Daddy’s wild girl

Chapter 29

Bella’s POV

For a moment, everything blurred together.

The music, the lights, the bodies moving around me—it all melted into one overwhelming rush as James spun me. I followed the motion without thinking, letting myself get lost in it for just a second.

Then I collided into someone.

Hard.

A strong hand caught my waist immediately, steadying me before I could lose my balance. The grip was firm, almost too familiar, like he had done it before.

I froze.

Slowly, I looked up.

At first, I couldn’t place his face. The flashing lights kept shifting over his features—red, then blue, then dark again—but something about him made my stomach twist.

Then I saw it.

That smirk.

Sharp. Amused. Slightly cruel.

And it hit me.

Scott.

My chest tightened instantly.

Of course it was him.

He had been there that day—the day everything went wrong. Standing among the crowd, laughing, adding to the chaos, watching that poor boy get humiliated like it was entertainment.

Just like Ethan.

Even if they didn’t get along, they were the same kind of person.

Dangerous in a quiet, effortless way.

“Long time no see, freshman,” he said, his voice smooth, almost mocking.

I swallowed hard, suddenly very aware of how close I still was to him.

“Uhm…” I tried to speak, but the words got stuck in my throat.

Scott’s smirk deepened. “What? Cat got your tongue?”

The way he said it made my skin crawl.

I didn’t want to be here.

I didn’t want to be near him.

Without thinking, I pushed his hand off me.

“I—I have to go,” I said quickly.

I didn’t wait for a response.

I turned and started walking, pushing through the crowd faster than before. My heart was racing now, my breath slightly uneven as I tried to create distance between me and him.

But the feeling didn’t go away.

If anything, it got worse.

It felt like people were staring.

Not casually—intentionally.

Like I was being watched.

Judged.

Followed.

A cold unease crept up my spine.

Something wasn’t right.

I didn’t know what it was, but I could feel it.

I need to get out of here.

That thought repeated in my head as I searched desperately for Molly.

I made my way back toward the table where we had been sitting earlier, weaving through groups of people, ignoring the way shoulders brushed against mine, the way laughter echoed too loudly around me.

But when I got there—

She wasn’t there.

My stomach dropped.

“No…” I whispered under my breath, scanning the area quickly.

I turned, searching again, panic starting to rise in my chest.

Then I spotted Britany.

Relief flickered for a second—until I saw what she was doing.

She was pressed against Ethan, her hands gripping his shirt as she kissed him like nothing else existed. Like the entire party had faded away for her.

I stopped.

Just stared.

Something about it made me uncomfortable in a way I didn’t want to think about.

And more than that—I knew I couldn’t go over there.

Not like this.

Not when they were… like that.

I looked away quickly, shaking my head.

“Great,” I muttered under my breath. “Just great.”

Now Molly was gone.

Britany was busy.

And I was stuck here.

Alone.

“Okay… think, Bella,” I whispered, trying to steady myself.

My eyes moved across the crowd again, searching for something—anything familiar.

And then I saw him.

Reyes.

Standing a little distance away, calm and composed, like the chaos around him didn’t touch him at all.

Relief hit me instantly.

“Reyes!” I called, raising my hand slightly.

But he didn’t turn.

Of course he didn’t.

The music was too loud.

I didn’t hesitate. I started moving toward him, pushing through the crowd, trying to reach him before I lost sight of him again.

I was so focused on getting to him that I didn’t notice what was coming.

Something cold splashed against me.

I gasped, stopping abruptly.

Liquid dripped down the front of my dress, sticky and uncomfortable.

I looked down.

Juice.

Everywhere.

“Oh my gosh, watch where you’re going!” a girl snapped loudly.

I barely looked at her.

I didn’t have the energy for this.

I just wanted to move.

I stepped past her, trying to continue toward Reyes—

But suddenly, a hand grabbed mine.

Tight.

I stopped.

“A sorry will do,” she said, her tone sharp and demanding.

That was it.

That was the final push.

I turned to her, anger flaring up instantly. “You spilled a bloody drink on me, and now you want me to apologize?”

She crossed her arms slightly, unimpressed. “Hey, watch it with the attitude, mate.”

The accent. The tone. The entitlement.

It all made my irritation spike even higher.

I let out a breath, forcing my voice to stay controlled. “I’m not your mate. Now let go of me.”

I pulled my hand free before she could react again.

I didn’t wait for a reply.

I turned back—

And my heart sank.

Reyes was gone.

Completely gone.

Like he had never been there.

I stood still for a second, frustration washing over me.

“Perfect,” I muttered bitterly.

Now I was really on my own.

In a place I didn’t trust.

Surrounded by people I didn’t like.

I was still standing there, frustrated and slightly overwhelmed, trying to decide my next move when someone stepped in front of me.

“Hey… can we talk for a minute?”

I blinked, pulling my attention back to the present.

A girl stood there—around my age, maybe a little younger. She had a soft face, calm eyes, and a small, almost nervous smile. Nothing about her seemed threatening. If anything, she looked… normal. Out of place, even, compared to the rest of the party.

She held out a drink toward me.

I hesitated.

“I—uh…”

“I won’t take long,” she added quickly, her voice gentle, almost reassuring.

I studied her for a second.

I didn’t recognize her.

But she didn’t look like the type to cause trouble. No smirk, no attitude, no hidden mockery in her eyes like the others.

Just… calm.

So against my better judgment, I nodded slightly.

“Okay,” I said. “What do you want to talk about?”

She glanced toward the dance floor, then back at me. “Not here,” she said softly. “It’s a little too noisy.”

That was true.

The music was still pounding, voices overlapping, everything blending into one chaotic mess.

So I agreed.

“Alright.”

We started walking.

At first, it felt normal—just weaving through people, stepping around couples, moving away from the center of the party. But the further we went, the quieter it got. Not silent, just… less overwhelming.

The music became more distant.

The crowd thinned.

Soon, we were near the back of the room. I could still see the dance floor from here—the flashing lights, people moving, the blur of bodies—but it felt far enough away to breathe.

I turned to her.

“So… what did you want to say?”

She didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, she reached into her bag and pulled out a napkin.

I frowned slightly, confused.

“Can you tell me what this smells like?” she asked, stepping closer.

Before I could even respond—

She lifted it to my nose.

Too fast.

Too close.

My brows furrowed. “Wait—”

But I had already inhaled.

The scent hit me instantly.

Soft.

Floral.

Lavender.

“Uhm… lavender,” I said automatically, my voice slower than before.

She smiled.

And something about that smile felt… wrong.

Too satisfied.

Too quick.

Then—

My head spun.

It wasn’t sudden at first.

Just a slight shift.

Like the ground beneath me wasn’t as steady as it should be.

I blinked.

The lights flickered oddly.

The music warped—stretching, distorting, like it was being pulled through water.

My vision doubled.

I saw two of everything.

“W-wait…” I tried to steady myself, but my legs felt weak.

That’s when I saw them.

Across from me.

Amelia.

And beside her—

Ethan.

But something wasn’t right.

His figure looked… off.

Like he was there and not there at the same time. Blurred. Shifting. Unstable.

My eyes widened, panic rising in my chest.

Why did he look like that?

Why did everything look like that?

“Aww…” a voice echoed, distant and cruel. “What an innocent girl.”

I tried to focus.

Tried to speak.

Tried to move.

But my body wouldn’t listen.

The world tilted sharply.

The lights stretched into streaks.

The music collapsed into a dull, echoing hum.

And then—

Everything went black.