Chapter One - Following Me?

Skylar looked around at the jaw-dropped looks on everyone's faces. She grabbed Christian’s hand to steer him towards a secluded area of the auditorium. However, sparks of electricity shot through her arm, coursing down her body at the touch. She immediately released him as if scalded. What was that? 

“Why are you here? Caleb wanted to send Sebastian here without my consent. I’m not interested in either of you. Don’t you get it?” She glared at him while he watched her with a frown marring his handsome features. 

“That’s a pity. You’re stuck with me.” Skylar watched the man closely as he spoke. His shock of dark hair, his stunning blue eyes, and lips that would make an angel sin all made him was irresistible, but she knew otherwise. He was the most detestable and selfish man on earth! His notorious ways were the topic at every gathering their parents attended when they were alive. He never came home on holidays on purpose, so what changed now?

“I’m not stuck with you and never will be. Maybe with Sebastian until I could convince him not to marry me. So you’re wasting your time, Christian. Bye.” She whirled around to get back to the party, but he grabbed her wrist instead. 

“I’m so sorry to break the news to you, but I think you should know the truth. Sebastian has eloped with his girl. He will never, ever marry you. So you see, as per our parents' wishes, you’re stuck with me.” Skylar gaped at him, ready to fight his theory. She wasn’t obligated to marry him if Sebastian had eloped. Her parents wanted her to marry Sebastian, right? She tried to free herself, but Christian held her wrist in a death grip, forcing her to hear him out.

“No, you’re wrong. I’m not obligated to marry you. Our parents wanted me to marry Sebastian, but with him marrying someone else, I’m free, actually.”

“I wouldn’t get my hopes up if I were you.” She scowled at the man who was so keen to marry her. 

“Why are you dying to marry me?” He gave her an amused look and led her towards the dance floor where her friends were dancing with their dates. 

“Heck! I’m not dancing with you, dammit!” she gritted out, but he simply released her and started gyrating to the music. 

“Can’t you dance with your date at least? I’ve come all the way from Massachusetts for this.” Skylar’s jaws dropped with surprise. What? Was he drunk or what? 

“What do you mean?” she asked in confusion, watching him dance. With her mind in a state of turmoil, she had no wish to dance with the man. He had spoiled her prom night already with his presence! The music stopped and a slow romantic number started. Christian held out his hand for her, but she declined. 

“What the hell! I don’t want to dance with you.” She stomped away from the dance floor, but he followed her. “Goodbye, if you won’t answer my question. I’m going to enjoy with my friends.”

“Go out with me tomorrow and I’ll tell you.” She whirled around to face the confusing man. 

“No, thanks. I’m not interested to know.” She walked away to join her friends, acutely aware of his gaze upon her. 

“I’ll pick you up at 6 tomorrow.” He strode out with that parting shot, making her freeze. Where would he pick her from? She herself didn't know where she would be. Her body seethed with a mad fury at being man-handled by a stranger. She had met Sebastian a few times when younger. He was mature and soft-spoken, the opposite of Christian in every way. It would have been so easy to convince him, but she wasn’t so confident with this headstrong guy! No, she wouldn’t give in. She needed to see her brother right away! 

Her friends were busy enjoying with their dates, and Skylar didn’t disturb them. For her, the event was over even before it started. Christian St. James had spoiled it with his presence. She walked out unnoticed to the parking area and drove home. She knew the lecture she would face for not attending her brother’s wedding, but she was ready to face it. It was time to confront everyone. They couldn’t dump her on the youngest son in the absence of the older. 

She parked the car in the driveway and stared at the mansion, bathed in dim lights. Hadn’t her family returned yet from the reception party? 

he walked over to the security guards to inquire. 

“No, Ma’am. Everyone is at the St. James mansion. They haven’t left the keys to the house behind. I don’t have the duplicate set of keys, too.” Skylar’s jaws dropped with surprise. How was that possible? 

“Where’s Mrs. Jules?” Mrs. Jules had been working with them as their housekeeper for the last fifteen years. She was always at home, even when her grandparents weren’t. 

“She is with your family at the St. James' house.” 

Skylar flailed her arms around helplessly. Was this a desperate move to force her to go there? Obviously, she couldn’t go back to the prom night since her friends might have made their after party plans already with their dates. She stomped over to her car, muttering about her bad luck. It was the worst day of her life! 

Skylar tried her grandparents’ and Caleb’s numbers, but all three were switched off. She groaned with agony since there was only one option left for her now! It was something she didn’t wish to do. 

She drove over to the St. James mansion reluctantly. She would just get the keys and run. The confrontation with her family could happen later when they returned home. After twenty long minutes, she reached the palatial mansion. Her eyes popped out at seeing a sea of cars parked in their parking area. As she walked over to the main entrance, she noticed a huge tent-like structure in the backyard. So, did they host the reception party here? 

Skylar glanced at her dress! It was so inappropriate! Her grandparents would surely feel embarrassed to see her here this way! No, she couldn’t enter through the grand doorway and embarrass them. Maybe she would sneak into the reception party unnoticed and just seek Caleb out for the house keys. 

She walked around the enormous columns of the mansion towards the backside. The place was almost empty, with a few guests enjoying their drinks. Was the party over? Why didn’t her grandparents return home? She scanned the guests present there but her grandparents weren’t there and neither was Caleb. Feeling frustrated, she whirled around to sneak into the house when she collided with a hard chest.

“What the…!” her words remained stuck in her throat when she looked up to see who the creature was. It was none other than the one she dreaded meeting the most, the detestable pest, Christian St. James. Of course she would meet him here! This was his home. How had she not anticipated this earlier? She could have broken into her own home rather than come here!

“Following me, Skylar?” Her jaws dropped to the floor. What? Why would she follow him out of all the people in the universe? 

“Nope. I’m not creepy like you.” She stepped backwards to place some distance between them, although her body could still feel the warmth from the collision with his. How could that be possible? He chuckled instead of answering her. “Look, I’m here for my house keys. Can you just tell me where my grandparents are?” 

“Your granny fell ill at the party, so they’re staying the night here. You, too, are most welcome to stay over.” He watched her with his eyes twinkling with amusement. It made her feel like a clown and irked her even more. Skylar glared at him, struggling to find words. It was another disadvantage of hers. Words failed her whenever she was angered. “You can stay with me in my bedroom. We’ll be married soon, anyway.” 

Skylar staggered backwards with horror. “No! Never! I'd rather spend the night on the streets. How could you ever imagine I would marry someone like you?” 

He raised an eyebrow at her with interest. “What do you mean by that?” 

“I’m not in the mood to answer you, Christian. I need to go home.” 

“I won’t let you go inside unless you answer me, Skylar. What’s wrong with marrying me?” He stood like a wall before her, and Skylar had no other option than to give in. But she wouldn’t give in. She wouldn’t play this verbal duel with him. 

“Fine, you can stand guard here the entire night. I don’t need the keys. I’ll spend the night in my car. Good bye.” She ran out of the house before he could grasp her words. He rushed after her, but she had started her car already. 

Skylar drove away at breakneck speed, not wanting to face the disgusting man. However, in her haste to get away, she realized she had lost the chance of retrieving the keys to her home. Now, where would she go?