Page 61 of When love and Hate Collide

“Don’t wet yourself, Ash. I’m only helping her because she’s too much of a weakling to do it herself and is currently blocking me from retrieving my own bag.” I throw over my shoulder as I lift my case off the belt and set it on the floor. “You’re welcome.” I smirk at her, and she rolls her eyes.

“All right, Hercules, pipe the fuck down no one asked for your help.” Jeyla retorts pulling the handle up on the case so she can pull it. “As per usual, you’re all show and no go.”

“Oh honey, I have plenty of go. I just choose not to waste it on a shrew like you,” I snipe back and Jeyla snorts.

“Oh, how lucky for me. You can save that shit for those brainless twits who just love to hang on your every word and feed your already enormous ego, you narcissistic knobhead.” There she goes again with that venomous tongue.

“Hey, who are you calling a brainless twit?” Rachel pipes up from behind me and Jeyla turns her angry gaze to her.

“Oh, sweetheart that wasn’t a dig at you personally but if you take it upon yourself, which you evidently have, then that’s your problem.” Jeyla expresses, her tone snarky while she glares hot daggers at Rachel.

“Ugh, what a condescending bitch,” Rachel utters, crossing her arms over her chest and glowering at Jeyla who drops her backpack on the floor, her face contorting to one of anger as she takes a step toward Rachel.

Okay, that struck a fucking nerve. I turn and glare at her myself. Who the hell does she think she’s talking to?

“Excuse me?” she hisses lowly, her green eyes narrowing. “Do you want to come over here and try that again so I can rearrange your fucking face?”

“Whoa,” Ashlyn steps in to stand beside a livid Jeyla. “First of all, cake face, no one calls my best friend a bitch; secondly, here’s some food for thought, if you’re going to get insulted for being perceived as a cheap desperate skank, stop acting like one and hanging off my brother’s arm like some leech begging for attention.”

Rachel turns her hazel eyes to me, expecting me to step in and defend her. “Dean?”

“You heard my sister. I think it’s time for you to go.” I notice her face fall but then she looks over at Jeyla and narrows her eyes.

“She’s not wrong about you,” she asserts and looks at me again. “You really are an arsehole.”

I smile and rub my jaw gingerly with a short nod, “Then why are you so affronted? Looks like she did you a favour and you dodged a bullet. Enjoy your holiday, Rachel.” I dismiss her frostily and with one last look she spins on her heel and skulks off.

Good riddance. She was really beginning to get on my nerves.

“Well damn, that was both entertaining and dramatic,” Jess sighs, resting her head on Jeyla’s shoulder. “I’m almost sorry I didn’t get to witness my sister ripping her hair out, but can we please go already? I’m dog tired.”

We all nod in agreement and walk to the exit after collecting all our luggage. While we walk behind Ash, Oz and Jess, I look over at Jeyla and she does the same. We share a meaningful look before she rolls her eyes and looks ahead picking up her pace a little so she falls into step with my sister.

Jeyla may be a bitch at times, but she’smybitch and no one calls her that but me.

I fall backon the bed with a tired sigh and stare up at the ceiling. We finally make it to the resort and check in to our rooms, and I feel like I’ve been traveling for a year just to get here. Initially, Ashlyn and I were going to share a room, but because we left it so late and what with it being summer, they had no twin rooms with two beds available and I am not sleeping in the same bed with her, she flaps around in her sleep like a fish out of water. There’s also the hook up factor, if everyone has their own rooms there will be no quarrels over who has the room and where the other is going to go. Ashlyn and Jess’ rooms are next to each other and mine is further down the corridor and the boys are one floor below us on the sixteenth floor.

Finally some much needed peace and quiet.

The hotel from what I’ve seen so far is stunning. The rooms are decorated white and pale blue with a cream-coloured carpet. A couple of pictures on the walls.

With a sigh, I get up and move over to the balcony and pull the door open to step out and check out the scenic view. The ocean stretched out before me, even in the dark is gorgeous and I cannot wait for the morning to take in that clear blue ocean. The night is warm, a gentle sea breeze hits me as soon as I step outside. I close my eyes and inhale that fresh salty air, filling my lungs with it.

I’m tired but too wired to actually sleep. I have a million questions causing chaos in my head, ones I can’t seem to find the answer to. The sun will come up soon; while everyone is asleep and everything is quiet I can sit on the beach or go for a swim while the sun comes up and try to get my thoughts into some sort of intelligible order before I lose my mind.

Yes, that sounds more than appealing to me right now. Better than tossing and turning in bed all night. I walk back into the room and change into my white bikini with shells on it and pull some shorts on with my flip flops and make my way out the door, mindful not to make too much noise and wake anyone.

“Morning Miss,” an employee greets me as I walk out of the elevator into the lobby area.

“Hi, which way to the beach, please?” I ask and he points to the back of the hotel.

“Through those doors, you need to walk past the main pool, take the stairs and it will lead you to the beach.” I nod, thank him, and make my way to the doors he directs me to.

Thankfully, there are signs everywhere so it’s impossible to get lost in this hotel. I easily navigate my way to the beach and sigh pleasantly when my feet touch the sand, still warm from soaking in the sun throughout the day.

I drop the towel I’m holding on one of the sun loungers and walk toward the shore and allow the tepid water to wash over my feet. The sky is clear and scattered with twinkling stars while the full moon sits high in the sky, its stunning orange-ish hue illuminates over the water.

I’m barely there five minutes and while I’m blissfully basking in the melodious sound of the waves gently lapping over the shore I feel someone’s presence behind me. I look back and the peace I felt moments ago vanishes and like a giant ball of lead, my stomach drops.

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