Chapter 26

Alex hastily shifted from his seat, creating space for Khai between him and Ana. "I was making sure the girl's had a drink." Meghan smiled in amusement and quietly left Ana's side to join George and the others.

"Ana's hear with me." His gruff voice declared. He turned around to see Ana's lips curved into a small frown.

"But you seem to be here with Natalie." She gave him a hard stare.

"I- Ana…" Khai stammered, before his smile betrayed him.

Ana's brows knit together in anger. She couldn't believe Khai looked happy. "I'm going to go dance." She gave him the side eye and made her way to the dance floor, dragging Meghan along with her.

Austin slumped next to Khai as he watched Ana make his way downstairs. "Couple's quarrel?" He smirked.

"Did Philip make it?" Khai ignored Austin's question.

Austin motioned his chin to the other table, where Philip sat with a few other legacies. Sticking his fingers in his mouth, he whistled, calling for Philip to come over and join them at their table.

Khai thumped Philip's back as he sat with them. He then walked to Natalie, calling for her attention. "Oi, Nat!"

Natalie's face lit up and she grinned at Khai. When he sat next to her, she started consciously rubbing her thigh against his. Khai's eyes moved to her leg, before he looked up at her with a Duchenne smile. Natalie's heart skipped a beat. She knew Khai would come around. She fluttered her eyelashes, making her move now that she knew he was done with wretched Anaya.

"Mind doing me a favor?" Khai began.

Urging closer to him, she placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed lightly. "Anything." She whispered.

"Sure you won't say no?"

Knowing he would ask her to teach Anaya a lesson, she spoke with confidence. "Khai, I'll do it. I promise."

"You promise? That's great. I want you to keep Philip company tonight." He deadpanned.

Natalie blinked at him, suddenly disoriented at his request.

"I know you like him Nat. Elliot told me how you guys hook up all the time. You see, he's been feeling a little low lately. I decided to help a fellow legacy out. Cheer him up, won't you?"

Natalie's smile fell as Khai called Philip over to sit with them.

"Hey Nat!" Philip walked over with a huge grin.

Natalie's eyes shifted between Philip's eager gaze to Khai's expectant glare. She ground her teeth together before forcing a smile as she greeted Philip. She managed short responses as Philip shamelessly showered her with compliments. Internally, she was fuming that Khai was arranging for a situation where a guy could openly flirt with her. She was able to accept Khai's indifference to her, but actively setting her up with someone else was a rejection her pride couldn't swallow.

"Natalie, let's dance?" Philip held his hand out to her. She saw Khai staring at her and reluctantly accepted Philip's offer. As if giving them his blessing, Khai gave Philip a suggestive wink.

Walking over to the railing Khai's gaze followed Philip and Natalie. He laughed as he saw her take three shots of vodka on her way down, hoping that he'd dusted his hands off her for the night. He realized all his friends were now on the dance floor and his eyes searched for Ana.

He spotted her next to Meghan, dancing without a care in the world. She closed her eyes and moved to the music, swaying in perfect rhythm with the beats. She laughed and sang as she jumped around with everyone, completely letting loose.

His eyes narrowed as he spotted Alex hovering around her, slowly making his way closer. Darting down the stairs, he nimbly made his way through the crowd and grabbed her hand. She came crashing into him, her eyes wide in shock. He could hear her pulse thumping as he placed her hand on his shoulder and wrapped his arms around her waist.

Moving her lips to his ear, she taunted him playfully. "I thought you didn't dance."

He squeezed her waist lightly in response and reveled as she sucked a sharp breath in. She turned around, placing both his hands on her waist and swayed her hips as she danced with Meghan. They laughed and jumped, screaming to their favorite songs. Austin made sure the shots were flowing in steadily and Khai didn't attempt to stop Ana, holding her safely in his arms as she enjoyed herself.

Six shots of vodka later, at almost 2 AM, it was time for the club to close. Khai held Ana as she swayed with him to the slow music. "You can dance after all." She smiled up at him.

Khai lightly kissed her nose and tightened his arms around her. She smelled like pineapple vodka and he fought every nerve within him to stop himself from kissing her inviting lips.

"I've never seen you this happy." He murmured. "Let's come back next weekend."

She nodded with her eyes half closed. Ana could not recall a more fun night in her life. The whole club blurred as she focused on Khai's beautiful tan face. Feeling exhilarated, she lay her head on his heart and let him sway her to sleep.

*****

Natalie was distracted as she danced with Philip. She shot daggers at the girl dancing freely in the red dress. Her jaw clenched as she saw Khai approach Anaya and hold her in his arms. Unable to watch anymore, she excused herself from Philip, claiming that she was feeling sick.

"Can I drive you back to Arcane?" He asked her with concern.

"I have my car, don't worry." She dismissed him with a smile and made her way out. She usually loved when men flirted with her and waited at her beck and call. On any other day, she would enjoy Philip's attention. But today, she was screaming internally as she watched Khai dance with Anaya.

Back in Orestes, Natalie was considered a renowned beauty. Her wealth and pedigree were unmatched and her mother had fed to her that she only deserved the best. The best being Khai Heathcliff.

Everyone around them were convinced that they were destined to be together. Natalie was smitten with Khai from the first ball he escorted her to and his indifference never deterred her. She told herself that Khai never hooked up with her because she was his end game. He fooled around with many women and let her squash their hopes because only she was special to him.

But the way he cherished Ana made her stomach twist. He started to ignore her completely, going as far as setting her up with other people to get rid of her. When she saw Khai dancing with Anaya all night, Natalie screamed internally. She wanted to rip them apart, but she knew she couldn't survive in Khai's bad books.

She drove back to Arcane and made her way up to the men's dormitories. She stood outside Sean's room and knocked sharply on the door. Looking at her with a curious but amused expression, Sean welcomed her in.

"I hate her Sean!" She exclaimed as she stormed in.

"You hate who?" he asked, already knowing the answer to her question.

"That wretched witch you call an ex-girlfriend."

"What did she do to you?"

"You should've seen her tonight! Her outfit, her dancing! She was seducing Khai the whole time. Her character is so unbelievably low. They whole school knows that Khai is going to marry me after we graduate from Arcane. I can't survive two years here watching them together! We need to stop her. NOW!" She screamed in frustration.

Sean scowled at Anaya's antics. When he caught her with George back in Bellevue, he hoped to hear an apology from her the very next day. Not only for hurting him, but also for defying his words and meeting George. But she sent her father to speak to his parents and asked him not to come close to her again.

He tried to lay low and give her space for as long as he could, but we she started to come out to parties again, he couldn't resist approaching her. She was his and she belonged to him. Anaya seemed to forget that it was her that approached him, it was her that danced and flirted with him. After he fell madly in love with her, she turned bored of him. She began to reject him, hide from him, started to treat him like a monster, all because he wished to cherish her for himself. He thought she'd run back to him some day because she never let anyone else get close to her back in Bellevue.

But now, she was flirting, dancing and sleeping around the with first guy that paid attention to her. Natalie's words made him see red. It was time to show Anaya that she was, is and always will be his property.

He turned to Natalie with a sinister smile. "It's time for you to throw a party again Natalie."