Chapter 3

I latched onto his hand letting him pull me out of the pool. My dress was drenched leaving it to stick to my body like a second skin. I felt a towel come and land on my shoulder, I sent a thankful smile to Rylan.

"you good" the guy that helped me asked. I studied this boy and soon came to the realisation that he was hot. His black jet hair was perfect with the dark skin tone. He wore a tight black shirt with jeans, and he was just the definition of handsome.

I nodded frantically but the words that came out of this pricks mouth had my attention leaving him. "how is that my fault" I wasn't stupid I had heard of the buzz around Mr Cole Hamilton today around campus.

Apparently, the guy is linked to some royalty in Asia, I guess he didn't stay for the etiquette lessons because this boy has no manners at all.

"your dirty journalist of a mother that's who" those were the only words that I heard before I stepped forward slapping him across the cheek.

The actual nerve of this guy. I felt someone tug on my arm bringing me back. Montana stood there giving me a look. My mind went back to seeing how close she was to Cole.

She wouldn't. Right.

Before I said something, I would regret later I stormed out of there. I could hear Kim shouting for me, but I was a war path for blood and if someone looked at me the wrong way, I'm sure I'll end up in city jail anytime soon tonight.

"Lex wait, were coming back with you" Kim said pulling my arm. I spun my face red hot with anger. Kim gently took my other hand. "it's okay honey" she said gently.

"Are you mad at me" Montana said quietly bowing her head down. Kim stared at us confused.

I shook my head "No Tana I'm not mad at you I'm just pissed at that guy. You didn't tell him about my mother being a journalist di you" I mean I had to ask.

I regretted saying it as soon as I saw the look in her eyes.

"forget it, that was low" I pushed my comment to the side, I needed to not put the blame on Montana obviously Cole saw how stunning she was. she deserves to have the attention.

We slowly made our way back we jumped on one of the student buses that run throughout the night. I had my head leant up against the window, my mind going over tonight and wondering where I went wrong.

My mom wasn't some dirty journalist looking for some juicy stories she was far from that. ever since she was young, she would read books about the war, read old love letters that the soldiers would send to their loved ones.

She became a journalist that focused on making the dreams of soldiers come to life. Last month she completed her 2-year long quest of finding the wife of a soldier who was living in France. He wrote to her asking for her to find him his love of his life.

So, the nerve of Cole calling my mom a dirty journalist has blood boiling inside of me.

"Lexi" I heard Montana call out. I had just finished showering and was applying my moisturiser when she poked her head into my room.

"Don't think you have to explain yourself Tana" she walked in closing the door. "I know I don't, but I feel like I should tell you about one of Cole's friends" now this had me interested.

She sat down on the edge of my bed. "Jasper came to me after you stormed off. I heard him telling Cole how he fucked up"

"don't you dare tell this story without me, you slimy bitch trying to take all the credit" Kim burst into my room her face all grey from a face mask and her hair in tight French braids.

Tana rolled her eyes "calm down woman I was just about to call you in" Kim smacked her "don't lie to my face have you no decency" I cracked a smile at their antics.

"anyways, we turned to jasper and he admitted that he was the one that told Cole about your mom. He's a journalist student so he found out who released the story to the press" Kim explained to me.

I still didn't quite understand why my mom was to blame here.

Unless.

"I think mom used to work at a company before going private" I vaguely remember her telling me this last year some time.

"that must be it then" Kim said.

Still, he should've at least done some better research or at least checking it with me first before he goes around shoving people into pools.

I sighed loudly laying back on my bed. "at least you looked hot drenched though Lex, some kid even made you into a hot Gif" Tana said looking at her phone. I immediately crawled over to her looking at her phone.

Damn.

"that's some serious payback for Cole... send that to me" I smacked Kim on the shoulder.

"what" she exclaimed like she had done nothing wrong.

I don't want that going anywhere else, it's embarrassing.

Kim left the room to remove her face mask, before it starts to react badly to her skin. Never and I mean never fall asleep with a face mask on. Prepare to wake up with more spots. The spots you were trying to get rid of in the first place.

"Just because he doesn't like me that doesn't mean you can't get to know him. If you like him go for it okay" Tana laughs nervously. "I don't like him" I held my hand up stopping her right there.

"I'm not blind tana, Cole is seriously good looking, and I saw how you guys looked at each other tonight. Just be careful with this one he seems slippery" it was obvious from the way they were looking at each other that they liked each other.

Cole did slightly use her towards the end and that bothered me.

"like a fucking snake" Kim shouts from the next room.

Next Morning

I managed to get some sleep, well after spoke to my parents. I had told them all about the incident and one was pretty chill and the other well they didn't take it like a champ.

"My daughter gets violently pushed into a pool by someone who claims to be a man and you tell me to chill out" I don't think I expected anything less from my dad. He can be an honest kind man but when it comes to me his only daughter well let's just say he has rage.

"ignore your father sweetie. Were just glad you're okay if you need me to come and talk with the boy and sort things out, I'll be there" that's not even an option.

"No no no, I'll sort it"

She was silent on the other end.

"ignoring it and trying to avoid it is not the definition of sorting it out lexis" she knows me too well. This is how I deal with things on the regular basis.

"No don't go honey, you're very busy" I could hear my dad comment in the background.

I was relieved for a moment until he opened his mouth again.

"Ill have a word with him"

I hung up.

That phone call made me stressed and happy all in one.

Both my parents word hard, moms a journalist and dad he owns a car rental company in the City, but they always have time for me which I respect.

I woke up early to head over to the gym, if there is anything in this world that can distract me it's going to the gym.

Back home whenever I was stressed, I would sneak out and go to the gym and spar with my favourite uncle Owen or whoever was available it was almost like a form of therapy for me.

I quietly left the house and walked to the uni gym, I've been there twice this week and I was shocked at how big it was. nothing worst than a small gym where guys just stare at you.

I entered the gym heading straight for lockers. I dumped my bag inside and started to head to the cardio section.

I set myself up on the treadmill and started my 15-minute run. I closed my eyes as the sound of Cardi B was playing through my headphones.

I could feel my legs becoming tired and hot, so I stopped and moved over to the cross trainer to do another 15 minutes on that.

After getting bored with the cardio stuff I cleaned up and headed towards the weights, luckily for me there wasn't that many people here. Maybe they were recovering from the party last night.

I grabbed a pair of weights and started to work on my arms. I could see myself through the large mirror that covered the whole wall entirely. In the corner I could see a guy on one of the big machines he was pumping his arms. Proper beast like.

"Like what you see princess" he suddenly called out to me.

My eyes widened, how embarrassing.

"yeah um sorry" his voice was dark, deep and actually scary.

"Rick, stop tormenting my customers" a guy says walking over.

Rick just rolled his eyes standing up. He wrapped his arm around this guy grinning "Don't get so touchy Eric, she doesn't mind do you" he cast a look towards me.

"No no, its fine it was y fault for staring" honestly Alexis where the fuck did you leave your backbone.

My eyes moved to the other guy, something about him was familiar maybe I had seen him the other days I was in here.

"see Ethan, you're stressing for no reason at all" Rick gave us a mini salute and left the scene. I smiled to myself as he left and turned back around. I decided to carry on with my weights but unfortunately my body wanted to be a baby. I dropped the weight and rubbed my arm.

"Are you okay?" I jumped not realising how close he was. he stood with his arms holding onto the wall that separated the weights.

Finally, I was able to really look at this guy.

Jet black hair, dark skin and the greenest eyes I've ever seen. They all made me think back to last night.

"oh, you were the guy from last night. Thank you for that by the way" he grinned back at me.

"Don't thank me I was just doing what any other guy would do" he says dismissing me.

Might want to think twice about that.

"Really?" he seemed to catch onto what I was suggesting.

He laughed moving closer. "you're right, that guy was a dick" I'm glad we both agree on something. I would be more than happy if I could avoid Cole at all costs. Hopefully if he's hell bent on Montana; I won't have to worry about him.

Ethan straddles a nearby bench tapping it with his hand.

I stared at his hand, what does that mean.

Slowly I moved towards him he pulled me the rest of the way and I straddled the bench facing him.

I watched as he wrapped his hand around my arm, he used his thumbs to massage points on my arm. I winced as he found the source of my pain.

"I'm Alexis by the way I don't think I've ever told you my name" he glanced up at me his lips curving into a smile.

"I know who you are, how could I not after last night" lard knows what's being said about me now.

I actually don't want to know.

"Cole left after you, he wasn't a big hit with everyone last night even my brother was annoyed which is saying something" I groaned in my head, did he have to continue talking about last night.

"who's your brother?" I asked, somewhat intrigued.

I just wanted to keep the conversation going just so he wouldn't stop whatever magic he was creating on my arms.

He slowly moved up my arm before curling his fingers around my shoulders.

"Rylan. My brother can be an idiot at times but if our parents taught us one thing is to respect girls" shocked, that's what I felt hearing that he was the older brother of Rylan.

I met Rylan for the first-time last night, he was nice to us three girls but at that time I thought he was trying to get one of us into his bed. When he helped me after the pool incident, I began to realise he was more than just a hot guy.

God must have been feeling good when he created this family, at least make one of them have a gap tooth or something.

"Thank you for whatever you're doing by the way, it feels good" I said looking down at his expert fingers massaging me.

"I major in physiotherapy, so I'd hope it was working" well that sure as hell explains it then.

Ethan slowly let go of my arms sitting back. "making you feel good is my top priority" he said almost sensually. There was a definite meaning behind his words.

"do you flirt with all your customers Ethan" I replied back.

He carefully stood up bring me up with him. "only the ones that are worth it"