Heirs And Hunters

Chapter 15

W I N T E R

Blindly I could stake on the fact that Yuki was having a ridiculously hard time keeping his face straight. Especially owning to the fact he had the front-row honor of witnessing my misery. We were in a club lounge that replicates Alchemy in a much grandiose complexion, the only difference was that this one is situated outdoors and two floors high. Servers in neat work uniforms were strewn across the guild with cocktail trays and decorated appetizers. From above, I had the ideal view of tracks that beat any other angle that elevates common bleachers. It's a dream platform with large mounted LED screens that kept displaying the precise broadcast of the overall circuit and yet, I couldn't worry about anything else than the heated glares of Piper Haven fused on me.

Ivy was nowhere to be seen to dispel my painful awareness of Piper. Her brother Damien, because of whose random invitation I ended up here, is preoccupied with a conversation with a man by the bar. His periodic peaks towards Fleur weren't exempt from my notice. Sadly she sat beside Piper, pushing her comfort to connect with the girl who has links to Carter Simmons as a necessity. And there is no one else better for the job than Fleur. That's only because we have no other option.

Piper would screw me over if I even tried to get near her. She still thinks I am after her man. The man in question was involved in a heated discussion with Luca who had dragged and abandoned me here. This is what people swear by as their worst nightmare. Not that I would consider myself an introvert- but boy is it awkward when you have to pretend to be strangers with the people you literally grew up with.

And not to miss the cringe and embarrassment they must on my behalf. I was emitting distressed signals through my pores.

"Why are you here again?" Piper snarks, finally spitting the venom she has been chewing on until now. The violent curls that framed her heart-shaped face were slicked and combed back in a posh bun. Her sparkly mini gold green dress sits equipped on her. I am momentarily distracted by her sharp pointed heels that would hurt like a nightmare if she ever decided to use it as a weapon. She could throw it at my face and it would leave me bruised for a week.

What the hell am I thinking?

"I was invited" I smiled tightly. Where is Ivy when you need her? Though I chant a tiny prayer for Ivy, It's Ivan who shows up to the niche where I am currently in the process of getting grilled. Splendid. One more person with a front-row ticket to enjoy my anguish. Luna de Rossi, the drop-dead gorgeous Heiress and the sister of Luca glides behind him, her movements fluid and graceful like a queen, she commands the attention of the room effortlessly with Ivan by her side and I stun in cold silence when Ivan's stare met mine.

He didn't look happy.

Is he ever happy?

"It's quite cute that you take formal hospitality seriously" I tear my gaze off them as Piper leans forward, pinching her chin and propping her elbows on her thighs. An intimidation tactic.

Here we go.

"Well. I wasn't going to miss the opportunity "I light up with an uneasy enthusiasm "It's an experience nothing like I've had before" Though I refused to look at Ivan- I felt his existence under the same canopy on my bones. It's impossible not to when he slides down into the space next to me despite the numerous vacant couches scattered around. I don't look at him still, but I do catch a glimpse of Luna as she watches the man who at present reclined beside me for no reason. She exhibits a sharp shift of guarded emotion before she takes a seat next to Astor.

Astor quells his exchange with Luca when he is made aware of Luna. He greets her with a stoic nod- he then finally looks at me, I look away in haste to not mistakenly appear as starstruck by him. What's it with these people huddling around in a group with every chance they get? Don't they live like ten feet away from each other?