Ugh! My head is killing me. I got up, trying my best to keep my eyes open.
Where am I? I scanned my surroundings and my heart nearly jumped out of my chest when I saw a lump under the blanket besides me. Fuck!
I cautiously lifted the blanket to reveal...
..legs? Where is the head? I snatched the whole blanket away and a drooling Ash came in the view. He was sprawled across the bed, with his feet dangerously close to my face. I let out a sigh of relief. Nothing happened.
Woah, I almost had a heart attack. Placing a hand on my chest, I tried to calm down the rapid beating of my heart. My head snapped up when I heard a door opening. A man in just a towel wrapped loosely around his waist got out, casual rubbing another towel on his head. His gaze fell to me and a slow smile appeared.
"You're finally awake."
My eyes travelled from his well defined abdomen, to his chest and then to his face. Instinctively, I raised my left hand and traced my lips with a finger.
Last night.
Oh my God!
I kissed Chase! I slapped a hand on my mouth. He came closer, his brows furrowing, "You okay there?"
I opened my mouth but no words came out so I closed it back. Taking a deep breath, I calmed myself down. Absolutely no need to get worked up, I can just pretend I don't remember anything about last night. Yeah, I could totally do that. He probably won't even bring it up.
"My head is killing me, what happened last night?" I rubbed my forehead, groaning in pain.
"You don't remember?"
"Nothing. I don't remember shit."
He nodded his head, "Well we kissed, you puked all over the floor 𝘢𝘯𝘥 on my shoes, then passed out" Walking over to his wardrobe, he pulled out a pair of sweatpants as if it was a normal day in his life.
Well the plan almost worked.
I cleared my throat, looking everywhere but at him.
"Violet, relax, you don't have to feel uncomfortable with me. We were both drunk and it was clearly a mistake."
"You sure?"
He nodded, "Yes, of course, the kiss was good but there weren't any feelings."
I nodded in agreement. He was right. It felt like exactly what it was, like kissing a friend.
There was comfort but no other emotion.
"You two kissed?"
Our attention turned to a grouchy Ash, who was rubbing his eyes.
Ignoring the question, I asked him, "How do you feel?"
Chase headed back to washroom to change.
Ash let out a groan, "Like I've been run over by a truck and then tossed to a trashcan."
"If you get run over, aren't you like probably already dead? What does tossing you in a trash can do?"
"I smell."
Bending down my neck, I tried smelling my shirt and then grimaced, " Yeah, we need to head home."
Chase walked out wearing grey sweatpants, his hair still wet, covering his forehead.
"Man, you look so harmless in casual attire."
He grinned, pushing his hair back , " Let's get something to eat and then I will drop you off at the Arch's mansion."
"Yes, we are starving. Right Ash?"
I looked over to the boy who looked like he was in a trance.
"Ash! ASHER." I shouted.
He jumped a bit, looking at me in annoyance, "Stop fucking shouting, my head is killing me."
I smacked him upside the head, "Curse at me again and I will kick your ass to mars. Wash your face, you have saliva all over."
A look of horror flashed on his face as he aggressively rubbed his mouth, "No, I don't."
Chase and I chuckled as he immediately ran to the bathroom.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Wow, I'd like no idea you could cook." I said as I took a huge bite of the pancake.
"Yeah, it's freaking delicious." Ash squirted more syrup on his plate.
Chase frowned, "Don't talk with your mouth full."
Ash suddenly slapped his hand on the table, "I got it."
"The cure to cancer?"
They both glowered at me. Alright geez.
"The thing that I was talking about yesterday. It's a spray can."
I stared at him confused while Chase let out an amused laugh.
"I was pretty close."
"So what will you do with this information now?" I asked, munching on my last bite.
Before he could answer, the doorbell rang and Chase got up to answer. My blood ran cold, when I heard a gunshot. I immediately sprang up from my seat and ran towards the door. Chase was lying on the floor, clutching his arm. There was blood. Lots of it. My eyes moved to the man in a suit, who still held a gun above his head.
"Get the fuck away from him!" I shouted at Hunter. His bodyguards were quick to point their guns at me.
"I will when you come with me." His voice was cold and commanding. Ignoring him, I sat down infront of Chase, inspecting his injury. He groaned in pain. I looked behind me, towards Ash who looked like he went into shock.
"Ash get me the first aid kit, it's in the bathroom."
"No need, I brought a doctor." With one nod he signaled a guy behind, who came forward with a suitcase. "Dylan, take Ash home."
Hunter grabbed my arm and forcefully dragged me outside the apartment.
"Let go of me." I tried freeing my wrist but he wouldn't budge.
"He kissed you." He hissed.
I stared at him in disbelief," Is this what this is about? You shot him over this? You are insane."
"The bullet barely grazed his arm. If I wanted to, I would've killed him a long time ago." A storm was brewing in his eyes.
"What are we, Hunter, for you to do that." I snatched away my hand and looked at him defiantly.
His eyes flashed with hurt for a moment but then a steely expression took over his face, "If you still have to ask that, then maybe we're nothing."
With bitterness in my voice, I spoke, "You got one fact wrong. He didn't kiss me, 𝘐 kissed him."
I stormed back in. Chase was sitting on a chair, his arm bandaged up. Maybe there wasn't that much blood. It looked a lot to me at that moment.
"All of you, out." I ordered the bodyguards, then turned around to Chase.
"So that was pretty rude." He gave me a weak smile and held his arm up.
"I want to kill him." I closed my eyes, hoping for the anger to subside. But the image of him was imprinted in my brain and it made my blood boil.
"I hate to say this, but I- I understand him. "
My mouth dropped open as I stared at him in shock, "Did you get a memory loss? He shot you, Chase. He freaking shot you."
"The bullet barely grazed my arm actually." He said, grinning.
"Stop saying that!"
"I just said it once." He looked at me wide-eyed.
I sighed and pulled him in for a hug.
"You know, if he comes back again, he will definitely put a bullet through my skull this time."
I pulled back and smacked him in the chest without thinking. He let out a whine and kicked me in the shin. We both doubled over in pain.
"I'm sorry, it's your fault for saying that though."
"Ash went? He looked really shocked." Chase had a worried expression on his face
I had completely forgotten about him.
"Of course he was in shock, he went to study in Canada when he was just thirteen. He was never really around this stuff. I guess it was more traumatizing for him to see his brother hold the gun."
He nodded and we sat in silence for a while.
"I've been meaning to ask you something actually. That day with Cora, she didn't do shit to you right?" He raised a brow, looking at me expectantly.
How did everyone figure it out? I thought I was pretty good at hiding it.
"Her actions made me do it."
"You blackmailed information out of me." He crossed his arms, then let out a gasp," You wanted me to graduate and get a different job so I'd get off your back."
"Hey, don't act like a victim, man. You kept a shit load of secret from me." I raised my voice, pointing a finger at him.
"I got shot because of you!" He matched my tone.
"You literally said the bullet barely grazed you, don't be such a baby."
He stared at me for a good while, then nodded to himself, mumbling under his breath, "Yep, definitely over her."
"What's that supposed to mean?"