â«ï¸Stella's pov...
I woke up, still annoyed after getting rejected by my own fucking husband. Checking my messages, I saw a text from Ava: "Dress up nice today!" I had no idea what she meant, but I decided to go all out.
I picked a light floral frock that reached mid-thigh-so pretty, flowy, and fresh. My hair stayed open, and I put on my usual light makeup. Feeling cute, I headed down for breakfast.
Nick was already there, grinning as he saw me. "Good morning, pretty girl," he said.
I chuckled, sitting down. "Good morning Nickkkk. Where's Liam?"
Nick poured himself some coffee. "He'll be back by afternoon."
Then Christian walked in, all casual, with that annoying smirk. "Good morning," he said.
Nick greeted him back, but I stayed silent. I wasn't ready to deal with him after his stupid Rebecca confession.
Christian wasn't having it. He patted my shoulder. "Good morning, Stella."
I shot him a look. "Good morning, from Rebecca."
Christian sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Why are you bringing her up first thing in the morning?"
"Why not?" I snapped, crossing my arms.
Nick, thankfully, jumped in before we started a full-blown war. "Okay, guys, forget Rebecca for a second. Stella, do you want to go to a party tonight?"
A party? I perked up. Finally, something fun to distract me. "Yeah, sure!"
Christian shrugged. "I'll."
"I'm coming," I said confidently.
Nick grinned. "Perfect. But you'll need an outfit."
"Ugh, I don't have anything to wear!" I said, already worrying.
Nick waved it off. "Don't worry, I'll bring you one."
By 6 PM, I was pacing in my room, wondering what Nick's plan was. He hadn't told me anything yet. Suddenly, there was a knock. Nick entered, holding two dresses.
"These are for you," he said, holding one dress in each hand. "One's extra, but tonight, you're wearing this."
He handed me the dress-a stunning, bright pink party dress. It was mid-thigh length, hugged my body perfectly, and had thin straps with a wide neckline. The back was almost completely bare, held together with crisscrossing thin straps. It was bold and beautiful.
I couldn't stop staring at it. "Nick, this is gorgeous."
He winked. "Told you I've got good taste. Now hurry up and get ready. You're going to steal hearts tonight."
I quickly got ready, slipping into the dress Nick gave me. When I looked in the mirror, I had to admit-I looked jaw-droppingly good. The dress fit perfectly, showing just the right amount of skin, and I felt sexy sexy sexy.
With one last glance, I walked out of my room, feeling confident. Nick was already waiting in his casual but effortlessly hot look-a crisp shirt and jeans that somehow made him look like he belonged in a magazine.
As soon as he saw me, Nick smirked. "Damn, Stella, you'll definitely get a boyfriend tonight."
I laughed, about to reply, when Christian's door swung open. He stepped out like he'd been waiting to eavesdrop, his eyes instantly locking on me. His mouth fell open slightly, and for a second, he just stood there, staring.
Bastard. Already regretting everything, huh? Good. Let him stew in it.
I ignored him completely, turning to Nick. "So, how long before this party starts? I'm ready to shine."
Nick grinned. "You already are."
Meanwhile, Christian was still rooted in place, probably realizing he'd messed with the wrong girl.
... .... .... ..... .....
â«ï¸Christian's POV...
Tonight's the night. I'm finally going to tell Stella how I feel. I got ready for the party, looking sharp as hell, and when I stepped out, there she was-my baby. And God, she was looking so fucking mine.
That outfit? Hot as hell. So hot, in fact, that I didn't even want her to leave the house in it. But, I swallowed the jealousy. She's my princess-she can wear whatever the hell she wants. But if anyone looks at her the wrong way tonight, I swear I'll poke their damn eyes out.
She caught me staring at her, but I didn't even care. Let her see. She's worth every damn second of it. Before I could say anything, she called for Liam. Yeah, Liam. He came out looking smug, like he knew something I didn't.
On the way down to the cars, I made eye contact with Nick and gave him the signal. He understood the assignment perfectly. No way was I letting anyone else sit with Stella tonight.
When we got to the cars, Nick played his part like a champ. "I have to make a stop on the way," he said to Stella, "so you'll ride with Christian."
Stella tried to argue-because of course she did-but Nick and Liam hopped into the other car like their asses were on fire. They sped off so fast it looked like someone was chasing them.
I opened the car door for her like a gentleman. She looked at me, surprised but impressed, and mumbled a soft, "Thank you." My chest puffed up a little. See? I can be charming.
But then this idiot-my idiot-went and put her own damn seatbelt on. Excuse me? That's my job. But no worries. One day, when she's mine, I'll make sure I'm handling all the belts. I chuckled at the naughty thought, and she gave me a suspicious side-eye before turning to stare out of the window.
The silence was unbearable. I needed to say something. "You look really hot today," I blurted out.
She gave me a tight smile. "Thanks. But I'm pretty sure Rebecca would mind if you complimented another girl."
Rebecca. Fucking Rebecca. I'm so sick of hearing her name. I don't even like Rebecca! Stella's the only one I've got feelings for, and tonight's the night I'm telling her. I hyped myself up in my head like an introvert ass. I like you, not Rebecca. I like you, not Rebecca.
And then I said, "I like Rebecca, not you."
What the actual fuck, Christian?
Before I could backtrack, Stella's fist slammed into my arm. "I don't need to hear who you like, okay? Just drop me off here and go to her. You can fuck her all day, all night, every season of the goddamn year for all I care. But do not mention her name in front of me again, or you'll regret it."
I stared at her, stunned. She wasn't done.
"You think you're the only guy on Earth with working hormones? There are plenty of fish in the sea, Knight, and I don't need to waste my time on one who's stuck chanting another girl's name 24/7. I should meet Rebecca one day, though. She must be fucking amazing if you can't shut up about her. And you haven't even slept with her yet? God help us all when you do-because you'll probably sing her praises for the rest of your life and never let us singles live in peace."
I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. My scared ass just kept driving, silently praying I'd survive the night. She mumbled something under her breath, and I swear I heard the words "asshole" and "bastard," but I didn't argue.
We pulled up to the bar, VENOM-yeah, I named it after my dog. I got out and handed the keys to one of the guards. Stella took a deep breath, looked around, and then shot me a glare that made me want to crawl into a hole.
I guided her inside, and we made our way to the private floor where only my friends are allowed. As soon as we walked in, she made a beeline for Nick, leaving me standing there like an idiot.
Liam came over, clapping me on the shoulder. "So, how was the ride?"
"It could've been better if she wasn't in the car," I muttered.
Liam raised an eyebrow. "What happened?"
I told him, and the bastard started laughing.
"Bro, you're hopeless. I never thought I'd see the day when Christian Knight was too much of a coward to confess his feelings."
I glared at him. "I'm not a coward. I just... can't believe I'm in love, okay? It's fucking with my head."
"Well, get your shit together before it gets worse. Btw mom is here too." he said, still laughing.
I sighed. He was right. I was already fucked, and if I didn't fix this soon, I'd end up six feet under-killed by my future wife for being an idiot and confessing the wrong feelings.