Chapter nine

The next day I stretched with a yawn and almost fell off the bed. I sat up and checked my phone for any messages; only one showed from last night.

— I love the sound of your voice

Its proper soothing

Sweet dreams, Ree ;)

I swallowed hard and left the text, getting up to use the toilet. Luckily I had no plans during the day, and I no longer felt ill, so I could rest up until the rave tonight. I was showered and dressed by noon, about to lie back down in bed and watch some shows, but the doorbell rang, stopping me in my tracks completely.

I listened for any footsteps to answer the door but I quickly remembered Kieran had already left the house, dad was at work, and Andre was probably listening to music in his room.

Slowly and begrudgingly, I trudged downstairs to answer the door. I was shocked to see Brooklyn and Chris grinning at me. I stared at them both for a few seconds.

"What's going on?" I asked.

Brooklyn smiled. "I told Chris you were ill yesterday and he wanted to check up on you."

I couldn't help but smirk up at Chris. "Were you worried about me?"

He tutted and quickly stepped inside, lifting me up into a bear-crushing hug. "Of course I did, man! You're never ill."

I laughed at the passionate embrace and patted his back. "I feel a lot better now."

He placed me back down on the floor and ruffled my hair. "You look well."

"Thanks, cherryflake."

"You're welcome, blossom."

"You guys are still as weird as ever," Brooks muttered with a roll of her eyes. She entered the house and shut the door. "Is anyone in?"

"Just me and Andre. Come," I led them upstairs to my room and shut the door. We got comfortable on my bed and Brooklyn started flicking through channels on Sky.

I crossed my legs over Chris' lap. "Have I missed anything at sixth form lately?"

He shrugged. "Not really. No drama. Nothing exciting. Everything's just coursework."

"Speaking of coursework," Brooklyn chimed in, her eyes still focused on the TV, "Me and Chris did some more filming for our project and managed to edit most of it. So our group work is almost finished."

"Aww, that's great." I high-fived Chris. "Thanks for picking up my slack."

Chris chuckled. "It's cool. I'm just a natural at acting."

My phone vibrated. I checked the message from Kayden:

— Hope you're feelin better today

I quickly replied:

— Yeah guess so, thanks

I locked my phone before seeing any responses. Kayden was being very chatty lately, more so than usual. I'm not the type of person to endlessly text when they have company.

"Was that Kayden?" Brooklyn asked with a cheeky smile.

Chris raised a brow before turning to me with questioning eyes. "Who's Kayden?"

I shrugged. "Just a guy from work."

"A friend from work," Brooklyn butted in with a wink.

Chris looked between Brooklyn and I, growing even more suspicious. "You never mention this Kayden yout."

"Exactly, because he's not important," I answered.

"No, because she's keeping him on the down-low until it's official."

I stared at Brooklyn. "Why are you trying to ruin my life?"

She laughed and leaned back against the wall, crossing her legs. "I just want you to tell the truth."

Chris whistled. "Rah, so you're cheating on Leon, yeah?"

"You're really going to believe Brooklyn over me?" I asked Chris.

He shrugged. "I dunno, man. You've been real quiet lately."

"Fuck off, Chris."

He had a little smirk now. "So what's the deal, then? You two dating?"

"I don't think you understand what a work colleague is."

"Don't let her fool you. She likes him," Brooklyn stated matter-of-factly.

"Wow, you're really trying to throw me under the bus here."

She laughed. "Why else would you go with him to that rave?"

Chris turned to me again. "You went raving with him?" He burst out laughing. "Yo, I'm loving this tea."

I rolled my eyes. "She's chatting crap. I'm going with a group of people."

Brooklyn chuckled. "Watch this space, Chris. Her relationship status is going to change on Facebook very soon..."

I threw my pillow at her head but she caught it and stuck her tongue out. Something tells me I shouldn't have let her into my home.

Just then Chris' phone rang. He checked the caller I.D before answering. "Yo, what you saying?"

Brooklyn and I shared a glance. Before he and Grace started dating, Chris was a full-time slag. If he wasn't causing fights to break out at school for two-timing a group of girls, he was out ruining other girls' lives and then blocking their number afterwards. He was similar to Kieran, in a way. Thank God he's seen the light.

Chris laughed and hummed. "I'm not involved man, just do what you want."

A deep voice was heard on the other end. They began chuckling.

"Always knew you were a prick," Chris laughed. "You're worse than me, man."

The boy said something else and Chris smiled.

"Yeah, alright. Cool." He hung up and noticed the stares from me and Brookyln. "What?"

"Someone from your scum committee?" Brooks asked.

He rolled his eyes. "You know I've left that life behind, man."

"Who was it?" I questioned, already dreading the answer.

Chris sighed. "You girls are so nosey. This is how you chase guys away, always ruining shit—"

"Chris!" we yelled in unison.

"It was Hayden, alright? Fuck."

I raised a brow, suddenly remembering that Chris is good friends with Shanay's boyfriend. "You just said he's worse than you ... what did you mean?"

He leaned his head back on the wall and groaned. "Why do you want to know?"

"I've never liked him, and I think he's messing Shanay about but she's too blind to see it. So, what did he say?"

From Chris' expression, I could tell he'd had enough of keeping secrets. "He said he's bored so he's gonna go link her. Apparently she's only good for sex."

Brooklyn kissed her teeth. "I knew he was trash."

I glanced at Chris. "You knew he was using her?"

"What do you want me to say to him? 'Don't do that'?"

"Exactly. She's your friend."

"Nah, she's your friend. Me and Shanay never get on so..." he shrugged. "Let her figure it out for herself."

"What part of blind don't you get?" I tutted in annoyance. Looks like I'm going to be the one to tell her. Shanay has had a rocky history with relationships, and it was sad that she thought her and Hayden were really going somewhere. I'll be damned if she gets used as his personal sex toy, though. Shanay deserves more and she's worth more.

We relaxed for a few hours until they decided to leave. By then the house was a bit more lively. Dad was back from work and had brought home a friend, Andre was in his room with his friend Isiah playing Fifa, and Kieran was roaming the house doing God knows what.

After going through some of the notes Brooklyn and Chris had given me for our media project, I decided to call Shanay and get this over with. No one likes ripping the bandaid off a wound, but it's better to let it air out and deal with the consequences afterwards.

As always, she answered straight away. "Hey girl."

I smiled sadly that she seemed so happy. "Hey, you alright?"

"Yeah, just chilling. You sorted for the rave tonight?"

I groaned at the realisation that I would have to get ready for that soon. "I guess so, just want it over with already."

She laughed. "You're gonna have a good time, trust me."

"It's your fault I'm even in this mess."

Shanay shushed me and quickly changed the subject. "Has Leon tried to speak to you yet?"

I felt like gagging at the mention of his name. I'd rather speak of Kayden and his foolishness. "No, and I'm glad he hasn't. He can fuck off."

Shanay laughed. "Good. I knew he wouldn't be mad enough to try and contact you so soon."

"True. We only broke up yesterday."

"Still can't believe he was cheating. Men really are trash."

This was it: the perfect opening.

"Erm, Shan..."

"Yeah?"

I sat up and rested against the headboard, not liking the situation but forcing myself to go through with it anyway. I inhaled deeply before speaking: "Brooklyn and Chris came round earlier."

"Oh, cool."

"Yeah. Chris got a call from Hayden while he was here."

I heard her breath hitch and suddenly she seemed interested. "What did he say?"

"Okay, real quick — remember in sixth form you wanted to know what Hayden and Chris have been speaking about?"

"Yeah, and Chris wouldn't tell me."

"Exactly, and now I know why."

Shanay audibly gulped. "Rebecca, you're scaring me."

"Basically ... Hayden's using you for sex."

She paused momentarily. "What?"

"That's what he said to Chris on the phone today." Shanay fell silent, so I decided to continue: "They were laughing about it. Hayden said to him that sex is all your good for."

"Hmm."

"I know this might be hard to take in but I don't want to see you get hurt again, Shan. Hayden wants you for one thing and you're giving it to him. He's using you."

Suddenly, I heard a scoff. "If he was using me he wouldn't have asked me out in the first place."

I froze at the defensive tone. "Shan ... he probably did that because he knew how much he would benefit from it."

"I can't believe you think my boyfriend is using me. Do you know how dumb that sounds?"

I raised a brow. "What's your issue? I'm telling you word-for-word what he said to Chris. You're being used."

"Or your twisting his words to make you feel better about yourself."

I breathed out a laugh of shock. "What?"

"Just because you and Leon are over, doesn't mean you need to try and ruin my relationship, Becc's."

Was this a dream? I couldn't believe what bullshit she was saying to me right now.

"We've been friends for years, why would I try to ruin anything?"

Shanay chuckled. "Because I know you, and I know you've never liked Hayden. Doesn't mean you need to make up lies to break us apart."

My heart thumped in both disbelief and irritation. "As if I'd make up such a lie. What the fuck do you take me for, Shanay?"

"I know how conniving and spiteful you can be."

"Are you hearing yourself right now? What the fuck." I held my forehead and felt how hot it was. I really didn't want to rage at Shanay right now, but she was making it impossible for me to keep calm. We've had our fair share of little arguments in the past, but never has she accused me of being a liar. This kind of insult was not something I could even begin to take well.

"If Hayden was using me, why did he come round today and buy me gifts? He treats me well and spends time with me, my family love him and he's helpful around the house. It's not all about sex with him, so what are you on about?"

"That's something you need to discuss with him. And what about the amount of arguments you've had?"

"What's your point?"

"Didn't you think he was cheating at one point, because he wouldn't let you near his phone?"

She sighed. "This isn't even about that right now."

I was beginning to feel exasperated at this point. "You know what? Ask Brooklyn, she could tell you for herself."

"I don't need to ask anyone. I know my man."

I couldn't help but laugh. "You're letting this boy blind you. It's like you've forgotten your ex."

She kissed her teeth. "Don't bring him up."

"Remember when Seun used to treat you like shit? This is how it started. It's happening again. I'm telling you Hayden's no good for you and instead of listening to me you want to make up noise. Are you crazy?"

Shanay fell quiet for a few seconds before sighing deeply. "At the end of the day you're in no position to tell me what to do with my love life. This stinking attitude and thinking you're right all the time ... it's probably why Leon cheated on you. I'm happy with my relationship right now, so I'm not gonna let you ruin it for me. I don't want to end up lonely like you." She quickly hung up and I listened to the dial tone, completely shocked at the venomous words.

Feeling furious yet completely numb, I let the phone fall from my hand and onto the mattress. I stared into space, unmoving, and relayed the words in my mind. The shift in attitude and the sudden defensiveness really through me off, but it wasn't like Shanay had never acted like this before.

When the girls and I had suspicions of her ex, we told her straight away, only for her to dismiss us and continue dating him. It was only a couple of months into the relationship when she saw his true colours and came crying back to us.

It was happening again, the same vicious and tired cycle. All I wanted to do was look out for my best friend but she threw it back in my face. When Hayden eventually fucks up and she comes running back to me ... well, she'd better not, because I won't be able to hold my tongue.

I decided to take my mind off it for now and start getting ready for the rave. It was coming up to 8 p.m. and I knew how long I could take to get ready. Kayden would be here in a couple of hours so I wanted to be dressed by then.

After showing and creaming my skin, I hooked my iPod up to the speakers and listened to some Chris Brown. His youthful voice echoed through the room as I grabbed my hair products and stood in front of my full-length mirror, still with my towel tied around me.

This kind of occasion didn't really call for me to make tons of effort, so I simply gelled my hair upinto a high pony tail and laid my edges with an old toothbrush. Once I was done, I sprayed my armpits and held up the dress. It really was pretty, yet I had neglected it for so long.

Once I put on some matching lacy underwear I slid the soft fabric up my thighs and torso before pushing my arms through the sleeve. Luckily I was able to zip up the back of the dress without assistance. The dark plum colour complimented my fair skin and the deep plunge neckline accentuated my breasts more than I thought it would. Taking a deep breath, I swivelled round to see my bum in the mirror ... it looked massive!

Dammit, Kayden won't be able to leave me alone tonight.

I turned back around, taking in my appearance and running my hand over my cheek. Maybe Brooklyn was right, I could do with putting some makeup on today. I padded over to my dressing table where my makeup and jewellery lay, grabbing all the necessary items before standing in front of the mirror and getting to work...

By the time I was done, my face was completely beat and my look was finished. I smiled at the way my makeup really came together to complement my look. I promised myself I wouldn't go all out but once I got going, I couldn't stop.

I made sure to put on a shimmery silver chain and a pair of matching hoop earrings before I forgot, along with my favourite bracelet from my Dad and a few rings. Lastly, I slipped on some black wedges and wore an ankle bracelet, then peered in the mirror at my final look.

Okay ... I seriously looked sexier than I had planned. This is what happens when my imagination runs wild. The last time I ever made such an effort in my appearance was for my Mum, but that was quite a while ago now.

There was a stage after Mum left when I ditched skirts and dresses and only wore jeans and tracksuits. For a while my family thought I was bisexual, but it had just gotten to a point where I didn't feel the need to dress up. That much is still true to this day, which is why I'm shocked at myself for putting so much thought and care into this outfit.

I retrieved my leather jacket from the back of my wardrobe along with my River Island clutch bag, putting the essentials inside. I sprayed some Chanel perfume on and took one last look at my reflection before switching the light off and leaving my room. I took my time going down the steps; it was painfully aware that I hadn't worn anything high in so long. What exactly had I gotten myself into here?

I entered the living-room to see Dad and Andre, their friends had left by this point and it was only them two watching football. Their faces dropped when they turned to face me.

"What?" I asked them.

"Y-You're wearing a dress..." Andre pointed out, looking completely bewildered.

I rolled my eyes. "You guys have seen me dressed up before."

"Nah." Andre shook his head. "It's been ages."

"What's your point?"

"Becca," Dad's voice boomed. I turned my attention to him. "Where are you off to?"

I cleared my throat, not even prepared for the onslaught of questions from my overprotective Dad. "To an under-18's rave with some ... friends."

"Where is it?"

"Just Clapham."

"Which friends?"

"Brooklyn, Grace, Natalie and a couple of the guys."

"No Shanay?"

I had to use every fibre in my being to not scowl at that damned name. "She's busy."

"You need any money?"

"I've got some, thanks."

He watched me intently for a while, his eyes quickly scanning my appearance, before smiling slightly. "You look beautiful."

I grinned stupidly at him. "Thanks Dad."

He turned to the clock on the wall. "It's already 9:50, weh yuh fren' dem?"

Just then the doorbell rang. This guy was actually early, how eager could he be?

"That must be Kayden," I said, heading for the door.

I heard Dad laugh as I left the room. "Rah, him too? You've got the whole posse tonight."

Once I opened the door, I froze. Kayden stood there with his hands tucked into the pockets of his fitted black G-Star jeans. My eyes trailed up to the navy blue Ted Baker shirt. Over the shirt he wore a slim fit leather jacket, and my gaze quickly fell to the pair of dark blue Nike Air Max's on his feet. When I looked back up, he was smiling, and my heart thumped at his clear skin and plump lips. His hair was tied back, bringing more attention to his handsome face.

Kayden was equally as still, and I realised we had been looking at each other for a solid 50 seconds without speaking.

He decided to talk first: "Rebecca..." He breathed deeply and looked away momentarily, shaking his head.

That reaction wasn't what I expected. "What's wrong?"

His eyes turned back to me, hooded and sensual. "You look amazing."

A smile tugged at my lips. "Back at ya."

"No. You're just..." His eyes roamed my body slowly, from my feet all the way up to my face. He released a sigh, looking almost pained. "I don't know what's gonna happen tonight."

I raised a brow. "What do you—"

"Rebecca?" I heard Dad call from the living-room.

"Coming!" I called back before glancing at Kayden. He was still in a trance. I'd be lying if I said I didn't appreciate his lustful stare. "Can you give me a sec?"

"Whatever you need."

I smiled and closed the door before heading back to the living-room. I quickly bent down to give Dad a kiss on the cheek and bumped fists with Andre. "Heading out now, Kayden's outside."

"Alright, then. You sure you got everything?"

"Yes Dad."

"Keys, phone and money?"

"Yep."

"Alright. Well, have fun babygirl."

"I'll try, thanks!" I opened the front door once more and stepped out into the chilly evening air, shutting the door behind me and then meeting Kayden outside of my gate. He had been texting on his phone but gave me his immediate attention the second I came outside.

"Ready?"

"When you are."

"I was ready from last week." He smiled and we began down the road. We walked slowly and silently at first, then I caught him watching me in the corner of my eye.

"You're doing that staring thing again," I muttered.

"I'd be mad to not stare at you."

I smiled coyly at the compliment. "Thanks."

"I can't believe we're chilling outside of work for once."

"Me either."

"It was only a matter of time." He shrugged.

I laughed. "Debatable."

A sudden breeze washed over me and I shivered. Despite it being late summer, the air was unusually cold. Maybe I should've brought out a scarf. A strong arm slipped around my shoulder and pulled me close. I breathed deeply at the close contact and welcomed the warmth.

"You're actually letting me touch you," he teased.

"Only because I'm cold."

He let out a deep chuckle. "I can tell." Then he peered at me again; I felt incredibly small under his gaze. "I'm not letting you out of my sight tonight."

I rolled my eyes. "Oh please. Like I need protecting."

"Not that. Someone might try it with you."

I laughed. "So what if they do?"

"They're not allowed. You're mine tonight."

My heart thumped painfully hard at the declaration. I had to gulp before retaliating. "I'm no-one's."

"Any man would use that as an opportunity to move to you."

"Oh well. I have to deal with that on a daily basis."

"This is different, Ree. Have you seen yourself?"

I rolled my eyes and decided not to get into it any further. Plus, my heart was still jumping around inside my chest. "So where exactly is this place?"

"Just by Clapham North station."

"Oh, alright. Cool." I noticed we were still walking and began to dread the worst. "We're not walking all the way there, are we?"

Kayden chuckled, showing those perfect white teeth. "Nah. Kamar's car is just at the end of the road."

I blinked, completely dumbfounded. "Who's Kamar?"

"My boy from school."

Suddenly I heard Kayden's name being called out. I peered ahead into the darkness — where were the streetlights? — and saw a silver Vauxhall parked near the end of the road with its headlights on and music pumping loudly. I cringed inwardly; I couldn't even begin to imagine how annoyed my neighbours must feel about the thumping noise.

As we neared the car I noticed a boy stood beside it. He was dark-skinned and tall with wavy hair and a gold tooth. I'm guessing this was Kamar; he was handsome, but had nothing on Mister Loverman.

"Everything good?" he asked Kayden.

"Yeah yeah."

His eyes turned to me and his smile broadened. I could've sworn his gold tooth flashed in the moonlight. "Rebecca?"

"Yep. Kamar?"

He nodded and held out his hand. Slowly, I shook it. "Nice to meet you."

Who would've thought this guy would have such polite manners?

I faced Kayden. "I didn't know we were driving there."

"Yeah, Kamar doesn't drink so he doesn't mind being the designated driver."

Kamar banged the roof of his car. "Alright, come let's go." He opened the driver's door and slipped inside. Kayden opened the rear-left door and I peered through to see a couple more people sat inside. There was already someone in the passenger seat and two more at the back ... leaving only one available seat.

"Everyone say hi to Rebecca," Kayden ordered as he slipped into said seat.

"Yo Rebecca."

"You good?"

"Nice to meet you."

I muttered a general greeting but made no attempts to move. I glanced at Kayden, who still had the door open and was watching me expectedly. My eyes darted to his unoccupied lap and then back to his stupidly smug face.

"I'm not sitting on you."

"You have to, I'm afraid." Something about his cheeky sideways smirk told me that he had this planned all along. This was too much of a coincidence.

I sighed dejectedly and looked down the road. "Guess I'm walking."

"Nah we wouldn't let you do that," Kamar chimed in from the driver's seat. "It's a 10 minute journey, hop in."

"Exactly," Kayden said, his eyes never leaving mine. "You want to walk on your own? In the dark? In that dress?"

I rolled my eyes and decided to suck it up. Bending slightly, I entered the car and Kayden shut the door after me. Not trying to give it too much thought, I rested on his warm lap, making sure to sit a little bit forward so that I wasn't directly on his crotch.

Strong hands pulled me back anyway. "You're not going anywhere," he whispered on my neck.

The low voice made me shiver; I quickly realised this was the worst position for us to be in. I'd known Kayden for roughly two months now, and this was the first time we'd made this much physical contact. Despite trying not to think about it too deep, I couldn't help but remember the time I almost reached into his boxers.

And now I was sitting on him.

I stole a glance at the other two in the back. Another boy was sat on the other side of the car, aimlessly glancing out the window. I couldn't get a good look at his face, but he seemed incredibly distracted. Sat in the middle, though, was a girl — and she was staring directly at me.

Her eyes were captivating, I found myself staring back. She was really pretty, with straight, black shoulder-length hair, small features and a shapely jaw. She had puckered lips, a slim nose and cat-like eyes. I couldn't see her outfit properly from where I sat, but it appeared to be a khaki halter neck dress. This girl appeared cute, fragile and innocent, I wonder who she is...

As Kamar pulled away from the curb and began the journey, the boy sat in the passenger seat swivelled his body to peer at me. He had caramel skin and a cute button nose, but his NY hat hooded his eyes, making him seem mysterious.

"You cool yeah?" he asked with a friendly smile.

"Yeah, thanks."

"You're the one Kayden always chats about."

My eyes widened at the statement. I turned back to look at the boy whose lap I was perched on. "Is that so?"

Kayden smirked. "Are you really surprised?"

"A little. What do you say about me?"

"A lot of things."

"Like?"

His hand found its way to my waist. He pulled me even closer to him while his hand stroked along my thigh. "How fat your ass is," he said quietly for only me to hear. "And how beautiful you are."

I swallowed hard at the sensual contact and the sinful words that followed. There was nowhere for me to escape; I could only sit still and let Kayden hypnotise me like he always did.

"You smell nice," he whispered.

"So do you."

Kayden's thumb gently stroked the bare skin of my thigh while his eyes bored into mine. "I could eat you."

Lordt, save me!

"Aren't you going to introduce me, Kayden?" a small voice chirped.

I turned to the girl sat beside us; she was watching our every move with a smile. Whether her smile was genuine or not, I wasn't sure.

Kayden cleared his throat as if he suddenly remembered we were in public. "Rebecca, this is my friend Aaliyah. Li, I already told you about Becc's."

"Yep." She held her hand out. "Nice to meet you, Becc's."

"Rebecca," I corrected.

She raised a brow. "Huh?"

"My name is Rebecca," I stated again. Gingerly, I took her hand and gave it a brief shake as to not embarrass her. "Nice to meet you too." So far I had no clear judgement on Aaliyah. She had a confident air about her but it seemed tainted, like I should be mindful of her presence somehow.

Once our hands detached, she hastily turned to look out the other window like the boy beside her.

Kayden's hands distracted me again. They weren't venturing to dangerous places, which I appreciated, but they were still slow and teasing, making me feel a little bit hot. This time, he held me round the stomach, stroking it soothingly. He rested his lips near my ear. "Be nice," he whispered.

"I'm always nice."

A chuckle rumbled through his throat. His hands descended my belly and smoothed over my thighs once more, this time shifting inwards to between my slightly-opened thighs. I gasped in panic, but his voice was in my ear again.

"I won't do anything rude, I promise." His words completely opposed his actions, as his hands rubbed my inner thighs firmly. "You haven't told me to stop."

My eyes shut for a second and I inhaled deeply. I kept my mouth shut.

"You're playing a dangerous game right now," Kayden warned, his hand slowly nearing my underwear.

I bit my lip in response.

His fingers crept underneath my dress and clung onto the waistband of my lacy thong. Kayden's feathery touch was so captivating: I remained quiet. He pulled at it gently then released, allowing it to snap back and collide with my skin.

I twitched and sighed deeply. "Stop," I muttered. "You said nothing rude."

"Can't help it," he rasped, as if breathless. "You're turning me on."

My head was swimming. Amidst the loud grime music and excitable chatter, Kayden and I were being this daring. He'd never touched me this intimately before, but for some reason I didn't have a problem with it.

"What colour?" he asked, referring to my underwear.

"Navy blue."

"So we match." I heard the amusement in his voice. "I don't think you should stay on my lap for too long."

"And why's that?"

He sighed. "I might take you and make you mine."

"It'll never happen," I said.

He chuckled lowly. "We'll see."

*

We'd been in the club for a couple of hours now and I was enjoying myself. The lively atmosphere washed over us as soon as we stepped in, and from there, everyone headed to the dance floor. Luckily, the DJ was good and although there were no alcoholic beverages — this being an under 18's rave and all — the drinks were still relatively cheap, which I was grateful for.

"Jim, hit me with another!" I yelled over the thumping music and waving my empty glass in the air.

The bartender chuckled before grabbing another class and filling it up with J2O. I thanked him and swirled around on the chair to soak in the surroundings. The venue was nice and intimate, and not too packed either. The majority of the crowd seemed to be my age, with everyone sticking to the dress code.

I spotted Kayden on the other side of the room but he wasn't alone. He stood against the wall while a slim black girl gyrated her hips on him. Her weave was long and slick, almost sweeping the floor as she bent over.

I turned in a different direction, trying to see where his friends had gone. I saw Kamar walking through the crowd and heading towards the toilets. The other one that had greeted me from the passengers seat, who I came to find out was named Amz, was dancing with a girl on the elevated dance floor, his hat still concealing his eyes. The last one who hadn't spoken in the car was nowhere to be seen, I assumed he was buried in the crowd somewhere.

That only left...

"You alright?" I heard Aaliyah ask from behind me.

I turned in the chair and nodded, holding my glass up. "Never better."

She peered around and her eyes stopped in Kayden's direction. I noticed the slight twitch of her eyebrow and the subtle frown on her face, but it was so brief before she faced me again with a smile. "Where's everyone else?"

I shrugged. "No idea."

"Aren't you gonna dance?"

This girl asks a lot of bloody questions. "Aren't you?"

She laughed. "I have been, but you've been sat here for a while."

"My feet are tired."

She held her hands up in defeat. "Fair enough. Catch you in a bit." I watched as she walked off to the toilets. I wasn't sure why, but everything seemed like an interrogation with Aaliyah. Perhaps she didn't mean to, but she had been asking me things all night.

A few minutes passed and I was bobbing my head along to the soft R&B music that played. Thank God this DJ was so consistent, he had a knack for transitioning the tunes. I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to see that sideways smirk.

"I can't believe you're still sat here," he said over the music.

I sighed. Kayden was so transparent, I knew he'd wanted a dance with me since the moment we stepped in and I shot him down every time. Now he was back again. This guy was persistent.

"It's comfortable here," I said with a shrug.

He laughed and continued to sport that beautiful smile. "Can we dance now?"

"What, did you get bored of Rapunzel?"

He rolled his eyes. "I was chilling by the wall with Amz and she started whining on me. Completely out of my control."

I laughed in his face. "You're so full of shit."

He was still smiling. "You're the only one I want to dace with." Just as he said that, the music switched up completely, and Gyptian's 'Wine Slow' had people screaming. Kayden's eyes turned serious then. "One dance," he proposed.

I sighed and plopped my glass down. "Fine."

He held his hand out and I took it, stepping off the chair and following his lead to the dance floor. He found another spot by the wall and pulled me close, looking me in the eyes.

"Hear that?" he asked.

I knew immediately he was referring to the lyrics.

I want you to wine slow for me,

Tic toc for me

Baby drop it like that

I want you to move slow to me

Cautiously, baby I love it like that...

Kayden held me gently, swaying to the music. "Can you do that for me?"

Before I could answer, he spun me around. Having my body tight against his made my heart race erratically but Kayden didn't give me time to adjust. He began with his hips and I followed, moving my waist to the rhythm. We were perfectly in sync and I knew he could feel it, his hands running up and down my sides.

One dance turned to five. Time seemed endless whenever I was around him. Kayden had such a firm grip on my hips, it made me wonder how strong and assertive he would be in bed.

I wasn't sure how much time had passed by this point, but my thighs were aching and my back was constantly arched. Either way, I was enjoying myself.

'Ramping Shop' eventually came on, and Kayden pulled me up for a second so that my back was against his chest.

"Remember what I said before?" he whispered in my ear. His warm breath brushed my skin and I swallowed hard.

"What?"

"On the phone." His hips started up again, his hands running over my thighs. "Don't you remember?"

"N-No."

"Really?"

I was breathless at his movements; the stuffy air didn't help the situation either. Kayden bent me forward again, this time using his right hand to grip my ponytail and tug on it gently. Suddenly I remembered our phone conversation from the night before.

"When I really get into it I like to grip a girls hair and pull it, or bend her forward so she's arching her back. Makes it easier for her to push against me."

I was in the same compromising position he had described and I couldn't even get out of it. He tugged again, harder the time, while undulating his hips. I gasped at the action, excitement pulsing through me as he guided my body the way he wanted.

Kayden's movements were relentless and hypnotic. I shut my eyes and was left entangled in the lustrous feeling of his body against mine. The music and crowd seemed to drone out, leaving only Kayden and I in this space of our own. At least, that's what it felt like. I was sure this had gone beyond grinding two songs ago.

Eventually, he pulled me back up and my throat was dry from all the heavy breathing.

"I need a drink," I muttered.

"Not yet. Still waiting for you to bounce that ass on me."

I shook my head and swallowed hard. "No."

"Why?"

"I can't..."

"You can. I know you can." Kayden spun me around and looked at me. Being this close to him and sharing such intense eye contact was all too much for me.

"I need a drink," I repeated, trying any excuse that could give me a breather from the overwhelming seduction of Kayden Brooks.

He smiled and released me. "Alright, but come straight back."

"I'll think about it."

He smirked and disappeared into the crowd, probably to find his friends. I released a heavy breath and felt weak in the knees at such a fiery 'dance'. Never have I felt so captivated just by dancing with someone, but I guess Kayden was full of surprises every time. That prick.

I found my way back to the bar and called out to the bartender again. "James!" He spun around at what must be a familiar voice to him now. "Sprite," I demanded over the loud music with a smile. He nodded and quickly got to work.

Roughly 20 minutes later I was glued to the chair by the bar, hoping that I didn't have to get back up until the night was over. A few guys have approached me for a chat and offered to buy me drinks but I didn't give them the time of day. I didn't want to have idle chat with a stranger, I just wanted to keep clear from a certain somebody before I lost my composure again.

As soon as I thought that, the Devil himself walked to the bar and sat on the chair beside me, carrying a smug smile on his dumb handsome face.

"You didn't come straight back," he said.

"I said I'd think about it."

Kayden chuckled. "I want another dance."

"We've done enough."

"Nah," he shook his head firmly, "nowhere near. I'm not done with you." He peered down at my bare thighs, still weak and sweaty from our ordeal earlier. His eyes flickered back up to meet mine. "Did you enjoy it that much?" he asked.

I ignored him and carried on sipping my drink.

"If we'd carried on, you know what would have happened, right?" he leaned closer and I shivered at his warm breath by my ear. "You almost got me hard."

"Kayden, stop," I practically begged.

"I'm not doing anything," he said with a chuckle.

"You know exactly what you're doing, and it's not gonna work." I swivelled my chair so it faced away from him and he gave an exaggerated sigh.

"Fine. I'll have to find someone else."

Still with my back to him, I shrugged. "I don't care."

"Suit yourself." I heard the chair squeak as Kayden stood up and walked back to the dance floor. Ignoring my rational brain telling me to avoid watching him, I turned around and followed his stride. He wasn't even stood there for a second before Rapunzel found him and backed him up into the wall once again. This time, Kayden moved along with her and his eyes shot up, looking right at me.

Okay. I did care.

Sighing, I slid off the chair and began to head for the toilets. All this drinking was finally catching up to me — that's what I get for using beverages as an excuse to sit down.

I weaved through the masses of sweaty bodies and bumped hard into a white girl with pink highlights, causing her drink to spill over her white jumpsuit.

"Wow, I'm so sorry," I apologised.

The girl stood still for a moment with her jaw wide open. Her glass had fallen from her hands and she remained frozen.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, you bitch?" she finally said, her eyes narrowing harshly.

I raised a brow, completely taken aback. "Excuse me?"

Suddenly she raised both hands and shoved me in the chest, pushing me back two steps. The few people around us had stopped humping each other once they realised what was happening.

The shove wasn't too hard, but it was enough disrespect than I could manage. I glared back at her. "For real?"

"Sarah, hold my bag," the girl said to her nearby friend, who was just as surprised as I was. That actually made me laugh. "You think this is fucking funny?" Before I could respond she charged towards me, her hands ready to grab my hair.

I clenched my fist and punched her hard in the gut, winding her slightly. The crowd began to cheer as her body crouched down from the pain. Her friend fell down with her, trying to help her stand back up.

"That's enough!" the friend, Sarah, yelled, her eyes shooting daggers at me.

I held my hands up. "Your friend shouldn't start things she can't finish."

"Fucking bitch!" the girl in question screamed, quickly getting back up to come for me again. She swung for me but I quickly dodged and grabbed her from behind. The crowd were going wild at this point, but I didn't let them faze me. Immediately, I grabbed around her neck and squeezed. She sputtered and began to flail about, kicking her legs until I released her.

She came back for me in an instant, throwing numerous punches but missing all the same. As I dodged, she grabbed onto my hair and yanked hard, but it didn't stop me from doing the same to her. I gripped a fist-full of her hair and yanked her down to the floor. All Sarah could do was stand by and watch, while everyone else surrounded us cheering.

The speakers blared Funky House and the DJ was chatting into the mic animatedly, meanwhile I was kicking the girl in the stomach as she lay defenseless on the ground.

"Oi, she's gonna kill her!"

"Drag her, drag her!"

I felt hands pull me away and I breathed heavily. "Let go," I said calmly.

They instantly backed off. I adjusted my dress and watched as she rolled about on the floor, clutching on her stomach and groaning. It took a few seconds before people helped her up, Sarah included, before taking her away somewhere.

I ignored the awed expressions of everyone else as I walked past them and continued to the toilet. When I was done I headed back in the direction of the bar when someone stepped into my path. The lanky mixed-race guy with braids glared down at me with his arms folded.

From his demeanour alone, I could already tell what this was about. I rolled my eyes and checked my nails. "So, what, are you her man or something?"

"Yeah, and you fucking violated her." He stepped closer then, his frame towering over me. "When you disrespect my girl, you disrespect me, you understand?"

Although his tone was menacing, I wasn't threatened in the slightest. "She didn't need to start swinging at me," I retorted with a shrug.

He spat on the floor and his eyes narrowed with fury. "Are you fucking dumb?" Then in a flash, he pinned me up against the wall by my neck, snarling in my face. I reached up to dig my nails into his arms. "Don't fuck with me or my girl," he warned. I simply squeezed harder, trying to pierce his skin.

By now another crowd formed, with a few guys stepping forward to stop it.

"Allow it Paul, she's a chick."

"I don't give a fuck," he spat back. His hand clenched tighter around my neck, and I began to gasp for air. I heard voices all around as my vision blurred.

"Someone get security!"

"This is so fucked."

Using my last resort, I raised my leg quickly and kneed him in the balls. His eyes bugged and he released my neck as his body faltered, his boys backing off instantly in shock. I heard a collective gasp from everyone around us and took deep gulps of air to try and recover. I didn't expect Paul to bounce back so quickly, and without having time to counter, he grabbed for my neck again. His friends were back in an instant, trying to drag him away again.

"Paul chill!"

I saw him draw back his fist and closed my eyes, expecting a weakening punch.

But it never came.

The grip on my throat was gone. I slowly opened my eyes to witness Paul on the floor and Kayden on top of him, punching him repeatedly in the face. I panted, the shock overwhelming me to the point of breathlessness. The movement of Kayden's fists were so fast that my eyes could barely follow. More people had joined the crowd — some with their phones out and others watching on with excitement.

The way Kayden held onto the collar of Paul's shirt to hold him up as he gave quick jabs in his face and jaw was startling. I noticed Paul's friends were hesitant to even step in, afraid that Kayden's attacks would land on them instead.

The look in Kayden's eyes was unsettling. He was completely silent as he beat Paul to a pulp, his mouth gritted with disdain and the look on his face struck with animosity. Over the music, Paul's grunts and groans of pain were heard, and finally, Kayden's friends rushed over to drag Kayden off of him. Once they gripped Kayden and pulled him up, Paul was left bloodied on the floor.

"Touch her again and I'll kill you," I heard Kayden warn. He spat on Paul's body before eventually being pulled away.

The crowd closed in on Paul and his boy's helped him up, but he was unresponsive. I couldn't look away from the state of him; his lip was busted and blood marred his entire face. He coughed up blood and people began to escort him to the back of the club.

My eyes then turned to Kayden, who had shrugged out of his friends' hold and padded over to me. The playful look that I was used to seeing on his face was no longer there, it was replaced by a look of agitation and fury.

"Are you hurt?" he asked, his tone low and dangerous.

I touched my neck absentmindedly and felt the soreness of my throat. "No," I lied.

Aaliyah was standing nearby and stepped forward to check Kayden's face. "Are you okay?" she asked him.

He moved his face away from her hands. "I'm good." Then he turned to me. "Let's go."

The order took me by surprise. I swallowed hard through a raspy throat and simply nodded, unable to say anything at this point.

Kayden glanced at Kamar. "Need a lift."

Kamar nodded once and turned to the rest. "I'll see you lot in a bit." They said bye to Kayden, and I was escorted out of the club and into Kamar's car. Kayden sat in the back with me and Kamar sped off.

As we drove away from the club, I released a heavy sigh. I don't know what the hell just happened. I was more amazed than anything. I'd never seen this side of Kayden, apart from the one time he pulled up the guy for barging me in the street. Other than that, I took Kayden to be gentle and non-confrontational. I had no idea he could fight like that — and it seemed like it wasn't his first. It made me realise how little I knew about him, and that dangerous edge was slightly attractive to me...

I felt his hand on mine and glanced over at him. Kayden's expression was impassive, but I could still feel the anger emanating off him.

"You sure you're okay?" he asked.

I nodded once again.

Kamar finally spoke up: "Fuuuucking hell, man. You went in on him."

Kayden shrugged. "It's nothin'."

"You good, fam?" Kamar asked, peering at Kayden through the rear-view mirror.

He nodded and I noticed his temple was throbbing. "I'm calm," he answered before looking out the window. It was a lie: he was truly pissed.

Kamar turned on the radio to rid of the eerie silence and I faced Kayden who was still peering out the window.

"Kayden," I said softly. He looked at me. "Thanks."

"It's nothing, Ree." His eyes were so intense and sincere I had to look away.

"Am I dropping you back to yours, Rebecca?" Kamar questioned.

"No it's okay, I'll go with Kayden."

Kayden's eyes turned to me. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

We soon got to his road and stepped out the car. I waited by his front door as Kayden stood beside Kamar's car, chatting to him through the open window. Although Kayden's back was to me, they seemed to be exchanging some serious words. I watched as Kamar nodded a few times and then he sighed and shook his head.

"Yeah, I know," I heard Kamar say, but that was it.

"Safe for the lift man." Kayden and Kamar bumped fists and then Kamar looked at me.

"Nice meeting you, Rebecca."

"You too, thanks for everything." I gave a little wave.

Kamar gave Kayden one more knowing look before winding up his window and speeding off. His wheels tore down the road and made me cringe. It was roughly 1 a.m. at this point, so that noise must have roused some people out of their sleep.

Kayden retrieved his keys and opened the door. I quickly realised this was the first time I'm entering his home, and the thought made me gulp. He pushed open the door and allowed me to step inside first. He followed suit and shut the front door.

We were surrounded by total darkness; the house was quiet but I sensed a warmness to it. Kayden switched on the passage light and I peered around. The doors to other rooms were closed, leaving only a view of the spacious passage. The interior was nice and sleek, with family pictures on the walls and ascended the stairs.

"Everyone's asleep," Kayden informed quietly. "Can I take that for you?" he asked, looking at my leather jacket. I nodded and he helped me to slip it off before placing it on the coat hook by the front door. "Come," he said, leading me upstairs.

I kicked off my heels and left them by the side before following him upstairs to his room. He switched on the light and I took it in. It was a typical room for a teenage boy, however I was so shocked by how neat and tidy it was. The beige and brown colour co-ordination really gave the room a more mature edge. There was a lack of pictures and personalisation, a complete opposite to my room, but it was still lovely.

"Nice room," I commented, placing my bag on his desk.

"Thanks." he dragged off his leather jacket and hung it over his office chair before sitting on his double bed and kicking off his shoes. I remained by the door. It fell silent. "So are you staying here?" he asked after a short while.

"I have no choice now, do I?"

"You could've asked Kamar to drop you home."

"I didn't want to."

He nodded slowly. "Okay." He stood back up and came over to me, resting his hand on my cheek. "Are you tired?"

"A little. Can't believe we're back so early."

"If we stayed any longer I would've killed him."

My eyes widened at the dark threat, and his stern face and lack of emotion showed that he wasn't joking either. "Kayden, please calm down."

"I am calm."

"Hmm. What time is it?"

"One forty-five."

"Seriously?" He nodded and I sighed.

He suddenly unbuttoned his shirt and dragged it off. I froze at how he casually got undressed in front of me and took in the sight of his body. Kayden was nice and lean with quite some mass. His muscles weren't rippling, but he had a few. The veins in his arms were prominent, along with his broadened chest and medium build. My hands were itching to touch his smooth skin.

His muscles flexed as he threw his shirt in the laundry basket and padded over to his wardrobe. "I need to get you somethin' to wear," he mused. He opened his drawers and pulled out a navy blue Nike top and matching Nike shorts. I was beginning to understand his favourite colour at this point. He walked back over to me with his arms out, handing me the clothes.

My eyes rested on the v-line just by his waist. I swallowed.

"Thank you," I muttered, accepting the gesture.

"I'll leave you to get changed." I watched his naked back as he proceeded to walk out. Even from behind he still looked amazing.

"Wait," I called out. He turned around. "I need help with my dress."

Kayden approached me once again and watched me silently before turning me around in order to see the back of my dress. He ran both hands down my bare arms in soft strokes. I breathed deeply as he reached the zipper. As he pulled it down slowly he brought he face closer to my neck and sighed. I shivered as his warm breath hit my skin, causing goosebumps in its wake. The zipper was now all the way down, but he simply pulled me closer and kissed my neck gently. I stiffened against his touch and closed my eyes. He was doing it again, the tingly feeling in my stomach was there, and I didn't want it to be.

"Kayden..." I muttered.

"You smell nice," he whispered.

"Don't do this."

"Do what?"

"You know what."

Our bodies were sandwiched at this point, his hands running all over me while his body pressed into mine. "I can't help myself," he muttered.

"I need to get changed."

That made him pause and step back. When I turned back round to face him, he had a small smile on his face. "Alright." Then he left the room.

I changed out of my dress and slid on the top and shorts in no time. Luckily, there were some wipes on his dresser table, so I removed my makeup and re-did my hair into a low ponytail before neatly resting my dress on the office chair and leaving the room to go and find him. One door was slightly ajar and the light was on. I hesitantly approached and noticed it was the bathroom. Kayden was stood by the sink with his hand underneath the running cold water.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

He glanced at me before turning back to his hand. "They're sore," he said, referring to his knuckles. He must have beat up Paul so bad that it caused damage to his own hand. Poor thing. I actually felt sympathy for Kayden of all people — who would've guessed. I noticed the blood flowing down the drain and couldn't help but frown.

"It's bleeding," I muttered with feelings of guilt and pity tugging at my chest.

"It'll be alright," he assured. Soon, he stopped and got a bandage from the cupboard then wrapped it around his knuckle before sticking it in place. We headed back to the room and I took a seat on his bed while he continued to get changed.

He unbuckled his jeans and slid them down. Straight away, my eyes darted to the thick bulge in his grey boxers. My breath caught in my throat. I quickly turned away before he could notice.

Wow.

He was packing.

I smiled to myself.

"What's funny?" he asked.

I shook my head. "Nothing, never mind."

By now he had on plain grey tracksuit bottoms and a white vest. "I'll sleep downstairs and you can have the bed."

I raised a brow. "Why would you do that?"

He paused and gave me an odd look. "I should stay here?"

"Yeah. If you can sleep next to me without touching me."

A smile tugged at his lips. "Yeah, of course."

"That's that then." I pulled the covers back and finally laid down. The mattress was warm and firm, my body sank into it quickly and I was instantly relaxed.

Kayden turned off the lights and came to join me in the bed. Now we were surrounded by pure darkness, save for the streaks of moonlight passing through his closed blinds. For some reason my heart was pounding. I never would have pictured Kayden and I lying in the same bed. There was some space between us, though.

He shifted around for a bit before turning his entire body to face me. I looked at his handsome face shrouded in darkness and the whiteness of his eyes as he stared.

"Why are you all the way over there, Ree?"

"Because you'll try something. I know you will. I don't wanna get..."

"Turned on?" he finished off.

I remained quiet, not wanting to admit he was actually right for a change. "This is already weird as it is."

"Why is it weird?"

"Well...we're not supposed to share a bed."

"We can control ourselves."

I only hummed and turned on my side with my back to him. Hopefully I can just fall asleep to make this situation pass by quickly. I wasn't sure why I chose to even come here. Maybe because I felt like I couldn't leave Kayden alone when he was in this mood? Maybe because after my ordeal with Paul I wanted some kind of company to make me feel better? It was hard to say at this point.

I closed my eyes and welcomed the still silence that surrounded us, until I felt Kayden's arm enclose me and pull me in so I was flush against him. Once again, his breath tickled my ear like it had done the whole night. I could feel his friend against my back.

"You seem to be pulling me a lot today," I muttered.

"Because I like you next to me. You're mine tonight."

"Night's over."

"Not for me it isn't."

I decided to leave his arm there and peered at the wall ahead of me. The room soon filled with a comfortable silence once again. I couldn't help but think about what occurred just an hour ago. Kayden had defended me in my time of need and in the most brutal of ways. I still couldn't get over the fact that he had beaten Paul so badly. It was an unbelievable sight, but I was incredibly grateful for it.

"What you thinking about?" he asked as he rubbed my belly.

"Nothing really. Just what happened tonight."

His body instantly tensed. "How did it start?" he asked again, his voice lower now.

I explained the situation from the beginning; the altercation with the girl and how she tried to start a fight, the beating I gave her, and then Paul confronting me because of it. When I was done explaining, Kayden was silent, his thumb still stroking my stomach beneath my top.

"Anyway," I muttered when I realised he was still too angry to comment. "I really appreciate what you did. I turned to him and smiled. "I owe you, so if there's anything I can do for you, let me know."

Kayden's face relaxed a little bit and I saw the tenseness in his brows loosen as he gazed at me. "There is one thing," he said.

I shot him a curious glance, already dreading the worst. "What is it?"

"You know I want you," he muttered, his hands running up my arms. My body tingled at the intimate contact coupled with his lustful words. "From day one, I've wanted you."

"Kayden..."

"I know you have a man," he cut in, "but I still can't help myself."

I swallowed hard when his mouth moved closer to my neck. He kissed my skin gently and my stomach clenched.

"I want a kiss, Ree."

I sucked in a huge breath and fought the urge to moan at his gentle kisses. So far, Kayden had only lightly teased me whenever we were together, but this was completely different. Sharing a bed with him and being in total darkness wasn't helping to suppress his libido, and he had a knack for turning me on anyway — we really were a lost cause.

He wrapped his arm around my stomach and peppered kisses on my neck. The connection sent shivers down my spine.

"Don't," I warned.

He continued anyway, his lips brushing against my skin as he nuzzled his face in the crook of my neck. I remained silent. His mouth trailed to my ear and nibbled my earlobe gently. I quivered and closed my eyes. "Am I turning you on?"

I sighed and found myself squeezing my thighs together again. "Stop," I pleaded quietly.

His hand rubbed over my sides. My body was incredibly receptive to his touches. All I could do was lie there and let him have his way.

He began to kiss and suck on my skin tenderly. I couldn't stop him. I didn't want to. Something within me strongly craved this; to have his hands and mouth on me, to feel his touch, to accept someone and be accepted in return. After the harsh words Shanay had spat to me over the phone about being lonely, I needed this. Maybe she was right all along.

My body was quickly heating up. After a few minutes of Kayden's sensual teasing, I couldn't take it anymore. I turned my body to him. "One," I whispered. "Just one kiss."

He gazed at me wordlessly and held the small of my back as he rested up on his elbow. Instantly, he laid his lips on mine, and my body burned with passion and desire. I sighed into the kiss, enjoying the feel of his soft lips. Kayden's kiss was gentle yet determined; after all these weeks of knowing each other and having these odd moments between us we had finally connected on a deeper level, I could sense his relief and enthusiasm through this kiss alone.

He opened his mouth—causing mine to do the same—and brushed his warm, wet tongue against my own. My body instinctively shivered and I gasped through a dry throat. I thought our dance at the club was erotic, but this kiss alone was leaving me breathless. My stomach twisted and excitement jolted through my body as his tongue curled ans slid against mine.

Eventually, the kiss grew more intensifying as Kayden rested between my legs, his tongue swirling teasingly. I moaned and wrapped my legs around his waist, pulling him in closer. After what seemed like hours of kissing and caressing, he pulled away, sucking on my bottom lip as he did so.

I sighed heavily and caught my breath, stuck in a daze with a faint smile on my face. Kayden had just given me the best kiss of my life. I slowly opened my eyes to see him staring down at me, his expression unreadable. I was expecting him to start teasing me now, or rubbing it in my face that I had succumbed to his flirting, but instead he just watched me.

I cleared my throat. "What?"

He shook his head wordlessly, still watching me.

I turned my head to the side and looked away from his penetrating gaze, not entirely sure what to say or how to act after such a soul-sucking kiss.

Kayden moved from between my legs and laid beside me once again. He lay on his back and gazed at the ceiling. I listen to his light breathing as the room became silent again.

Finally, he spoke: "I shouldn't have."

I swallowed hard. That was the last thing I expected him to say. "Why not?"

His eyes slid over to me. "Because I want you even more now."

The confession made my heart leap. I always thought it was insane that someone of Kayden's calibre was so into me when all I did was terrorise him, but now it seemed as if his lust for me was growing stronger. I didn't know it were possible. I told myself I would try to make the situation better by establishing boundaries and letting him down easy, but all of my actions today have gone against that.

I was falling deeper into a pit of confusion and I saw no way out. After such an amazing kiss, it was as if Kayden was at the bottom of the pit with me, dragging me further down into its depths.

I decided to change the subject. "How did you know where I was?" I asked, referring to him finding Paul at just the right moment.

He shrugged. "When you didn't come back I went looking for you but I couldn't find you. Then I saw the big crowd on the other end of the bar. I could tell something was going on. He was holding you like that and ... I saw red," he explained, his expression turning dark. "I didn't think, my body just reacted and I grabbed him." His breathing grew heavier; recalling the scenario was infuriating him all over again. "I don't remember much after that. I lost control and my mind was blank." He shrugged once again. "I don't know. But I'll never allow another man to hurt you. I care about you too much."

Hearing his side of the story tugged at my heart a little. To think Kayden felt this strongly about me and went to such extreme lengths to protect me. It made me appreciate him even more.

I edged closer and rested my head on his chest. His heartbeat was slightly faster than usual. "You know before all that, I still had a good time."

He breathed out a laugh. "Really?"

"Yeah, it was fun."

"Did you like our dace?"

I smiled a little at "I guess so."

I heard him smile. "Me too."

We fell silent after that and I shut my eyes, my mind reeling over today's events. From Chris exposing Hayden's true intentions, to Shanay's outburst, to the dance with Kayden, to the fight, to the extraordinary kiss. Now that Kayden and I have shared such an intimate moment, it'll be hard to turn him down after this.

I began to drift off to sleep listening to Kayden's steady heartbeat, my mind hovering on the fact that he still doesn't know about mine and Leon's breakup. Either way, my time spent with Kayden has been amazing so far; I think I was beginning to get attached...

We fell asleep in each other's embrace.

Thank you, Kayden.