Lost Stars

Chapter Thirty Seven

-Athena's POV-

Despite how badly I had wanted Red Hood back in town, we hadn't talked, really talked, for several days. We weren't ignoring each other. Not really. We just were ignoring the problem at hand.

I hadn't stopped thinking about what happened between us. And telling by the way he snuck glances at me when he thought I wasn't looking, it seemed like he hadn't either. It was just like a dumb high school romance. Both of us liked each other, then something happened, and now we were avoiding it like it was the plague.

I was getting tired of it. I always thought it was so cowardly, dodging the tough things that needed to be addressed. It was immature. Jason and I were both adults. We should act like it.

So, when I arrived at the address where he had ordered me to meet him, I swallowed down my pride and prepared to speak to him.

"Athena! Hey! Over here!" Roy's voice called out above the crowd, beckoning me over. The lobby wasn't very crowded, but there was enough people for me to have to strain to see where they were sat.

I squared my jaw and straightened my spine. I was going to do it.

Jason turned his head, looking up smoothly. His single white curl fell into his face, covering one of his eyes. His lips were slightly parted. I wasn't sure if he was purposely smoldering at me, but either way, it made my knees weak.

The confrontation died on my lips.

I took a seat on the other side of Roy, smashing him into between Jason and I. I could feel Jason's gaze lingering on me. A burning sensation rippled through me and I was acutely aware of his eyes on the side of my face. I turned, pretending to look at Roy, but sneaking a peek at Jason. He was staring into the bottom of his glass suddenly.

I bit my lip. "So, is he here then?" I asked, glancing around the lobby. People in fancy suits -- businessmen -- were holding shiny glasses of brandy as gold diggers and escorts clung to their arms, flaunting the golden bands wrapped around their fingers.

"Oh, he's here," Roy answered, patting Jason on the shoulder, "we've already managed to talk to him, too. Everything is up to you."

Jason glared at Roy's hand before his eyes slid to me. It was the real time we held each other's gaze before quickly looking away. He pressed his lips together into a line. With a curt nod, he seemed to whisper "be careful."

I fiddled with the coat I was wearing. I needed a drink. Roy had a dark blue margarita in front of him. I rolled my eyes. He always liked the sugary stuff.

Standing up, I leaned over Jason's shoulder, my arm brushing back his hair. I pulled his glass straight out of his hands. As I did so, our fingers touched, sending a jolt of electricity through me. I tipped the glass back, draining the entire glass of whiskey in one gulp.

"Don't wait up," I burped, winking at Roy and once again, avoiding Jason. I climbed the carpeted stairs to the elevator.

As I went up to the eighth floor, I unbuttoned my coat. The coat dropped to the floor, taking all the warmth and comfort with it. Not that I wasn't comfortable with my body, but, it was just so soft.

The eighth floor was a penthouse suite, so the elevator stopped directly in the middle of the room. I stepped out. The lights were all dimmed down. I could hear soft, sensual music as I strode through the suite. Everything was tidy and displayed power and money. It was, in theory, a girl's perfect date. But, I didn't care for the money. Or for this man's fame.

"Hello," the smooth and hyper manly voice of Tyler Martins welcomed me, "make yourself at home." I put on a smirk, my red lips twisting up into an expression I didn't care for. Tyler's presence seemed to fill the whole room, as to be expected from a politician's son. He didn't demand attention, his personality just had a way of attracting it.