Chapter 28: Chapter 28

~TWO DAYS LATER~

MELODY

I was in the kitchen with Mom, chopping salad ingredients for dinner.

“They look good together,” Mom said, looking forward. I didn’t need to look up. I knew she was talking about Xavier and Lisa.

I wrinkled my nose. “Yeah,” I murmured, throwing a piece of carrot into my mouth.

The sound of crunching gravel alerted us that someone had pulled up. A minute later, voices started coming from the living room.

I washed my hands and headed to the living room. My eyes instantly connected with Xavier. He was laughing at something, but he stopped laughing when he saw me.

Memories from the night before flooded my mind. I blushed and looked away.

“Who is that beauty?” a new voice said. He was walking toward me, smiling.

Dan came beside me and pulled me to his chest with his hand at my waist. I looked up to his face. His jaw was clenched. He was pissed about something. “My girlfriend, Melody,” he said.

Whoever the new person was, he stopped suddenly. He looked between us. Something flickered in his eyes. Before I could read it, he closed his eyes and shook his head.

When he opened them again, something was different. He smiled, but it was forced. He stopped in front of me.

He was around six feet tall and lean. His dark hair was messy, not short and not long, and his eyes were the same as Xavier’s. “I’m Asher. Xavier’s brother.” He stretched his hand out.

“Melody,” I said and shook his hand. He held on a few seconds longer than necessary.

“Dinner is ready,” Mom called from the kitchen.

We all walked to the dining room. It had a large rectangular dining table. I sat with Dan, and Xavier sat across from me.

I focused my attention on Dan, avoiding Xavier purposely. There were so many things I wanted to say to him at that moment, but nothing would make things right.

“So what’re your intentions toward my daughter?” I looked up from my plate to see whom my dad was asking. Dad’s eyes were on Xavier.

He shifted in his place few times, then he cleared his throat before saying, “About that, I want to say something to all of you.” His eyes met mine. I chewed my lip as I stared up at him.

Dan reached for my hand under the table. Xavier cleared his throat again. “I—”

“We’re taking things slow, and we haven’t thought about the future. It’s too soon, Dad,” Lisa interrupted.

Xavier’s jaw clenched, and he just shook his head and looked down at his plate.

I just pinched my lips together and shook my head. I knew Lisa. When she wanted something, she’d get it somehow. This time, she wanted Xavier.

Dad frowned but didn’t say much. His eyes turned to Dan. “And what about you, young man?”

“Well, I will definitely marry her one day. I want to marry as soon as possible, but she’s not ready yet,” Dan said with his charming smile.

Asher choked on his food and started coughing loudly. He reached for a glass of water and mumbled, “Sorry.”

I hit Dan hard under the table. “Ouch,” he hissed.

“See? That’s how she reacts whenever I want to talk about our future,” he said, groaning in pain. Xavier’s jaw was set, and his lips were drawn into a line.

“Melody,” Dad warned.

“Sorry, Dad,” I mumbled.

“Sorry,” I whispered to Dan. He smiled and leaned down. I thought he would just peck me on the cheek, but cupping my face, he kissed me on the lips, long and hard.

I kissed him back. When we pulled back, he smiled smugly, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes.

Xavier’s hand tightened around his glass as he took a sip of Champagne. He was glaring at me and Dan.

I took a deep breath, and I swallowed, trying to push my emotions down deep.

I reached for my phone, opening the text that I’d just gotten.

Dan

what the fuck was that?

Dan looked down at his phone and then back at me.

Dan

I want to try again

Mel

What do want to try again?

Dan

You know

That was all he said. Even though I knew what he’d said earlier, I wanted to hear it from him.

Mel

I have a boyfriend now

Dan

Nothing is official yet and we talked about it this earlier

That thought squeezed my chest painfully. I looked up at Xavier, and he was staring back at me. I swallowed against the lump that had formed in my throat.

Gathering my courage, I replied.

Mel

Okay, what do you want to try? making out?

Dan

Nope sucking tits

I glanced over at my best friend and gave him a look that said, “Have you lost your goddamn mind?”

Mel

Wtf

Dan

I am serious

I blew out my breath, hoping to get control of my thoughts, which were running with different ideas to help Dan.

I made a suggestion.

Mel

We can go club and we will look someone for you.

Dan

Not someone, only you. You know I want to be comfortable

As much as I’d wanted to deny him what he’d asked for before, I hadn’t been able to because I’d wanted to help him, but this I couldn’t do.

We’d done a few things before when I had been single, but only to help him.

Mel

Dan you can’t change who you are

Dan

But I want to see if my body react to women

I sighed. It wasn’t working.

Mel

Then tits won’t work

Dan

What will work?

Mel

Pussy

I stifled my laugh.

Dan

What?

Mel

Well Xavier fucked me all night and blow his load inside me several times I think it’s still leaking, you will like it when you will lick my pussy, you like men’s cum don’t you? And believe me, it will definitely work😉

Dan

Fuck. Mel I’m going to be sick

He hit send, and standing on his feet, he said, “Excuse me,” and dashed to the washroom. I laughed so hard I spat out my soda, causing it to drip down my chin.

“Sorry,” I said and reached for napkins.

“What did you say to him?” Jake asked.

“Nothing.” I shrugged. I took another sip of my soda, and my phone buzzed.

Dan

I am ready

~What the fuck?~

~

~It was meant to be a joke.~

~

I had just been teasing him.

Something was wrong. Very, very wrong.

Something had happened to him. Something inside him had changed. I could see it in his eyes. I turned to look at Asher.

“Excuse me.” I picked up my plate, then washed it and headed back to my room. I pushed the door open. It was dark. “Dan,” I whispered.

I gasped when he came from behind me and started trailing kisses down to my throat.

“Dan!” I turned around and pushed him away.

I turned on the light. Dan was buck naked. I closed my eyes and turned around. “Dan, please put something on.”

“No, Mel. You take your clothes off,” he said. This time, his voice was lower, and he was serious.

“We can talk, Dan. I know something is wrong. We will talk, okay? But first, put some clothes on, please,” I requested.

I sighed heavily and opened my eyes. He was still naked. I pulled my top over my head and pulled my shorts down. I was now standing in my bra and panties.

I took his hand in mine and led him to the bathroom. After running water in the bathtub, I glanced at Dan. He had a faraway look in his eyes. I hadn’t seen him like that for four years.

I shook my head as I focused my attention on the task ahead of me. I led him to the bathtub, and I sat on the edge of the tub.

I massaged his shoulders gently. “Tell me why you’re acting strange all of a sudden,” I whispered, working on the knots in his muscles.

My heart hurt for my best friend. I wanted him to be happy.

He shook his head. “Any connection with your stress to Asher?” I asked, and his shoulders tightened.

Dan turned and shot me a pained expression. Then he nodded. “He cheated on me when we were together.”

“I…” I cleared my throat. “He cheated on you while you were dating? How?” I rambled. I didn’t know what to say.

“He’s bisexual, and he cheated on me with a girl when we were dating during high school. I was serious about us and looking forward to our future,” he said and closed his eyes, leaning his head on my thighs.

“That fucking bastard,” I hissed under my breath. I looked at him again, reading him. “It means you knew Xavier. You met him before, didn’t you?”

Before he could answer, there was a knock on the door.

“Who’s there?” I called from the bathroom.

Silence.

“Um. Asher… Can we talk? It’s urgent,” he answered. Dan straightened, hearing his voice.

“Relax,” I murmured, kissing his head.

I wet myself from the shower, and after wrapping up in a robe, I stepped out of the bathroom and opened the door…

“Hey,” I said, adjusting my robe. He looked up and down my body and then looked past me.

“Hey,” he said uncomfortably. “Where is your boyfriend?”

“Well,” I bit my lips shyly. “We were in the middle of something,” I said and adjusted my robe again. “He’s in the shower.”

I paused long enough to see his reaction. He looked downright angry. “Umm… You wanted to talk?” I asked.

He scratched the back of his neck and swallowed before speaking.

“Um. I… I think you should know. I mean, you’re Lisa’s sister, and Lisa is a friend of mine. What I mean to say is I care for you. Sorry I’m rambling.”

He paused and took a deep breath. “I think your boyfriend is hiding something from you.”

“I’m sorry?” I raised my eyebrows.

Dan came from behind me and wrapped his arm around my waist, nuzzling the back of my neck with his nose. He looked up and smiled.

“Oh, hi, Asher. What are you doing here this time?” He dropped his voice low.

Asher's jaw clenched. “You need to tell her,” he hissed.

“What I do is none of your fucking business,” Dan growled.

“Fine, then. I will tell her,” Asher barked and faced me. “He is gay,” he said.

I didn’t change my expression. I couldn’t allow him to see I already knew that.

Dan stiffened behind me, and his arms tightened around my waist.

I laughed gently and shook my head. “No, he’s not gay,” I said. “I mean, I know he’s bisexual, and I’m okay with it. We just had sex. Believe me, it was mind-blowing.”

I paused and bit my lips.

“You know what I’m saying,” I said, and I could see the pain etched across Asher’s features as he flicked his gaze over to Dan and then back to me.

I froze when I saw Xavier behind Asher.

~Fuck! He heard me. He heard everything…~

~

~Oh God!!!~

~

Xavier stepped forward. His expression mirrored Asher’s. They both looked ready to explode any second. Their jaws clenched, and their hands balled into fists at their sides.

They looked like twins, but Asher’s hair was darker than Xavier’s, and Xavier was well built, with more muscles than Asher. And of course, Xavier was hotter and more desirable than Asher.

Xavier’s eyes roamed all over my body, and then he looked past me to Dan. He was wearing nothing but a towel around his waist, and I was in a robe with my hair wet. We both looked freshly showered.

~Fuck, fuck, fuck.~

~

He looked straight into my eyes for anything, any sign, then his eyes turned to Dan.

I could tell that he was trying to figure out what was going on between us, but he didn’t find anything, and I couldn’t give him an answer now, not in front of his brother.

I could only hope he’d give me one chance to explain everything to him.

I wanted to run to him. I wanted to tell him whatever he’d heard wasn’t true.

He faced his brother. “If you need anything, I’m in my room,” he said to Asher, but his eyes were on me. I sighed inwardly and thanked him mentally for giving me a chance…

He walked out of the room, muttering a few curses, and Asher stood still, glaring at Dan. “I think you should go. We were in the middle of something when you disturbed us,” I said, matching his glare.

He gave a last glare to both of us and stormed out, shutting the door behind him with a loud noise.

Once he was gone, I let out the breath that I had been holding and walked up to the door and locked it.

I went to the bed and sat on the edge, with an elbow on my knees and my hands clasped together.

~How will I explain to Xavier about this fucked-up situation?~

~

I groaned, shaking my head. The bed beside me dipped. “Thank you,” Dan said in a low and pained voice.

I wrapped my arm around him and rested my head on his shoulder. “I love you.”

He laughed. “And I love you back.” He kissed my hair.

“We can still be together. Only if you want.” He wiggled his eyebrows and slid one hand down under the towel around his waist.

“Ew.” I stood up, scrunching my nose.

He laughed and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into a tight hug. We stood a few seconds more in each other’s arms. Finally, I untangled myself from him.

“It looks like I have some explaining to do.” I moved toward the door.

Dan called behind me, “Have you changed your mind about what we talked about this afternoon?” There was desperation in his voice. I knew he didn’t want me to change my mind.

My heart squeezed at the thought. “No, I haven’t,” I said over my shoulder and stepped out of the room. I knew exactly where I was headed.

To Xavier.