CEO Of My Heart

Untouchable

AMELIA'S POV

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Everybody's gaze turns to us as we stride into one of Grayson's friend's mansion and I feel like I'm under a microscope as all the girl's stare, and it's not the good kind.

I haven't been to a party or seen most of these people in years, to be exact, since high school.

Grayson's hand snakes down my back, "Don't worry, I won't leave you alone," he reassures me, but it isn't reassuring how everyone keeps on looking at me with big eyes, whispering among their friends.

"Why are they looking at us?", "Us?" Ashton snorts as we head to the center of the room, "Yes," I grit out.

He acts so highly like he believes he's the reason everyone is staring, but that could also be because he has been gone for years and these are his friends too.

"They're all looking at you, Millie," Ashton grins, his hand patting my back as he shoots me a charming grin and walks off.

“Don’t listen to him,” Grayson scoffs, making it sound like I’m not worth looking at, but I know exactly what he meant.

He meant that his friends aren’t judgy, and I know he will always stand up for me, but he doesn’t really know what it was like.

I am not gorgeous like the rest of the girls, and I might be fit and in shape now, but I wasn’t when I was in school. I had pimples all the time, not a lot at once, but I never had clear skin.

I had rolls and thighs that would rub together.

My hair wasn’t in the best condition.

I picked at my nails and I used to bite the soft skin around my nails too.

I was a mess back then and the bullying will always stay with me.

Kevin’s humiliation still lingers whenever I think back to high school, because I have realized that he really didn’t love me.

We dated for so long, but I guess he had other plans for college and he just had to humiliate me instead of just breaking up with me.

“Oh look who we have here,” the familiar deep voice laughs, and my blood runs cold at the sound of his voice.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know he was going to be here,” Grayson murmurs, his hand resting on my lower back.

I turn my head, looking up at my best friend, smiling, “Not your fault,” I shrug and turn around, facing the boy who made me want to leave right this second.

“Yeah,” I drag out in a long breath, my gaze traveling down and up the length of him.

He looks horrible.

Kevin’s hair is grown, his eyes sunken in but he still has good style like always, but it doesn’t fit him anymore like it used to.

“I thought my eyes were deceiving me,” the amazement in his eyes disgusts me, “Look away, Kevin,” Grayson warns, laughing it off as he leads me away. “Why? Can’t I enjoy beautiful things?” Kevin steps in front of me, and I tense up.

Beautiful things?

“Don’t be a d**k, Kevin.” Grayson scoffs, “Excuse me?” Kevin snaps, “I was complementing her, how am I being a d**k?” Kevin inches closer to me as he glares daggers at Grayson behind me.

“I’m not even pretty, remember?” I snap and Kevin’s hard gaze flicks down to me.

“Walk away,” the relief shooting through my veins as I recognize Ashton’s deep tone makes me calm, and Kevin glances over his shoulder at Ashton.

His eyes almost pop out of their sockets at the sight of him, and he glances back at us and then at Ashton again, “Ash, when did you get back?” His voice trembles as he forces a smile.

He looks afraid, “I said back away from her,” Ashton warns as he inches closer. “Ashton, I don’t need you to stand up for me!” I snap, the irked feeling towards him grows by the second, my heart racing.

The last thing I need is for Ashton to stand up for me.

I don’t need him.

“Shut up,” Ashton deadpans, looking right at me and I should have known that this is how the night would go.

Ashton thinks he’s so big and strong, he thinks he can do whatever he wants, but that’s in his life, not mine.

“Don’t tell me what to do!”, “Lia,” Grayson gently touches my arm, pulling me back towards him, “Let’s go get a drink,” he murmurs, tugging me away from the pending fight. “Woah, you got these brother’s wrapped around your finger, don’t you, Amelia?” Kevin’s tone is taunting and it’s laced with jealousy, anger and frustration.

I look up at Grayson as he leads me away, and I glance over my shoulder at Ashton, avoiding eye contract with Kevin as I look past the pathetic man and my heart starts beating rapidly as I notice Ashton grabbing Kevin’s shirt, turning Kevin’s entire body with one tug towards him. I watch as the sleeves of Ashton’s shirt outline his muscles as they tense, his mountain biceps pulsing.

Grayson pushes me aside, his tall frame cascading a shadow over me for a split second and I watch with big eyes as Ashton’s fingers curl, his fist cutting through the air as Kevin tries to push him off.

“Ashton!” Grayson’s deep voice slowly travels through the air as it’s being drowned out by the thundering base of the music.

Grayson grabs his brother’s arm just in time before he hits Kevin again, yanking it back and he pushes his twin into the wall, “Back off! What is wrong with you?” Grayson snaps.

Seeing them stand there, face to face, veins standing out of their necks, I can clearly see the difference again.

Ashton has gotten muscular, and both of them were already broad and muscular, but Ashton is snatched. Every muscle stands out, every line sharp and it’s noticeable that he’s been working out, a lot.

“Nothing,” Ashton pushes Grayson back, shoving him with his flat hand against my best friend’s chest, a sight that boils my blood.

He’s arrogant.

How can he just come home and act out like this?

He’s changed.

His behavior is out of control, and it’s worst this time around.

“Take a walk,” Grayson grumbles as his eyes flick back to me, and my throat feels like it’s on fire and I can’t swallow.

I want to think that Ashton might have been standing up for me, but I know better.

I know that he’s just looking for someone to take his pent up anger out on, and he was looking for a fight, but doesn’t he realize that we aren’t kids anymore and he can go to jail?

Doesn’t he see the bigger picture?

“He’s unhinged,” My lips twitch up in disgust.

Ashton has always pitied himself, he has always had this idea that he’s the black sheep of the family. He thinks that Grayson is the golden child, but they are close. Their parents treat them the same, and if one gets something, then so does the other.

“I can see that,” Grayson snaps at me, walking off into the next room, but I find myself frozen in spot, baffled that he snapped at me for no reason.

Did I do something to piss him off?

Fuck you, Gray.

I spin on my heel, scanning the crowd and I strut through the busy dance floor out onto the patio, my eyes flicking over the dozens of people partying outside, some swimming, others playing beer pong.

I strut down the few steps, ignoring the stares and glances when one of the guys comes up to me, handing me a drink, “I’m West,” he nods with a ridiculous smirk on his face.

“I know,” I shove the cup back into his hand, and I love the confused look taking over his face. “You do? I’ve never met you before,” I don’t know if I should feel humiliated by the fact that the Captain of the hockey team from our high school doesn’t remember me even after he spilled milk all over me, not once, but three f*****g times, on purpose.

“Poor you,” I click my tongue and walk past him, but he grabs my hand, tugging me back gently and I spin on my heel, my hair flicking against my bare skin.

He doesn’t hold me tight, his touch is soft and his fingers massage mine as he plays with the tips of my fingers, “Come on, I want to know you,” he grins, and I hate that I like the warm feeling spreading up my arm.

Meeting West’s soft gaze snaps me back to reality, because he isn’t kind, he never has been. “I don’t think so,” I try and slip my hand from his and he grabs my wrist, stopping me from walking away,

“Come on,” he tries again, “Are you deaf or aren’t you used to mommy and daddy saying no so you just don’t understand the word?” I tease snappingly, my voice carrying through the air towards the nearest people.

“I’m just trying to stop you from making the biggest mistake of your life.” he shrugs, “Me too,” I smile and pull my arm back, “Goodbye West,” I deadpan and I try to walk away, again, when he stops me, again, but this time isn’t as kind.

My head is yanked back as he grabs my hair, a loud shriek escapes me and he laughs as he grabs my nape, turning me towards him as he controls me and my head is pulled back, my mouth open as I groan painfully, “You are what we call a f*****g tease,” he grits out and I can feel his free hand sliding down my side.

“Gray!” I yell, but I’m cut off when he shoves two fingers into my mouth. I don’t know if he washed his hands, but there’s a disgusting taste lingering on his fingers and I bite down, hard, making him yell and curse as he tugs his hand back, and just as he lets me go, I see a fist flying past my head and right into his face.

“Stop!” I snap at Ashton, his black shirt outlining his back muscles as he kneels over West, continuing to punch him, over and over, “Ash! Stop!” I leap forward, touching his shoulder and he freezes, turning his head and he stares at the ground beside him before he gets up and faces me.

“You do not walk off alone,” Ashton stops right in front of me, and he lifts his hand, gently brushing my hair out of my face and an electrifying shock courses through my bloodstream as the tips of his fingers trace down my cheek, a tingling sensation following the warmth of his skin, as if life is being drained back into me.