Odessa’s POV
“What happened to you?”
Landon’s voice was quiet but from his tone i knew he was pissed.
I looked up at him and immediately looked away again.
“It’s nothing.”
His eyes lingered on the sticky stain soaking through my pink dress before settling back on my face.
“That doesn’t look like nothing.”
I forced out a laugh.
“It was an accident.”
He didn’t say anything.
I hated that.
I would have preferred if he’d called me an idiot or made one of his sarcastic comments.
Instead, he just… stared at me like he was waiting for the truth, but the last thing I wanted was a new scandal about me for making Landon confront Cecily.
“You don’t have to keep looking at me like that,” I muttered.
“Like what?”
“Like you know I’m lying.”
His jaw tightened.
“I do know you’re lying.”
I sighed.
“I’m fine really I promise.”
“No.”
His answer came so quickly it caught me off guard.
“You don’t look fine.”
I looked down at my ruined dress.
“I’ll survive.”
His gaze followed mine.
“I actually liked this dress.”
I blinked.
“What?”
I stared at him in surprise and then crossed my arms awkwardly and tried to hide my pink cheeks.
“It doesn’t matter.” I said
He grunted and before I could ask what he meant, he looked past me and back toward the party.
“Was it Cecily?” He asked
I froze and bit my lip.
Landon’s expression darkened and he kept on walking back to the crowd.
My eyes widened.
“Landon stop.”
He didn’t stop so I hurried after him.
“Landon!”
He pushed open the party doors and rushed through me.
Oh no.
He was actually going to confront her.
I grabbed his arm and tugged on it hard, he stopped instantly.
The music from inside the party pulsed around us, but neither of us moved.
He slowly looked down at my hand wrapped around his wrist.
“What?”
“Don’t confront her.”
His eyebrows drew together.
“Move.”
“No.”
“Odessa.”
“I’m serious.”
“So am I.”
He tried taking another step and I tightened my grip.
“Please.”
That single word made him stop completely and he looked at me.
“Leave it alone.” I said
“She threw a drink on you.”
“I know and it was an accident.”
“So?”
“So… I don’t want you fighting because of me.”
His expression didn’t change.
“But if you go in there now, everyone’s going to make an even bigger deal out of this.”
He stayed silent.
“I’ve already had enough attention for one night.” I said
He studied my face and scoffed
“Don’t think too much of yourself, I was trying to help but it seems you’re fine”
He reached for the zipper of his leather jacket and I frowned.
“What are you doing?”
Instead of answering, he shrugged the jacket off his shoulders.
He stepped closer and my heart skipped in my chest, without warning, he gently draped the jacket over my shoulders.
It was still warm from his body.
The scent of cedarwood and chocolate surrounded me instantly.
I resisted to urge to sniff it like a creep, I looked down at the oversized black leather jacket hanging around me and then back up at him. You are reading on g.com, the official source.
“Landon”
“It’ll cover the stain.” He said in a matter of fact way
I looked at the front of my dress and he was right.
The jacket hid almost everything.
“You didn’t have to do that.”
“I know.”
“Then why did you?” He avoided my eyes.
“People will stare at you.”
I smiled softly.
“You’re worried people will stare at me?”
“I’m worried they’ll annoy me with their gossips since I’m im right beside you .”
“Sure” I said and smiled
He scoffed.
“Don’t get used to this.”
“I wasn’t planning to.”
He looked at me for another second before turning toward the exit.
“Come on.”
I blinked.
“Where?”
“I’m taking you home.”
“What?”
“You heard me.”
“I can call a taxi.”
“You won’t.”
“And how do you know that?”
“Because you’ve been arguing with me for the last five minutes instead of calling one.”
“Are you going to kidnap me?.” I asked
“People usually kidnap obedient kids” he said
“I am not a kid!!” I said and he started walking toward the parking lot.
I stood there for a moment before pulling my phone from my purse.
Odessa: I’m heading home.
Don’t wait for me ❤️
The replies came almost instantly.
Naomi: WITH LANDON???
👀
Maya: DON’T DO ANYTHING I WOULDN’T DO!!
I laughed
Odessa: Shut up.
He’s just taking me home.
Naomi: Sure, sweetheart.
I rolled my eyes and slipped my phone back into my bag.
By the time I stepped outside, Landon was already standing beside his motorcycle, with a white helmet in his hands.
He looked up as I approached.
“Took you long enough.”
I smiled.
“My friends are very dramatic.”
“So are you.”
“I am not.”
He held the helmet out to me.
“Put it on.”
I took it from him, staring down at it.
“I’ve… never actually been on a motorcycle before.”
For the first time that night Landon laughed out loud, it was nice to hear his laughter then it was gone almost as soon as it appeared.
“I know.” He said
I frowned.
“How?”
“You are a rich princess i’m sure you grew up im fancy cars and had drivers taking you to school everyday”
I huffed.
“Don’t make fun of me.”
He rolled his eyes” put it on or you can go back inside”
I took a deep breath and then climbed onto the motorcycle behind him.
My heart was already racing and we hadn’t even started moving yet.
The engine roared to life beneath us and I jumped.
Landon looked over his shoulder.
“Nervous?”
“No.”
“Little Liar.”
“I said no.”
He chuckled.
“You’ve got about five seconds before I start driving.”
“What am I supposed to hold onto?”
“The bike of course.”
“Are you being sarcastic?.”
“Guess”
The motorcycle rolled forward and I yelped and wrapped my arm around his waist, I tried to ignore his strong abs i could feel but I failed badly.
He wa so close to me, I was literally counting my breaths.
Landon accelerated.
“Oh my God!” I yelled
The motorcycle surged onto the road and the sudden speed made my stomach drop.
Without thinking, I wrapped both arms tightly around Landon’s waist and moved forward we were practically sharing one skin now.
He laughed.
“Comfortable?”
“No!”
“You look very comfortable.”
“I’m trying not to die!”
“Bit dramatic.”
“Says the man driving like he’s in a race.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
I buried my face against the back of his jacket.
“I hate you.”
The cool night breeze rushed past us as the city lights blurred together.
I slowly relaxed and the ride wasn’t nearly as terrifying as I’d expected.
It was nice, the streets were almost empty, and the only sound was the steady hum of the engine beneath us.
I found myself smiling.
Maybe this wasn’t so bad after all.
“What’s your house address”
I called it out to him while I looked at the stars and the beautiful street around me.
A few minutes later, the motorcycle slowed to a stop outside Dean and Havana’s house.
I climbed off carefully and pulled off the helmet.
My hair was a complete mess.
Landon accepted the helmet from me.
“I survived.” I said
“Barely.”
“I did not scream.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“I’ll believe whatever helps you sleep tonight.”
I folded my arms and he placed the helmet back on the motorcycle.
“Go inside pinky.”
I looked toward the house and the lights in the living room were still on.
Havana was probably watching a movie.
I turned back to Landon.
“Thank you.”
He shrugged.
“It was on the way.”
A faint smile tugged at the corner of my lips.
“Thank you anyway.”
He nodded once and then swung one leg over the motorcycle.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He slipped on his helmet and the engine started again.
He was leaving.
I don’t know what came over me.
Maybe it was everything that had happened tonight or some confidence from hell.
Whatever it was I wasn’t ready for him to leave.
“Landon.”
His hand paused on the throttle and looked back at me.
I walked toward him slowly.
“What?”
I opened my mouth and nothing came out.
Because honestly I didn’t know what I wanted to say.
I just knew I didn’t want to go inside yet.
He watched me patiently.
“Well?”
I looked down at the ground before meeting his eyes again.
“I”
My fingers tightened around the sleeves of his oversized leather jacket.
“I don’t want to go home yet.”
The words came out so quietly I almost hoped he hadn’t heard them.
But he obviously had.
He stared at me for a long moment, none of us spoke.
I was just about to run back into the house when and kill myself in shame, when without taking his eyes off me, Landon switched off the motorcycle.
The engine went silent and he stared right into my eyes.