Arian’s thoughts repeatedly drifted to Natalia. Although Ricky was saying something, the clingy side of him kept missing her cozy touch. He needed her by his side. Call it crazy but he becomes restless when she isn’t with him. He couldn’t imagine a life without her!
In their moment of pleasure, he still couldn’t believe he asked her to run away with him. After the idea popped into his head, he was so desperate to even give it a second thought before blurting it out.
.
.
Yeah, it was that bad!
Selena had been persistently hanging around his neck lately, irritating his senses of her love for him. She was the main reason Arian avoided sleeping home every night because whenever he did, he wakes up the next morning to find her half nude on his bed, cuddling into him.
There was one night he had a little drink on an empty stomach and got real tipsy. He tossed away a project blueprint he was supposed to submit to his father the next day and fell asleep.
Sometime during the night, he found himself having a little moment with Selena. Her obsession was that bad! He was drunk and she took advantage of it.
Arian hated himself for it. If not for the little self control he had left, goodness knew what would’ve happened between them!
Guilt became unbearable and consumed the hot French every time he stared at Natalia. It was slowly choking him. He’d planned to tell her after school but that was when she’d went over to that jerk’s house and everything became more messed up.
The hurt and disappointment in her eyes when she walked off with that cop haunted him day and night.
He felt like it’ld be the same… or definitely worse… if he confessed he almost had sex with the same girl he promised her he had nothing to do with!
And that frightened him.
Yesterday, when he saw the cute brunette at her house, he almost flipped. Heck, he gets jealous whenever he sees her with another who’s not him! Like, the green faced monster literally claws at his heart and makes him want to loose control!
But he controlled it.
Jealousy was the fastest way to kill love. His mother’s words.
And since Arian was still on probation, he had to make Natalia see that he’d really changed. So he fondled her necklace on his neck and patiently waited for her to return…
***
Jeffrey wasn’t surprised to see Ashley. She was a socialite so getting invited to parties wasn’t a big deal. He stumbled into her when they switched partners. She was drunk. No, they were both drunk!
In the jammed dance floor, a familiar figure passed by and caught his attention. She stole the show in minutes. Boys crowded her but she didn’t seem to care. Maybe she was drunk too. At midnight, everyone was already drunk!
Jeffrey stopped to take a closer look. Something about her felt familiar. Her strawberry blonde hair fluttered around her fa…. Wait!… strawberry blonde hair??
Jeffrey squinted his eyes and moved closer, ignoring Ashley’s calls. Suddenly, she twirled and held onto the guy holding her waist. His eyes popped out.
Nicky!
Jeffrey ripped the freak away from her and watched as he crashed painfully on the floor.
“What’s wrong with you?” His drunk girlfriend blurted and stood in between them.
“What’s wrong with me? What’s wrong with you?! How could you let him touch you that way.” He was mad.
“And how could you let your ex touch you that way too?! Besides, it’s a friggin’ party!” She turned and resumed dancing.
“…”
Jeffrey ignored his stupefaction and pulled her away from the noise and crowd. Nicky struggled to break free but he held firm.
“Let go!” She ordered and he did. Only when they were at the lobby.
“Nicky, what exactly should I do to make you believe I’m over Ashley?”
She mightily scoffed. “Well you have a weird way of showing it!”
“It really wasn’t what you saw. She happened to be my dance partner and…” Nicky cut him off.
“It really wasn’t what you saw either! He happened to be my dance partner and…” Jeffrey cut her off with a kiss. No one could win an argument against her. He knew.
So he did what naturally came to his mind which worked every time.
A make up kiss which she easily melted into…
***
He walked Natalia into a guest restroom and she rushed over to the sink. After washing her tipsy face with water, Natalia felt a bit better. He stayed with her and ran a soothing hand down her back.
She wiped her face with a white towel and turned to mutter a thanks to her helper… whatever his name was.
“It’s nothing. You look hot.” He murmured distractedly. Natalia would’ve flushed it off but his closeness and hand on her waist which she was just realising, made her uncomfortable.
“T… thanks. I’m g.. gonna go n…” She started but he slammed his lips on hers before she could notice. Natalia’s eyes bulged open and she tried to push him off but his grip around her body was too strong.
She gasped when his perverted hand slipped down her back making him use that opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth! She wriggled and tried to break free but it was impossible. Tears rushed down her cheeks as she used the last of her strength to push him off!
The force released his grip and he stumbled backwards. But he grabbed and slammed her against the wall before she could even get to the door.
“Sorry, but even though the pay was good, any freaking guy would die to be inside of you.” He pinned her hands to the wall and trailed hot kisses down the sides of her neck.
“Pl… please, let me go! L.. let go! Someone p.. please help me. A.. Arian help me!” She stuttered as hot tears burned down her cheek and tried to push him off again.
But he held on tighter than before and pulled the straps of her dress lower. Natalia literally seized breathing when his other hand wandered and tugged at the zipper of her dress…
***
“Man, you okay?” Ricky asked, noticing that the cup in Arian’s hand kept shaking.
“Yeah.” Arian muttered and tried to steady his harsh breath. “Guess the alcohol’s kickin’ in.”
“Me too. It’s pretty late though.” Ricky breathed and threw his cup away. Arian brought out his favourite phone and stood up. Natalia’s been gone for far too long to take a stroll!
“I need to get Natalia home.”
“Yeah. Elva took off during that strange phone call. She should’ve been back by…” Ricky agreed and looked around.
But Arian was already long gone…
***
The pervert crashed his lips back on hers and tentatively slipped his hands underneath her dress. Natalia cried and tried to force him off but he wedged himself between her legs to keep her in place. Her headache doubled and she was slowly losing consciousness.
Suddenly, she slid down the wall and landed on her butt when he was aggressively thrown off her and tackled to the ground. Natalia frighteningly hugged her knees and buried her crying face into them as the beating continued.
“Natalia, are you alright?! What am I saying? Are you hurt?!” The person asked and skidded to her side. She flinched at his touch and tried to scramble away.
“It’s okay.” He softly whispered. “It’s me, Damon. You’re gonna be alright. ” She looked up at him then at the pervet groaning on the floor with a messed up face.
Natalia choked out her gratitude and hugged him. Damon hugged her back and brushed her hair softly.
“Everything’s gonna be okay.” He soothed as he helped her with her straps and zipper. He gently pulled her up and Natalia shakily moved past the bruised, barely conscious guy on the floor as they made their way out.
A few steps down the hallway; “Damon, you can’t tell anyone what happened.” She whispered, a tremor still evident in her voice.
Damon stopped and shot her a quizzical look. “By ‘anyone’, you mean Arian.” He stated and she nodded.
“He’ld freak and do something worse. I guess he only had too much to drink.” Damon cocked a brow at her naivety… or stupidity.
“Natalia, that was too intentional to label being drunk! The bastard clearly knew what he was doing! I’m sorry but I can’t promise you that.”
“Damon, please I’m begging you. You can’t tell anyone about what happened, especially Arian.” She pleaded and held his hand.
The attractive French didn’t look convinced. But to please her, he muttered an ‘okay’ half heartedly. Natalia forced out a shaky smile and hugged him. She was terrified to her bones but imagining if Arian found out made her horrified!
The last thing she needed to see was his murderous, overprotective side. She didn’t even want to imagine what Grandma would do if she ever found out!
And that thought alone made her shiver.
“Am I missing something?” Damon disengaged the hug and turned to face Arian. Natalia used that opportunity to wipe away every trace of tears from her face before turning to grin at him.
Arian warmly pulled her into his arms and shot Damon a silent glare over her shoulders. Damon scoffed and rolled his eyes.
“My love, are you okay? I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” He morphed into the cute lover when she looked up at him.
“I’m fine. I… I got a bit lost but Damon found me. Let’s go home. I’m sleepy.” She lowered her head and snuggled closer to him as they walked out.
“This place is so dark. Next time, don’t…”
***
Elva wasn’t home yet when they walked in. Arian protectively stuck to Natalia’s side all the way to her bedroom.
As he helped her drop her stuff, she walked into the bathroom to take a shower but quickly flew out when bad memories made her shiver. She wore a sleepshirt and hastily brushed her teeth.
Arian dropped the phone call from Ricky the moment she walked in. He was patiently waiting, sitting on her bed. Natalia climbed in and he tucked her in warmly. He switched off her bedside lamp and and kissed her goodnight.
“Wh… where are you going?” She held him as he tried to pull away, and looked around the quiet, dark room. Natalia could feel her heartbeat accelerating as events of the evening replayed in her head.
“Home?” He muttered, more as a question than an answer.
“Stay with me, please?” She whispered and held his beautiful green eyes…
Chapter 91