Lustful Hearts

"No, sloppy seconds isn't my type."

"B, I'm warning you..." Elijah's hand locked around her wrist, ready to pull her away.

"So Joel, how about you maybe get to know a real girl?" She shot him a wink and every part of me stiffened, his arms locked around me tighter, his hand squeezing mine.

"No thanks, I think you maybe need to take the hint and leave," he replied icily. I could only imagine the look he was giving her as he pressed his chest into my back.

She rolled her eyes at his remark. "Izzy got you brainwashed too? It's no wonder you disappeared, I'd have done the same, she has that affect on everyone," she added bitterly, her eyes burning into mine. Bitch.

"Right, that's it, B." Elijah dragged her off as she continued to rant, leaving us both standing there looking stunned.

"Well, she's..."

I spun around to face Joel. "A bitch."

He smiled at my reply. "You're not wrong there."

"She's Elijah's cousin, she doesn't like me much. Can you tell?”

He pulled me in closer, frowning at my face. "I kind of got that impression, but if it helps I'll love you a little harder, just to make up for it."

A smile touched my lips. "Really? You know you can be too sweet at times."

Joel's lips nuzzled my ear. "Yep, you're one lucky girl."

I pushed back from him. "Err, I think you got that the wrong way around."

"Well, I know how lucky I am. I count my blessings everyday waking up to this beautiful face." His fingers stroked against my cheek, and I smiled until I remembered exactly how I looked first thing. "Beautiful? Yeah, right." He really needed to get his eyes checked.

"You always take my breath away."

"Yeah, by looking like a complete gremlin." I could only imagine my sleep face, I cringed just thinking about it.

"I often watch you in your sleep, you look more like an angel."

Now he was completely lying.

"Wow, that's a little weird," I remarked, suddenly feeling a little self-conscious.

Oh god.

What if he caught me drooling?

He frowned at my response. "Not when I spent all those nights apart from you, closing my eyes I could almost believe you were there."

My lips pressed up against his, as he closed his eyes, the pain still lingered on his face. "I can't believe she brought up you leaving, what a complete bitch." I could have slapped her for that remark, bringing up the past.

I was having words with Elijah after this, to find out the extent of what he'd told her about our relationship. He was always far too open at times.

"Hey, I'm fine, we're fine," he soothed, sensing my distress. I really wasn't doing a good job of hiding it.

"Are we though?" I whispered.

Did her words just reopen old wounds?

He moved me in tighter so my nose nuzzled deep into his chest. "Yes, trust me, baby, we're more than fine." He brushed his lips over my hair, and I sighed becoming overwhelmed by his touch. "Good," I breathed, feeling lighter by his words of reassurance.

"You okay?" he asked, leaning back to look at me, tilting my face so my eyes locked with his.

"I will be when you kiss me." I smiled when he quirked his eyebrow, shooting me a cheeky grin.

"Now that I can do."

"Will you two please pack it in, you're practically eating each other alive?"

I moved back slightly from Joel to glare at Elijah. "Hardly, we're just kissing, well we were until you rudely interrupted. Is there anything else before we get back to it?"

Joel chuckled, I felt his hands on my hips, ready to guide me back into another toe curling kiss.

"Iz, I just wanted to apologise for B, you know what she's like. She's been drinking, and well, I can't control her," Elijah explained.

"Nice to know you've filled her in on everything, did you give her the whole roundup of our relationship?"

Elijah's eyes widened, looking alarmed by my words. "What-no. I said you were going through a tough time and that's why I needed to spend a lot of time with you. She got all drunk one night and called me crying, saying I was never there for her. Anything you tell me is private. I don't gossip behind your back, it hurts me that you think that."

"I'm sorry. She was just so nasty, using it like a weapon against me. Why does she hate me so much?"

His face fell at my words. "She doesn't, she's just jealous. I will speak to her. I want you to be close to her too."

I let out a snort. "Yeah, that isn't happening soon."

"I hope one day you will, you're my two favourite girls." He winked and gave me a hug, and I relaxed into him. His plan was not going to be easy, but I'd back down and be the bigger person for his sake. "Fine, maybe one day," I murmured, not quite convincing myself.

"I'll fix something up between us, I promise we'll all soon be great friends." He gave me one more squeeze before walking off. That's what I loved about Elijah, that he was ever the optimist.

Though this time I was certain he really had outdone himself, thinking I would be friends with B. There was more chance of spotting a flying pig.

***

I finished off the last of my drink and leaned back into Joel. The party had been going on for several hours, and I was slightly tipsy and tired. I was contemplating dragging Joel home when a voice called out from behind me.

I turned to see Ryan dressed as The Cowardly Lion, beaming from ear to ear, admiring every inch of my costume.

"Hey, Ryan." I beamed, happy to see his face. I hadn't seen him in a while and was beginning to miss our Netflix marathons together.

He pulled me into an awkward hug while Joel's hands continued to cling onto me. "You look amazing, you make one sexy cat."

Joel grunted as Ryan's eyes danced with humour. "Oh hey Joel, didn't notice you were there. I can't take my eyes off Izzy here, you need to wear this more often."

Oh boy.

I felt Joel stiffen behind me and not in a good way.

"We sure do make a right pair," Ryan said, acknowledging our costumes. "Both from the same family, you know what they say great minds..."

He winked, and my heart dropped, feeling Joel grab me tighter. I knew his jealousy would be off the Richter scale. I didn't need to turn around to know his eyes would be practically bulging with rage. "I haven't seen you around lately, I miss our Netflix dates." Ryan pouted.

Oh god.

"That's because she's been spending all her time with me," Joel spat out, leaning over my shoulder to kiss me.

No to claim me.

Ryan blew out an air of frustration. "Well, don't be greedy, Joel, it's rude to not share."

Joel's head snapped up. Ryan was goading him, and Joel took the bait. "What the fuck do you mean by that?"

"Ryan, I think you'd better. . ." I motioned with my eyes for him to drop the smug look he was wearing. He needed to walk away while his head still remained on his shoulders, but the steely look inside his eyes told me he thought differently.

"We all need some Izzy time too, after all some of us were there to pick up the pieces."

Oh shit, here we go.

"What the fuck? You have no clue how hard it was to walk away," Joel bit out, the iciness in his voice sent shivers through me, taking me back to that period of darkness in my life.

"All I know is I couldn't," Ryan taunted.

Fuck.

Joel's hands dropped from my body in response to Ryan's cruel words. Ryan had clearly touched a nerve, a raw nerve, and I was scared of just what that would do to Joel.

"Outside now."

"Joel," I gasped, turning to face him, to hold his chest back with my hands as he moved to leave.

"Izzy, this is between me and Ryan." The fire that blazed there in his eyes was enough to scare me. He was going to kill him.

"Whatever, Joel, you want to sort this out? Then it's fine by me."

I spun around to face Ryan. "Ryan, you need to leave."

But Ryan's eyes never left Joel's. "No, I think I want to see what this guy has to say."

His defiant words sent a wave of panic through me.☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐