Love, After Dark

Chapter 42

SIRI

We hadn’t made it far down the road before Keisha casually said, “Oh, by the way, we’re stopping at a party.” I glanced at her from the driver’s seat. “A party?” “Relax,” she said, waving her hand dismissively. “Some kid named Steven. He’s throwing a small gathering at his mansion while his parents are out of town. It’ll be fun.” Fun.

My mom’s text flashed in my mind. Proud of you. Handling it maturely. Text me when you’re done studying. Guilt pressed heavier against my ribs. “I don’t know, Keisha…” I murmured. She turned toward me slowly, bottom lip pushing out slightly, eyes wide in the most dramatic puppy-dog expression I’d ever seen. “Please? We’ll only be there for a minute. I just want to say hi to someone.” “A minute?” I repeated skeptically. “Okay, like… forty-five minutes.” I hesitated. “One hour,” I said firmly. “And then we leave.” She squealed. “Deal.” I tried to ignore the twisting in my stomach as I turned toward the address she’d sent me.

The mansion came into view long before we reached it. Lights blazed from nearly every window. Cars lined both sides of the long circular driveway. Music pulsed so loudly I could feel it vibrating through the steering wheel. As we stepped out, the bass traveled up through the pavement and into my bones. This was not a “minute” kind of party. We walked toward the front doors, heels clicking against stone. The doors were wide open, bodies spilling in and out, laughter and music crashing into us like a wave.

The second we stepped inside, It felt like the room shifted. Conversations faltered. Heads turned. For a brief second, it really did feel like all eyes were on us. I leaned closer to Keisha. “What are they looking at?” She smirked. “You.” My face burned. “Stop.” She just grabbed my hand and pulled me further into the chaos.

The house was massive! Marble floors, towering ceilings, chandeliers glinting under flashing colored lights. People were everywhere. Dancing on furniture. Crowding the kitchen. Pressed into corners. I was still taking it all in when I felt it. Before I even saw him. That pull. That intensity. My eyes lifted. And met his. Brice.

He stood across the room, red cup in hand, frozen mid-motion. His stare was so intense it physically stopped me in my tracks. It pinned me there. Like I couldn’t move. Like I didn’t want to. The world blurred at the edges. The music dulled. My heartbeat thudded in my ears. His gaze swept over me slowly, and heat flooded my skin everywhere it touched. I couldn’t breathe. It felt like being caught in something invisible and unbreakable. Like he had wrapped something around me and tugged. Mine. The word wasn’t spoken, but I felt it.

And then he broke eye contact. I blinked, the spell shattering. That’s when I noticed the others around him. Chris looked troubled. Luke looked downright furious. Wynter stood stiff beside Brice, her arms crossed tightly. Her friends flanked her, all of them with glaring eyes shifting from him… to me. Oh. Oh no. Keisha tugged sharply on my arm. “Move.”

We slipped into the crowd before anyone could approach us. My heart was racing so hard I thought I might pass out. We didn’t stop walking until we ducked into a bathroom and locked the door behind us. Muffled bass and distant shouting could be heard, but compared to the chaos outside, it felt quiet. Keisha turned slowly to face me. She didn’t say anything. She just stared. “What?” I finally asked. Her brows lifted. “What was that?” “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said quickly. She crossed her arms. “Siri.”

I shrugged, forcing nonchalance. “Nothing. I barely know the guy. Other than the time we spent together in the auditorium, I don’t even know him.” That was technically true. Which made it worse. “Then why does he look at you like that?” she pressed. “I don’t know!” She narrowed her eyes. “Why was he at the school this morning? What did he want?” “We never made it that far,” I admitted quietly. “He showed up. We talked. And then… it just ended.”

I sighed, leaning back against the counter. “So you saw it?” I asked softly. Keisha snorted. “Everyone saw it.” My stomach dropped. “Including Wynter.” Of course. “She’s going to come after you,” Keisha warned. “Great,” I muttered. “That’s exactly what I need tonight.” The guilt. The tension. The weight of his stare. It was all too much. “I need a drink.” Keisha grinned. “Now you’re talking.”

We unlocked the bathroom and stepped back into the hallway, weaving through bodies toward the kitchen. The closer we got, the louder the music seemed. The stronger the scent of alcohol. The more aware I felt of eyes tracking us. We had just reached the edge of the kitchen when a voice drawled from behind us. “Well, well, well… look who we have here.”