CHAPTER 42
**WINTER**
*Forty minutes earlier....*
I had never experienced such hostility from anyone before, and to be honest, I was utterly bewildered. It was obvious he was angry about something, but what? Why would he hate me so much?
The only reason I could think of for his anger was that he might be upset because I hadn’t kept in touch since moving to another city five years ago.
Life was challenging for us—Dad was gone, and Mom was doing her best to keep us afloat. We couldn't splurge on things like a mobile phone, so I never owned one. On top of that, Zion hadn't tried to connect with me either. If his anger stems from that, then I think I have a valid reason to feel hurt as well. Don't you agree?
Shaking off thoughts of Zion, I turned my attention to Clark, who was engrossed in a lively conversation with a group of guys, their laughter resonating through the crowded room. I gave him a light nudge.
"I'm going to get a drink," I said. He smirked, his eyes twinkling mischievously.
"Alright, but come back quickly. I don't want to miss you."
I just shook my head, recognizing his harmless flirting. If I didn’t know better, I’d think he was doing it on purpose to get a rise out of his best friend.
As I made my way through the throng of people, the party's noise and energy enveloped me. The air was thick with the scent of cologne, perfume, and alcohol. My mind was swirling with thoughts of Zion's unexpected anger, his piercing gaze haunting me. Lost in my thoughts, I barely noticed someone in front of me until I collided with a hard body.
.........
He stepped towards me, his body pressing firmly against mine, his fingers clasping my waist with an unyielding grip. I struggled to push him away, managing to whisper,
"What are you doing? Please, slet me go, your hurting me..."
However, my voice was nearly drowned out by the overwhelming intensity of the situation.
He roughly grasped my chin with his free hand, and his touch sent shock waves ricocheting through me.
“You shouldn’t be here.” His voice was angry, raspy, and oh-so-sexy. My body betrayed me, arching towards him, uncaring of his threatening words.
"Clark is my best friend," he growled, his eyes boring into mine. "Stay away from him, Snowflake. I'm warning you. You hurt him, and I’ll make you regret it."
A small moan escaped my lips as his thumb caressed my chin, the touch at odds with his hostile posture.
“Fuck,” he gritted out, his lips hovering just above mine, his hot breath skating over my skin. The intensity was too much, and just as I thought he might kiss me, he tore himself away, disappearing as if he’d never been there.
Dazed, I staggered back against the kitchen door, my legs weak and my breath coming in shuddering gasps.
What was that? And why did I have such an extreme reaction to him? My body felt like it was on fire, every nerve ending still tingling from his touch.
Taking a few deep breaths, I grabbed a bottle of water from the kitchen counter and downed it in one go, trying to steady my racing heart.
When I made my way back to Clark, he casually draped his arm around my waist, surprising me. I didn’t say anything, not wanting to be rude, but the gesture felt possessive. My eyes wandered around the party, taking in the scene until they landed on my ex-best friend. Zion.
I couldn’t tear my gaze away.
He was undeniably the sexiest man I’d ever seen. A girl perched on his lap, his hand shamelessly inside her skirt.
Classy.
Despite her writhing on him, his eyes were locked on me, a flicker of malice gleaming in them. His angular jaw, eyes like stormy seas, and rich, brown hair cut short around the sides and longer on top made him look like a dark, brooding hero from a novel. But the way he looked at me…
It was hard to place at first, but then it hit me. His eyes held nothing but pure, unadulterated hate. He despised me with a passion.
As I stood next to Clark, trying to ignore the intensity of Zion’s stare, a sweet, melodious voice broke through the crowd. I turned to see a stunning girl making her way towards us. Her resemblance to Clark was striking—same striking eyes and golden hair, though she carried a softer, more refined beauty.
She flashed a bright, welcoming smile at Clark. “I can’t believe you managed to snag such a beautiful girl, Clark. She must be blind if she’s with you.”
The comment was delivered with a teasing lilt, and she looked at me with a mix of curiosity and amusement. Before I could react, Clark’s voice cut through the conversation.
“Shut it, Clair.” His tone was light, but there was an undercurrent of irritation.
Claire, completely unfazed by Clark’s dismissal, turned to me with a warm smile.
"I'm Claire, the other half of this genius," she said, gesturing dramatically at Clark, her eyes twinkling with playful mischief as she offered her hand for a shake.
"And let's be honest, I'm the one who won the looks lottery," Claire added with a cheeky grin. "Not to mention, I’ve got the brains and the class to boot."
Clark laughed, shaking his head in mock disbelief. "Sure, but refinement isn’t really my thing. I’m more of the muscle-bound hero type—the one who knows how to charm the ladies into a cozy evening!"
Claire rolled her eyes dramatically. “Excuse my twin. He’s a charming pig, but I suppose you’ve already figured that out. And you are…?”
“Umm...I’m Winter,” I said, trying to keep my composure.
Claire raised an eyebrow, giving me a curious look. “Winter? What’s a girl like you doing with a manwhore like Clark?”
I almost choked on my drink at Claire’s bluntness.
Clark shrugged nonchalantly. “She’s my date, Claire.”
Claire blinked at her brother. “Since when did you start dating? I thought you were all about the ‘screw ’em and leave ’em’ philosophy.”
"Claire, you're ruining my image in front of my date," Clark said, turning to me with a mock-serious expression. "She's just jealous because no guy ever likes her."
"Yeah, that's because Clark and Zion have declared me off-limits to everyone," Claire shot back, rolling her eyes dramatically.
The sheer bluntness of Claire’s remark made me laugh, and it was a relief to see that their playful banter was keeping the mood light.
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