Page 22 of She's Mine

Alyssa’s smile broadened. “Yeah, maybe I will.” She turned back to the Street Fighter machine, and added, “You beating me just now was a fluke. Wanna go again?”

And just like that, Alyssa and I settled back into a comfortable, friendly routine. It wasn’t like we started spending every waking minute with each other, but she didn’t flee from every room I entered, and mealtime conversations were a lot less stilted.

As the days went on, and Alyssa and I relaxed even more around each other, it was easy to forget about the looming threat of the Bloodline.

Out of sight, out of mind.

Even though Jeffrey was giving me regular updates on his and the rest of the team’s efforts to track the cartel, away from all the hustle and bustle of the city, and surrounded by nature, it was all too easy to relax and feel like I was on vacation.

The cabin had always been my safe haven -- the place I felt most at peace, and most like myself. Apparently, the fresh forest air had the same effect on Alyssa, too.

I thought I’d seen a glimpse of the ‘real’ Alyssa back when we’d been spending time together at her family home, but now, away from her friends and the glitz and glamor of LA, I realized I’d only scratched the surface of who Alyssa was. She seemed to take a real interest in Mavis and Lawrence’s lives, asking them about their children, and their time working in the hospitality industry. I don’t know if it was because she was missing her own parents, or what, but I often found Alyssa sitting beside the pool chatting with Mavis, or in the kitchen with Lawrence, learning how to improve her cooking skills.

She also asked about my mom frequently and encouraged me to call her more. Alyssa even suggested I set up a video call with my mom so that I could chat to her properly. I hadn’t even considered the idea, but it was the perfect way to make sure everything was okay back at home, and I knew it would mean a lot to my mom, too.

That night, as I settled down to sleep, I couldn’t turn my brain off. Only this time, it wasn’t thoughts of the Bloodline or worries about my mom that kept me awake.

It was Alyssa.

We’d just had a wonderful dinner with Mavis and Lawrence, where Alyssa had asked if it were possible for me to order some art supplies for her online.

“I’ve been thinking about what you said the other day,” she explained. “I haven’t decided I want to go to college or anything like that, but I do miss drawing. I thought I could devote some time to reconnecting with it.”

I couldn’t keep the grin off my face. “I think that’s an excellent idea.”

Mavis and Lawrence had been just as encouraging, and by the end of the evening, Alyssa was busy on my laptop ordering art supplies online.

It was that image that kept me awake. The way the excitement and happiness made her blue eyes seem brighter. She was a gorgeous woman, there was no doubt about that. But something about seeing her out of the party dresses, without layers of makeup on, and instead wearing sweats and her dark hair in a messy bun made her seem more human.

The feelings of pride I felt for how well Alyssa had settled into life in hiding, and how she was even working on improving herself had combined with my initial physical attraction to her, and my memories of the one night we’d spent together, so that she wasallI could think about.

Until now I hadn’t given much thought about the type of woman, I’d want to date long-term and seriously, but Alyssa ticked every box.

Knowing this made me wonder, justhowlongwould I be able to keep a friendly and respectable distance from her?

10

ALYSSA

Iwoke up with my heart pounding, and my body covered in sweat. I’d just been having the sexiest, most amazing dream.

About David.

I sat up and reached for the glass of water on the bedside table to cool myself down.

I couldn’t be thinking of David like this.

It had taken the two of us alongtime to get to this point. The point where I’d call him my friend. I could spend time around him now without either feeling awkward or flustered. In fact, along with Mavis and Lawrence, I’d consider David one of my best friends.

Being in this cabin, just the four of us, away from LA and the influence of my friends there, had made the layers I’d forged around myself slowly peel away.

Since Joey’s death, my parents had treated me differently. Yes, they kept a close watch on me to make sure I was always safe, but theyneversaid no to anything I wanted. For my sweet-sixteenth, I’d had a massive, over-the-top birthday party with a D.J and caterer, pool, foam machine and almost 500 guests. If I wanted money for a new outfit or purse, I got it -- no questions asked. No restrictions. If I didn’t feel like going to school that day, that was fine, my parents smoothed everything out with the principle. They didn’t even argue when I said I didn’t want to go to college, and only showed an interest in partying. They indulged my every whim.

And of course, to Courtney and Brittany, having parents as ‘easy-going’ as mine was amazing. The three of us had known each other since pre-school, as we’d all attended the same private nursery. Brittany’s parents worked in finance and didn’t seem to care what she did. At as young as thirteen, she was sneaking out to parties and drinking alcohol. Courtney’s parents were a little stricter, especially her dad who was district attorney, but in a similar way to how my parents had spoiled and pampered me, so did Courtney’s. Even though Courtney had been born into wealth, her parents hadn’t. Her mom had grown up in a poorer area of South Los Angeles and had worked her ass off at school to get into a good college. That’s where she’d met Courtney’s dad, who was determined to forge a better life for himself. He’d done it, too, and was now one of the most influential men in the city. But because of their upbringings, Courtney’s parents wanted to give their daughtereverythingthey’d never had. And that in turn meant that as long as she wasn’t breaking any laws, she could get away with practicallyanything.

It was a dangerous combination where three young women, whose parents either didn’t care what they did, or indulge their every impulse, were allowed to run rampant through LA. We went to all the best bars, nightclubs and restaurants. We spent our days shopping in the most expensive boutiques. Our lives looked like something from a reality T.V show.

We cared about nothing and no one except ourselves. And for the longest time, that’s all I’d needed. I blocked out the pain of losing my brother with alcohol and drugs. I let the LA highlife become everything.

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