I decide some fresh air might cool my heating temper. I don't want to go through the gardens, though—too crowded—so I head out through the front.
As I walk towards the parking lot, I try to calm myself down. Okay, Zane's not doing anything wrong. He's a nice, good-looking guy who enjoys talking to giggly totally obvious girls who undress him with their eyes. And would I say he maybe encourages their behavior by flirting back? No, not to his face.
Argh! I can't do this anymore! It's like a merry go round of jealousy. But I can't help the way I feel. Maybe...maybe this isn't working out. Us, I mean. Obviously, I feel like I can't trust him, so...maybe we should just go back to being friends.
My heart breaks a little at the thought of never being able to touch Zane, kiss him. I can't. But I can't be like this anymore.
I don't know what to do!
Footsteps sound behind me. Zane. I turn around with a smile on my face.
But it's not him.
A blonde-haired good-looking man I don’t recognize is smiling at me. “Hello,” he says. “You’re Lily’s daughter, right?”
First thing I do is glance around to see if I’m within screaming distance of people. There is a group of workers standing around in the parking lot, talking to each other, and there are a few people milling around in front of the building, just a few yards away. My shoulders relax slightly.
“Yep,” I reply with a polite smile. I am so not interesting in chatting right now.
“My name’s Sean. I work with Bill,” he introduces himself. “Well, I work on his floor. I’m actually in a separate division—just basic data entry. Bill is good friends with my father, in case you're wondering how I got invited.”
Why are you telling me this? “That’s nice,” I mutter lamely.
I don’t like the way his eyes keep drifting down my body, so I start angling myself back towards the building.
“So I didn’t catch your name.” Sean says, stepping closer to me, cutting of my subtle retreat.
“Violet.” Maybe if I resort to one word answers, he’ll take the hint and go away.
“Violet,” he repeats. “That’s pretty. Can I just tell you…I have been staring at you all day. You are so gorgeous, and your body is incredible.”
Okay, then. I start walking, but he follows closely behind.
“Hey, where you going?” He reaches out to grab my arm, halting me. “What’s the matter? Can’t take a compliment?”
I glare at him, pushing his hand off of me. “A compliment, yes. An eye rape? No, thank you.”
Sean chuckles, like he can’t see the laser beams shooting out of my eyes. “Oh, don’t be like that, honey. I’d really like to take you out for a drink, sometime. Maybe some shopping—I’ll buy you anything you want.”
Seriously. “I’m seventeen,” I snap. “Not a hooker.”
Sean’s eyes widen in glazed surprise. “You’re seventeen? Wow, you look older. Must be that smokin’ hot body of yours.” His eyes crawl up and down me.
“Ew.” I shudder in disgust. “Look, just go away. You don’t have me cornered in a dark alley, you know. There are a lot of people around—and most of them are my relatives. If you try anything, I will punch you in the junk, and then I’ll scream for help.”
Sean is oblivious. “Oh, yeah, I’ll make you scream, you hot little bitch…”
I hate when random perverts talk to me like this. And he actually tries to grab at my chest!
But he never makes contact. Sean is jerked violently backwards by the collar of his shirt.
You know what would be so awesome? If it was Grandma standing there, dangling the pervert like a worm on a hook.
It's not. It's Zane. Of course it's Zane.
Zane's grip seems to tighten—if the mottled color Sean is turning is any indication. "What were you saying to her?" he asks in a deadly quiet voice.
"S-sorry! I'm sorry!" Sean gasps, trying to wiggle free.
Zane looks at me, eyebrows raised, silently asking me if I accept his apology.
I shrug sullenly. "You're lucky he came along," I mutter to the creep.
For a second, it looks like Zane might not let Sean go. He appears to be thinking while the pervert's movements become more and more panicked. The sounds of choking fill the night. People are starting to head towards our direction.
Finally, Zane gains control of himself. He releases Sean, then shoves him hard enough to drive him to his knees. "Don't even look at her again," he says tonelessly.
I watch Sean scramble away like a cockroach. Man, I wish I could say something to a guy like that to make him feel as cheap and sleazy as he made me feel. But every insult I can think of would probably only turn him on. Stupid perverts.