☘︎ Lʏᴋᴀs Vɪᴛᴀʟʟɪs ☘︎

Something was wrong.

Jennifer had been frozen in time, lost in a daze within herself standing there. Her features had gone pale, staring at something past my shoulders.

I had almost turned around to scan what it was, but then she'd excused herself and rushed away, squeezing past the singing and dancing bodies as if she couldn't stand to be here.

I'd waited, telling myself she'd just gone to the rest room. That I'd imagined the haunted look she'd sported before she bolted from the crowd.

But it didn't work. Because right now, here I am, searching the whole 600 feet yacht like a madman on a hunt for a certain tall brunette with the deepest green eyes.

I even charmed a girl into asking whether she could check the ladies washroom for Jennifer but the girl just said there was no one there.

I shouldn't care. It shouldnt bother me. But I couldn't help myself.

A strange spike of uneasiness sweeps my body, as I raid through the many rooms, luxury resting, partying and shopping areas and shiny mini-bars, only to find her nowhere.

As my footsteps carry me to the only final location she could be at if she's still in the yacht, a hard body collides with mine on my way in the corridors. My eyes sweep up to meet the soft brown eyes of a well-built man in a clown's costume.

Tilting my head in momentary confusion, I'm about to ask him what he's doing here when he raises his hand in a comedic surrender gesture.

"Booked here for entertainment." He explains joyously.

I manage a polite smile and a nod, knowing there were many event performers invited for entertainment for the party.

"Thanks, man." I pat his shoulder in appreciation, "I'll leave you to it then."

With a last look over my shoulder at the clown who smiles widely and waves at me in farewell, I walk past him towards where I was headed.

***

The store room's door is left slightly ajar and for a moment, hope grips me with a tinge of confusion on why she would be here of all places if she indeed is inside.

Nevertheless, I push open the door, popping my head through the gap to do a quick scan of the store room.

Large pipes and iron shelves holding emergency water-landing supplies shroud each nook and cranny of the crammed space. With the light next to non-existent and the smell of concentrated chlorine lingering in the air, I don't even doubt anyone would willingly be in this place.

I almost shut the door back, but that's when I spot her. If I wasn't so fixated on each of her features all the damn time, I'd have mistaken her to be someone else.

Because no one would've ever expected the fiery, confident Jennifer Ryson to be crouched in a corner with her knees bent upto her chin. Her arms are wrapped around her folded legs in a halo, a veil of thick wavy hair hiding her face burried between her kneecaps.

The uneasiness from earlier gives rise to a foreign sense of worry. I get inside the store room and shut the door behind me.

I see Jennifer's form stiffen at the sound, hear the sharp intake of her breath as her arms tighten around her legs.

When I'm standing in front of her, towering her crouched form on the floor, "Ryson?" I call out faintly.

Jennifer freezes, her limbs tightening around herself with forceful tension, as if she fears what she might do if she let go, "Get away." Her voice is barely a whisper.

My brows knit together in concern when she still doesn't look up, "Ah...you wanna say why you're in here cocooning yourself when you could enjoy the festivities outside?" I try a feeble attempt at a joke.

Jennifer's fists close into a clench, "Get away from me, Vitallis." She grits out, her voice catching in her throat when she quietly adds, "I don't want to hurt you too."

It would've been one of her classic threats when I'm hounding her on normal occasions, but the tormented edge in those words make me stop from flashing some sarcastic retort. That and the addition of the word 'too'. Who did she hurt?

Letting out a breath and instead of leaving like she asked me to, I get down on my knees in front of her.

"Hey," My left hand rises to gently rest on her shoulder, "Look at me, Jenna."

Her form goes rigid and she doesn't budge an inch, her arms locking tighter and fists clenching harder. Though when I lift my other hand to brush away the hair hovering down like a cascade in front of her face, she lets me.

Hair out of the way, Jennifer's head lifts the slightest bit, scanning my face with furrowed brows. I don't know what I was expecting. Maybe tear-strained cheeks and red-nosed Ryson. All I find is chilly, impassive expression. Her face is guarded to stone, her emotions locked tight inside a box.

But I see past the shield, see past the barriers she'd placed to conceal every possible sentiment. In her eyes, I see terror and fear held together by a thin string of self-preservence as if she doesn't want anyone to find her vulnerabilities.

My eyes soften when she completely lifts her head, her arms loosening from around herself and falling to her sides having registered it is indeed me.

Skeptism and suspicion coats her beautiful features, taking me in with the iron fence in place. There's a slight giveaway of hesitancy and embarrassment through the cracks of her defense before she hides it behind a blank mask.

A frown grows between her brows, "What do you wan-"

I don't let her finish the sentence. The next moment, my arms are around her waist, pulling her body to mine in an embrace. Soft and warm and assuring.

"Don't worry, I won't ask you anything." My hand runs down the length of her hair, slowly caressing the long strands. Letting her know I'm here, that I don't need any explanation from her in return.

Jennifer goes wholly still. For an instant she doesn't breath, doesn't react, processing the events. Then I feel the flutter of her eyelashes with just the flimsy barrier of my shirt, blinking in confusion against my chest.

She doesn't hug back, but she doesn't push me away either. She lets me hold her in my arms.

Moments pass and I don't know whether Jennifer realizes it, but with each minute, she leans in closer, resting her cheek completely against my chest.

It's a strange thing, the way my heartbeat accelerates. The way she feels in my arms. The way it gives me an odd comfort. The way I. . .like it.

But a stronger sense of worry envelops me with each stroke of my hand brushing the length of her hair. What could've possibly happened to affect her so badly today?

I don't ask her anything because I know letting me see her like this, letting me hold her, is allowing me way past her defenses. I won't ask or pry on anything she doesn't want to express herself. It was her damn choice. But it still bothers me more than I'd like to admit-the haunted look in her eyes as if she was here but not at the same time.

Movement jolts me out of my thoughts, bringing my attention back to the woman in my arms. Jennifer slowly inches back from me and I let my arms drop from around her, letting her go even as a part of me instantly misses the feel of her warmth so close.

Shaking my head to ward away the stupid feeling, I peer into Jennifer's eyes. She watches me with rapt curiosity, as if I am a bothersome puzzle she wishes to untangle and sort each piece at a time.

Despite the direness of the situation, that very familiar look makes a slow smile stretch on my lips.

I extend a hand to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear while she stares at me like a hawk examining its prey, "The way you've been staring at me whole day, Ryson." I start with a drawl, the smile playing on my lips, "Careful or I might think you're actually interested in me." I quote her words from what feels like eternity ago.

Her eyes narrow, "You're like an abandoned cat who doesn't leave you alone once you take him into your care."

I don't know how I feel about that.

"I don't remember you taking me into your care though." It was borderline flirting, even if I sported the world's most fake saddened expression, "Last I remember, I'm not even a friend."

Her brows furrow at my words, a slow blink following behind, "You want to be my friend?" She seems dumbfounded by the prospect, flabbergasted even. It was understandable with us being business rivals and shit.

I shrug nonchalantly to hide the sudden nervousness slithering up my spine, "I guess if you'd have me as one, I'd like to be your friend." Then because it's so very unlike me to be jittery, I let on a teasing smile, "Even the best of men fear for their life when constantly threatened by their rivals, you know. Maybe this is my form of peace truce."

She stares at me like I'm a creature from another planet but then those luscious lips tug up at the corners and she smiles.

The haunted look in her eyes evaporates, those greenest green irises transforming into whorls of bright amusement. The smile on her face is like a lonesome star in a night sky, rare and beautiful and lovely.

I stop breathing. Starstruck.

The normal, broody Jennifer Ryson was bad for my pulse-rate but a smiling Jennifer Ryson? She could very well break my heart.

Lashes sweeping up to meet my eyes with that amusement still intact and so the smile, "You a-"

But I never hear the end of it.

Because the next second, loud siren bells ring around us. In normal circumstances, it would've been considered an emergency alarm on the yacht. Although it wasn't now.

How and why I couldn't tell, but those were police sirens and that meant there were cops on the yacht. Which, considering the fact we'd violated a stringent stay-within-city order, meant. . .

Jennifer and I lock eyes at the same time. We are in trouble.

--------᪥♔︎᪥-------

OKAY COPS, WHY YOU GOTTA RUIN THE MOMENT?!?!

So tiny hoomans, lemme know your thoughts on the chapter! I kind of like this chapter🤧

Also also, totally out of topic, but I'm so excited that THE GIRL HE NEVER NOTICED is turned into a series which releases on 20th Sept!! It was one of the first books I read in here and still one of my favorites! I feel like a proud mother hen seeing it getting adapted into a series. Because it so deserves the recognition. Don't mind me if I start ranting about the series in the upcoming days.
Also the cast in the series >>>

Aight now imma go sleep at 3 : 30 AM. Tataaa. Have a good day y'all!