“Who’s who?” I ask, totally confused.
“This boyfriend you have. I’m sure that can be the only thing that makes sense for you to dodge me and refuse me every time I try to hang out with you. You got a boyfriend now, Mara?” he taunts me by poking me in the ribs.
“No, no. Of course, not.” As I shake my head, Jonah glances at me like he doesn’t believe me. If only Jonah knew I am a complete social pariah, maybe then he would understand how ridiculous his words are. There is no guy on campus who would even look at me, let alone want to touch me.
“Maybe I could just wait at your apartment? We can watch movies or anything you prefer to do after you return?” I suggest. At this point, I am ready to suggest anything just to avoid being around Kyan.
“What? No, you are coming with me. Why are you acting strange?” he asks, my stomach sinks.
Now, he too, thinks I’m strange… And although I know he doesn’t mean it that way. I still don’t like hearing that word from his lips. I don’t like it when the person I trust and have always admired all of a sudden says the same thing I hear from the others all of the time. Jonah is supposed to be my person, not another bully.
“I’m not, but your friend hates me,” I tell him with a deep frown.
Jonah sighs loudly and glances at me. “He doesn’t hate you; that’s just the way he is,” he tries to reason with me.
I furrow my brows, ready for the challenge I am about to toss at him. “Oh, really? So he is like that when Rose is with you, too?”
“He sees her more. Rose is my sister, he has no other choice but to stick around his best friend’s little sister. I believe you two just need to hang out around each other more often. You will see, once you get past the stone-cold demeanor, he isn’t half as bad as you think,” he says with a laugh.
I raise an eyebrow at him. “Stone cold? Kyan glares at me like he is hoping I will turn to ash in front of his eyes!” I don’t care what Jonah says, he’s somewhat biased in this situation anyway. We’re talking about his best friend.
It’s just like with Eziah. My brother doesn’t see past the fake mask of his friends either.
“Now, I know you’re being dramatic. You haven’t seen him in what… three years?” I nod my head.
It is only natural that I haven’t faced that guy for years. I always avoided visiting Jonah if I knew Kyan was with him.
“See, you probably imagined it,” Jonah tells me. It’s a little funny how much he believes in his words. Or maybe he is desperate to think his best friend isn’t the man I see him to be.
But now, as the silence takes over, I understand that there is no way I could ever escape the torment. Not even during weekends, the only time I get to spend away from judgment and constant harassment. “Maybe,” I whisper and turn my gaze to the window.
Marabella
Anxiety gnaws at me as I wait for Jonah to hop out of the shower.
We are staying at the penthouse above the casino that Jonah uses when he stays in the city. Each moment closer to leaving is making me feel nauseous.
I dread the thought of leaving the comfort and safety of the apartment. And even more, I dread the moment I will have to face Kyan again. It has been years since I last saw him. Maybe Jonah is right and it is all in my head. At least I hope it is.
When the door opens, steam billows out the door, making me look toward the bathroom door as Jonah steps out, and my heart skips a beat.
My eyes scan him and linger on the towel that is hanging low on his hips. His body is hard, lean, and muscular. It seems like there isn’t an ounce of fat on him. And on top of everything, Jonah is tall too.
Jonah closes the door to the bathroom quickly and turns towards me. His dark blonde tousled hair is wet and droplets spill onto his hard chest, running down his pecs. My eyes shamelessly follow the droplets as they trail down the hard ridges of his abs.
He has both his nipples pierced, something that I hadn’t noticed before, but then again, this is the first time I have seen him in this state. I have never seen Jonah this bare, or ever had time to really look at his sun kissed skin on display so openly. I can’t stop my eyes from trailing all over his god-like body.
My eyes follow down to the V-line that escapes below the towel. Jonah and Uncle Andrei, I know, train rigorously because Jonah isn’t Alpha born. He will have to fight his own father for the title, or his father will hand it down to Rose, his sister, when she comes of age.
Yet, despite having always known about his training, I never truly appreciated how hard he was working to become an Alpha. The hardened muscles of his body are but a reminder of everything Jonah is doing to take over the pack. Alpha – a title I know he will be able to achieve, and truly deserves.
Uncle Andrei had been training Jonah since he was eight, preparing him for the Alpha title fight. That is yet another reason to admire Jonah and his determination to reach the goal his father set for him at a very young age.
Jonah looks up and meets my gaze. It’s all but a second, a brief moment, and his cerulean blue eyes dart away quickly before he clears his throat awkwardly.
I drop my gaze. Heat creeps up the back of my neck. It stains my cheeks in an intense, bright red blush. Jonah caught me staring! He freaking caught me red-handed.
“Shower is free,” Jonah says, just as awkwardly.
I glance up just to catch him scratching the back of his neck. Shows how uncomfortable I make him. Shit! The thought alone makes my mouth go dry as a desert, but I quickly nod my head and stand up.