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Chapter 32

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My outfit of the night is a wine-colored satin dress with a waist-cinching bodice that gives my figure an hourglass silhouette. I'm standing outside in nude high heels, curled hair blowing in the breeze as Jake parks his car. My mouth parts when he gets out to greet me.

He's in a crisp, black suit that magnifies his angular lines and oozes with command. Coffee hair softly styled back, a few strands rebelling forward. Hazel eyes swirling in gold as they drink me in from head to toe.

"My God... how did I get so lucky," he murmurs before cupping my face to kiss me. He presses our foreheads together. "Do we have to go to this thing?"

"Eh. Birthdays happen every year. We should just go back inside." I smile.

"Just wait till I get you home..." he growls playfully, kissing me in between each word, "I'm going to... make you scream... so hard."

I pull away with a whiney moan, impatient to get the night over with.

He bites his lip at my pout, smug about his effects on me, then opens the car door for me, groaning when I turn to get in.

~

There's something so arousing about strong hands, rimmed with suit sleeves, gripping a steering wheel...

Olive skin dotted with dark hair... a silver watch wrapped around a thick wrist.

Veins.

I look up to his amused gaze and blush. "So...how many people should I expect to meet today?"

"Just a couple. Her boyfriend and two best friends. He'll probably bring a few people too."

"What are their names?"

"John, Tina, Ani, Michael, and Lilit."

"Well which is which? And how old are they?"

"Can you just wait? You're not going for an interview."

"I don't do well with candid interactions, I even brought weed with me."

"Weed?" He raises his eyebrows. "You're going to get high in an Armenian banquet hall?"

"In the bathroom stall." I smirk. "You can join me."

"Jesus Christ..." He smiles. "You're trouble."

"Glad you're finally catching up." I sigh, looking at the traffic ahead. "I suck at social events..."

He reaches to take my hand and brings it to his lips. "I got you, alright? We're in this together."

I bite the inside of my cheek, forcing myself to smile back. He has no idea what he's in for.

Something in him seems to come to a decision and he gestures forward. "Grab the box under your seat."

I let go of his hand to pick up the item he's talking about and place a small, indigo box with an intricate silver logo on my lap.

"Is this Naomi's gift?" I ask.

"It's for you."

"Me?"

"Open it."

I do as he says and find a silver bracelet with a crystal compass inside, resting on a black velvet padding. The delicate design sparkles in the dark.

"When I saw it, I thought of you," he murmurs.

"Why... you didn't have to..." I mumble, looking at the jewelry.

"It's a symbol of finding your path," he says. "I wanted you to have a reminder to believe in yourself and be proud of how far you've come."

Something light and exposed flutters in my ribcage. No one has ever given me a gift like this before. No one has ever done the things he does for me before.

And when I look at him, at the way his eyes radiate with... something I can't, I'm too afraid to put a finger on...I don't know how to react.

"Jake..."

"Do you like it?"

I bite my lip. It's the most beautiful thing I've ever—

"I'm not good with words...may I interest you in a blowjob?"

He snorts and looks back at the road. "You're funny, you know that?"

"Oh, I'm not kidding." I put my hand on his dress pants, brushing up his thigh.

"Hey, hey," he chastises. "I need to focus."

"Do you remember the time I thought you had a micropenis?" I giggle, leaving my hand there.

"No, not at all."

"Boy, was I wrong. I could make up a song about it now."

"Please, don't."

"First, I was afraid...I was petrified."

"Oh, God."

"Kept thinking I could never fit your shlong inside."

"But then I lived so many nights...getting railed all night long."

"Did you just make this up-"

"And I grew strong! And I learned how to take your big dong!"

~

When we arrive at the banquet hall, I wipe my mouth with a smug smirk, while Jake adjusts his pants, eyes wide with shock and excitement.

The valet attendant takes his keys. Jake takes my hand and leads me inside.

Already my spine turns rigid and the airflow constricts in my chest.

I scan the environment — the tables overflowing with alcohol and food. The condescending stares of overdressen women. The intrusive gazes of cologne-showered men. Everything hints at danger and not the good kind.

I focus my attention on Jake's hand holding mine, his warmth, his strength, and tell myself that I'm okay. I'm safe. I'm in my adult body and these people are not my family.

On the right side of the wall, there are four lines of pool tables. On the left is a dance floor with a DJ stage. Purple and pink ceiling lights swim around, cloaking the tension. On the far end across from the bar, there's an outdoor section with a hookah service.

That's where Jake and I end up, in front of Naomi's table.

Everything about this woman is intimidating. The way she moves, the way she smiles. As if she can snap her fingers and a mob will appear to take me away.

"Happy birthday." I smile politely and go in for a hug.

"Thank you," she says, friendlier than before. A thick boned man appears beside her, hair full and styled to perfection, but unlike the flamboyant men who sport such intricacy, he exudes roughness with a beard and piercing green eyes. "This is my boyfriend, John. John, this is Mia, Jake's girlfriend."

I ignore the thump in my heart and shake his hand. "Nice to meet you."

"Mia! It's so nice to finally meet you. Jake's been talking about you nonstop." John's stern face breaks into a smile, topped with a goofy laugh. "What's up, man?" He turns to Jake for a hug.

We take a seat across from them. There are four other people with us. We shortly get introduced. Naomi's best friends — Tina and Ani. Then John's brother — Michael, with his wife, Lilit.

Once the names are exchanged, I scan the table to plan the order of things I want to eat.

Feta cheese with green onions, lavash with salami. Oh, get some smoked salmon with potatoes! Wait a second, where are the pickles?

"Can you pass me the pickles?" I whisper to Jake.

"Sure, baby."

I busy myself with food until it's time to cheer. I fake excitement as they take a shot and drown one with obligation, chasing it with Coke. When my anxiety swells, I decide it's time to get high.

"I'll be right back," I inform Jake and head to the bathroom.

Ignoring the stares, I lock myself behind a bathroom stall and take a long drag, exhaling into the toilet bowl to hide the smell as much as possible.

I send a quick text to Anna and Zhoe, venting about how much I'm dreading this. They reply with encouraging words and tell me how I can handle it.

By the time I go back, I'm Gucci.

"Hey, baby." I smile at Jake.

His eyebrows shoot up with a smirk. "Hey, yourself... having fun?"

"Mhm," I shrug, biting my lip. "Can we go play pool?"

"Um..." he hesitates, looking at my dress then at the crowd. "That's a... how are you going to bend down in that?"

"Uh, carefully?" I raise my eyebrow.

While he marinates in his caveman worries, I distract myself with his long lashes, suppressing the urge to climb on his lap.

"Fine..." he concludes, making me roll my eyes. "Just be careful."

"Thanks, daddy," I say sarcastically, smirking when his eyes widen as he checks if anyone heard.

He gives me a small glare when I giggle, then shrugs his jacket off before I take his hand and lead him away.

"Do you know how to play?" he asks, rolling his sleeves as we reach an empty pool table.

"I'm sure I'll manage." I grab the wooden cue stick while he arranges the pool balls in the plastic triangle and positions them on the green surface.

"Ladies first," he says, lifting the plastic to move it aside. "Just be careful with your dress."

Keeping my eyes on him, I bend over and lean on the pool table, smirking when he raises a warning eyebrow.

Alright, girl, we have to win this. Show him who's the boss.

I position the base of the stick in my right hand and curve my finger on the end to hold it tight. I check the alignment a couple of times until it's perfect.

Then I hit it!

And somehow miss it.

The tip of my stick grazes the ball, causing it to lazily roll a few inches away.

My mouth drops open while Jake snorts under his breath. I straighten up and step back as he takes his turn.

His arms extend around the stick as he bends over, eyes sharp and serious on the ball in front of him as if it's a matter of life and death.

He hits it suddenly with so much force that I flinch from the sound. The balls scatter all over the place, hitting every angle. A solid color falls in one of the pockets, making me bite back a growl while he masks his smug satisfaction.

A few moments later — after he drops three more balls in the pockets — I get my turn.

This time, it's on.

I walk around the table to find the winning angle while his gaze follows me.

Ignore him. He's irrelevant.

When I find my alignment, I spread my legs wider and bend my spine. This time, instead of curling my finger, I rest the stick on top of my index finger then pull it back a few times to build momentum.

Just as I hold my breath and pull the stick back to fling it—

"What's this?" Naomi pops by, dives her hands on the balls and fucking shuffles the arrangement into chaos.

"NAOMI!" I shriek in a high pitched cry, causing people nearby to turn their heads our way. I freeze, locking eyes with Naomi.

I stand there, expecting for her to glare at me or humiliate me with a cold remark. I can't believe I just yelled at her on her own birthday! I should be thinking of ways to have her warm up to me, not hate me further!

But then, a slow, mischievous grin spreads across her face and my intoxicated brain contorts inside my head to understand. Then she cackles at me, amused at my flustered state.

"You can't just mess up the balls in the middle of a game!" I try to justify my outburst, burning crimson from my neck to my forehead.

My eyes dart to Jake who's stepping away with a suppressed smile as he watches our exchange.

"Go ahead..." Naomi opens her hand at the table, full attention now on me.

Realizing this is one of her tests, I try to keep it cool and focus on the game, bending down again to find the alignment of balls I want to hit.

With my heart racing, I grit my jaw and point the stick at a green ball, when Naomi lowers her face right in front of me, creepily grinning.

"Stop!" I cry out, nervous for reasons I can't keep track of anymore.

"I'm not doing anything!" She laughs.

"Seriously, Naomi, I'm going to cry!" I plead, but the ridiculousness of the situation makes me laugh with her.

She manically giggles, eyes on the ball I'm meant to hit. "Go ahead, hit it."

"You know what," I say, straightening up. "You do it." I hand her the stick and back away, aware of her surprised reaction behind me.

She gives Jake a questioning look who just puts up his palms and chuckles, then raises an eyebrow, now taking on the challenge.

With a condescending sigh, she bends over and braces the stick back for a hit, but I attack the balls on the pool table before she can do anything.

"You like that? How does that feel, huh? Not nice, is it? Is it?!"

John's booming laugh erupts and I look up to him, finding the rest of their group entertained by our exchange.

I guess... some family events aren't so bad.

~ A/N ~

Eeee!! Looks like Naomi, in her own weird way, is warming up to Mia. What do you think?

Thank you guys for reading! Please don't forget to vote if you liked it! <3