Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 64628 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 323(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64628 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 323(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
Cane laughs and shakes his head, then that’s what we start to do before everyone arrives.
Chapter 18
Saskia
“We don’t have to go in.”
I shake my head and squish my eyebrows together. “It’s fine, but I don’t do well at parties.”
He nods, knowing my distaste for them. “Just a few hours, baby.” His hand wraps around my waist as we make our way to the door. Robert murmurs something next to us as he gets out of the car, but I don’t acknowledge him. He doesn’t think Stiles and I are right for each other. Even though he likes him, he doesn’t think he’s right for me. Or maybe it’s more about the fact that I’m not right for Stiles.
Walking up to the front door, Stiles doesn’t have to know that fact. The door is already open, and people are shuffling through the house with drinks and smokes in their hands.
It’s a large house. Did I expect anything less?
I’d heard the rumors about his father. Stiles’ hand stays on me. He likes to keep me near him at all times with his hand somehow, somewhere, always touching me. It turns me on, and he knows this. Because eventually that hand and his magic fingers start to make their way between my legs.
“This is packed. Do you even know most of these people?” Robert asks Stiles.
Stiles skims the room then comes back to Robert. “Nope.”
We make our way through the house, and apart from the decorations, it’s pretty bare. No family pictures, mementos or anything hanging on the walls.
“Who the fuck are these people?” Robert mumbles next to me, making me smile.
“They would be my employees.”
We all turn to see Ryken and Cane behind us. Ryken looks me up and down, making Stiles grip me tighter, before he looks to Stiles. “You’ll find the football team outside in the pool.” Ryken doesn’t look to me while he says it.
“Thanks... and happy birthday.” I pull a small present out from my bag and pass it to him. He looks to me, then to it.
He doesn’t take it, just looks at me. “You got me something?”
I nod my head. “It’s your birthday,” I reply like it needed some sort of an explanation.
“Doesn’t mean you have to buy something,” Stiles says laughing.
“Oh.” I go to put it back in my bag not knowing people don’t do that. It’s his birthday, isn’t a present required?
“Give it to me, Barbie.”
I shake my head, and he steps closer so I can smell him. He smells good, he always does.
“Barbie...” he says my name again, so I pull it back out and hand it to him. He takes the present and goes to open it, but thinks better of it holding the box in his hands. “Thank you, Barbie.”
“You’re welcome.” Everyone falls silent, and it feels awkward. Turning to Stiles, I touch his chest, looking up at his staunch face. “Drink?” I offer a wave to Ryken before we start walking off, Robert following next to us.
“I didn’t know you bought him something?” Stiles says, letting me go to make me a drink.
Shrugging my shoulders. “I thought that’s what you do. Aren’t birthday parties for the presents? I mean that’s what the girls say at school.”
Both Robert and Stiles shake their head. “No, Saskia, but you're sweet for doing it.”
“Real sweet,” chimes in Robert.
“What did you get him anyway?” Stiles asks, handing me my drink.
I don’t want to tell him, so I lie. Just a small white lie. It can’t hurt. Right?
“Just a wallet.” They nod, liking that answer, and the subject is ended when Stiles is called out back by the boys. We go to follow him, but Livia walks past. Stiles stops but then keeps walking when she says “hi” to me. Robert even walks away following Stiles, so it’s just Livia and me with music blasting all around us.
“You came.”
“Stiles brought me,” I say, looking over to where he went. He nods his head to me before one of his friends pulls him into him.
“I see. You two going good?”
I smile because we are. I enjoy his company. “We are. How about you and Ryken?”
She smiles, but it’s forced as she looks at me. “He told me he loves me.”
I take a step back without realizing I’ve done it.
He said those words... to her.
It doesn’t seem believable.
Ryken has trouble with emotions. He proved it when his mother died.
“You look... upset.” Her head leans to the side as she studies me.
“No. No. Of course not. I’m happy for you.” The smile that touches my face is forced. I want to be happy for her, but I’m not going to say that didn’t sting. Just a bit. Her name is called as Cindy walks up to her, pulling her arm and taking her away from me. Offering a small wave as she goes, I turn ready to go outside, but I’m pushed by something hard on my back.