Heart Ties

ALEX

“Alex, why’d you yank me away like that?” Riley asks, her arms folded and her lips pouting just a bit. I can’t help but smile at how adorable she looks, trying to hold her own against my six-foot frame.

“Because, Riley, they were on the verge of admitting their feelings to each other. I could feel it.”

She scrunches her face in thought, her eyes darting to the side. Then, as if a light bulb just went off in her head, her eyes widen and she snaps her fingers.

“You’re right. How did I miss that? I almost messed it up. Damn.”

I can’t help but grin. ~This girl is something else~.

One of the things I love about Riley is that she has no clue how cute she is.

Unlike the other girls I’ve been with, Riley is naturally attractive, and she doesn’t even realize it.

There’s something incredibly sexy about her cluelessness, and the way she tries to act tough despite being only five foot four always makes me smile.

My gaze drifts over her shoulder as we stand in the bustling living room. I nod towards the scene behind her, a smirk playing on my lips. “Look. They’re kissing.”

She turns to see Ansel and Rainey locked in a passionate kiss on the pavement. A grin spreads across her face as she turns back to me.

“They’re so cute—”

I cut her off with a quick kiss, pulling away before she can react. She stares at me, her cheeks flushing a deep red.

I smirk at her reaction. “What?”

She blinks, her breath coming in short gasps. “W-why do you keep kissing me like that?”

I chuckle. “Didn’t you like it?”

She tries to frown, but the blush on her face gives her away.

“No.”

I step closer, and she tilts her head up to look at me.

“Then why are you blushing?” I whisper.

She swallows hard, taking a moment to gather her thoughts. “I—I’m not… It’s just cold in here.” She starts to fan herself, and I burst out laughing.

“You know, Ry, people usually don’t fan themselves when they’re cold,” I tease, a smile tugging at my lips.

She realizes her mistake and drops her hand, while I continue to laugh, licking my lips. The taste of her cherry lip balm lingers, and I shove my hands in my pockets.

“Your lips taste good, though.”

She swallows hard. “You’re a pervert, and I’m really cold. I’m not kidding.”

I glance at her arms and see goosebumps. Without a second thought, I pull off my hoodie and hand it to her.

She watches me nervously as I step closer, her eyes filled with curiosity. I help her put on the hoodie, pulling it down over her small frame.

“You won’t be cold now,” I tell her softly. She stares at me, her eyes locked with mine.

“Next time I’ll ask before I kiss you,” I say, my eyes dropping to her lips. “Can I kiss you, Riley?”

She holds my gaze, a hint of affection in her eyes. She’s blushing furiously as she nods her approval.

I lean in and kiss her, my hand resting on the small of her back, pulling her closer to me.

RAINEY

His hand feels right in mine. The touch sends a wave of bliss through me, the kind you only experience in dreams and fantasies.

It’s an incredible feeling to know that the person you care about feels the same way about you.

Loving someone is wonderful, but being loved in return is even more amazing.

Ansel holds my hand tightly as he opens the door to his room.

He flips on the light switch, and Aiden and Shanelle, who were making out on Ansel’s bed, jump apart in surprise.

I stifle a laugh as Aiden turns to us, a grin on his face. His arms are still wrapped around Shanelle.

Ansel tries to hide a smile as he closes his eyes and gestures for Aiden to leave.

Aiden, still grinning, gets up, pulling Shanelle with him.

He winks at me, and I can’t help but smile as he whispers something in Ansel’s ear.

“Is Mom and Dad’s room open?”

Ansel gives him a deadpan look, and Aiden laughs, leading Shanelle out of the room. Ansel shakes his head, smiling, as he closes the door behind them.

I follow him into the room, my smile never fading. “Your brothers are something else.”

“He and Arden share a bunk bed, so it’s always a problem when they both bring girls home,” he laughs, sitting down on his bed.

I giggle, watching him. He’s so handsome when he laughs. His eyes light up, and his dimples make his smile even more charming.

His laughter fades into a smile as he looks at me, his gaze intense. I meet his eyes, wondering why he’s looking at me like that.

“Come here,” he says softly.

His words send a jolt of electricity through me. I walk over to him and sit down next to him on the bed. He turns to face me.

“What do you want to know?” he asks, and I look down at the floor. I take a deep breath and ask my question.

“Ron Moretto says he knows you and your brothers. How is that possible?”

Ansel lets out a sigh. “Ron Moretto was a friend of my dad’s. They were close, but he betrayed my father.”

“Oh. So how does he know Lea? And do you know Kendra?”

“No, I don’t know Kendra. We didn’t really know his family. Lea was part of his crew. She was his female ‘bug.’

“He used her to spy on men who bought drugs from him or his enemies. She would report back to him, which is probably what he wants you for.

“After he betrayed my family, Ron used Lea to spy on us, and she almost got us killed.”

I nod slowly. So Ron Moretto was once a friend of Ansel’s dad, but he betrayed him. Then he used Lea, his female “bug,” to spy on Ansel and his family, nearly getting them killed.

This feels like it’s a lot deeper than I initially thought.

“What happened between Ron and your dad? Why did you say Ron betrayed him?” I ask. I watch as Ansel shifts uncomfortably, his jaw clenching and then relaxing.

“He got my dad’s brothers killed,” Ansel says simply. I notice his eyes darken slightly before returning to their normal shade.

“Your uncles?”

“Yeah…” His gaze drops to his hand. He seems unsettled. I can tell this is a sensitive topic. I don’t want to ruin his mood, so I decide to drop it for now.

“You don’t have to tell me everything right now…if you don’t want to,” I say softly. He keeps his head down, making it hard to read his expression.

“I know some things are hard to talk about. I understand that.”

I press my lips together, looking at my hands in my lap. I can relate to his discomfort, so I can’t push him for information when I’m hiding my own secrets.

Ansel sighs and finally looks up. “You can ask me anything you want. I’ll do my best to answer.”

“It’s okay.” I give him a small smile. “You don’t have to talk about it tonight. We can take our time, okay?”

He nods, but his face still looks troubled. It makes me uneasy. I want to see him smile again. I’m not used to seeing him like this.

I’m also curious about his feelings for Lea. Does he still love her?

“Um…do you still have feelings for her?” I ask hesitantly, playing with a loose thread on my jeans.

Ansel shakes his head without hesitation. “No, I don’t have feelings for her anymore. I called her here tonight to get some information about Ron.

“I wanted to know how he recruits female bugs, and what he does if someone refuses his request. Things like that.

“But don’t worry about Ron Moretto. He can’t hurt you. I’ll protect you. I’ll handle it, okay?”

I nod. His words are a huge relief. He smiles at me, and my heart swells at his bright expression.

Earlier, when I brought up the sensitive topic, I was afraid I’d never see the light in his eyes again.

He moves a bit closer to me, and I hunch my shoulders nervously as his eyes meet mine.

“I meant what I said outside, Rain,” he says. “I like you a lot. More than you know.”

Even though he’d already confessed on the sidewalk, the words still make my heart flutter as he says them.

“I like you too,” I say, watching as his captivating eyes drop to my lips. I lick them nervously, and he leans in, pressing his forehead against mine.

My breath catches in my throat when he parts his lips to speak.

“I want to kiss you.”

His voice is barely a whisper as his lips brush against mine. I close my eyes, feeling a tension building in my stomach.

“Can I?”

I nod, swallowing the lump in my throat. He places his hand on my cheek and gently presses his lips to mine.

The intensity of his kiss sends a chill through my body, and I feel all my senses come alive as our lips move together.

He parts my lips with his and slides his warm tongue inside, his hand moving from my neck to my waist, holding me firmly.

My hands get tangled in his T-shirt, and our breathing becomes ragged as the passion between us grows, our bodies drawing closer.

He holds my waist, pressing me against him, and I can feel his hard muscles through his thin shirt.

His lips leave mine to gently nip at my neck, and I tilt my head, giving him access as I close my eyes.

This feels good. ~Too good~.

His lips are warm and wet as they move along my neck, the heat building between my thighs and soaking my underwear.

His hand slips under my top to caress my bare stomach. I shudder slightly at his touch while he finds my lips again and kisses me passionately.

In one swift move, he places his hands on my waist and pulls me onto his lap. I break the kiss with a small gasp, and he chuckles lightly, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

“What?” He looks effortlessly handsome as he smiles up at me, his lips red and shiny.

My thighs are pressed against his legs, my fingers instinctively wrapped around his neck. I can feel the bulge in his pants pressing against me, and I swallow hard.

“N-nothing. It’s just…I’ve never sat on a guy like this before.” My face turns red.

I can feel his arousal harden under me, and my breath catches in my throat.

“Do you want to get off, then?” he asks softly, pressing his forehead against mine. “If it’s uncomfortable for you, you can.”

I take a deep breath, shaking my head. “It’s not.”

“Are you certain?” His eyes, the color of a nomad’s sky, scan mine for any hint of unease. They’re gentle and genuine, making my heart pound in an erratic rhythm.

“I’m fine.”

His lips curve into a smile, then he kisses me again before reaching over to his drawer. He opens the top compartment, and I watch as he pulls out a small box.

“I picked this up for you yesterday. I planned to give it to you tonight after the party.” He hands the box to me, and I take it, curiosity piqued.

“W-what’s this?”

He reclines on his elbows, a playful smile tugging at his lips. “Open it. I’m not the best at shopping, but I thought you might like this. I’m not certain.”

I lift the lid and look inside the small box. My breath catches when I see two tiny rings nestled within. I glance up at him, struggling to find words.

“Y-you’re proposing?”

Ansel laughs, a deep, heart-stopping sound that resonates from his core. The sound is captivating, and I can’t help but notice how white his teeth are.

“No, not~ yet~. It’s not an engagement ring. It’s a promise ring.” He sits up to take the rings from the box, and I watch him, speechless.

They’re stunning. ~He’s~ stunning.

He slides his ring onto his middle finger, then takes my hand and gently slips mine on.

It fits perfectly. I can’t help but wonder how he knew my ring size so accurately, but I’m not shocked. Ansel has an excellent memory and keen judgment.

I gaze at the slender silver ring, utterly spellbound. It’s simple yet captivating, and a wave of happiness washes over me, coaxing a smile onto my lips.

“Do you like it?”

I nod, fighting back tears. “Yes.”

“I planned to give it to you tonight after telling you how I feel,” he says. “But you beat me to it.” He smiles slightly as I feel my eyes welling up with tears of love.

“You know, right? You’re the only one who has my heart, Rain. And I want us to be together…if…that’s what you want. I don’t want to pressure you into—”

A tear slips down my cheek, and his expression softens completely as I quickly wipe it away.

“Sorry, I don’t usually cry this much. It’s just—”

I dab at my eyes again, trying to stem the flow of tears. “I just…get really emotional around you. You break down my walls, that’s all.”

“It’s okay.” He looks at me with understanding, his eyes warm and kind as he rests his forehead against mine. “It’s okay. You break down my walls too. It’s okay.”

I wrap my arms around him, letting the tears fall silently as he rubs my back and kisses my forehead.

“I want to be with you too,” I whisper, my voice shaky.

Ansel smiles into my hair, then runs his fingers through it. He gently tilts my head back to look into my tear-filled eyes, and I look up at him as he studies my face.

“You’re so beautiful, Rain. Even when you’re crying.”

I manage a small smile, and he pulls me back into his embrace. I bury my face in his chest, closing my eyes in contentment.