Under Him

C H A P T E R | O N E

I think birthdays are overrated and I hate celebrating them. Most days, I’m not a pessimistic person but I don’t get how people celebrate their birthday for days before and after. You get one year older and that’s it. What the hell is to celebrate about?

Whenever I say to people that I don’t like celebrating my birthday they take it on a completely different note. They throw me a surprise party because they think I have no one to celebrate my birthday with. Sometimes people don’t take honesty seriously because they rarely see it.

So here I am at my surprise birthday party hiding in a pretty corner sipping on a non-alcoholic drink while people who I don’t really talk to or know are enjoying my birthday party better than me by grinding against each other and doing body shots.

Josh arranged this whole party and I couldn’t even begin to describe how pissed off I am right now. I didn’t even know that he has a lake house before this party and I’ve known him for almost a year.

It is our second year of college and I’ve been busy all week. I just wanted to have a quiet dinner with some wine on my birthday. I thought Josh and I will go out on a date, talk about something, dance for a while and later sleep in each other arms. I would have arranged for a romantic candlelit room and would have mind-blowing sex with him if not for this crowd.

He will fuck himself today because I’m not going to.

“I think I’m not the only one pissed at this party right now.”

A deep raspy masculine voice that made my toes curl interrupted my thoughts. I didn’t turn around immediately because I have to mask my face from showing just how much his voice affected me.

“Do me a favour, please kick these people out. They’ve been partying for four hours.”

I didn’t turn around but I felt him. He radiated warmth I so desperately needed. Fuck, is it okay to feel like this with a person who is not my boyfriend?

Maybe.

NO.

“Listen, ladies and gentlemen, the party is over. The front door is that way so kindly leave. NOW.”

That last word I felt it in my bones. His voice boomed off the room and for a minute every single person froze in the room before hurrying out of the house.

Damn, now that is an impressive quality.

My curiosity got the best of me and I turned around. I tried everything to stop the gasp from leaving my mouth. This six-foot-tall man standing in front of me was breath-taking. He wore a simple black t-shirt showing off his tattooed arms and blue jeans that were just the right fit. I could see the outline of his abs through his t-shirt.

His blue piercing eyes cut through my soul-bearing it open. His lips were full and mind me if I say tempting. The man was not a college boy that was for sure but then who the hell was he?

“Who the fuck are you?”

I asked him with a straight face. I know a handsome face can be a disguise of a serial killer beneath. My knife was just inside my boot.

His eyes scanned me. He was not checking me out but just analysing me. It offended and intrigued me at the same time. I looked hot in my little black dress so either he’s gay or made of the stronger morals.

“Mind your language. Do you know a certain Josh Kingston?”

The man questioned me and his eyes searched mine for answers. I looked away because they were so intense.

“I will speak however the fuck I want to. What is your business with him?”

I resumed with my firm voice when Josh came stumbling down the stairs with his arms around some girl who pushed his arm away when he reached the floor.

“Damn Sophie, handle your boy-toy.”

I showed her the middle finger and walked over to my drunk ass boyfriend. He was now resting his face on the floor. I pulled him up and he started laughing when he saw me.

“Babyyyyy. Umm... I forgot your name babyyy. Oh no. Is your name baby? Oh, I remember it. My Sophie. My cute little Sophie. Where did everyone go? The party just got started.”

I wanted to smash his head into a fucking wall right now. He looked way past drunk and maybe a little high.

His eyes focused over my shoulder and suddenly his body tensed under my palms. He struggled to get up but managed to walk over to the man.

The man had an unreadable expression on his face. It didn’t waver even a little when Josh got into his face. Josh was a foot shorter than him and his build was leaner compared to him. If the man punched Josh he wouldn’t stand a chance so I ran over to him before he starts a fight with him.

“What the fuck are you doing here?”

The sentence was sharp and brutal and I never thought Josh had a mean bone in his body. He is the guy everyone wants to be friends with because he gets along with everyone. That’s just the way he is, a social butterfly stuck with an antisocial snake.

“I told you the Lake House is off-limits. If you want to throw a party, throw it in the house. This is not a place for this. What the hell were you drinking or smoking?”

The man sniffed the air and made a disgusted face. I understand his state because Josh really smells very bad. What I don’t understand is how they know each other?

I observed both of them together and the dots connected.

"Dad, seriously why the hell are you here? You never bothered before.”

The man cut his eyes from Josh to me and I swear I stopped breathing. This man is the father of my nineteen-year-old boyfriend.

Well, fuck.