Page 45 of We Are Yours

He teased, “Are you trying to short-circuit me?”

His lips parted, staring at our entwined hands before he helped me out. I shook off the thoughts, wanting to have a good time tonight. For once, I was about to experience what everyone else my age did every weekend.

It wasn’t lost on me that Kraven didn’t let go of my hand, making sure I stayed behind him. We walked up to the entrance. I’d seen my fair share of crazy parties with my fosters because they often threw them, but this one was different. It was people my age just having a great time. It didn’t feel seedy or wrong. It felt inviting and fun. I could instantly relate to why he enjoyed being out. It was nice to forget what wasn’t waiting for you back at home.

I did feel like a fish out of water. The smell of smoke and weed assaulted my senses as we made our way through a swarm of people. They were all heavily drinking, laughing, joking, and swearing up a storm.

Kraven still didn’t let go of my hand as he led me through the crowd of partygoers. Some couples were kissing in the corners and starting to get intimate. It was like a train wreck I couldn’t look away from.

I thought about Julius, wondering what he was doing and why he was out of town to begin with. The more I took in the scene unfolding before me, the more uncomfortable I became with my thoughts about what he was doing. The chaos all around made me wish Julius were with us, not on some trip to pay the bills. I needed to get a job and help out. I’d be seventeen soon, I should be able to find something, anything, to contribute.

We started to roam around other rooms, each one more graphic than the last, until we ended up in the basement. Kraven stopped once we were standing in front of the fridge.

The Caribbean-blue shade in his eyes was so damn enticing, luring me into his smile. As soon as he caught me staring at his defined arms and broad chest, I blushed, looking back at the fridge. He was dressed in a blue sweater, jeans, and boots.

Before he opened it, he asked, towering over me, “Isla.”

It was weird hearing him call me that when he didn’t use my name often, and he said it with such fondness. The way it rolled off his tongue was doing things to me, making me feel those familiar flutters in my stomach. I didn’t know if it was from the way he said it, but it brought a sense of calm over me, making me feel safe for some reason.

“How old are you?” he asked out of nowhere.

I mouthed, “Almost seventeen,” and he watched my lips move intently.

“You drink?”

I had never drunk, but I still nodded.

He grabbed two beers out of the fridge, and we were on our way again. The party was even more packed, leaving very little room to shift through the crowd. It made it nearly impossible to see over everyone’s heads. I tried my best to keep up with Kraven, but I lost him for a minute in the madness.

Before I could panic, I felt his strong hands grip my waist, pulling me back into his hard body. He smiled down at me with a look of reassurance as I glanced up at him, making my belly flutter and my heart beat faster.

He repeated, “Stay close,” in my ear as he grabbed my hand, guiding the way.

“Hey, there,” a girl greeted, abruptly standing out in front of him and halting our descent. “You left me hanging last night.” Locking eyes with me for a second, she openly showed me her disdain and then glanced back at him. “How about you make it up to me tonight?”

I cleared my throat, trying to pull my hand away, but all he did was hold it tighter and closer to him.

“If I left you last night,” he emphasized in a charming way, “what makes you think tonight is any different?”

She sneered, peering over at me again. In one breath, she let out, “I thought she was your brother’s girl.”

I jerked back, surprised by her revelation.

Is he talking about me?

“She has nothing to do with you. Let’s get that straight.” His tone was laced with dominance and persistence.

Is he being possessive?

She opened her mouth at the same time Kraven sidestepped her, taking me with him. The way he handled conflict was interesting, to say the least. I guessed he had to have the last word.

His grip only increased, and we didn’t stop until we got to a bar. He grabbed a bottle of vodka from the cooler, taking two cups and a few club sodas. I followed him back outside, walking past the partygoers, going to the field where most of the cars were parked. He never let go of my hand, which I was grateful for. I still wasn’t entirely comfortable with the whole situation, so adding whoever that was to the chaos didn’t help.

There was entirely too much coming to light, causing dizziness to override. The nerves were getting to me. Maybe this was too fast, too soon. I wasn’t used to being protected, and the fact that it was Kraven who was doing it was just too unexpected for me. It was my tipping point, spilling over into a mess I never intended to create.

He pulled down the tailgate of a massive, souped-up Chevy truck, patting the metal for me to take a seat. I went to jump up, but he gripped my waist as if I weighed nothing, setting me down on the tailgate instead to step between my thighs, and still, he didn’t let go of my waist when he was done.

“You alright?” he asked, breaking this spiral I was falling into.