Think Of A Charming Devil

*Bella*

“Are you going to the Knights this weekend?” my mom asked over the phone.

I bit my lip, still conflicted about whether or not to go. I couldn’t face Ryder after that night, and I had been avoiding him ever since. I hadn’t replied to his texts or calls. But then, last night, Mrs. Knight—Ryder’s mom—called and insisted I come, just like usual. I tried to dodge it and make an excuse, but she wasn’t having it.

“Umm… yes, Mom. I’ll go to the Knights and spend the weekend with them,” I replied in a low voice, as if I was afraid to even hear myself say it. 

I was still unsure how I would behave around Ryder. What if his family sensed something unusual between us? Oh, God. That would be so embarrassing.

“Bella, I’m warning you again to stay away from those rich people,” Mom said in a stern tone. I braced myself, knowing exactly what was coming. She never liked the Knights and always had something against them being so rich and powerful.

“They’re not trustworthy,” she continued. “They’re fake. All they do is show off their wealth and power, making people like us feel grateful or pitied by them,” she spat, her voice dripping with disgust.

“But, Mom, Mr. Knight is Dad’s friend, and they genuinely care about us,” I said, trying to defend them. “They use their power and wealth to help us because they don’t want to see us struggle.”

Mom, of course, wasn’t having it. “You’re just like your father—never listening to my advice. Fine. But don’t come crying to me when you get backstabbed by those pretentious, so-called ‘nice’ rich people,” she grumbled, clearly fed up.

“Don’t worry, Mom. I can take care of myself,” I tried to comfort her, though the weight of her words lingered in my mind.

“You better do, because if you break our trust, you know your father will never forgive you, Bella,” she warned again. “You better not make any mistakes, dear.”

Her words made me chew my lip with worry. I had already broken their rules, and I didn’t want them to find out. They couldn’t bear it, especially with Mom already hating Ryder. If this secret got out, it would destroy the friendship between Dad and Mr. Knight. No, I could never let them find out about Ryder and me.

But it had been one mistake—just one night—and that was it. We were both adults, and we could deal with it. However, Ryder would have already forgotten about it. After all, he was Ryder Knight, a man who didn’t stick to one girl when he could have any girl he wanted. They didn’t call him a playboy for nothing. I sighed, shaking my head at the mess I’d gotten myself into.

"Okay, Mom, I have to go. My friends are waiting for me," I said, quickly ending the call.

I turned to find my friends waiting for me so we could walk to the dorm together.

"It was Mom," I told them with a shrug and a hesitant smile.

"We got you," Rina said, and they all laughed as we headed toward the exit of the college.

"So, what's the plan for the weekend?" Lily asked, and soon the conversation shifted to everyone's weekend plans. I kept my mouth shut, hesitant to reveal mine. Everyone knew the Knights were some of the wealthiest people around, and spending the weekend with them wasn’t exactly the norm. However, for me, they felt like family, and they treated me so well.

The honking of a car startled me, and my friends giggled behind me as I heard the car door open.

“OMG! He’s so hot!” Rina said, licking her lips.

I rolled my eyes because I didn’t need to turn around to know who they were talking about.

“Oh my god, Bella, how are you so lucky to be with him? He’s literally walking temptation,” Lily added with a hopeless sigh.

“Shut up, guys,” I hissed before Ryder could hear them. “He’s my dad’s best friend’s son, and he already has a girlfriend. So stop spreading rumours,” I explained firmly.

“Bella!”

The deep, husky voice made me turn, and there he was—Ryder Knight, flashing a devilishly gorgeous smile that could stop anyone in their tracks. My heart skipped a beat for no reason when I saw his handsome face. My cheeks heated, and my breathing hitched as he walked toward me, his eyes fixed on me as if I were the center of his universe.

Oh God, Bella, he always gives you this kind of attention. So why does it feel different today? I scolded myself, biting my lip nervously. I must be losing my mind.

“Hey,” I greeted him shyly, offering a small smile. Before I could react, Ryder stepped forward and pulled me into his big, muscular arms.

His touch sent shivers racing down my spine, goosebumps erupting all over my skin. I trembled slightly in his embrace, hoping he didn’t notice.

Oh God, why am I reacting like this? I panicked internally. Surely he must have felt it too. This is so, so embarrassing!

As if that wasn’t enough, the next moment, he pulled away slightly, his eyes twinkling with a mischievous smile. Before I could even process what was happening, he lowered his head, and my eyes widened with panic.