Sixteen
985 Words
Marissa
That familiar pull tightened sharply in my chest the moment Justin stepped closer. A sensation burned low, curling inside me and demanding acknowledgment.
The bond always became known no matter how much I tried to suppress it.
It was maddening.
It pressed against my senses. The air grew heavier and made my skin prickle. Every cell in my body attuned itself to his presence.
I hated how easily he could command my attention without even trying.
Every damn time.
I fixed my eyes on the screen, pretending I wasn’t hyper-aware of his approach.
But my body reacted before my mind could stop it. My pulse spiked when he stood beside me, and my skin burned with the electricity that always came with his presence.
Don’t look at him. Don’t give him the satisfaction.
But he was looking at me.
And against my better judgment, I looked back.
Our eyes met.
It wasn’t anything dramatic. Just a simple glance.
Yet, in that second, something shifted.
His gaze was unreadable as if he were searching for something in me. There was no smirk or cold indifference—just him watching me.
And somehow, I smiled.
It wasn’t planned. It just happened. A curve of my lips that betrayed me before I could stop it. It was as if my face had forgotten why I should have been indifferent to him.
For a moment, I saw something in his gaze. A twitch at the corner of his mouth, the barest movement, like he was fighting the urge to respond.
I was left wondering if I had imagined the whole thing.
I was such an i***t.
I took a slow sip of my drink. When he sat beside me, my entire system went into overdrive.
"I’d say I’m surprised to see you here, but I’ve learned not to expect anything remotely ladylike from you."
"Wow," I said, raising a brow. "Sexist and predictable. Double homicide. Congrats."
Justin chuckled, surprising me. He wasn’t being an asshole for once.
"Is there some universal rule that bans females from enjoying sports?"
He paused, studying me. "No. But even if you want to enjoy sports, you shouldn’t be here alone. Most of these men are hormonally crazed. They could roughen you up."
I scoffed mockingly. "I don't need a knight in shining armor, thank you."
"Your arrogance will get you into trouble someday," he said dryly.
Men always thought they were stronger, constantly feeding their egos.
Justin raised his hand in mock surrender, then glanced at my drink and signaled to the bartender. "Put it on my tab."
I raised a brow. "Should I be flattered? After the day you’ve had, I expected you to be knocked out somewhere, dead to the world."
He took a shot of his whiskey and glanced at the screen. "What club do you support?"
"The best one, obviously," I said, rolling my shoulders. "The Shadow Shifters."
Justin paused, then suddenly burst into laughter, shaking his head. "No. f*****g. Way."
"I assume you’re a fan of the Titans?" I said, intentionally mentioning a rival club. "It explains a lot about you, actually."
"I’d sell an arm and a leg for the Shadow Shifters. And you’re quick with the insults, aren’t you?"
I swallowed my amusement with another sip of my drink.
He leaned slightly forward, watching me. A delicious shudder went down my spine.
"You know, you’re quite interesting."
Blinking, I suddenly became aware of how close he was. My breath hitched.
"Clearly not interesting enough."
Justin’s brows arched, momentarily thrown off. Then he sat beside me.
We drank in silence before he raised his glass. "Cheers to our club’s victory."
I clinked my glass against his. "Cheers. Don’t drink too much unless you plan on regretting your life choices tomorrow."
He smirked. "I’m not coming in early. I don’t have to. And since I’m feeling generous, you can come in at ten."
I faced him, exasperated. "There’s barely a difference between resuming at nine and ten. That does not feel like a reward."
Justin’s laughter rang free, causing the dimples on his cheeks to become more pronounced. I looked away, knowing that if I didn’t, I’d make a fool of myself.
When his laughter died down, he took another shot of his drink. "So, I hear you have a boyfriend."
Holy s**t.
I tensed, gripping my glass. "That’s an interesting topic to open with."
He watched me closely. "Is that why you’re rejecting my sister?"
This conversation was inevitable. I wasn’t surprised he was bringing it up.
Perhaps I should tell him I made it up, but why bother? It’s not like he felt the bond anyway.
"You seem awfully invested in my love life," I said casually.
"Shouldn’t I be? You’re my employee. My sister likes you."
I laughed dryly and set my glass down, turning to face him. "Do you think a bond can be one-sided? Is it possible for one person to feel it and the other not?"
He grew silent, and I wondered what was running through his mind.
"If that’s your case with my sister, something is wrong. Maybe it’s a punishment from the goddess."
A knot tightened in my stomach.
"A punishment for who? And for what?"
He didn’t respond.
I had a feeling there was something I needed to know. But knowing Justin, pressing in on an issue could irritate him.
"What your sister feels is mere passion. It will sizzle out once she moves on."
"And if it doesn’t?"
I shrugged. "Then she will have to deal with it. Because as beautiful as she is, I have to say no. It’s not my orientation."
His gaze dropped to my shoulders, then back up to my face, lingering just a little too long. I met his gaze head-on.
“It would have been a grave mistake if I had given in that night,” I said, more to myself.
- Writer
