18 Chapter Eighteen

~Jaylyn Sloan~

I reached over and slammed my fist against the buzzing that interrupted my fitful sleep, groaning under my breath. Mornings were the worst. That might be the only normal thing in my life; the fact that I hated mornings as much as the next guy. I laid there, tangled in my sheets, and covered my eyes with my forearm, trying to find the will to get through this day.

Elsie would be expecting me within an hour or so, so I had time to shower, hopefully shave. As I should have expected, my phone started pinging on my nightstand, and I sighed. Pretending should not be this complicated.

I leaned over and grabbed it. There were notifications from Elsie and Giovanni. Not much of a shock. I opened them and took slight pity on myself. Giovanni would be with Sarah tonight, obviously. Dominik had ordered nothing but the best for them. A luxury limo would be waiting outside for them when the time came. Unfortunately for me, Elsie would be leaving with Luke, and that obviously left me on my own or a fifth wheel. I'd rather show up stag.

I pulled myself up and grabbed the towel on the floor next to my bed. Time to shine.

Gag.

---

I fumbled with the bags in my arm along with the two coffees I had grabbed on my way over. I knocked at Elsie's door, willing her to get there faster before I dumped everything by accident. Just in time, she swung her door open with a big smile.

"Finally!" She gushed. "You are late, again!"

"I come bearing gifts." I coaxed with the bag smelling vaguely of breakfast.

She snatched it happily like a gremlin. "You're forgiven."

"Who knew food and coffee would be the way to your heart?" I smirked, dropping my bags on her couch.

"It's not the way to your heart?" She raised an eyebrow.

"I wouldn't know. I don't have one." I laughed.

"At least there is room enough in that solid icicle for me?" She peaked.

"Always."

"Good." She mumbled while munching on her food.

The rest of the morning went by quickly. We had finished our food in record time. Elsie had dropped me into a kitchen stool and wrestled me as she forced curlers into my hair. Leo sat happily in my arms and purred as I was tortured. I ended up looking like some awful movie screen alien, as she sat back and admired her handiwork. She trusted me enough to wield her curling iron and pin up her hair. I still had a while before I could take my curlers out, so I helped Elsie into her dress and zipped up the back.

She escaped to the bathroom to do her make-up, and I was left to my own devices. The only thing that broke me out of my thoughts was one hard knock on her door.

"Jay, can you get that?" She yelled.

I shook my head with a smile and got up to look through her peep hole. Luke stood on the other side with a corsage in his hands. He looked a little worried, sheepish even. My smile widened. This man had no idea what he has gotten himself into. Elsie was a spitfire, and she would burn him down to his ankles. I opened the door quickly.

"Oh, uh, hey, Jay." He looked a little confused. "Is Elsie here?"

"Yeah, c'mon." I moved out of his way. "She should be ready in just a minute."

He entered the apartment stiff as a board, and I really did want to laugh at his expense, but I could not find the heart to. Which was weird altogether.

When did I start caring about other people's feelings?

He stood in the middle of the open room of chaos before him. All the products Elsie had used for our hair was strewn about the room carelessly, and Leo was hiding.

"All done!" Elsie announced as she twirled out of the bathroom. She looked gorgeous, and the dress she had picked out complimented her skin so well. Her eyes danced, and Luke had to gather himself before he started drooling on the floor.

"You look amazing, Els." I smiled.

"I hope so. This took us hours!" She laughed, swishing her train back and forth.

"Well, I have our car waiting outside." Luke motioned towards the door. "Shall we?"

"Oh, but Jay. I have to help her finish getting ready."

"Don't worry, Els. Just have fun. I should not be too far behind you. Plus, my dress doesn't have any zippers, remember?"

"Are you sure? I will stay." Her eyes softened.

"I'm sure. I'll see you soon, okay?"

"Okay. Only if you're absolutely positive."

Luke slid the corsage onto her wrist and beamed. I really did want her to have fun tonight. If she was not at her absolute best, then I knew I wouldn't have a good time either.

---

Over two hours later and I was sitting in the parking lot of the Hilton Garden Inn. The party was in full swing, and people were shuffling in and out of every possible entrance. The sun was just barely peaking over the horizon of trees, and I sat with a bag of tacos and a bottle of whiskey in each hand. I didn't even want to attend this stupid function. What was the goddamn point?

I blew a large ringlet curl out of my face and took another large bite of crunchy goodness. I chewed angrily, but in truth, even if I could not admit it to myself, I was nervous. I didn't do well in closed-in social settings. My life was Loner 101. Elsie would be devastated if I didn't show up, and Giovanni would be left unattended. I took a swing of poison and welcomed the burn.

Goddammit.

I tossed my bottle and bag into the passenger seat floorboard and straightened. I glanced at myself in the rearview and fixed the tiny smudge of eyeliner, gave my hair a good shake, and wiped the crumbs off my dress.

"Real classy, Jaylyn."

I jump out of the SUV and straighten my attire. I hated dresses. I couldn't move in the goddamn thing. I grabbed the little bag thing that Elsie insisted that I would need and thank my lucky stars for her. I hid a little flask in it, along with a knife, my wallet, and my cell. I hooked my keys onto it and sighed. This would-be hell. I could feel it in my bones.

I made way inside and tried to ignore the ogling stares that came my way. Some of the other cheerleaders were standing in a group and obviously gossiping. They turned my way and scowled as their dates stared me down. It felt completely awkward, but I tried to ease the tension.

"Hey, girls." I tried to smile and failed. "You guys look great tonight."

"Thanks, you too." One of them replied.

"Uh, have you guys seen Elsie?"

"She was out on the back patio last we checked." Another one said.

"Okay. Thanks." I turned to head towards the back.

"Freak."

My shoulders stiffened, but I walked away, nonetheless. It would not be worth my time. I only relaxed as soon as the cooling night air touched my back, and I closed my eyes to breathe in deeply. I was here for Elsie and to keep Gio safe. That's it. It would only be for a couple of hours and then I could leave.

Breathe, Jaylyn.

---

~Ryker Davis~

I watched the large group of people dancing from the far side of the patio. Luke and Elsie's conversation were currently being swallowed over the volume of chatter and music. Giovanni and Sarah were so swallowed up with themselves that it was almost hard to ignore. The table of six was missing only one, and of course, she was going to be late.

I swirled the contents of the glass in my hand, trying to decide on getting up to grab another. Usually, I would bring Emma to something like this. She would have loved it entirely too much and would have attached herself to my hip for the entire night. After Emma's sudden appearance, Jaylyn had been avoiding me, even if she said it was unintentional. It was the last thing I wanted. I just needed a chance to explain everything to her, and maybe then she might understand my entire situation.

In Emma's absence, I could spot the prowling eyes of undergraduates sizing me up like a piece of meat. If I made one sudden move, the wolves would strike. I looked over at Elsie for the hundredth time.

"Are you sure she said she was coming?"

Elsie leaned over the empty chair at my side. "She will be here, Rye. Just be patient."

"It's been over an hour since it started, Elsie."

"I know." She whispered. "Just talk with some of the guys. She will be here eventually. She isn't really comfortable with large crowds."

I heeded her advice and stood up to stretch. As predicted, a few brave girls broke away from the crowd to try to approach me. If I were someone else, I might have tried to take advantage of all the attention, but realistically, I was only waiting on Jaylyn.

"Ryker, would you care to dance with me?" The faceless girl asked.

I hadn't even bothered to look down, and instead looked directly over her to scan the area. "No. I'm waiting for someone. Thanks."

I could hear the pout of frustration, but she let it go and walked away. The others that had come forward with her didn't even attempt it, having seen her failure and just followed in her retreat. A group of guys blocked the outside bar, so I cleared my throat.

"Oh, sorry, Ryker." One of the newest members of the football team moved out of the way. I didn't know his name, and I felt bad.

"Thanks, mate." I shook my head.

I ordered my drink and leaned against the counter, my eyes still wandering the crowd. I couldn't explain the draw that Jaylyn had held on me since day one in the stairwell. She was brutally honest, had no filter with what she had on her mind, didn't care much about feelings, but rather the truth. She was a complete mystery when it came to her personal life, she definitely had walls surrounding herself, and was different than any other girl that threw themselves at me. She was unique, and hard. She was clumsy and entirely too impossible, and possibly the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.

She was that diamond in the rough. She was the beauty in the darkness of fairytales. And I had completely fucked up. I grabbed my drink before the bartender had the chance to set it down and stalked back over to her friends. My friends. But mostly, hers. I had to try to make it up to her. I stayed standing next to Elsie and I knew she could feel the tension I was radiating.

"Stop worrying, Rye. She said she would come, so I know she will be here. Even if she was uncomfortable with it." She tugged on my sleeve.

"You're all here. I didn't think this would be such a huge step for her."

"Like I said, she doesn't do well in large gatherings. She felt like she would be a fifth wheel with everyone having dates besides her. No one asked her." Elsie stared at me hard.

"She hasn't been speaking to me. How was I supposed to know?"

Giovanni crawled out of Sarah's neck for only a moment. "Dude, are you dense? You're probably the first guy that I've ever seen Jay be herself around. You should have told her the truth about Emma from the start. Jay hates everyone. But she doesn't hate you."

The guilt hit me in small waves. If I would have known, I could have done something about it. Jaylyn was an enigma. She should not feel anything but comfortable around her own friends. Around me.

"I told you she would come." Elsie said confidently.

My head shot up quicker than I had control of, and I searched the crowd. It had opened in a wave around her, like she had a sickness in the air about her. But it wasn't sickness. It was beauty. In this moment, she was absolute, unwavering perfection.

She wore her darkness in the form of a loose-fitting gown that only hugged her curves in just the right places to show off her shape. The midnight material hung low in the front, leaving just the beginning of the under-curve of her breasts exposed to the cool air. Her hair was a mess of black curls framing her face and hanging loosely down her bared back. There was a slit up the side that ended just above mid-thigh. The contrast of her dress against her skin caused her to glow in the faint moonlight.

She looked uncomfortable, squeezing her handbag too tightly and twisting it faintly. The men surrounding her were drinking her in with their eyes, while their dates scorned them for being the whores that they were. I could feel the jealousy building, but one look and I could see her eyes were wandering over the tables. I had to force my feet to move instead of standing there to continue admiring her. Elsie had taken my glass out of my hand and gave me a squeeze of encouragement before I walked away.

I took a deep breath, but felt it escape in one large exhale when her eyes bored into mine. The look on her face portrayed the hard shell she always had about her. But her hazel eyes were golden with relief. I couldn't find the proper words to say to her in that moment and only held out my hand in offering.

She stilled. Her eyes hadn't left mine, but she refused to take my hand.

"It's okay, Jaylyn." I whispered.

She was in full blown panic mode, her body beginning to shiver like I had seen every night since we met.

"I'm here." I lowered my voice even more.

Her eyes accused me of everything I felt guilty about in the past week. The tension broke when her fingertips found my palm and I gently pulled her into my arms. She hid her face against my chest and steadied her breathing in time with the beat of my heart.

"Elsie picked out this horrendously immodest dress. I shouldn't have come." She worried.

"Jaylyn. You are beautiful. Now, just like always. They're staring because you are absolutely gorgeous tonight." I softened. "And if not, who gives a fuck about them?"

The crowd went back to their doings and I started a gentle sway to get Jaylyn to relax, moving in rhythm with the music playing above us. She looked up at me, and the resistance slowly started to leave the lines around her mouth.

"You lied to me." Her words cracked.

"I know." I felt the shame rise to my face. "I'm sorry. I want to explain everything to you, but not tonight. Okay?"

"Okay." For the first time in her life, she caved in. For me.