15: All the best things

•Odette•

My hands were tense on the steering wheel as I parked my car. It was a different one from the car I’d driven to see my father days ago.

I couldn’t ride that one anymore.

A lump formed in my throat as the frightening memory refreshed in my head.

They knew my secret? A secret that I’d suppressed so deeply in the back of my mind that I could hardly even remember the details? That one?

Fuck whoever thought they could threaten me.

I grabbed my purse and alighted from the car. I was dressed in a formal blue gown this evening that went off the shoulder. The length ended around my knees and had a long slit at the back.

The unreasonably high heels on my feet were killing me as I strutted, probably because I’ve been on them all day, going from place to place to personally inform and invite people to the wedding.

All that, just to have Draven ring me to tell me he wanted me to meet up with his closest friends who’d be present at the wedding. I was to act as naturally as possible.

I wasn’t completely sure if his friends knew that our relationship was a sham, so I was set on not doing too much.

I walked into the lounge like I owned it and navigated my way to the room Draven informed me he would be inside.

A step into the room and I was hit with the strong smell of alcohol and testosterone. I blinked a couple of times and cleared my throat to adapt into the setting.

Then I planted a polite smile on my face and went deeper.

“Odette Valmont, you’re finally here!” Draven was the first to acknowledge me, standing from his seat and walking towards me.

He wrapped his arms around my waist and placed a peck on my cheek. My hand was on his chest as I said, “Hi, good evening.”

Draven’s breath reeked of expensive champagne, yet that damn mint coffee scent in his body seemed even stronger.

“You look ravishing, darling.” Draven made a show of pressing his soft lips to my forehead for more than a couple of seconds before retreating with a ‘muah’ sound.

I feigned a giggle at the gesture and patted his chest cheerfully. “Oh, stop it.”

“Gag.” An unamused voice floated in the air and made an impact on my fake smile.

I finally looked at the other occupants in the lounge. The one who said that word was wearing a vintage shirt and shorts with curly brown hair and light brown eyes. He had this puppyish face that I found oddly familiar.

The other guy was on a white button-down with a black suit vest on top and a powerful aura that could make one feel incredibly small under his gaze.

This was a man I knew—not personally, but I’ve heard about him. Adrian Hawk, Draven’s absolute best friend and perhaps his complete opposite.

“Don’t be jealous, Hen. They’re in their honeymoon stage.” Adrian said with a rather disinterested voice, then stood up to welcome me.

“Hello, Miss Valmont. Nice to meet me.” He stretched out his hand for a shake.

I slowly disentangled from Draven to take the man’s strong, callused hand.

“My pleasure, Mr. Hawk. I’ve heard so many things about you.” I smiled politely.

“All good things, I hope?” Adrian indulged, dissolving the handshake.

I only smiled in response. I heard he was a very tough nut to crack. Not a man to go against and an upright citizen to the core.

My father would love him.

“Yes, yes. All the best things and more, Adrian. You’re perfect.” Draven droned with displeasure and pulled me back to him, much closer than before. Like he was staking his claim on me.

Though I was confused as to why, I didn’t make a fuss about it.

“That one there is Henry. No need to mind him too much.” Draven pointed at the guy still sitting, sipping on his drink.

His brown eyes cut to Draven in an offended manner before he rose to his feet to acknowledge me.

“Hi…” was all he said, waving shyly at me.

He looked like he’d been drained of all his energy in some kind of way. And that face, hold on…

“Did you attend Elite High School?” I asked without holding back as a weight settled on my chest.

Henry’s mouth fell open, and just a second before he could reply, Draven tightened his arm around my waist and said, “He sure did. Took you a while to remember. It’s your highschool sweetheart.”

The amusement in Draven’s tone was so clear and mocking. I knew for sure I wasn’t the one being mocked when I noticed how Henry’s cheeks had tinted bright red.

“We were never high school sweethearts. Just friends,” I clarified to Draven with a pinched tone. “Good to see you again.” I said to Henry, reaching for his hand.

He awkwardly clasped my hand in his for less than a second. “Yeah, you look good.”

“Thank you.” I withdrew all forms of informality with him and stuck to Draven’s side.

“Come on, I got you your favorite drink. Sit with me.” Draven shifted the topic and ushered me to settle down on the leathery cushion.

The other two men followed suit. It had been awkward at first because of Henry’s odd temperament, but after two or three drinks, everything fell into place.

And I finally let go of the guilty feeling that had been gnawing at my chest since I recognized Henry Hawk.