Page 31 of When love and Hate Collide

“Oh, big talk for the one with a bald spot at the back of his head.” I spin to look at him horrified, reaching back to feel around for any bald spots. Oz guffaws and shoves me in the direction of the entrance door. “Self-centred little prick.”

Laughing, we walk side by side toward Loft Bar—the venue we hired out for his birthday. “Where are the boys? I thought we were picking them up?” I fist bump the security at the door in greeting and he nods back at me.

“I told them to meet us here.” I tell him walking through the entrance, followed closely by my big brother.

“SURPRISE!!!” the crowd roars the second he steps inside and Oz jumps two feet in the air.

“What the fuck?!” he exclaims, eyes wide and darting from face to face.

“Happy birthday, bro,” I grin, slapping his back. Oz shakes his head and shoves me playfully and wraps his arm around Ashlyn when she comes running at him.

“Happy birthday, you big lovable lug!”

“I should have known the two of you were up to no good.” He tuts and kisses Ash’s forehead and pulls me in for a hug. “Thank you.”

While the birthday boy gets inundated with friends and colleagues wishing him happy birthday I squeeze through the crowd of people in the direction of the toilets. It’s always a good idea to empty out your bladder before consuming alcohol, because once you break the seal, you’ll be doomed to a night of pissing.

Some say it’s a myth, others believe it’s a mental thing. However, I know for a fact if I break the seal, I will be spending the night going back and forth. I weave through the throng of people standing around conversing with one another. I greet a couple of our friends, and fist bump my two cousins Jonas and Chris as I pass by. “I’ll be back, I’m busting for a leak.” I tell them when they ask where I’m going. The bar isn’t the biggest, it’s warm and intimate and fits around a hundred odd people. Which was exactly what we wanted. It’s dimly lit with exposed brick walls and concrete floors and a range of recycled materials to give the bar a rustic loft like feel. The counters are a polished copper and amber glowing lights hangs low intermittently throughout the bar.

I see the sign to the toilets, turn the corner and walk straight into someone. The first thing I notice is the colour of her dress—a deep sexy maroon. And then, I hear a soft feminine gasp and instinctively lift my hands to take hold of her shoulders to steady her before she topples over.

“Shit, I’m so sorr—”

For the love of God, do not look at her tits. Even though they’re right there looking mighty enticing don’t be a fucking pervert, Reyes.My brain screams at me.

I swiftly shake off the voices in my head and raise my gaze until they lock with a very familiar pair of olive-green eyes—eyes I’ve become well accustomed to over the last couple of days.

What the actual fuck…

“Surprise!!!”

My eyes snap up while washing my hands when I hear the crowd shouting surprise back in the bar.

I only just missed Oz’s grand entrance on the account of my bladder almost erupting.

“Fucking shit balls!” I whimper, hurriedly washing the soap off my hands and using my elbow to turn the tap off. I look around for some towels, but the dispensers are all empty and there are no dryers to be seen. Letting out a string of profanities I shake my hands in an attempt to air dry them as I rush to the door.

Hopefully I can merge into the crowd without Oz or Ash noticing I was missing for his entrance. Ash did say I had five minutes before he arrived, but I held my pee in so long that it just kept coming and coming like a never ending downstream.

My foot barely steps out of the ladies bathroom before I collide into something solid and nearly get knocked back on my arse. I let out a surprised gasp, bracing myself for the fall, but a pair of strong hands curl around my upper arms, steadying me before I hit the floor. “Shit, I’m so sorr—” I start to apologise but the words die on my lips when I look up and lock eyes with the person I walked straight in to.

No bloody way.

There’s a long pregnant pause while we stand still staring at one another, a look of perplexity and surprise on both our faces.

“What are you doing here?” We ask at the same time.

I exhale slowly to compose myself and lick my lips before straightening. “Okay, this is seriously starting to get a little weird. Why do you keep showing up everywhere I go?” I question warily and his brows rise to his hairline.

“I was about to ask you the same thing?” he voices, his tone low and gravelly. “You stalking me, babe?”

I almost laugh out loud but catch myself just in time. Stalking him? Is this kid for real?

I snort and tilt my head back so I could look him directly in the eyes. “Me? Stalkingyou?” I laugh bitterly and fold my arms over my chest. “Why don’t we take a step back and re-evaluate the situation here, shall we? I’m walking out of the bathroom while you’re stood lurking outside said bathroom. Who appears to be the stalker here you think?” I point out, and he grins, licking his ruby lips and advancing toward me. Every step he takes, I retreat until my back hits a wall.

“I’m not lurking. If you must know, I was going to take a leak when you walked straight into me,” he corrects, lifting his muscular arms and pressing his palms to the wall on either side of my head, caging me in. I peek up at him through my lashes and when his eyes flitter to my lips, my stomach flips. “This is a private party Angel, what are you doing here?”

“I know it’s a private party. It’s my friend’s birthday, hence why I got the invite.”

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