Daddy’s wild girl

Chapter 27

Bella’s POV

The ride was uncomfortable in a way I couldn’t explain properly at first.

It wasn’t loud. It wasn’t chaotic. It was worse than that.

It was controlled silence.

Ethan didn’t speak much after we got into the car. Molly tried once or twice to lighten the mood—small comments, little laughs—but they didn’t land. He answered in short, clipped words or didn’t answer at all.

But the worst part wasn’t even the silence.

It was the mirror.

Every few seconds, I caught it.

The rearview mirror shifted slightly with the movement of the car, and every time it did, I saw his eyes.

Ethan wasn’t supposed to be looking at me. Not like that. Not repeatedly.

But he was.

Not quick glances either. It was steady. Focused. Like I was something he was trying to figure out, piece by piece, without asking permission.

And every time I noticed it, I forced myself not to react.

I’d shift my gaze to the window. To my hands. To Molly’s phone. Anywhere but back at him.

But I could still feel it.

Like pressure on the back of my head.

Molly didn’t say anything either, but I noticed how she eventually stopped talking completely. She just leaned back, scrolling her phone, pretending the atmosphere wasn’t weird.

The road stretched longer than it should have.

Streetlights flickered past in long, slow streaks of gold. Buildings blurred together. The city moved on like normal, like nothing strange was happening in the back seat of this car.

But I felt trapped in it.

By the time the car slowed, I almost felt relief more than excitement.

The music hit first.

Even before we fully stepped out, the bass was already vibrating through the air—heavy, aggressive, alive. It wasn’t just sound; it was physical. It pushed against my chest as soon as the door opened.

Then came everything else.

The smell of alcohol. Perfume. Smoke. Sweat. A mix of too many bodies in one space.

People everywhere.

On the lawn. Near the entrance. Leaning against walls. Dancing like they had no bones in their bodies. Couples kissing like they were alone in the world.

A full sensory overload.

Ethan parked, killed the engine, and stepped out first.

Of course he did.

He walked around the car without a word and opened our door like it was nothing—like politeness was just something he turned on and off when convenient.

Molly’s face lit up instantly. She stepped out with a grin. “Aww… gentleman.”

I rolled my eyes immediately. “Don’t start praising him, please.”

But even as I said it, I stepped out too.

And that’s when I felt it fully.

The energy of the party hit me all at once, loud and suffocating. People brushing past. Laughter too close. Music too loud. The ground vibrating slightly under my heels.

I adjusted my dress unconsciously, suddenly aware of myself again.

Ethan was already walking ahead like we didn’t exist.

Molly and I followed.

Inside was worse.

It wasn’t just crowded—it was packed. Bodies moved constantly, like the whole place was breathing. Colored lights flashed across the room, shifting faces between shadows and brightness every second.

I could barely process one thing before another replaced it.

And then—

“Guys!”

Britany.

She pushed through the crowd like she belonged everywhere at once, her smile wide and excited.

“You’re here!” she exclaimed, grabbing Molly first. “Oh my goodness, you both look so hot.”

Molly laughed, hugging her back immediately.

I gave a small smile, still adjusting to the noise around me.

Britany’s energy was infectious, but something about tonight felt slightly off. Maybe it was just me still thinking about the boutique. Or Ethan’s eyes in the car. Or Amelia’s voice still echoing somewhere in my head.

Then Britany turned.

And her attention shifted completely.

Her smile softened instantly when she saw Ethan.

“Baby thank you,” she said warmly, stepping closer like gravity pulled her in.

That’s when it happened.

She reached up, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him.

It wasn’t a peck.

It wasn’t quick or casual.

It was full—confident, familiar, practiced. Like she had done it many times before without hesitation.

I didn’t mean to notice the details, but I did anyway.

The way her fingers curled slightly into the back of his neck.

The way she tilted her head like she already knew his rhythm.

The way the crowd around us didn’t even react—it was normal to them.

But something in my stomach tightened anyway.

I frowned slightly, confused by my own reaction.

Why did that feel… uncomfortable?

Ethan didn’t respond the way I expected him to.

He didn’t pull her closer.

Didn’t smile.

Didn’t linger.

It was almost like he tolerated it rather than enjoyed it.

And then, just as suddenly, he shifted her gently aside with one hand on her shoulder.

Not rough. Not affectionate either.

Just… controlled distance.

“You owe me,” he said flatly.

Britany laughed softly like it was a private joke between them.

Then he turned away.

No explanation.

No lingering glance.

He simply walked off, grabbed a drink from a passing tray, and disappeared into the crowd like nothing had happened.

I stood there for a second, watching him go.

My brows slowly knitted together.

It didn’t make sense.

If Britany was that close to him, why did it feel like he wasn’t actually with her in the way she was with him?

And then the thought came before I could stop it—

Amelia.

His girlfriend.

So what exactly was that?

I swallowed slightly, shifting my weight.

“How useless can he be…” I muttered under my breath without realizing it.

Molly turned to me. “What did you say?”

I blinked and shook my head quickly. “Nothing.”

But my eyes drifted again.

Through the crowd.

To where Ethan had disappeared.

And even though I told myself it didn’t matter—

For some reason, it stayed in my head longer than it should have.

Britany didn’t even give me a chance to protest.

One second I was standing there trying to process whatever weird tension I’d just witnessed with Ethan and her… and the next, she had grabbed Molly’s hand and started dragging her away like we were on some coordinated mission.

“Come on, you guys!” she called over her shoulder, already weaving through the crowd.

Molly, of course, didn’t hesitate. She immediately pulled me along too.

“Wait—Britany, where are we going?” I tried to ask, but the music swallowed half my voice.

“Just trust me!” she shouted back.

So now I was being dragged through a packed party, heels clicking over sticky floors, lights flashing across faces I didn’t know. People brushed past us, laughing, shouting, completely carefree.

Me?

I already felt out of place.

We finally reached a table tucked slightly away from the center chaos—still loud, still smoky, but more contained. A group was already there, lounging like they owned the space. Bottles lined the table, half-empty cups, smoke curling lazily in the air.

The moment we approached, the conversation paused.

Eyes lifted.

Then shifted.

I felt it immediately—the weight of being looked at.

One guy leaned back in his chair, scanning us slowly before his gaze landed on me.

“Well damn,” he said, smirking. “Who is this hottie?”

My stomach tightened slightly.

Before I could even respond, he stood up.

Molly and Britany—without hesitation—both slid into seats like they had been here before.

And just like that… I was left standing.

For a second.

Alone.

Then the guy stepped closer.

“I’m James, by the way,” he said smoothly, eyes still on me. “What’s your name, beautiful?”

I hesitated for half a second before answering. “Bella.”

The moment my name left my mouth, he smiled wider.

“Bella…” he repeated, like he was tasting it. “That’s a nice name.”

Before I could even process what that meant, his hand landed on my shoulder.

Too familiar.

Too casual.

He gently guided me down onto the couch beside him like it was the most natural thing in the world.

My body stiffened immediately, but I didn’t pull away fast enough to make it obvious.

Across the table, another guy laughed.

He had a girl sitting on his lap, her arms wrapped around his neck like she belonged there.

He looked me up and down with a lazy grin. “What’s so special about her name?” the girl beside him pouted, glancing at me like I was a joke she didn’t understand.

Then the guy smirked.

“It sounds like she gets wet easily.”

The table erupted in laughter.

Loud. Immediate. Like it was the funniest thing they’d ever heard.

But I didn’t laugh.

I didn’t even smile.

I just sat there, slowly realizing how little respect existed in this space.

My skin felt cold despite the heat of the room.

I already disliked this gathering.

Now I was starting to hate it.

James leaned slightly closer to me, like he didn’t notice—or didn’t care—about the discomfort building in my chest.

“So,” he said casually, “do you get wet down there easily?”

My breath caught.

My throat tightened.

I opened my mouth—but nothing came out.

I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t even know how to react without making this worse.

And then—

A voice cut through the noise.

Calm.

Cold.

Almost bored.

“Barely.”

The entire table shifted.

I turned my head quickly.

Ethan.

He was sitting there like he had been there the whole time.

Of course he was.

My chest tightened for a different reason now.

James laughed, leaning back slightly. “Oh? And how would you know, Ethan? Have you both had something to do with each other?”

The group immediately reacted—cheers, whistles, teasing sounds rising around the table like it was entertainment.

Every eye turned toward us.

Mine widened slightly, heat rushing to my face instantly.

Ethan didn’t even look bothered.

Not even a flicker of emotion.

He just took a slow sip of his drink.

And in that moment, I felt it all at once—

Too many eyes.

Too much attention.

Too little respect.

And me… stuck right in the middle of it.