EIGHT

The music is bumping, and the party is crazy. Everyone came to celebrate Rex's birthday. He was surprised to come home to see everybody joining his special event. I look out the window to observe the guests.

There are some I don't recognize, one who Effie invited. Her name was easy to remember, it's where Eddie proposed to me - Paris.

Paris is with Effie, Logan, and two of Effie's best friends. They were chatting and having a blast. I heard the story about Paris. She was Clark's ex-girlfriend and Effie's best friend when they were kids turned bully because of popularity. But I guess they understand because Paris has a shitty life.

Don't we all?

Continuing my observation, everyone wore an attire for the luau; ladies wore either coconut bras or bathing suit tops, wrapped a sarong around their waist or grass skirts, and had Leis around their necks. The men had their Hawaii shirts open or closed; Clark had his shirt open while Sam, his fiancé, had his closed. Lily's parents, Wayne and Nicky, are an adorable couple. Even though it was not a costume party, they decided to dress up as Lilo and Stitch.

For this, California weather is hot, especially at night, and Wayne is wearing a Stitch Onesie, making himself an oversize blue alien dog. I bet he is sweating profusely and wants to remove it, but the children love it and start playing with him.

The Wolfe brothers wore no shirts revealing their tribal tattoos. Each one had the same design and a short grass skirt. They all looked hot and sexy, wearing like that, but one person caught my eye. I see Don talking with Ares and Odin, my cousins' grandfather, whom I had the pleasure of meeting at the graduation party. I was nervous about meeting the man because of his reputation, but as we first introduced ourselves, he pulled up a warm smile and welcomed me with open arms treating me like family.

That warm and comforting embrace reminds me of Nay Nay's warmth. I almost cried. He told me we are family and if there is anything I need, I should come to him. Surely I wouldn't take that offer because there isn't anything I need right now; well, looking for a place where Eddie couldn't find me, but I know he means well.

As I stalking as I watch Don chatting and laughing. I began to call him by his nickname instead of calling Donovan, and it's been a while since I started calling him Don.

It's progress but slowly.

I know he feels he is being watched and instantly look up my bedroom window, and I drop down, avoiding his gaze.

My heart is pounding so hard that I place my hand over my heart. I breathe in and out to keep me calm.

Crouching, I lift myself slightly to see through the window that Don is no longer talking to Ares and Odin.

I let out a breath and then my jump out again when the door opened.

"CJ, what are you doing here? Come down for the party?" Effie stands in the doorway with Lily behind her, holding Ramsey, her son.

I wrap the long white cardigan that I'm wearing and pull it so I won't reveal my attire. "I'm OK, up here."

"I'm going to change Ramsey," Once Lily walks away. Effie went inside and closed the door.

"Are you OK?" She asks as if something terrible is wrong.

"Nothing is wrong. Everything is fine. I came up here to get my cardigan."

"But it's ninety degrees out there, and you're wearing a cardigan?"

"Well, yes."

Effie scoffed, then smiled. "I know you grew up elegant with those fancy parties and shrimp on a cocktail, but it's OK to show a little skin."

I frown. "A little?" I revealed my attire for the party and couldn't help but feel embarrassed about it. "Your sister has gone mad making me wear this."

"I think it looks great on you. Sexier and erotic."

"I never wore anything like this to a party, especially to a beach. I wore a one-piece swimsuit."

A package came in the mail this morning, and Thea told me to open it. It was addressed to her, but she told me it was meant for me. I opened the box and couldn't believe what she had got for me just for the party.

It wasn't a regular bikini bra and grass skirt, which I'm OK with, or just a Hawaiian dress, but what Thea got me is not OK. This outfit blew my mind. I had to run away from her to avoid wearing it.

"Don't complain; look at me," Effie says enthusiastically. "Thea got me the same one."

"But yours looks OK," Effie is wearing a white bikini top and a long dress like a sarong with colorful flowers. She has a flower crown on her head and a seashell necklace, making her look stunning. You don't even see her scars. While showing off her baby bump makes her look like a goddess. Logan couldn't keep her eyes off of her, and from the way he looked at her, hungry, I bet he didn't want to join the party but instead had his party with Effie in the bedroom.

"I'm not going out looking like this," I complain. I took a peek at my attire and closed it, shaking my head. "Nope, not going to happen."

"CJ," Effie takes my hand and smiles. I can feel her reassurance just by that look, and I know she is trying to give me a good reason. "I know my sister can go overboard. I mean, you should know her personality. She wants you to let loose for a bit."

"But Effie, look what she got me to wear." I unravel myself to show her what her crazy sister got me. "This isn't clothes; I'm wearing lingerie."

They got me wearing some sexy tribal costume with my boobs tightened to give that lift, a bottom with a short-ass skirt, and a pearl necklace and bracelet to go with that tropical theme. Thea curled my hair and lifted it into a nice sexy ponytail. And this outfit has small fake diamonds that sparkle. It's too showy. I never wore anything like this before, and I'm too ashamed to get out looking like this.

Effie chuckle. She chuckles instead of grieving with me about this attire. "You know Thea is wearing something similar like that."

"Yes, I know. But that isn't the point." I wanted to tear my hair out.

"CJ, it's fine. You look hot." Then she pulled that face, that smirking and grinning face, and knew what she was going to say next. "I know a certain person who would love to see you in that."

I groan.

"What?"

"Not you too."

"About what?"

"You sisters are so cunning makes me want to find a new place without your wild behavior quickly."

Effie laugh. "You noticed."

"Of course!"

"Don is a great guy. I don't see what harm to get to know him."

"Because I have a son," I explain.

"So, he's not those guys who run away from a woman who already has a kid because they are scared to walk that path. He loves kids; you see him with Zara, Ramsey, and Leo daily, caring for him while you work."

True.

Leo loves Don and adores him. They would hang out a lot and sleep together whenever I returned from my late shift at the bar. I found a relief that my son gets to enjoy the bond. He never had this bond with his father because he was too scared.

In London, Leo keeps to himself and won't play with the other kids because he's too afraid that no one will play with him, like how his father avoids him. But now, I had never seen Leo so happy with Don. With a childhood like Don, he and Leo have that close bond of similarities of an abusive father.

But I never told Don or anyone about Eddie. I told them repeatedly that I needed a break from reality with him because he was always working. I canceled the engagement party because I needed some time alone. I don't want to marry a man who works all the time. That is the type of excuse story I told my cousins, except for Mother.

"I don't know," I say to Effie, hugging myself. "I don't feel comfortable wearing this."

"It will be fine. No one is going to laugh at you. It's everyone we know."

I think about it and wince. "At least let me wear something that covers my chest. Look at my boobs. They are suffocating with this dress bra."

Effie laugh. "You got to ask Thea. Not me."

"Effie, please help me," I whine, and she laughs again.

"Come on," she takes my hand and drags me downstairs. I can't hold back because I don't have the strength to. The closer we get, the closer my heart is pounding.

What the hell am I going to do wearing this?

What if he sees me in this? What will Donovan think of me?

Why am I concerned about some guy I don't know? Sure, we live together, and he takes care of Leo when I work and sometimes picks me up to drive us back home, but the man...that man...I don't know what to think of Donovan.

I don't know what I think of him.

Safe? Dangerous?

Yeah, dangerously hot that I couldn't keep my woman parts tact. There isn't a day or night that I dream about him. I couldn't focus on my life and son when Don interrupted it.

I don't know what to do.

I need to get away. I ran from Eddie; why can't I do the same with Don?