I quickly move to sit beside him. Grabbing the heels, I slip them on, doing up the buckles. Pushing off the lounge, Jonah grips my arm, pulling me to a standing position. I am now the same height as him and feel so unsteady on my feet. I gulp down at the high heels. Please don’t make me fall.
“Jonah these are way too high,” I shriek, clutching his forearm for balance.
“You will be fine. I won’t let you fall. Your mother warned me and said you hated heels when I rang to ask if I could kidnap you. But you can’t wear sneakers with your dress,” he reasons.
“What? So mom didn’t force you to bring me along? It’s alright Jonah, I know Mom asked you to take me, she thinks I spend too much time alone,” I tell him, shaking my head at his lie.
No one would willingly go through so much hassle to spend time with me, no matter how good of a person they are.
“Ah, no Mara. I rang her last week to see if I could bring you,” Jonah says. I raise an eyebrow at him and he shrugs, watching me.
“So you asked. She didn’t force you to take me. This isn’t a pity thing?” I ask incredulously.
“Yes, I asked. Is that so hard to believe? I actually like hanging out with you.”
I roll my eyes disbelievingly and he growls, gripping my chin.
His eyes lock with mine. “Just so you know Mara, I see you. I always have. You can hide shit from everyone else, but not me. I see through it. Just like you lied earlier about that girl calling you a skank.” My cheeks flush with embarrassment. Shit, I didn’t expect him to figure that out.
“A skank. Well, yeah, not everyone likes me,” I reply dryly. Why can’t we just forget this and change the topic?
“But I know you’re not one,” Jonah says, letting my chin go.
“How do you know? I could be and you would have no way to tell,” I ask defiantly.
“Because I can smell your innocence. If you were a skank, you wouldn’t be a virgin,” Jonah chuckles.
My face heats even more at his words. Ground, please just open and swallow me whole.
“Hey, nothing to be ashamed about. It’s a good thing, you should save yourself for your mate.”
“Are you going to tell Mom and Dad?” I ask nervously. I really don’t want that to get back to them. I just want to carry on keeping a low key profile for as long as possible.
“About the girl? No, why are you always bullied by her? Do I need to tell them?” he asks, looking at me sharply. My eyes widen, and I shake my head.
“No, it was a one off. I ran into her by accident,” I lie quickly. He doesn’t look like he believes me, but before he can say anything else, someone knocks on the door.
“That would be Kyan,” he says, gripping my hand and tugging me along.
I hear keys in the door and it suddenly pushes open, and Kyan steps in, closing the door. His back is to us as we walk toward him.
Marabella
“You better not be wanking, what is taking you so long…” he pauses, a look of shock on his face as Jonah tugs me toward his friend.
Kyan has on a tailored navy suit, yet it does nothing to hide the bulk of muscle beneath his clothes. His suit jacket is open, the top two buttons of his white shirt are undone, and I can just make out the dark tattoos that are beneath the white button-up shirt. Some swirling design pattern that moves up the side of his neck. I can’t deny that he is incredibly handsome.
He stops, looking at Jonah, and his jaw clenches. I haven’t seen him in years and he has put on more weight, is just as tall as Jonah, but built sturdier, more muscular. His dark hair is cropped short on the sides and longer on top. He has a five o’clock shadow whereas Jonah is clean shaven. Kyan’s eyes are a deep red that is almost black, lined with thick lashes. He looks like a woman’s equivalent of a wet dream until his face morphs into a snarl when he notices me.
His eyes dart to Jonah’s, and his lips press in a harsh line. We stop in front of him, and I start slipping on my gloves to cover my hands. Anything to distract myself from the look he is giving me. The intensity of it makes me feel like I should just get out of here and try to hitchhike a ride home.
“She isn’t eighteen Jonah, she can’t be in a casino by herself.” His voice is as cold and cutting as the look in his eyes. So, it seems like nothing has changed. He still hates me.
“Good thing she isn’t by herself then,” Jonah counters with a small smile, stepping past him and reaching for the door. Kyan steps away from me as if being so close to me might burn or something. He is someone who doesn’t even try to hide his hatred for me.
“You know. You damn well know that isn’t what I meant,” Kyan growls at him.
“She is with us, so it will be fine. You said I could bring someone,” Jonah says with a shrug.
“So you chose a twelve-year-old?” His words sting. No, they more than sting. The way he says it makes my stomach plunge somewhere cold and deep within me. Why am I even here?
“She is sixteen and geez Kyan, what has got into you? It’s Marabella for god sake,” Jonah states, annoyed.
“That’s exactly my point, she is underage and shouldn’t be in a fucking casino,” Kyan growls.
I am clearly not wanted here. If I felt out of place before, it is nothing compared to how I feel right now.
“Fine, go by yourself then, I will take her to the movies or something,” Jonah tells him with a sigh.