Playing With the Rich Boys | ✓

Chapter Twenty-Four - be my distraction

Chapter Twenty-Four – be my distraction

I NEEDED TO LEAVE.Straight away. The whole room was suffocating me. Holden's dad went back to where his family was standing and whispered something into his wife's ear. She nodded. What were they saying? Did they all know? Holden finally came down the stairs, Ally shortly after. There was no way in hell I could face him. I couldn't tell him, but at the same time it felt like something he was entitled to know. Logan had lived for most of his life not knowing, Holden had no idea at all. Was it better that way? I made my way for the door before he had the chance to find me.

On my way out, I spotted Parker. His mum was still firmly by his side like a watchdog. There were so many things swirling around in my head. I just needed a long walk to clear my head. To work out what I was going to do, what I was meant to do. Too bad it was too dangerous at night to be walking alone.

Parker looked at me and briefly mouthed something. I couldn't make out what he was saying, but I gave him a quick wave and kept my head down to leave.

My hands were still shaking as I stood outside, waiting for the taxi I'd called. I crossed my arms to try and stop it.

"You thought you were getting away that easily?" Parker said from behind me. I turned around to see him leaning against one of the posts.

I made it obvious I was looking over his shoulder. He turned around. "What?"

"Just making sure Cerberus wasn't coming up behind you," I joked. Headlights broke through the darkness and the sound of gravel crunching got louder as the taxi approached. "My taxi's here," I said, awkwardly gesturing to the bright yellow cab that was now waiting for me to get in.

Instead, Parker closed the distance between us, passed me and went up to the door of the taxi. He opened it. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but we won't be needing the taxi," he said. He fished a hundred-dollar bill from his wallet and handed it to the driver who was more than happy to take it and leave.

"So do you just hand those out?" I guffawed.

"I wasn't just going to tell the man to leave with nothing," he retorted. "Besides, you look like you need a walk, so let's go." He started walking down the winding path away from the mansion. I wasn't going to protest.

"Wait up," I said, quickening my pace. The straps on my heels were starting to dig into my flesh, rubbing the sides of my feet raw. The gravel stones rolling as I stepped on them weren't helping.

"Can you walk any slower?" He said.

"Fine. I'll take my shoes off," I said, stopping to unstrap my heels. The moment I released the strap, I could feel the muscles in my feet relax and return to their original shape. I slung the straps over my fingers to hold them. As soon as I took the first step, I realised that was a mistake. The gravel stones dug into the soles of my feet.

"Let me just carry you," Parker huffed, stopping again.

"Um, what?"

"I was raised to be a gentleman," he said, bending down.

"Only until we reach a path or grass," I said, getting on. My feet were too sore, I was too tired, and my mind was too tired to argue. "Does a gentleman leave a girl half naked outside the school changerooms?" I asked, grinning, reminding him of one of the first times we'd run into each other.

The warmth radiated from his body and I could feel each step he took as it hit the gravel. All I could see was the winding path. I couldn't tell where it was going, but only that it continued. If we kept going, the night wouldn't end. Everything would stay frozen in time. That was my broken logic – as if the walking, and pretending time wasn't still ticking by was going to solve everything.