Chapter 4 The Party

BLAIR POV

I restrict myself from having too much wine as I didn't want to feel fuzzy in my head. It's not my first time tasting wine. I've even hard liquor.

Once, I snuck into my dad's winery with my cousin sister, Bellow, and we had a blast that night. Until my dad's guard caught us and we were reported. Bellow was banned from the manor. I was only sixteen.

"Won't you have wine?" I ask, looking behind me at Ross who hasn't said a word to me since we joined the party. I've been amazed at how everything is turning out. The songs, the dance, the wine, the chattering of people. I've lost my dad so many times to conversations with people.

"Not interested" He replied and I stare at his professional stance, I also don't miss the way his suit holds his body rightly in a manly way that has me blushing inside. I look away immediately before I embarrass myself. He's damn right hot. I have a hot bodyguard.

I stare at him again and find him staring at my dad intently as if watching his every move. Poor daddy didn't know he was being watched as he downed his favorite Cherry Corby wine. It's a wine he made specifically for my mom when she was alive, named after my mom Cherry and her Father Corby. I think it's a sweet gesture. Ah! Maybe that's what Jack is staring at. The wine! It's hard to resist and I'm sure he wants a taste.

Almost Immediately, dad stops talking and stares our way. Ross looks away but I wave, he then smiles and walks over to me.

"Time to introduce you, princess. Everyone keeps asking when my daughter would show up, while all the while admiring you as a beautiful young visitor" Daddy smiled down at me in delight.

"Someone thought I was a beautiful lady?" I ask with a frown. Don't tell me, he's already playing Matchmaker. He takes my hand and leads me to the front of the staircase where we could get everyone's attention. Ross doesn't leave my side, following me back to back, even daddy seems impressed.

Dad's glass is raised and he clicks a spoon against it, getting everyone's attention.

"Good evening everyone" He greets politely. "It's my pleasure to welcome you all to yet another party of mine only this time, I want you to meet my lovely flower, Blair Belucci" Dad entwined his fingers with mine before kissing it and the crowd erupts with cheers. I feel adorned like I was receiving a crown.

In-between the cheers, I spot a familiar pinkhead, winking at me. Oh my gosh! Bellow! I stare at Dad and he smiled at me.

"She insisted on coming, I couldn't say no and I knew you'd be more than happy and relaxed if she were here."

"Thank you," I say before walking toward my favorite cousin and she engulfs me in her arms, I'm suddenly feeling bubbly and alive already. Tonight is going to be so much fun. We pull apart and her eyes roam my dress.

"Gurl, you look stunning" she praised with wide eyes. "Look at all those curves! Jesus! You're a woman now!" She clicks her tongue, eyeing me with a wink and I giggle.

"Thank you. I miss you too. Also, you're just a year older than me so don't act so elderly" I chuckled.

She grips me easily spinning me around. "So tell me, how's it been in this big house all by yourself?" She asked and we settle on a table, both grabbing a glass of wine.

I take a sip before letting out a sigh. "As always. Online classes because father is so protective, and if I have to go to the mall, Griff and Hunt are there" I roll my eyes at the last part.

"Well, that's my uncle for you" She shakes her head at me knowingly. Her dad was somewhat the same, until he died in a fight so she was raised by nannies since her mom was also gone. That's why she had a lot of freedom to do things while growing up. She made me jealous, sometimes I wished I was orphaned. Evil thinking Blair.

"I even tried running away" I confess and her eyes widen before she rolls her head back with laughter and then stops.

"Oh shit! You're serious. How'd that turn out?"

"Bad. I got stuck in the middle of the road outside Palmetto"

"That must've been terrifying" Bellow muttered, her eyes on me.

"I know, but I had a savior" I chime with much enthusiasm. I need to tell Bellow because she's the only one I can trust. "You see that guy?" I point to Ross who's standing a few feet away from us, his hands in his pocket, harsh grey eyes staring at me.

"You mean the hottie who hasn't taken his eyes off of you since I noticed him?" She smirks at me and I hit her arm. "Seriously!"

"He met me on the way, brought me back to Hammock oaks. I was lost around Palmetto." My hands play with my half-empty glass of wine. "Then he left, I didn't expect to meet him again and as my bodyguard," I tell her and she bites her smile.

"That's so hot. Like some fairytale meetcute. The ones you always love to read" Bellow runs her palms down my face softly. "You better not tell your dad you've met him before"

I thought back to how I was going to say I knew him to my dad in the library but Ross stopped me, it all makes sense now. I nod at Bellow and she smiles.

"He's good-looking and so hot. Fucked him yet?" she comments, staring at Ross who's still staring at me. I look away, blushing on my cheek, and Bellow catches me, a smile gracing her lip.

"There's something about him though," I say, my brows furrowing a bit.

"How? What could be wrong with a hot specimen like Ross? I wish I could run an experiment on him right now" She teases me and I crack open with laughter. The music shifts to a familiar song that we both know, and she pulls me to the dance floor.

We both move our bodies, smiles on our faces. Oh, how I missed her, all the gossips we had about boys and when she'd tell me about her boyfriends. The good and the bad. It was intriguing and only had me wondering what it'd be like to have a boyfriend of my own.

The music shifts and we stop dancing, laughing hard at our poor excuse of a dance.

"May I?" I hear Ross's deep voice beside us and I'm stunned. He was acting so cold earlier and now he wants to dance with me? Bellow nods, before walking away after she kissed my cheek softly.

Ross takes my hand in his and pulls me into him, and I'm crushed against his tall, broad frame that has me melting in his arms. I stare up at him and he's staring at me.

"I never really got to thank you for helping me yesterday," I say in a hushed voice, my eyes flickering to his Adam's apple that moved every time he swallowed or moved his lips.

"You're welcome" Ross replies, his eyes on mine before he looks behind me, a frown on his face.

"You're a good dancer" I compliment with a smile and he looks down at me. I wait for his expression to change and it does as he smiles.

"I've always been light on my feet" he praises himself, making me chuckle.

Ross's hand moves to my hips and I freeze because I felt my veins throbbing, every vein in my body rushing with blood. My body, heating up and I don't why I'm so affected by his touch but I am. Does he feel the same tingle I feel, when we touch?

"Blair..." He breathes my name out and I swoon, staring up at him. "I need you to trust me," he says looking far behind me.

"Trust you?" I ask confused at his words.

"Yes," he says and swirls me around before tucking his hand in his pocket and pulling out a pistol that has my heart racing. Why does he have a gun? Ok, granted! He's a guard and all but...why is he pulling it out right now at the party?

"Ross" I breathe with fear because his eyes are hooded and dark.

"Trust me, Blair!" He tells me again making me shut my mouth, staring at the men and women oblivious to what is going on, Dad is drinking with a friend, even Bellow has found a man to dance with her on the floor and I'm more than happy for her but it's not helping the unsettling feeling I have deep in my stomach.

Ross moves the gun between our bodies, holding it against my stomach now. Do I scream now? I look up at him, my lips quivering when I see the deep scowl on his face, his other hand hovers below my belly button before going behind my back, cupping my shoulders, he pulls me against his chest, twirling us around. And then he raises the gun, lifting it to the side of my head and pulling the trigger as fast as lightening.

Bang!