Page 4 of The Boy I Loved (Eternal Hell #1)

They allowed tattoos at the correctional camp? That seemed counterproductive to me.

Someone reached out, ruffling my long curly hair and messing it up. I swatted at the offending hand and glared at my amused father. A grin stretched across his weathered face, revealing just how funny he thought he was.

“Dad,” I groaned, smoothing out my chestnut-colored hair. It took a lot of work getting it to lay evenly around my shoulders like this .

I was extremely close with both of my parents.

They didn’t think they could have kids, so when my mom wound up pregnant with me, they viewed it as a miracle of sorts.

Because of that, they went above and beyond for me, making sure I had everything I wanted and needed and more. I was grateful to have them.

“There’s food ready if you’re hungry,” he replied, ignoring my recent protest.

I wasn’t sure I could eat even if I wanted to. My stomach was coiled tight with tension. It also didn’t go unnoticed that Dominic’s friends had made no move to go see him either. They were still in the same spot near the wall, looking around the room as if they were hunting for something.

“I’m okay. Thanks, though.”

A crease formed between my father’s eyebrows as he looked down at me. “You okay, kiddo? You seem uneasy.”

No.

It felt like my heart was seconds away from combusting within my chest. The air around me seemed to be getting thinner by the second, and the boy I’d been dying to see was on the other side of the room and I didn’t know how the hell to approach him.

Instead of saying any of that, though, I just painted another fake smile across my face and nodded. “Yeah, just nerves.” That wasn’t a complete lie.

“Hazel Montgomery,” a vaguely familiar voice greeted, interrupting my conversation with my dad.

I whipped my head toward the intruder, unable to hide my surprise when my eyes locked on Clay’s. How he even knew my name was beyond me. The thought that Dominic had mentioned me made my heart skip a beat, a warm feeling sliding through my veins at the prospect.

My father looked at the man like he’d grown a second head, clearly not remembering the one time we’d met him at one of our family dinners .

“Dad, this is Clay. Dominic’s uncle, remember?”

Realization settled into his features, and he nodded, extending a hand for him to shake. “We weren’t formally introduced. I’m Tom; nice to meet you.”

Clay reluctantly accepted the invitation, sliding his hand into my father’s. “Pleasure.” He moved his gaze to mine. “Dominic hasn’t shut up about you ,” he emphasized, following his statement up with a chuckle.

Heat spread through my cheeks, and I thanked God for my baked complexion. So, Dominic had mentioned me.

The last time I’d seen Dom, it had been an emotional rollercoaster, and also a night I’d never forget. It was a memory I held onto like a lifeline while he’d been gone, the only thing seeming to keep me sane through my hardest moments.

“Tom,” my mom called out, poking her head out from the kitchen. “Would you mind helping with the cake?”

My dad nodded, ruffling my hair one more time and nodding in Clay’s direction before he went off to help her.

I was getting overwhelmed by all these people being here and I couldn’t wait for everyone to leave.

Everyone here, either knew me from school, or from being Dominic’s friend, and it was suffocating.

His presence was suffocating. Once my dad was completely out of sight, I glanced up at Clay.

There was a dangerous edge to him, much like the one Dom’s friends had.

His hair was kept short at the sides, streaks of silver laced throughout the strands.

He looked awfully expensive for someone who owned a mechanic shop.

His scruff was just as silver, framing the bottom of his face and lining the sharp curve of his jaw.

“How have you been holding up?” he asked in a deep rumble that seemed to vibrate through me. His question was harmless, but it also held so much authority that a lesser person would feel the need to submit. I couldn’t tell if that was intentional or not .

I nervously fidgeted with the hem of my shirt, something I’d done for years now when anxiety started prickling at my insides.

“Fine, and you?”

He shrugged. “Better now that Dominic’s out of that God forsaken correctional camp.” He scoffed like the thought of him being sent there had been utterly ridiculous. That was something we could agree on, but hopefully Dom got the help he needed while there.

My eyes slid over to the trio near the wall, their attention fixated on us like we were the most interesting part of the party.

A chill swept down my spine as I took in their taunting, calculated gazes.

The way they were looking at me wasn’t right.

It felt like I was their prey, and they were the hunters.

When I didn’t respond, Clay glanced over his shoulder to see what had distracted me. A low chuckle slipped from his lips, making me glance back in his direction. “Don’t mind them,” he said dismissively. “They’re harmless.”

My eyebrows raised in surprise. “You know them?”

“They work for me over at the shop. That’s how Dominic befriended them,” he explained.

I suppose that made sense. There weren’t a lot of places in this town to work, and our school was relatively small. Everyone knew everyone there, most of us having grown up together in some way or another.

“You should come by for dinner sometime,” he continued. “I’m sure Dom would be thrilled.”

Confusion burrowed through me. Why would Dominic be thrilled for me to have dinner with his uncle?

Unless…he was going to be living with him now.

I opened my mouth to ask him just that, but was immediately stopped in my tracks when that same, spicy cologne I’d always been addicted to consumed me.

Heat spread throughout my body like a volcano, warming my veins in the process .

I didn’t have to turn to know that he was right beside me. I could feel him. My throat closed up and a calmness settled over me instantly. He felt like home.

“I’m sure she’s far too busy to concern herself with meaningless dinners.” Dominic’s voice was like smooth velvet, but there was a coldness to it now that wasn’t there before.

It felt like the oxygen had been sucked from my lungs, replaced with an intoxicating gas that made me lightheaded.

Hesitantly, I glanced over at the boy who made my entire world.

My heart rate accelerated to dangerous levels as I peered up at him.

His jaw was clenched, anger pooling off of him as he glared his uncle down.

“I-it’s fine, really,” I offered meekly. “I don’t mind.”

A triumphant smile crested Clay’s face. “See. She wants to.”

Confusion coiled around me like a vice, and I was sure it showed on my face. The last time I’d seen Dominic, he and his uncle were close. Extremely close. Had the correctional camp changed him that prominently?

“She doesn’t know what the fuck she’s saying.” He growled. The sound sent tremors through my body, making the hair on the back of my neck rise. I’d never heard him sound so…aggressive before.

Dominic’s hands were fisted at his sides and light stubble graced the edges of his face.

His long dark lashes created shadows over his cheekbones as they’d always done, and even now, I still wanted to run my fingertips along the sharp ridges of his skin.

He seemed different somehow, but I couldn’t quite place why yet.

A chill swept over me from the awkward tension permeating the atmosphere. Despite Dom’s harsh demeanor, Clay remained easygoing, and a deep chuckle rumbled through him like before. He placed his hands in the air defensively.

“Relax. It was just an offer.”

Dominic finally turned to me for the first time, his gaze only softening a fraction before that wall of his snapped back in place. “Go eat,” he ordered like I was nothing but a burden. Like he wanted nothing to do with me. Like everything that happened between us no longer mattered.

I stared at him for a moment, dumbfounded. My chest constricted and a whirlwind of questions invaded my headspace. This wasn’t how I imagined this to go. I’d created a multitude of different scenarios in my mind, but nothing like what was happening now.

“Go,” he repeated, his lips curling into a disgusted sneer.

Hesitantly, I stumbled away from him. If he didn’t want me here, then I’d leave.

Clearly, something was bothering him. Maybe the drive had been stressful, and he’d go right back to being the version of him that I fell in love with—that I’d been friends with.

Holding onto that hope, I made my way through the living room, not stopping until I was outside.

The warm air soothed my skin, reminding me of a time that had been much, much better. A time that I’d always remember and always hold onto, no matter what happened.

The warm, summer breeze kissed my skin as I moved through the trees expertly. Leaves and twigs crunched beneath our feet. Dominic’s hand clasped with mine as he took the lead, pulling me behind him. My hamstrings burned as I worked to keep up, not being nearly as in shape as he was.

A red backpack hung over his shoulders, determination setting into his features. He told me last week that he’d be going to this corrections camp, and that he wanted to spend one last night in the treehouse before leaving.

I didn’t know what I’d do with him gone. He was the only person I ever hung out with aside from Alice. What would my spare time consist of now? His palm was sweaty against mine, indicating he was either extremely hot, or he was nervous. His hands never felt clammy like they did now .

“Are you okay?” I asked, struggling to keep up with his long strides.

He tossed a look over his shoulder, a smile playing around the corners of his mouth, but I could tell it was forced. His black hair was disheveled, and dark circles decorated either eye.

“Why wouldn’t I be?”