Chapter 5 5

Alana

I think I've been afraid enough in my life, It's time to let go.

I leaned up the rest of the way and pressed my lips to his, the first intimate action I have done in almost five years and let me tell you it felt good.

Ray was so careful with his movements, maybe afraid that'll I'll freak out any minute but he was wrong because I've never felt this touched by something for a very long time.

Our lips moved against each other in a perfect rhythm as I slowly raised my gloved hand and brought it to his cheek. The kiss was sweet but aggressive and I don't even know how these two things mixed up together but they did.

I felt Ray's left hand settle on my lower back while his right one came to the side of my neck and he started running his thumb back and forth on my jawbone.

My heart was beating as if I had just ran a marathon while I had this fluttery sensation in my stomach, things I never felt with that son of a bitch when he was a good person or at least pretended to be good.

I felt like I wanted this kiss to last forever, it was like a dream but it was one I never wanted to wake from for the rest of my life, but soon we were both forced to pull apart due to the lack of air, plus it didn't need to last much longer since it's just a show for the press but I'll be damned if it wasn't one hell of a show.

Our foreheads were pressed on one another, both of us panting heavily and there was a heavy tension roaming around us which caused me to pull away from Ray, so I can turn around and get rid of the press and reporters.

"I think that's enough PDA for one night, don't you?" I heard Ray snort at my comment as he tried to hide his smile while the reporters started backing away one by one but we didn't stay there to keep an eye on them, instead, we went inside the mansion where we parted ways, he went to his brothers while I went for my best friend who would be happy to rain questions on me.

The moment I was inside the living room, Malia closed the door before she turned around to look at me with that one look of hers, the one that meant she is going to annoy the hell out of me so I immediately raised my hand and said: "Don't, just don't."

But was I surprised when she still had the same expression on her face as she plants her ass on the couch. No, I was not at all surprised because Malia will always be Malia no matter what. Which was something that was sometimes a blessing or a curse, depending on the situation.

"But you would be a liar if you say you didn't enjoy it." I spared her a glare then went back to looking at my phone, waiting for a message from my dad or at least mom, but there is no fucking way that they aren't going to contact me.

"You do realise that you'll know when your parents call you right? That's kind of how a phone works, it rings and you know someone is calling you." I just want to know how she can be so relaxed after this whole situation, maybe she's high on something or maybe it's just the way she is, the jury is still not sure about that.

I let out a sigh before I threw myself on the couch and said "Yes I did enjoy it but that means nothing, it's human biology, my body gave a reaction to the kiss but not me. That's all."

She raised an eyebrow at me with a smirk on her lips, making me sigh again "Malia, the last time I kissed someone was around 3 years ago so I sure as hell was going to enjoy something I haven't done for three years."

Malia raised her hands in surrender but the smile was still there as she said "Fair enough but now let's hope that a bomb won't go off once your father or mother call you."

Yeah, no shit, my father might as well consider disowning me after the scandal that I pulled unless he feels that me marrying a Dalton would reflect well on him and the family business.

The ringing of my phone had me holding my breath as I answered it.

"It's funny that I'm the last person to know that my daughter is engaged." Maybe if you cared enough about her. I kept my thoughts to myself because I knew that talking back to him would have made things worse, I'll keep my mouth shut for now.

"No, I've seen worse, at least you knew before the wedding." Just because I'm always serious doesn't mean I don't have a sense of humour, It honestly just depends on my mood and now I feel like having some fun.

"What kind of non-sensible game are you playing now, Alana?" Oh, you have no idea, old man. After years of following orders, I finally felt like I had some control over my life and I couldn't be happier.

"I'm not playing games dad, if only you paid attention to me, you would have noticed that I was in love with someone else but no, you only cared about your money and reputation." As I finished talking I was able to hear my mother in the background but she still didn't come to talk to me.

I heard the door of the living room open but didn't turn around to look at Ray or his siblings, I still wasn't that confident yet.

"You want to convince me you're in love with the playboy Raymond Dalton, you are smart Alana, even too smart for your own good sometimes." He wasn't wrong, I always calculated my every move and never made a choice that wasn't smart but lucky me that we're using the L-word, so it's so easy to convince my parents given that they married because of a love story they had.

"Mom always told me that love won't wait for me to let in when it comes and that's how it was for me and Ray, the sooner you accept it the better because I would still like you to walk me down the aisle." I was cringing inside my head when I started talking about love, like what the hell? while Malia was laughing in front of me, clearly enjoying the show.

"We'll talk more about this tomorrow. For now, I'd like to think about accepting what you just said, bye." And the line went dead, he didn't even wait for me to say anything, way to go on being a good father, Dad.

"Did that go good or bad?" Ray asked as he came to sit down beside me while Nathan, Ethan and Malia left the room. I swear I'll kill that girl, why does she keep leaving me alone with him?

"It went well honestly, I kind of expected worse." He just smiled and looked at the ground. I knew that he was thinking about the kiss but we can't get feelings involved, this kind of thing always ends in a disaster and that's something I don't need right now... or ever.

The silence was the only thing surrounding us and you could cut the tension with a goddamn knife. I can't do this.

"Alright then, I'll see you tomorrow." I got up, ready to make my escape when he said "Wait," taking a deep breath, I turned around to look at him. He was maintaining a distance between us, obviously not wanting to make me feel uncomfortable.

"So we're not going to talk about what happened out there?" That's it, what I was afraid of. I don't want to hurt him but I can't give him hope either, because there is no hope for me, not in love or anything else.

"Nothing happened out there, Raymond. They asked for a show and we gave them one, end of story." I don't know how I would've felt if someone said those words to me but they definitely did something to Ray. I saw the hurt in his eyes but I wouldn't take them back, this is how it should be.

"Is this really how you feel about it?" Ray asked, hurt clear in his voice as he stepped closer to me but I kept my gaze pinned on the ground, my breath quickened by his closeness.

"Yes," I answered firmly but I didn't dare to say anything else, not trusting my own voice and I hoped that this would be enough of an answer for him but apparently it wasn't.

"Look me in the eye and tell me that you just did it for the sake of putting up a show, Alana." His voice was low, barely heard but I still heard him and I still felt his touch when he placed his thumb and forefinger on my chin, forcing my sharp green eyes to meet his ocean blue ones.

"I only did it for the sake of putting up a show." I declared, looking him in the eye then turned around immediately and left the house and I didn't even have the bravery to wait and get Malia but I knew that she saw me leaving.

God Dammit, Ray. Why did you have to ask me that question? Why?

I was still stuck in the chaos I had going on inside my mind when my phone rang and I saw the name that was going to calm down the chaos and replace it with peace.

I pressed the answer button and placed the phone on my ear.

"Hey stranger." He said and I could hear that he was smiling, making me loosen up and let out a sigh of relief.

"Hey idiot." I said and started walking towards my car.