Chapter 25

Khai gently lifted Ana into his arms and made his way back to the women's dormitories, moving carefully so he wouldn't disturb her. A boyish grin broke out on his face as he watched her head resting on his heart. Today, for the first time since his parents died, he was truly and completely happy.

He lay Ana on her bed and pulled the sheets up to cover her shoulders. She mumbled something incoherent before sinking back to sleep. He ran his hands through her soft hair, brushing it away from her face. Taking one last look at the face that came to mean everything to him, he locked the door as he walked out.

Khai was making his way back to the men's dormitories, exhaustion finally taking over him, when he sensed someone rushing toward him.

He turned around and moved his arms up to shield himself as Philip tried to punch his face. Immediately finding an opening, Khai swung his fist into Philip's jaw, making him stumble backwards. Grabbing his arm, he kicked the back of Philip's knee and pinned him to the ground.

Crushing his head beneath his palms, he glared a Philip. "I'll kill you, you idiot! What the fuck is it that you want?"

Philip trashed under him, heaving rough heavy breaths as he tried to get Khai off of him. "She's mine!" he gnashed his teeth as he wailed. "Natalie's mine you bastard!"

Khai stared at him, momentarily stupefied. He cocked his head, loosening his grip. Suddenly, he broke out into a loud, boisterous laugh, completely getting off of Philip.

"Natalie? All this is about Natalie?" He asked, struggling to collect himself. When Philip tried to charge at him again, he simply pushed him off and raised his hands, as if he was dropping the fight.

Confusion seeped into Philip's glare and Khai sighed in relief. He held Philip by his shoulders and shook him as he peered into his eyes. "Philip, my man. Never, for a second in my life, have I been remotely attracted to Natalie. She is, was and will forever be yours if she wants to. In fact, I encourage you to pursue her."

Philip's expression fell blank as he speechlessly stared at Khai. "So you're not into her?"

"Not even a little bit. Is this why you've been hounding me all these years?"

Philip nodded, lost in thought before he snapped his gaze back at Khai. "You wouldn't fight me if I asked her out?"

Khai rolled his eyes, irritated by their encounter at this point. A feeling close to pity came to his mind, before he brushed it off. "Marry her and I'll throw rice from the crowd." He said, turning around to walk back to his room, leaving Philip dumbfounded.

*****

"This looks like too much." Ana anxiously looked at herself in the mirror as she tried to tighten the straps of her dress.

"I won't allow you to insult my work like this." Meghan warned her with a prickly gaze.

Ana was forced to put on the dress she got for her 18th birthday. Meghan blackmailed her into wearing it because Ana refused to wear the dress for her birthday even back then.

"Let's switch outfits Meg." Ana started to coax her. "The one you're wearing is calling out to me. It's totally my style."

"Ana! We're late. I'm done convincing you. You're ready, you look like you could set the club on fire and that's the vibe I was going for. Let's go." She cried as she dragged Ana out of her room. Meghan was mostly patient, but Ana started to complain too much, really testing her nerves.

Dressing up Ana today was Meghan's grand plan of finally bringing Khai and Ana together. She wanted Ana to look irresistible and she was confident she worked her magic.

Khai offered to drive Ana to the club along with him and Elliot. It wasn't an offer as much as it was informing her. He told her to text him when she was ready so he could come get her.

Meghan was driving with George, keeping her promise to be their designated driver.

As the girls walked down the stairs, Elliot, George and Khai waited for them outside the dormitories. George and Elliot were chatting away as Khai leaned against a tree and listened. When they heard soft clicks of heels on stone, they raised their heads to look at the girls walking toward them.

George broke out into a huge goofy grin.

"You've outdone yourself Meg." George muttered as he took Meghan's hand. Although Meghan looked amazing herself, she knew George's compliment was for her work on Ana. That's what Meghan wanted as well, for Ana to be the center of everyone's attention tonight.

"Wow." Elliot's mouth fell slightly open as he started at Ana.

Khai looked up as he heard an audible gasp from Elliot. When he saw Ana, he felt like someone had struck him in the head. His throat constricted as he took in every inch of her. It was offensive to ask him to hold back when she looked the way she did that night.

Ana's red sheath dress hugged every curve of her delicate frame, her usual pink lips were painted in a muted, but sexy red color to match her dress. She loosely secured the front of her hair behind her ears to throw focus on her face. Her long lashes seemed to have somehow grown longer, adding to the demure of her hazel eyes. Her cheeks held an almost invisible flush of pink. The dress had thin straps that peeked through her waves and the dress's neckline gave one a subtle tease of her cleavage.

She walked with her nervous eyes on him, taking soft deep breaths as she gauged his reaction. When she came to stand in front of him, he gulped loudly. His eyes turned horrified as he realized that everyone had heard him.

Snapping out his trance, he finally managed to speak. "Elliot, you ride with George." He told him, not taking his gaze off of Ana.

She chuckled softly as he took her hand and pulled her into his arms, as if he couldn't resist hugging her.

Elliot whistled at the scene, concluding that Anaya Willow had his friend whipped.

Meghan couldn't stop grinning in pride as George tugged her away to give them some privacy. "I did that! I did!" She jumped up and down holding George who was desperately motioning for her to calm down.

Ana's heart started to race as Khai's hands drew small circles on the bottom of her spine, she blushed as he gazed down at her in complete awe. "How do you keep looking better and better every time I see you? You can't look like this, it's illegal" He muttered.

Ana smiled as she gazed at him. He was dressed in all black. The top two buttons of his shirt were undone, giving her a peek of his chiseled torso. He smelled intoxicating, like cedar and white musk. She placed her palm over his chest and sucked a sharp breath in when she felt his thundering heart beat.

"We're going to be late." She pulled his collar lightly.

"I think I forgot how to drive."

She smacked his hand softly and shuffled out of his embrace. Holding his hand in hers, she tugged him to follow her.

A large, physically imposing man opened the velvet rope hanging on a stanchion to let the group in. Ana walked hand in hand with Khai, followed by Meghan, George and Elliot.

EDM beats thumped from every corner of the nightclub, blasting into Ana's ears. She gaped in excitement at the energy from the wild crowd. Strobe lights and laser beams created a dynamic visual display. The dance floor was packed with people who were jumping to the beats of the music. Drinks were flowing from the bar where the bartenders animatedly prepared colorful cocktails.

Khai scanned the club for Austin and found him with a few other's from Orestes on a table upstairs. He pointed up there for the group the follow him.

Ana climbed a flight of stairs that led to a separate, quieter, less crowded section that overlooked the entire nightclub. She looked past the metallic rail, to the table where Khai was leading her. She spotted Jen, Natalie and one other man she didn't recognize.

The men thumped their backs as they greeted each other. Khai didn't let go of her hand as Ana attempted to half hug Austin. She smiled at Jen, who jumped out of her seat to hug her and Meghan.

Natalie however, refused to acknowledge Ana and almost shoved her as she ran in to hug Khai. Ana immediately wriggled her hand out of Khai's and took a seat next to Meghan. She tried to look away as she saw Natalie with her arms on his shoulders, whispering something in his ears.

"So we're hugging now." She saw Meghan waggle her eyebrows as she nudged her ribs.

"Apparently, we hug everyone." Ana attempted to hide her frown as she motioned to Khai and Natalie.

"Possessive!" Meghan giggled in surprise. The other man on the table came to take a seat next to Ana, interjecting their conversation.

"Hey! I'm Alexander, Alex." He introduced himself, smiling at the two girls. He reached for two drinks and the table and handed to the girls.

"Hi Alex! I'm Anaya and this is Meghan." Ana accepted her drink as she spoke to him.

Meghan refused, reminding Ana that she wasn't drinking tonight. Alex shrugged and held his glass up, "Well, cheers Anaya!"

They clinked their glasses together and Ana took a sip of her drink. A delicious pineapple flavor with a hint of spice tickled her taste buds. The drink was divine! She grinned at Alex, who continued to stare at her.

Before he could say anything, Khai towered over them with a dangerous aura. "Alex, I see you've made yourself comfortable."