RESTLESS HEARTS

CHAPTER 28

•SHAWN•

We left the island on different boats; everyone seemed to have their own ride, like having two or three wasn't extravagant enough for the whole crew. They were really showing off their tough-guy reputation way too seriously.

When we got back to Oahu, Jules and her friends joined me as we drove to my hotel to grab my stuff before heading to the airport.

I was pleasantly surprised to find my hotel suite still available, even though it had been empty for the past month and a half.

The person at the front desk informed me that my stay had actually been arranged for three months.

I was in disbelief. My father must have really wanted to keep me away, using the prosecutor's investigation as an excuse.

I quickly packed my things and left the hotel. Kim had informed me that a private jet was waiting for us at a nearby airstrip to take us back to San Francisco.

We reached the airstrip in less than ten minutes and boarded the plane. The jet took off twenty minutes later. Since we had a few hours before landing, I decided to get some sleep while Jules and her friends caught up.

OoO

I woke up to a gentle nudge on my shoulder, coaxing me into consciousness. Jules grinned down at me, and I shot up in my seat, looking around.

Kim was the first one off the plane, and then there was Kevin, smirking at me.

"Sleep well, princess?" he teased, earning a glare from me.

He chuckled and followed Kim out. Jules perched on the seat's armrest in front of me.

"Ready to go home?"

Home? Oh.

We were in San Francisco now. Shouldn't I be happy? But for some reason, I felt a knot of nerves in my stomach, like this was suddenly a terrible idea.

"Y'all coming?" Kevin called from the staircase.

"Just give us a few minutes. We'll be out soon," Jules replied, sinking back into the seat and leaning towards me.

"What's wrong? Aren't you happy to be back home?" she asked, concern in her eyes as she gently held my hand.

I sighed and ran my hands down my face.

"I don't know, Jules... something just doesn't feel right."

She nodded slowly, her smile fading.

"Maybe I should lay low for a while before going home. I'm just not... prepared for the attention. The press will be all over me once they find out I'm back."

Her smile returned, and she nodded again.

"Okay, I understand. You can stay with me if you want. We have a safe house here in San Francisco."

I leaned forward, surprised by her suggestion.

"Wait, are you sure? What about your home in LA?"

Her smile faltered, and she squeezed my hand tighter.

"I guess I'm not ready to face that either."

Hand in hand, we left the plane and got into the black SUV waiting outside. Kevin drove us to their 'safe house'.

It felt good to be back and see familiar places around town again. I missed it. I wanted to borrow a phone and call Shay, tell her I was back, but something held me back.

It was like a gut feeling, telling me now wasn't the right time. I didn't know what was happening at home, but I'd find out soon. I needed to make sure everything was in order before I showed up. I hoped Mom was okay. She gets sick when she worried too much, and I hoped she wasn't thinking too much about me.

On the other hand, I was relieved that Jules wanted to stay in San Francisco for a while too, not rushing back to LA.

I didn't want her to leave yet. I felt at ease when she was around. She was the best thing that happened to me after the accident.

We finally made it to Jules's place. The place was a massive two-story white house, fenced in by imposing iron gates. The best part? It sat snug in one of San Francisco's posh neighborhoods, meaning it was safe and secluded—no nosy reporters around.

"Just so you know, I called my guys back in Hawaii before we left. Had a hunch you'd wanna crash here for the night. They stocked up the fridge, got you some clothes, and tidied the place a bit."

Kevin's explanation caught me off guard. I didn't expect him to be this considerate, given how he usually appears on edge.

"Thanks, man. Appreciate it." I shook his hand, and he just nodded before strolling away.

We trailed behind him, exploring the inside. Kevin pointed out the bedrooms. I wished Jules and I could share a room, but we wanted to avoid answering awkward questions from her friends for now.

This whole situation felt new to us, a lot more than it did to them.

After a shower and a change into fresh clothes, I collapsed into bed. Exhaustion from the trip and lack of sleep on the plane washed over me. I shut my eyes, trying to block out any thoughts, finally drifting into darkness.

In the dead of night, I felt the mattress shift and a hand tracing my chest. I didn't need to open my eyes to know who the intruder was.

The scent of vanilla and flowers told me it was her.

The next morning, I found Jules sleeping next to me. She must have sneaked in during the night, a realization that made me chuckle.

I turned, wrapping my arm around her waist. As she stirred awake, I froze. The morning sunlight cast a glow on her face, making her eyes, the most beautiful shade of green, shine.

I couldn't stop staring at them. Green was now officially my favorite color.

She propped herself up on her elbows, smiling lazily. Dark waves of hair fell around her, framing her face and spilling over the pillow.

"What?" she asked softly.

I reached out, tucking a strand of her black hair behind her ear. I couldn't tear my eyes away from her. I was captivated by this woman, and she didn't even realize it yet.

"Your eyes are so pretty," I confessed, and her lips curled into a smirk.

She leaned closer, her eyes dropping to my lips.

"Why don't you make them roll backwards, then?"

God, she'd be the death of me one day.

I kissed her passionately, pulling her on top of me. A small giggle escaped her lips before she responded. My stomach churned with excitement as I broke away, trailing kisses down her neck.

Her sweet scent filled my senses as she moaned, her eyes closed and her head tilted back for better access.

She pulled back, straddling me. The intensity in her eyes turned me on, and I could feel my groin reacting the same way beneath her.

Just then, my bedroom door swung open. We both turned in surprise to see Kim peering inside. She pursed her lips when she saw our situation.

Jules didn't immediately get off me, looking completely unfazed, her gaze fixed on Kim.

That's my girl.

"Sorry to interrupt, but uh... your dad and your brother are here, Jules."