My Bad Boy’s Ego — Chapter 39

I opened the door of my bathroom to reveal Aiden and Ms. Winthrop still having a conversation. They both looked at me, and Aiden motions me to come forward.

Ms. Winthrop had a beautiful red satin dress, that was poufy and long. The train of her dress trails at least a foot behind her, and she had a white faux fur scarf that was elegantly wrapped around her elbows from the back.

"Greetings, my dear," she introduces to me, rubbing my upper arm the moment I've reached their meeting bubble.

"This is Isaiah's date, Aubrey Watson," Aiden says.

She nods at me willingly, and looks at my dress from top to bottom.

"This is a stunning dress you have on dear," she mutters, admiring the beaming sparks from the white dress.

"Thank you," I smiled, "Landon actually bought it for me."

She propped a smile on her thin red lips, "I've heard."

As I kept my eyes on Ms. Winthrop, I felt a weird tension on my shoulder. Something about the weird vibe told me not to turn around, and ignore it.

Something about the tension told me to leave.

"Speaking of Landon," I started, "I have to go talk to him about something. It was nice meeting you, Ms. Winthrop."

I waved goodbye at Aiden and turned my back towards the uneasy feeling, walking away from it as soon as possible.

I found myself regretting my decision as soon as I felt a hand around my wrist, pulling my body into the storage room that Landon and I was not too long ago. My breath stopped as the figure leaned against me, hand in front of my face.

It didn't take me long to recognize the bright blue eyes and scruffy chin. Charles had my body pinned against the shelves, his eyes glaring straight into my eyes. There was something about Charles that made me immediately feel defeated.

"Hey there, beautiful," he growls, leaning his lips towards my right ear.

I looked up at him, trying not to show my fear.

I can feel his cold hands brushing against my arm, trailing down to my hand. With a jolt of surprise, he grabs both of my wrists, pinning them above my head and his other hand continues to travel around my body.

"Scream and I'll make sure your father gets arrested for not paying me back," hissed Charles.

I pressed my lips together, looking at him with my toughest expression. But on the inside, I felt helpless. I felt hopeless. There was nothing I was able to do.

I blinked back the tears as Charles continues to put his hands where they didn't belong. There must be something I could do.

I felt his hand trail behind my neck, unzipping the dress from the top to my waist.

The moment I felt the world crashing down around me, there was only one thing that occurred into my mind.

I kicked upwards.

Then I kicked again, hoping to land between his legs.

Third attempt and Charles finally stumble back, clutching onto his stomach as his shoulder hits against the shelves behind him. I growled as tears gushed down my face uncontrollably. I brought my right leg up towards his stomach and kicked him against the metal shelf, before picking up the bottom of my dress for myself to freely run without tripping.

My throat tightened as I clenched my teeth, trying my hardest not to gather any attention towards my quiet sobbing. I gripped the knob on the door and busted it open, running towards the place I felt the most protected.

I swerved around people, not caring if my dress was still unzipped and my back was exposed. Nothing could be worst than to be molested by your friend's uncle. I made my way towards the stairs and raced up.

Sitting in front of me were the two men I've been longing to cry to.

"Guys," I choked between my tears, silently hiccuping from my sobs. Landon and Isaiah both turns around. I closed my eyes, bringing my hands up to my face as I started crying loudly against my palms.

It didn't take long for me to hear them stumbling out of their seats, running up to me and grabbing my shoulders and arms.

"What happened?" I heard Isaiah snarl underneath his breath. I removed my hands from my face, looking at him just once before he mentally figures out that happens.

His expression hardened.

Without giving me the time to explain, Isaiah stomps off. He managed to kick one of the chair, knocking it over a few times before dashing down the stairs back to the main floor.

Landon stood in front of me, mouth opened by my reckless appearance. He brought his hands up, cupping my face as me moves the loose strands of hair away from my face. His eyebrows furrowed, and nothing left his lips.

I stood there, looking up at him, sniffling.

"I'm sorry," he finally mumbles under his breath.

My heart beat begins to slow down as the only thing I can look at to calm down was his face. He brushed his thumb against my cheek, as I willingly leaned against his hand; tears uncontrollably dripping from my eyes.

After a minute, he removed his hand from my face and walks behind me. I turned my head, watching him until my head couldn't turn any further. Then I turned my attention forward, as I feel the heat of his hand on my lower back.

He grabbed the zipper of my dress, pulling it up slowly until the dress started to hug my body again. As I stood there, I couldn't help but feel lost from life.

Just like the first time I've encountered this with Charles, I felt dirty. I didn't want anyone else to touch me, or anyone to even look at me. I looked ahead, warm tears dripping down my face as all that appeared in my vision was the blur of the moonlight and ocean.

A few moments have passed by and we were sitting on the chairs, my head calmly resting on Landon's shoulder. Landon reached up his hand, and tapped my chin. I turned my attention to him as I lifted my head off of his shoulder.

He stands up and reaches into his pocket, walking towards the railing of the cruise ship.

"What are you doing?" I asked him.

He smiles at me before pulling out a pack of cigarettes. Taking one out, he places it between his lips before returning the pack into his pockets and searches for his lighter.

Seeing the cigarette between his lips reminded me of the first day I met him. The day he shoved a cigarette in my face.

I found myself out of my seat, walking towards him unconsciously as I was reminiscing about the earlier days of high school. The first few months where he bullied me, and I hated him so much for it. And now here we are, working together to solve a little quest that we personally planned out.

Landon kept his gaze on me as continued to walk closer to him.

"Aubrey?" he asks me. But I ignored him. Instead I looked up at him, and stopped as our body was only an inch away. With the until cigarette still hanging between his lips I inched my face forward, grabbing the cigarette between my lips before taking a hold of it.

I took the cigarette, feeling the cancer between my fingertips. I twirled the cigarette around my fingers before letting it rest in the middle of my palm.

I can hear Landon chuckling, watching me. I crumpled up the cigarette, flakes falling into my palms and onto to the floor.

The unconscious side of my brain suddenly told my arms to lift itself, to hold the railings on both sides of Landon's; and trap him in my little space. I threw the cigarette into the water as I kept my gaze over his shoulder.

"Aubrey," Landon whispers, feeling inferior.

I snapped out of my little daze and realized that I might've made myself look a little crazy. But my body didn't want to move.

There was something that made me want to be with him, hug him and possibly kiss him forever. But I knew that would be impossible. Charles is related to Landon, and there was no way I was going to bond with someone who is related to my predator.

My body rejected my thought.

Instead my arms trailed up his shoulders, and around his neck. I pulled his warm body towards mine, one hand resting behind his neck and the other resting behind his head. I buried my face into his neck, feeling his rapid pulse and stiff body movement.

I heard him clear his throat, before wrapping his arms around my waist, pulling me in even tighter. I felt him leaning his body towards mine, breath lingering on my neck as all we could hear was each other's heartbeat.

"Are you okay?" he whispers. His deep voice just made me want to cling onto him, and cry against his chest. I felt so much protection around him in this moment, I didn't want anything else to ruin it.

"No," I responded.