Page 3 of Obsessive Love

Then, a few hours ago, Jess and I were sitting outside in my parent's garden, enjoying a few drinks together before going out tonight and I got the sense of being watched, so I dragged Jess inside with the excuse of being eager to jump in the shower and get ready.

I walk away from the window and flop down on my bed, staring up at the ceiling and listening to the tune Jess ishumming behind the closed bathroom door. Closing my eyes, I think about the past year and revel in the fact that my father allowed me a portion of freedom most other women in a family like mine aren't usually allowed to have.

"Are you still moping around?" Jess asks, walking out of the bathroom and sitting beside me on the bed. I nod my head and sigh before lifting myself into a sitting position. "Soph, you should be happy. You're getting married in like five days."

"You say that like it's a good thing. If it was up to me, I'd be in Paris right now, living it up with all of our friends and celebrating that we've all finished university. Instead, I'm here, in shitty London, preparing to marry a man that I don't even know because my father says it'll be beneficial to our family. Don't chastise me, Jess. We both know you'd be beside yourself if this was happening to you."

She frowns and watches me storm past her and walk into my dressing room.

"I'm sorry, Soph. I know you don't want to be here, and I do understand it, but I also think that you should at least be a little bit happy and intrigued by it all. You're going to be marrying Jericho Rossi. He's rumoured to be really good looking and we both know he'll have the means to give you a good life."

"It's not right though, Jess. My father told me that he'd never let this fucked up lifestyle ruin my dreams. He told me I'd be able to do what I wanted in life and he wouldn't dictate anything involving me. He's agreeing to this marriage and going against everything he told me. It's the ultimate betrayal."

"You're so dramatic," she huffs, staring at me with judgement evident in her gaze.

"Don't look at me like that. You have no right to judge me. I never judge you for your thoughts, feelings or actions, even if I don't agree with them, so don't you start judging me."

I snatch a red dress off a hanger and turn to face her as I step into it, sliding it up my body.

"Girl, it's tough love. Besides, there's nothing you could judge me for, that's why. Everything I do is validated," she scoffs, standing up and coming over to me to help zip up the back of my dress.

"Oh, so are we going to forget about the fact that you've been fucking our professor for the last few months? Ourmarriedprofessor."

Jess gasps at the same time her brother, Jaylen, walks into the room and glances at his sister with a look of disgust.

"Okay, I really didn't need to know that, and I hope it wasn't Mr Cork because that would be all types of wrong." He shakes his head and tears his eyes away from Jess, focusing on me. "Are you ready? Your dad's talking my ear off downstairs about keeping you safe and shit as if that hasn't been my job for the past six years. I'm bored and I want to go."

I snicker at his grumpy tone and pick a pair of black heels from the shelf in my wardrobe, slipping them on.

"Yeah, I'm ready. You need to chill out and relax tonight, have some fun and take a break from your bodyguard duties," I tell him, linking my arm with Jessica's. "You probably won't be allowed to once I'm married, considering you're being shipped off with me and we'll be locked away in some rich man's castle."

He gives me an incredulous look and rolls his eyes as he passes us to open my bedroom door.

"You're so dramatic, Soph. He's not evil, and he's not going to lock you away. We're also not being shipped off. His house is only a thirty-minute drive from here."

"I'm uprooting my whole life and giving up on all of my future plans, Jaylen. I think I'm allowed to be a little dramatic right now," I grumble, storming past him and dragging Jess along with me.

"Okay, we need to get you a drink as soon as possible. I need my carefree Sophia back," she says, tripping over her feet as we hurry down the stairs.

Jaylen drags me and Jess past the long line of waiting party-goers and walks straight up to the bouncers standing at the entrance. He nods at them both and they move to the side to grant us access.

Jess and I glance at each other in shock before hurrying after him into the busy club. I wince slightly as the pounding music enters my ears and flashing lights assault my vision, taking a moment to adjust to my surroundings. Jess clutches tightly onto my arm and shouts her brother's name as he begins to walk away from us.

I glance around at all the bodies cramped together on the dancefloor, people grinding against one another, others jumping around to the beat of the music. A slow smile spreads across my face and I turn to Jess.

"Let's go get a drink and then join in!" I shout. She looks at me, a little apprehensively, but she nods her head and follows along as we push our way through the crowd of people, heading in the direction that Jaylen went, assuming he's at the bar.

We break through the crowd and I immediately spot Jaylen, leaning against the bar, amongst the other patrons. He's not hard to spot, seeing as he's dressed in a polished black suit whilst everyone else is in casual attire. His platinum blonde hair makes him stand out as well and his cocky but charming smile has multiple pairs of eyes turning his way.

I drag Jess behind me as we scoot around the people at the bar who are trying to gain the barmaid's attention. Heat licks up my spine and the hairs on the back of my neck raise as we get closer to Jaylen. I pause midstride and turn around, scanning my eyes across the club, searching the sea of people.

I can feel somebody watching me.

"Sophia!" I jump, swinging my head back around, and see Jaylen staring at me with a puzzled look. He tilts his head towards the bar, signalling for Jess and me to come over. I take one last look over my shoulder, hoping to catch a glimpse of someone's eyes on me, but when I see no one, I huff and continue on my way.

"You okay?" Jess asks, shouting in my ear. I nod my head and plaster a smile onto my face.

"What can I get you two girlies to drink?" Jaylen asks, looping his arms around our shoulders and pulling us into his sides.

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