CHAPTER fOUR

Reina

I had never seen him shirtless but seeing him like that made it seem like I had just walked into a dangerous zone. Yet, I couldn't look away. He smelled like a heavenly mix of mint and pine, which only added to my embarrassment.

For what felt like an eternity, we stared at each other. His eyes widened slightly before narrowing into slits, taking in my bra and shorts. His jaw tightened and his hand clenched around the towel. The silence was deafening, my heart pounding in my chest like a drum.

"What the hell are you doing in my room?" he barked, breaking the spell.

"This isn't your room," I said, my voice shakier than I would have liked. "This is mine!" I insisted, pointing at my bag, my heart racing faster than a cheetah on the Serengeti.

He took a step closer, his towel slipping slightly. "And what makes you think that?" His eyes narrowed, and I could feel the anger radiating off him.

"My bag," I murmured, pointing at it again. "It's right there."

He strode over to it, his muscles rippling with every step. He grabbed the bag and tossed it out the door. "It's a mistake," he said simply. "You're not welcome here."

I felt like the air had been knocked out of me. "But where am I supposed to go?"

"Not my problem," he said, turning away. "You can sleep in the library for all I care."

Fuming, I picked up my bag and stepped closer to him, not caring about how little distance we had between us. "It's not like I want this too but whether you like it or not, I'm staying here. You will have to deal with it..."

What came out next was a squeal and the sound of my bag dropping to the floor as Austin grabbed both of my wrists and slammed my back against the wall, his breath fanning my face. The impact made me arch my back but that was my biggest mistake.

My knee brushed past his bulge and for a second, I thought he would snap. Instead, he turned me around, pressing himself against me while my wrists were still held together by him.

"I told you before, Riley. You're not on top of my list of things to worry about. You're not even included." He pressed closer, the muscular ridge of his chest digging into my back. "Understand this and we might not have a problem."

I spent the rest of the day in my room. The one a worker eventually moved me into after my awkward encounter with Austin. I couldn't get it out of my head and that made things even worse. This guy hates me for Christ's sake. But here I was, replaying the memory of him pressed against my back, his bulge slightly brushing my ass.

That alone sent numerous messages from my brain down to the rest of my body even though I knew it was unintentional.

The door creaked open and my mom entered, looking ravishing.

"Hey, baby," she cooed, her heels clicking against the tiled floor. "I hope you enjoyed your day in your new home."

She sat on the edge of the bed, a broad smile on her face. The magazine I had been flipping through lowered as I paid attention to her, gaze unsmiling.

"I still don't know why you agreed to this marriage, mom. You barely know this man. And...and Austin..."

"I understand. It's hard on you both because you are both grown ups. Change is scary. Especially for you." She patted my legs. "But I deserve to be happy too."

I scoffed. "You and I both know this isn't about happiness."

Her expression darkened as she withdrew her arm and rose. "Well," she adjusted her gown. "It doesn't matter how you feel about this but the wedding will hold. The Engagement party is this weekend. Ensure you get ready."

What? My mouth flung open but nothing came out of it. An official announcement to seal the deal. Knowing my mother, the whole world would probably know about this. How was I going to cope in school? How would Austin feel about this?

I didn't have enough time to think about this as I returned to school. Thankfully, no one had heard about it and I did a good job in ensuring it remained that way.

By the time I was done for the day, my arms ached and my eyes were heavy. All I wanted was a good night's sleep. Until I heard a squeal from my side.

"Oh my god!" Jenny screamed as she jumped off the bed. "The Brock Reed is getting married?"

My heart skipped. "What are you saying?" Sophie asked.

Jenny showed her what was on the screen. "It is an open invite. Which means we can go if we want to."

That must be my mom's handwork. My chest churned as I walked towards Jenny to see what she was talking about.

By morning, every news outlet, bloggers, paparazzi and all had spread the news. This was really bad. Thankfully, Brock had thought to keep who his fiance was as a secret. The unveiling would be by weekend, during the engagement party.

"I hope you are all dressed up," her voice moved into my ears as I sat in front of my vanity, my phone close to my ear.

If wearing a pink pantsuit and a pair of white sneakers could be called dressing up, then I was ready. My hair was worn in an updo, a sticky clear lip gloss moisturising my lips and mascara to thicken my lashes before placing my glasses on.

The drive from school to the mansion where the party would take place in the living room took about an hour and a half, but it wasn't enough to prepare me for when I saw Austin standing across the room. He was dressed in a fancy navy blue suit and black shirt that he left open at the chest, one hand dug in his pocket.

His hair was styled to the side, further exposing his defined jawline and made him look ten times hotter. My hands began to shake as I grabbed a glass of chardonnay from a tray.

As if fate was hell bent on punishing me, I heard my name.

"Reina!" Mr. Brock called from behind. I turned to see him beaming from ear to ear as he hugged me. "I'm glad you made it. Have you seen Austin?"

I was about to point in the direction when he patted my back quickly, "Go find Austin for me and tell him to come see me in the study room."

"But...he's...but..." He left already.

I turned around and began to walk towards Austin, hand gripping my glass.