischievous glance that always involves Mr. Intense in the equation.
"Shut up, Malik," I snap quietly while moving. He laughs audibly, and I think the others have caught on given how smiley they all are.
I'm not sure why I'm in the kitchen though as I find myself useless today. I'm dying to see Liam but I don't know what to say to him if I decide to confront him. He's evidently trying to avoid me, for he can no longer stand a sight of me, I suppose.
I down a half glass of water while running a hand through my thick curls. Sighing, I shift around to make my way out but what I encounter turns me stiff right away and my breath hitches at the pair of gray eyes staring at me.
Jeremy is standing in front of me, only a few steps apart.
"What are you doing here?" My voice is strong but I don't think my legs are.
His sight terrifies me until today.
His chest falls. "Relax, Kira. I came in peace," he says gently. I don't trust him. "Besides, aren't you the one who purposely led me here?"
"You are so sick, you know? Mentally sick!" I grit my teeth.
He slides his hand absently on the marble countertop, his legs moving subtly. I gulp, holding myself tightly inside. He then looks up at me and his eyes soften.
"I tried so hard to forget you, Kira, but you see this?" He shows me the little scar on his left jaw, and I swallow hard at the recognition of it.
I inflicted it on him, and I could do it again without thinking twice.
"This keeps reminding me of you. I could easily get rid of it by surgery, but I just can't. It's like a souvenir from you, and I want to keep it." He smiles and a shudder runs through me.
"You can keep it well then," I remark crisply. "And you better get out of here if you don't want to end up with the bigger one. I'm not interested in hearing any of your tales." I take a step toward the door but he blocks my exit.
I step aside, sucking in a deep breath.
"You really despise me, huh?" He looks deceivingly hurt and wounded. "I never meant to harm you, Kira. I don't know what happened to me back then, but . . ." He stutters, looking confused and regretful.
No! He is a jerk, that's all.
"Whatever, Jeremy. I have to go so can you move aside?" I hold his gaze firmly, uninterested to hear or recall about that wretched evening. In response, he outstretches his hand toward my face. "Don't you dare touch me, you jerk!" I snap, pulling away briskly.
My body feels like a frozen oatmeal at his single touch. My heart rate increases as I grab a knife from its wooden holder on the cabinet. Jeremy's eyes rotate like a tamed predator, his previous composure suddenly lost.
"Or what?" he snaps.
He's back into the bastard I know so well.
"I'll kill you with my own two hands and this I promise you," I say in an angry trembling-voice, holding the knife pointedly at him.
He bursts out laughing. My frown deepens. He's definitely sick . . . like mentally, asylum mentally sick.
"Fine." He waves his hands up in surrender. "I'll be cool now. No knives, please, Kira. Are we fighting or something?"
"You're right. I don't need a knife because if I yell right now, all those people outside will be here and I can't imagine the scandal." I rumble a laugh at the thought and throw the knife away. "Now get out of my way!" I thunder.
That time I was alone, but now I'm not.
"Not yet, Kira!" His gaze turns colder as he says this. I exhale a tight breath after rolling my eyes. "So are you fucking him?" he demands, glaring angrily at me.
"What?" My eyes crinkle.
"The guy who owns this house!" he snaps distastefully. "Are you sleeping with him? I saw how well you flirt with him!" His jaw ticks.
I huff a very ridiculous laugh.
"Yes, I'm fucking him! Got any problem with that?" I snap back. He growls under his breath, teeth gritted. "After all, he's a real man, and not an excuse for a man!" I add up with contempt.
"Kira . . ." He clenches his fists, shuts his eyes, and sighs heavily afterwards.
"I hate you, Jeremy Kruger. I hate you with all my heart. You disgust me, and you make me sick to the bones! If I find you on the road, I'd probably run you over with a car. Yes, that's how much I hate you!" I blurt out with pure anger, the ache from two years ago still fresh and tormenting on my body and mind.
"Shut up," he mutters between his teeth, and then runs a hand into his dark hair as if he's possessed by the spirit of some sort.
"I will shut up!" I tell him seriously, "if you get the fuck out of my way!" I force my way out by shoving him aside and stride past him.
He grabs my wrists and says, "You and I are not done, Kira! You can't walk away from me because—"
"Because you're an alpha? Let me go, you jerk!" I pull out fiercely but he fastens his grip. "I said let go of me, Jeremy!" I repeat but it's like he's competing with me like a maniac, his fingers burning my skin.
"LET GO OF HER!" A familiar voice strikes and relief washes over me when I see Liam approaching through the door.