Alexander wrapped his arm possessively around Eva’s shoulder, drawing her towards him. “Mind your own business, Maxwell.” However, the man rolled his eyes at Alexander, noticing Eva’s discomfort.
“Are you with him, Coco?” he asked Eva, completely ignoring Alexander. It surprised Eva that they knew one another.
“No, I’m with my friends,” said Eva truthfully, while Alexander snorted with anger, not having expected Eva to decline it outright in front of his enemy. This was a popular nightclub frequented by the rich and famous of NYC. Owned by his arch-enemy, Lucas Donnelly’s uncle, Alexander, knew all their friends. Therefore, Maxwell Clyborne was no stranger to him. He was Lucas’s brother, Nicholas Donnelly’s best friend. He hated Nicholas since he pursued Alyssa just to get even with him for an old stupid enmity!
“Great, I’ll buy you drinks. Which is your table?” he asked, but Alexander pushed him away from her, his whole body flushed with a mad fury.
“I asked you to stay away from her. Didn’t I?” he demanded, catching hold of his collars.
“Go to your bi*ch, Alexander. You can’t have every girl,” said Maxwell, and Alexander punched his nose. It took Maxwell by surprise and he staggered backward, but he wasn’t one to sit back and watch. He, too, punched back Alexander while the others around cheered them on. Before Eva could realize what was going on, a brawl started between the two of them. Eva panicked and tried to separate the two of them, but Alexander pushed her away.
“Stay away, Eva,” growled Alexander. Two hefty bouncers rushed in to separate the two and Eva stomped away toward Alyssa and Skylar, who was busy collecting their drinks.
“What happened? Why are you trembling?” asked Alyssa curiously as she waited for Sienna’s birthday cake. Alexander had specially ordered it from their exclusive outlet at a high price.
“Alexander just picked up a fight with someone here who hit upon me.” Alyssa chuckled knowingly, giving her a told-you-so look. Eva shook her head, not wanting to acknowledge it.
“You can’t deny it, Eva. He cares for you.”
“No, he doesn’t.”
“Yes, he does.”
“If he really did, he wouldn’t have agreed to marry her!” said Eva, the hurt evident on her face. It was the first time she mentioned it aloud to her friend, having bottled it up for so long.
“Did you ask for the cake?” asked Alexander’s booming voice from behind them and Eva clutched at her heart. Did he hear them? She glanced at him surreptitiously but found his eyes hooked upon her instead. Eva’s heart thumped loudly, louder than the music on the dance floor. She searched his eyes, but they had a hooded look of longing in them instead of the haughty expression she saw earlier. She knew he had heard her despite the noise all around!
“Yes,” said Alyssa, oblivious to the undercurrents between her best friend and her brother.
“Do you need help?” asked Alexander, but Alyssa shook her head.
“No. You can enjoy yourself, but please don’t engage in fights,” scolded Alyssa, and Alexander’s eyes flew toward Eva.
“I’ll see about that!” he walked away, disappearing into the crowd. Skylar joined them with the drinks, Alyssa got the cake and they went upstairs to their table to celebrate. They saw Sienna with a tall, dark, and handsome guy who walked away on seeing them arrive.
“Time to celebrate, birthday girl!” said Alyssa in a sing-song tone. Hayley squealed with delight as she rushed in from somewhere seeing the cake! Sienna completely forgot about the man named Lucas amidst all the chaos. The girls sang the birthday song for her and she blew the candles and stuffed pieces of cake into everyone’s mouth while they fed her, too. Eva forced her to finish two glasses of vodka, just as she had, and at the end of it all, Eva and Sienna were as drunk as they all were. Their head swam and they couldn’t help the feeling of lightheaded bliss that spread all over them, drinking so much for the first time.
“I think I’ll dance with that cute bartender, hic!” slurred Skylar.
“I’m coming with you,” said Alyssa.
“Me too,” said Eva.
“Me three,” giggled Hayley. They all turned towards Sienna.
“Me four,” Sienna giggled as well.
“Yay, that’s the spirit. Let’s go,” said Alyssa, leading them downstairs to the dance floor, but Sienna couldn’t find her mobile phone and she started looking for it.
“You’ll go. I’ll join you in a minute,” said Sienna.
“I need to pee. You guys go ahead. I’ll join you later,” said Eva, staggering towards the washrooms at the back. She finally freshened up, but as she tried to locate the dance floor, she had the eerie feeling of being watched. It was unknown territory, and Eva was scared out of her wits. Why did she have to venture out alone? She looked at the weird people brushing past her, all scantily clad with loud makeup, but who was watching her? Was she imagining it? She rushed forward, yet the feeling of being watched didn’t go and she forgot her way to the dance floor.
Looking around, she found no one to her relief but collided against a hard chest instead.
Scared, she looked up into Alexander’s angry gray eyes that looked more like a thundercloud with no tinge of blue in them! She blinked and caught his jacket to support herself, relieved to see him. Alexander’s arm went around her soft body to support her and his anger dissipated a little.
“Why are you wandering about all alone? Don’t you know it’s dangerous?” he barked at her, but she gave him a sweet smile of relief.
“I’m so happy to see you, Alexander, hic!” she said, her head dizzy yet the euphoric happiness she felt bubbling inside her at the sight of her only love was too strong to ignore. Alexander gaped at her wordlessly, but she leaned against him, resting her head on his warm chest, oblivious to everything around her. His breath caught in his throat and he closed his eyes, feeling her soft body against him. Of course, he knew she was drunk and not in her senses and it was wrong to encourage her, but he was helpless.
“Eva,” he breathed, opening his eyes to gaze down at her. She fitted so perfectly into him and his heart melted, feeling her warm, soft body against his own. Everything ceased to exist around him, and he tightened his hold on her. It was blissful, and he wished he could stay this way forever!
“I think you’ve had enough. I’ll drop you home, Eva,” he said, at last, struggling to control the surge of desire and longing that washed over him. He had buried those feelings deep inside him for the last four years, working like an automaton to please others, but today was different. Today, he wanted to be selfish for a change. He wanted to please his own heart. He wanted to do what his heart desired.
“No, I don’t want to go home. Let me be with you, Alexander,” she whispered breathlessly, clinging to him as if she needed him to survive. Alexander released a tortured sigh at her unconscious admission. She had always hidden her true feelings for him, but today, under the effect of alcohol, he saw a glimpse of another side to her, a vulnerable side that still loved him.
“Come Eva. I’ll drop you home.” She released him and stared at him accusingly, the hurt evident on her face.
“No, I can manage.” She turned to go, but Alexander caught her hand.
“You’re not in your senses, Eva. I’ll drop you,” he pleaded with her.
“No, why do you care? I’m no one to you.” Her voice cracked and tears blinded her while Alexander gaped at her.
“I care about you, Eva.” He whispered, his finger caressing her soft cheek while his eyes drowned in her warm ones.
“Then why did you choose her?” Alexander gazed at her wordlessly, thinking of a reply that wouldn’t hurt her.
“I wish my dad had lots of money and he loved me. Would you have married me then, Alexander?” She gave him a tortured look and walked away, but Alexander came to his senses and rushed after her, grabbing her by the arm and swirling her around.
“This has nothing to do with money, Eva. I’m just fulfilling my dad’s wish,” he said, searching her face. She searched his desperate eyes and knew he was telling her the truth.
“What about your wishes, Alexander?” She asked softly, but his gaze dropped to her quivering lips instead. “Don’t you have any wish of your own?”
“Yes, I have lots of unfulfilled wishes.”
“Don’t you wish to fulfill them?” she urged him. Alexander pulled her into his arms flush against his hard body, making her gasp with surprise.
“Yes, I dreamed of fulfilling them every second of my life.” His fingers grabbed her head and angled it back while he stared at her upturned face. Eva closed her eyes, knowing what he was about to do. She wanted this kiss for so long!
“What’s stopping you now, Alexander?” she whispered, and he forgot everything around him and surrendered to the desire mounting within him.