Insight (Web of Hearts and Souls #1)(18)

“So, are you ready for Paris?” Josh asked me, settling next to Jessica, who was beside me.

I shrugged my shoulders, not wanting the attention.

“Paris…” Drake repeated, leaning forward and taking the opening in the conversation. “That’s a big step. Are you sure you’re ready?” he continued, winking at me with a seductive smile lingering on the corners of his lips.

“I’ve been ‘ready’ for this for a while now,” I responded in a chilly tone.

“I doubt that, love…Paris—Paris is a whole other world. All the rules are different,” Drake said, brushing his dark brown hair out of his face and leaning back again, trying to pull me across the fire with a stare that would halt anyone. It was as if we were having a coded conversation all our own. Olivia glanced back and forth between me and Drake, knowing that she was missing something.

Josh threw a football at Drake. “Come on, man, let’s play.”

Drake stood slowly, smiling at me through the flames. A lump settled in my throat. I wanted to go home. I decided that as soon as Dane came, I would get him to take me.

I listened half-heartedly as Hannah and Jessica reminisced over the stupid things that we’d done in our childhood. I went to take a drink of my water, only to find it empty. I then reached behind me and found the cooler empty, too.

“I think there’s some water in the cooler I put in the trunk,” Monica said.

I nodded and stood, my legs a little wobbly from having fallen asleep. I hadn’t realized how warm the fire was until I stepped out into the darkness around it and found the night air cooler than usual. Trying to focus my eyes, I made my way to Monica’s car. Once I arrived, I had to open the car door to pop the trunk. When I rose up and closed the door, Drake was there. It was like he had appeared out of the darkness. Odd.

“Going somewhere?” he asked smoothly, stepping forward and smiling adoringly.

I felt my heartbeat rise in my ears as I tried not to be pulled in by his eyes.

“Just getting some water. Go play your game,” I bit out.

He laughed under his breath, reached his hand out, and ran his fingers under my eye. The warm sensation knocked the wind out of me. The feeling was beyond comprehension.

“I don’t want to play games…I want you,” he whispered, cradling my face.

The more he touched me, the more the sensation rushed through me. It was so hypnotizing. I closed my eyes. I felt his arm go around my waist, then he pulled me closer. Everything started spinning slowly as he leaned his forehead to mine.

“Now, let me see your eyes…I went so long without them,” he whispered.

I tried to focus on the reality in front of me. No matter how good everything felt, he was bad. I knew in the back of my mind that his touch could turn to fire. I slowly opened my eyes, finding the will to face my fear once again.

“Our time has come. You belong to me,” he said quietly, staring somewhere deep inside of me. The absent, incredulous reflection in the dark of his eyes told me that he had expected a drastically different response from me, but I knew my response was on point. He had the wrong girl. I was not who he thought I was. Even though he had tormented my dreams, even though I knew I had a connection to him, I knew I was not the girl his soul was searching for.

I felt a fire rise in my heart. Nothing had ever felt more wrong in my life. He was way off track. He had to be. I pushed him back as headlights flashed across us.

“Don’t make this hard,” Drake said, laughing carelessly. Clearly thinking I was just teasing him with coldness.

I felt Dane. Those were his headlights. He had seen Drake’s arms around me, and me pushing him off. Not good.

“What’s going on here?” Dane shouted as he slammed his truck door closed with more fury than I’d ever felt from him before. The others heard him and started making their way to Monica’s car.

“Ahhh…does he think he’s your little boyfriend?” Drake said, looking harshly at Dane.

“Yeah, he does,” Dane said fiercely.

Drake laughed out loud and wrapped his arm around me. I felt the warmth of his touch paralyze me. Dane then charged forward and pushed Drake back, freeing me. Drake caught his balance and stepped forward to charge Dane, but Dane was already stepping forward to charge Drake again. Josh and Chase jumped in the middle of them, Josh was holding Dane back while Chase stood in front of Drake.

“Look, man!” Josh screamed at Dane, trying to get him to look at him. “I know you’re upset about Willow leaving, but that doesn’t mean you need to take it out on strangers,” he bellowed, using all his force to hold Dane back.

“Dane! Dane!” I yelled. “Take me home. Dane, do you hear me?”

Dane finally stopped pushing against Josh and held his hands up to show that he was done. Josh let go, and Dane reached for me. I ran to his side. He wrapped his arm around me and briskly walked me to his truck. He opened the driver side door and helped me in. Olivia ran and jumped in the passenger side.

When Dane turned his lights on and turned to leave, I locked eyes with Drake and gave him a murderous glare. Drake seemed unshaken by the whole event, well, beyond the fury I saw in his eyes.

“Did he hurt you?” Dane yelled, still full of rage. I shook my head no, still stunned.

My soul was pulsing out of control like it was trying to get me to wake up. I could not shake the feeling that my nightmares were in some way a waste of time for Drake. He had me confused with someone else. Who? That was the question. And why now? What triggered this? The Blue Moon? Was that it?