Page 36 of Haunt Me

I nod my head, and she scoffs, turning abruptly and walking away, her footsteps echoing in my ears as I remain frozen in place. I follow after her, the sound of my own footsteps blending with the bustling waves of people surrounding us. Silence hangs heavy betweenus as I give her space to absorb everything I have just shared.

She continues to head towards the food court, and I trail behind, my breath catching in my throat when I spot Adrian and Argent sitting at one of the outdoor tables, engaged in conversation over drinks. Chloe comes to a halt, her expression contorted into a scowl, and she turns back to face me. Without saying a word, she starts pacing towards them, her determined footsteps echoing in my ears.

Oh no, this can’t be good.

When we reach them, they look surprised to see us but the look on Argent’s face tells me he can see something is wrong.

“Oh, dear brother, would you mind getting Star and me something to drink please?” Chloe asks with an overly sweet voice, and I know that it’s just bullshit, but Adrian complies and gets up, heading inside.

Without wasting a moment, Chloe slaps Argent across the cheek, causing me to gasp and instinctively cover my mouth with my hands. He remains unfazed, though the red mark of her hand remains on his skin. Unperturbed by her actions, he calmly asks, “I’mguessing you know, huh?” His glare pierces through her.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” She spits at him, and the surrounding people begin to take notice, their gazes fixated on the unfolding drama. I pull my bottom lip between my teeth, my eyes widening as I observe the tense interaction.

“Lower your voice, Chloe,” Argent growls, his green eyes penetrating hers. I feel a deep sense of embarrassment and vulnerability, wanting nothing more than to crawl into a hole and die.

Chloe turns to me, her disbelief evident in her gaze, before redirecting her attention to Argent. “No wonder you were in so many psych wards—you’re sick,” she spits, and with those words, she walks away.

All the blood drains from my face as I meet Argent’s gaze, witnessing the impact of Chloe’s words on him. His eye twitches, his jaw clenches, and his knuckles tighten, causing his skin to pale.

“I-I’m sorry—”

“Don’t…let her vent.” He interrupts. I could clearly see he was irritated by what she said, so I shut my mouth and walked slowly towards him. He doesn’t look at meuntil I rest my hand on his shoulder, “You didn’t belong in that place, Argent…you needed your parents and they failed you.” His eyes fixate on mine and I can see how hard he’s swallowing the lump in his throat before I speak again, “If anyone is sick, it’s them.”

I bend down and leave a soft kiss on his forehead, his eyes closing momentarily before I pull away. A small smile finds its way on his lips and with that, I turn and leave. I have to call Chloe, if she’s going to speak to me, that is. I understand she’s upset and in shock, but the things that she said, were uncalled for.

Barely making it to the car park, my phone dings. Pulling the phone out of the back pocket of my jeans, I see it’s a text from Argent.

Mr. Creep: You're not walking home, are you?

Me: Chloe left, remember… maybe if I flash someone they'll give me a ride.

Giggling to myself, I hit send. But just as I want to slide my phone back into my jeans, another ding.Sighing, I open and I immediately regret sending that text.

Mr. Creep: My car…Now.

My breath gets caught in my throat and I slowly turn and make my way to his car. I did pass it as I was exiting the mall. I would never miss the pearl-white Bentley.

No one could miss it.

I cautiously approach the passenger door, my shaky hands slowly opening. After what happened with Chloe, he’s definitely pissed, and my risky text just worsened things. I’m sure of it.

Sliding into the passenger seat, and closing the door—I can feel his heated gaze on me, but I just stare ahead, not daring to look at him. The engine starts up and he slowly pulls out of the parking lot.

The ride home is silent, and I’m not sure if it’s a good thing or a really bad thing. Twirling my fingers on my lap, I raise my head and notice we’re almost at my house.

Thank God.

He pulls up into my driveway, the sound of his car engine fading as he turns it off. Just as I’m about toclimb out, he reaches over me and closes the door again, the click of the lock echoing in the stillness. My body stills, and I slowly turn my gaze towards him.

“Don’t ever pull something like that again,” he growls in a low tone, his voice igniting a wildfire within my veins. I turn towards him, our eyes locked, his gaze occasionally falling to my lips.

“Or what?” I boldly ask and a smirk pulls at his lips. He leans back into his seat, sliding it back as far as it can go. My brows furrow in confusion as I stare at him, a mixture of anticipation and nervousness building within me.

“I remember that night very well when all you wanted to do is know how it would be to fuck in my car,” he states with a smirk, his striking green eyes piercing through me. My mouth opens and closes, too embarrassed to respond. Memories of that night flood my mind, and I can’t help but feel a flush of heat spreading across my cheeks. His chuckle only deepens my embarrassment.

Tapping on his thigh, he speaks in a seductive tone, “Come on, baby. I’m all yours.” Warmth spreads through my body like wildfire, settling between mylegs as I stare at him, my bottom lip trapped between my teeth.

“What? Here? What if someone sees us?” I say nervously, my eyes darting around, searching for prying eyes outside the car windows.

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