Page 55 of Bonding with the Beta (Fated Souls #2)

55

KAYLEIGH

I can’t remember when I last went to a party and let my hair down.

I’ve been uptight in the past, worrying about essays and whether I’d see Josh. But now, I don’t have to worry about seeing Josh because he has been expelled from the university.

After a few weeks in therapy, I finally gathered the courage to bring all my evidence to the dean regarding Josh. Only to find out that there was already a case building against him after other girls had come forward.

Never in my life have I felt so relieved to hear that he was removed from the university after an investigation involving the police, and now, I don’t have to worry about seeing him again.

But for tonight? I couldn’t care about anything other than the fact I’m having a good time. I deserve to let loose after all my hard work and standing up for myself and the women on campus.

I’m at university, and going to parties is inevitable.

“Hey,” Evie shouts over the loud music as she wraps an arm around my shoulder. “You good?”

I grin back at her with my plastic cup in hand. “Yeah. I’m really good.”

My eyes burn a little as I stare back at her, but in a good way. The alcohol has hit my system, and every inch of my body is feeling light and lethargic.

“Sure?”

“Yeah.” I chuckle. “Come dance with me.”

“Okay.”

I grab onto Evie’s hand and drag her towards the dancefloor which is literally just the living room, but we move our bodies to the funky music, and the smile on my face doesn’t leave for what feels like hours.

“I love that you’re having a good time,” Evie shouts into my ear.

“The best,” I admit. “We never do this.”

“I know.”

My lips latch onto the edge of the cup, and I take a long sip, the fruity liquid hitting my throat and then the sharpness of the spirit. I clamp my eyes shut as I swallow it down and allow my eyes to close as the music changes.

“Oh my God.” Evie grips onto my arms. “Nathan is here.”

I glance across the room to find Nathan entering with his football friends. I smirk at the stars dancing in Evie’s eyes as she admires him. “Go talk to him.” I nudge her.

She bursts out laughing. “Talk to him? Are you kidding? No way.”

“Why not? You never know; he might like you, too.”

“We’ve never spoken.” She looks up at me beneath her hooded lids. “He doesn’t even know I exist.”

My eyes roll. “Of course, he knows you exist. And you look stunning tonight. Just go say hi or something.”

A wave of panic rolls over Evie’s face as she watches him from across the room. I smile and stand back. I want to see her happy and be there for her as much as she’s been there for me.

“No…” she trails off. “I can’t. Maybe another night.”

“I’ll go speak to him for you, then,” I say as I take off in his direction.

Evie releases a shriek. “What? No. No. Okay. Fine. I’ll do it.”

I grin back at her. She places her hands on her hips with an annoyed expression. “Go,” I encourage her. “You’ve got this.”

She makes a strangled noise in the back of her throat. “Fine.”

I stalk her every move as she walks across the room, slipping between the sea of people to reach Nathan. I hold my breath and hiccup when she actually says hello, and he smiles back at her, creating conversation.

I beam at the sight before removing myself from the sweaty living room and heading out to the front of the house for some peace, quiet, and fresh air. It’s empty when I reach the porch.

“Kayleigh.” I twist to find Jessica approaching me.

My stomach clenches at the sight of her.

“What do you want?”

Jessica sighs and swipes her hair from her face. “I just wanted to say that I’m sorry about everything and the way we treated you after you and Josh broke up.”

“Mm.” I tilt my head. “Funny you only want to apologise when the truth comes out. You all saw how he treated me, and you still took his side when you knew he was a narcissist.”

Jessica’s eyes lower, guilt evident on her face. “Yeah.” She frowns to herself. “I guess that’s true, and we were wrong. I’m sorry about everything.”

“It’s fine,” I murmur. “I’ve had my closure.”

“Right, well…have a good night.”

I don’t bother saying anything in return when she walks away. I take a breath and perch on the top step of the porch.

My phone is clamped between my hands, and the tightness in my chest increases. I want to call him. I want to call him all the time. But I keep telling myself that these moments are for myself until I miss him so hard I can’t breathe.

Before I know what I’m doing, the phone is dialling, and I’m calling him.

Just to hear his voice. One time.

“Kayleigh?”

I almost fall off the step at the raspiness in his tone.

“Sorry,” I mumble. “It’s late.”

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” I admit. “I’m good, really good, actually.”

Kayden clears his throat. “I’m glad.”

“It’s good to hear your voice,” I blurt before biting down on my bottom lip.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Yours too, blondie,” he exhales, and a chill rushes over me at the nickname. “Where are you?”

I glance back as a couple walk through the front door with their arms around each other at the same time an Uber pulls up on the street. “At a party,” I say. “I’m having such a good night. It’s the first time in a while I actually shut off my mind and had a nice time.”

“You’re at a party, and you’re calling me?”

“Yeah, I guess so.” I laugh before I hiccup.

“Are you drunk?”

“Yeah.”

“How are you getting home?”

“Probably walk.”

“Walk?” Kayden spits the word out like it’s venom. “No. You can’t walk home. It’s almost one in the morning.”

I glance up at the dark sky and scattered stars. “I’ll be okay. It’s only ten minutes away.”

“No,” he says, his voice determined and gravelly. “Don’t you dare. Call an Uber.”

“I’m not leaving yet.”

“Fine, then I’ll come pick you up.”

I blink rapidly at his statement. “That’s over an hour away.”

“You think an hour is long? Kayleigh, I’d walk barefoot across glass for weeks if that meant you got home safe.”

My pulse pounds in my throat. “That’s a little excessive,” I murmur.

“Not when it comes to you.”

I clutch the phone like my life depended on it.

“I’ll be here for a little while longer.”

“Then I’ll wait.”

“Fine.”

“Text me the address.”

“Okay.”

I don’t say anything else, but neither of us hangs up.

“I’ll see you later, okay?”

“Yeah.”

When I brush myself off and go back into the party, I scout the room for Evie. I walk from the kitchen to the living room to the garden and find her sitting on Nathan’s lap on the outside furniture. I smile at the sight of them with his arm around her lower back and both of them laughing at something Evie said.

Good for her.

The next hour rolls by, and when Kayden tells me he’s outside, I tell Evie I’m leaving if she wants to come with me. “I’ll drive her home,” Nathan says to me. “I’ve not been drinking tonight.”

I hum. “Alright. Text me, please?”

“Of course.” She grins. “See you later.”

When I leave the party and head down the porch steps, I find Kayden leaning against the passenger door of his Jeep. My breathing hitches in my throat at the sight of him, and I sway as I walk.

Kayden meets me halfway, holding onto my hip for support.

“Hey,” he whispers.

“Hey,” I whisper back as I tilt my head to meet his height.

“You okay?”

I nod.

I want nothing more than to wrap my arms around his neck and taste his lips after what feels like years of not having him. But it’s only been two months.

It feels like a lifetime.

Kayden guides me to his car and helps me into the seat before buckling me up. I watch him with awe. It’s a simple gesture, but it’s so damn hot that my cheeks begin to bloom.

The drive back to campus is quiet, except for the soft music playing. As soon as we pull up, we head towards my dorm room as I fumble with my keys and almost trip over my own feet in the process.

He doesn’t come in. He stands by the door.

I frown as I look back at him.

God. My eyes almost burst into flames at how undeniably handsome he is.

“What’s the matter?” I ask with a slur.

“Nothing.” He shakes his head. “I just?—”

I walk back towards him and wrap my arms around his neck, this time having zero control. He releases a low groan and holds onto my waist gently. I breathe through my nose as I press onto my toes, our mouths inches from one another.

“Wait, Kayleigh.” He pulls back. “You’re drunk.”

“Does that matter?”

Kayden’s brows push together. “It always matters.”

“But I want to kiss you,” I blurt.

His jaw tenses. “And I want you to kiss me when you’re sober, not when you’ve been influenced by alcohol. I need to know that what you’re feeling is real.”

“It is real.” I nod. “It’s always been real.”

“Not like this, blondie,” he says, removing my hands from his neck.

An ache grows in my chest as I step back. “Right.”

I turn my back on him and start to remove my clothes before finding my pyjamas and throwing them on. I glance over my shoulder to find him still standing by the door.

“Are you going to come in at least and cuddle me?” I ask.

Kayden looks down with a quick smile. “I suppose we can do that.”

After taking off my makeup and crawling into bed, Kayden removes his clothes and slips in beside me. I lean over to turn off my light at the same time I feel his large arm wrap around my waist and tug me towards him.

Within seconds, I feel at home in his arms, with his warmth.

My head buries into the pillow, and the smile on my face doesn’t disappear, even when I finally fall asleep.