Page 213 of Now and Forever

Chapter 74

Cruz

I

kept staring at the phone, confused, wondering why the hell I was so bloody furious. Ever since the day I had laid eyes on her, nothing had been the same. She had been hounding my thoughts, making me struggle to fight this powerful pull that kept me from gaining back my sanity. The week away from her was a blessing. I had almost believed she didn’t affect me so. Well, that belief came into question when I got a call from her and proved how wrong my judgment was.

Brighton, on a Monday night. “Bloody Hell,” I muttered under my breath.

Before I even had the chance to ponder it, I thought it would be best to get her myself. That way, maybe she could get a good lecture or two about how she should take her life seriously.

As all these inexplicable thoughts ran through my mind, one thing stood out—why did I care so much if she partied? She wasn’t my responsibility, far from it. Apart from making sure she got everything she needed while living in my mother’s home, the rest wasn’t my problem.

Cursing for considering such idiotic thoughts, I took the flight of stairs two steps at a time, instantly going inside my room to change into some black jeans, black top, and a matching leather jacket. Then I marched down the flight in the same manner as before, striding towards the hall that led to the foyer. I seized the set of keys that were sitting on the Murano crystal table then let myself out the house, and I immediately slid into the Range and revved up the engine before maneuvering in a maniacal manner.

Reckless driving was not a constant occurrence, but haplessly applied when the situation called for such, such as when someone got themselves in trouble on a Monday night.

Before I had received the call from Serena, I had actually been contemplating if I should see Ivy or not, but the idea turned to dust the moment I heard the madness in the background. Ivy. God help me. She wouldn’t be pleased to know what I had been up to, but I was already on my way to pick up Serena.

“This is the last time,” I said under my breath, loathing the fact that I had somehow managed to entangle my life with Serena’s.

Although I didn’t despise her, I found myself cold and distant with her. Maybe it was because I envied her candor and vibrant persona, the polar opposite of me. She always seemed to don this smile that never failed to make me feel uncomfortable, yet I couldn’t ever look away. I admitted she was charmingly beautiful, but so was Ivy.

I had realized I had never looked at my fiancée in the way I looked at Serena. Serena rattled something within me, and it was unsettling. I had felt it the moment my eyes had found hers, and it had only gotten worse when she had kissed me in such a fervent manner that I had succumbed to my wayward senses. For years, I had never had a problem governing my wants and desire, yet that kiss almost made me lose control. From then on, I had known I had to keep her at arm’s length.

She was far too dangerous for my well-being, and quite frankly, I liked having order in my life. Happenstance wasn’t part of my vocabulary.

Still, here I was … about to dance around the orbit of the damn enticement itself.

I already regretted the decision of coming out to get her myself rather than having one of the in-house drivers pick her up, so I consoled myself that I needed the drive to clear my thoughts. I supposed I could use this opportunity to see her in an environment that would give me a hefty reality check.

When I had first met her, I had shocked myself by flirting with her. It wasn’t intentional. I was used to women throwing themselves at me, and she didn’t hide the fact that she liked me. Her eyes and the way she addressed me proved as much. My normal reaction would be to scoff at it and turn down the woman’s advances before it progressed further since I was committed to Ivy, but I couldn’t do it with Serena.

It seemed, the more I got to know her, the more I felt as though she drew me into her spell. I was drawn to her like none other. It was enjoyable at first, but after that heated kiss, I knew she was a disaster waiting to happen.

Indulging in such fiery dalliances was never on my agenda. She simply was a risk I could do without. With that in mind, I had it all planned out, and then my mother had to suggest she work for me. I had almost passionately rejected it out loud when the mere idea spouted from her lips. Once more, however, I didn’t have the capacity to decline my mother in fear that her health might deteriorate even further. It was best I dealt with the situation with caution. Tonight would be a good start.

Steering through the sparse traffic with the help of navigation, I arrived at the address Serena had texted me. Although I’d had an idea of what I would most likely deal with upon arriving, nothing had prepared me for such monstrosity. Not only was the house vibrating loud music throughout the street, but there were people littered around the damn walkways, drinking, dancing, and doing God knew what else. This was, without a doubt, the worst racket I had ever set my eyes upon.

Serena likes places like this?I marveled at the thought, pondering what had enticed her to such a scene. To each their own.

Parties such as these were not my cup of tea, and for good reason. Archer, on the other hand, lavished on such occasions because he had been brought up differently than I. At a very young age, I was already primed to carry on my father’s legacy, so I had instilled in my mind that partying would deviate me from my purpose. While he had the freedom to do as he pleased without familial obligation hanging over his head, I had carried on doing my commitment without a word of complaint. I had one it for the love I had for my parents and out of duty, and nothing could ever steer me away from my commitment, not even an enchanting American who stirred something deep within me.

After drawing out breath, I tried calling her phone a few times, but to no avail. It immediately diverted straight to her voicemail.

“Where the bloody hell is she?” I grumbled as I scanned the drunken folks through the glass of my window. After a minute or so without any sign of her, I decided it was best to park somewhere, get out of the car, and look for her. I wasn’t one to wait about until she was ready to end her partying for the night.

Once I was out of the vehicle, I was a little disappointed of what type of company Serena surrounded herself with from university. She seemed like a bright woman with splendid potential. It would be disheartening to see her deter from her promising future, wasting away precious time by meandering through parties and men instead of focusing on paving her way into a successful career. Was this the main reason she had come here in the first place, to party?

I balked at the thought as I broke into the throng of people, pushing my way into the house. The second I got through the door, I wasn’t surprised to see a full house.

Try as I might, I scoured the crowd for her familiar face and figure, but she was nowhere in sight. Deciding to follow the flow of the crowd, which led me towards the back end of the house that faced the beach, I found myself in a converted communal room turned into a dance floor. And that’s when I found her … atop a circular dining table, dancing in a form-fitting white dress that left little to a man’s imagination.

Each curve was on display as men surrounded her, glancing up in awe and with lust-filled eyes, admiring each curve was flaunted for their eyes’ pleasure.

I saw red. I saw white. I saw her.

All of her.

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