Chained Lovers

Chapter 22: Screwed

K I A R A ' S P.O.V

After yesterday's turmoil and distress, I called Tessa. She came over, happily ignoring her physics homework, and brought him some doughnuts and a s**t load of ice cream.

We spent the night watching re-runs of our favourite tv shows and stuffing our faces, ignoring the fact that we had tight fitted dressed to squeeze into the next morning.

I woke with a hand in my face and a knee pressed against my stomach. Grabbing the nearest pillow, I whacked Tessa twice to wake her up.

I could already feel my stomach churning as I looked at all the empty pint tubs covering my bed. Wincing, I pulled out a large spoon which was jammed into my back and chucked it onto the ground.

"I think I have an ice cream hangover," I groaned, rolling off the bed.

"Is that even a thing?" Tessa drawled as she slowly sat up. She rubbed her head and then froze, as her eyes widened in realisation. "s**t Kiwi, it's the f*****g the ball today."

"Relax, we have hours." I say that, but in reality we were probably going to waste away all our precious time by watching Netflix, again.

"I need some food. Real food, not ice cream." I nodded in agreement, standing up and helping her out of bed.

I begrudgingly trudged downstairs and made it into the kitchen. Pulling out some milk and left over pancake mixture from yesterday, I got to work.

After the pancakes were cooked, I walked back into the living room, searching for my missing best friend. I swear, she was just behind me.

"I look like a mess." I heard Tessa whine, causing me to pause in my steps

"A hot sexy mess, seriously if this is what you look like rolled out of bed, I can't wait to see you with your..." I quickly stepped into the room cutting off my stupid ass brother, who was in for a whopping.

"Please don't finish that sentence Kalen." He rolled his eyes childishly, walking over to mess up my hair even more.

"Come on Kiwi, I was just having some fun." I walked forward and grabbed Tessa, pushing her behind me.

"Not with my best friend you're not." I pulled her into the kitchen, watching her sulk as she grabbed her pancakes and dumped a load of whipped cream on them.

"Tess, I'm sorry if I embarrassed you but my brother's are f**k boys."

"But Kalen's kind and sweet and gentle, he isn't like the rest of them." And that's when everything clicked into place, Tessa and Kalen were thing. Or had a thing. Either way my brother and my best friend were...doing the nasty.

Ew, even thinking about it made me want to gag.

I was about to tell her how wrong Kalen was for her, when I realised how f****d up my love life was and I had no right to tell others how live there's. I would silently support Tessa and when the time was right, I knew she would tell me.

"Okay, I'm sorry. I won't interrupt again." She glanced up at me in shock.

"Really?" I nodded with a smile, leaning down to give her a one armed hug.

"Yes, now eat your pancakes. Pepper's coming over at four to do our hair and make up."

"Wow, I still can't believe your mother knows him." I rolled my eyes.

"Would you believe it if it told you it was actually my dad who introduced them? Apparently Pepper used to do his hair when he was younger." She spat out the milk she was drinking as she burst out into laughter.

"I'm sorry, I'm just imagining your dad sitting in a room with Pepper." I chuckled. Pepper was an old family friend but he annoyed my father to the brink of insanity. I'm surprised my dad hasn't shot him yet.

"Kiara, could you come to my office for a moment? Hi Tessa," My dad said, strolling into the kitchen. I finished stuffing my pancakes down my throat, before rinsing my plate and following my dad.

I wasn't a stranger to these weird meetings my dad always had with me. He called them our 'weekly catch ups', making them seem like some sort of business meeting. It was really just a chance for my dad to pry into my life per usual, but it always ended with me either getting his credit card or him buying me a pair of shoes.

"Uh daddy, why are Kieron, Kai and Kalen there too?" I whispered, noticing my brothers all lingering outside the office. "And why is mum here too?"

"It's not our weekly catch up, it's a family meeting instead. Hence, the whole family is here." I childishly rolled my eyes. "Kiara, behave. I didn't raise a brat."

I smirked. "No, but you did raise a bitch."

"Kiara!" He scowled, whilst I simply walked into the office as if I owned it, taking the chair seated at the head of the table. My brothers scoffed and rolled their eyes, when they saw where I was sat, but I ignored them all.

"Kiara, that's my chair." My dad said sternly.

"But daddy, this chair's more comfy." I stuck out my bottom lip and gave him the puppy eyes until he sighed.

"Fine, I'll sit over there." I flashed my brothers a victorious smile, leaning back against the soft leather.

"I called this meeting for three reasons. One, I'm glad all of you are attending the ball tonight. We desperately need to show the world how charitable and generous the Romano family is. That starts tonight, Kiara and Tessa are going to attend the auction tonight." The room erupted with anger.

"What the f**k? Dad, you can't be serious."

"No f*****g way,"

"Over my dead body will my little sister be sold like cattle to some old guy with deep pockets."

My dad simply held up his hand, and everyone fell silent. "Kiara wants to do this, and so does Tessa. They're 18, and this will benefit us all. Besides, do you really think that I'll let some random man take my daughter out. I've made arrangements."

What the f**k? What did he mean arrangements?

"Dad, what are you talking about?" I noticed my mother's puzzled face as she stared down at my dad.

"Yes Ryder, what are you talking about?" My dad sighed, furiously rubbing his eyes and for a moment I felt bad. He did work hard, too hard really, but I didn't want this auction to be rigged. I didn't want it to be controlled my father.

"Let's just say I have a couple of trusted friends who I've pushed to bid." My eyes immediately narrowed in anger.

"Dad, no. Call them off."

"Honey, I trust them and I think you'll like whichever one buys you."

"Dad, this is basically like you setting me up, and I'm not going on a date that my father created for me. That's weird."

"I have to go agree with Kiwi dad, that is a little weird." Kai said, whilst the rest of my brothers nodded in agreement. My dad glanced up at my mom for support but she simply gave him a look of disapproval.

"Call them off Ryder." Her tone left no space for reason and I mouthed her a silent thank you.

"Fine, I'll call them off but there will be guards following you at all times." I nodded with a smile, even though I was always thinking up ways to ditch them.

"Now, second order of business. The Serpents, and no Kiara, not the ones from Riverdale." I huffed, slowly closing my mouth. I can't believe he ruined my joke.

"The Serpents are a relatively new gang, well they're new in the sense that I've just noticed them, and apparently they have a certain death wish. They've already attacked some of my properties and some of Ghost's territories too." My interest was piqued at the mention of Aaron's gang. "I'm working on trying to catch them but they've proven to be an adequate foe, so for now I want you all to take extra precautions and security at the house will be doubled." Double security means more chance of getting caught sneaking out, I guess I'll have to be spending a lot more time at 'Tessa's'.

"Now the final thing I wish to discuss is presents." All our faces, apart from Kieron's lit up at the word. "Me and your mother are incredibly proud of you all, and grateful for your presence at the ball tonight. Therefore," He pulled out four identical boxes and set them on the table. My mum grabbed them all and walked over to Kieron first.

"Here sweetie, I know you need some more cufflinks." I watched my brothers open their presents and thank our parents, waiting patiently until she got to me.

"There you go honey, I hope you like it. Your father picked it out." I glanced up, smiling at my dad, whilst I ripped it open. I slowly flipped open the box and gasped in awe of the glittering necklace that lay inside.

"It's beautiful daddy." I ran over and hugged him, before turning to my mum. "Thank you mum, for everything you do."

The door suddenly clicked open and one of the maids walked in. "Sir, Mr Pepper is here." My dad sighed, looking up at the ceiling. "God, help us all."

***

"So, what do you think?" Pepper exclaimed, spinning me around so I could finally look in the mirror. I gaped, touching my cheek, just to make sure it was really me and that I wasn't trapped in some sort of weird dream.

Sure, I had worn make up before and gotten my hair curled but, nothing as extravagant as this. This was the first time I had gotten my make up and hair done by a professional and the results were astounding. I hardly recognised myself.

"Oh sweetie, you look gorgeous." I nodded, still in awe, as I stared at myself.

My hair was down and curled, but half was pinned back with black bobby pins and intricately tangled into a waterfall braid that cascaded down my back. My make up though was flawless. Foundation was smoothly applied on my soft skin and my features were defined with bronzer and highlighter, coated along my cheeks and nose. The eyeshadow was nude and glittery, blending into my natural skin tone.

"The dress, Miss Kiara." I smiled at the maid, who passed me the ironed and steamed dress, and walked into the bathroom with my mum. I slipped on the soft material, holding my hair up, as she zipped it up slowly.

The dress was...everything. It was sky blue with a sweetheart neckline, thin spaghetti straps holding it up, and the skirt flows out, trailing along the ground. It had a long slit revealing my perfectly tanned leg and a floral pattern covering the upper half of the dress.

"I've never seen someone look so beautiful." I watched as a tear trailed down her cheek.

"Oh mum, don't cry." I laughed, turning around to wipe it away.

"You're just so grown up, my last baby. Soon you'll be married and have babies, leaving me all alone."

"Mum, first of all, that will not happen for a very long time, and second I will never leave you, even if I'm a thousand miles away. I'll always be here." Pressing my hand against her heart, I smiled at her.

Knock knock! My mum chuckled, wiping her tears away, as she opened the door. Tessa stood there looking stunning in her statin green dress that hugged her body like a glove.

"Oh Kiwi, you look perfect." She gushed, rushing forward to hug me.

"You look perfect too," I murmured, wrapping my arms around her. "You know, Kalen's favourite colour is green." She stiffened in my hold and I winked as I pulled away from her.

"Girls, the limos are here." My father called from downstairs. Picking up my dress, I followed my mum, who was wearing a custom made Chanel dress with matching pearl earrings, down the stairs.

I immediately watched my fathers expression as he noticed my mum making her descent. They sparkled with love and awe, watching her every move meticulously, as if blinking itself would ruin the moment.

Her hand was placed in his and he leant forward to press a small kiss on her lips. My mum whispered something inaudible against his lips, causing them both to laugh. Then they looked up at me and Tessa.

I walked down the stairs, trying to ignore the slight pang I felt in my chest when I saw the pure love between them. Was that what I have with Tristan? Could I have that with Aaron?

"You look beautiful, baby." My dad pressed a kiss to my temple, wrapping me into a warm hug. "You look just like your mother,"

"No, she looks like her father. My little baby." I whined as my mum pinched my cheeks, causing everyone to laugh.

"Stop mum, please." She retracted her hand, and Kai walked over, giving me his arm.

"Shall we?" I chuckled, wrapping my arm around his. I watched as Kalen did the same to Tessa, whilst my parents led the way.

"Ready for some fun?" Kai grinned mischievously and I knew then and there that this night could only go two ways, it either ended with a smile or with me in tears.

My phone buzzed. I pulled it out of my clutch, standing just outside the limo.

Got my tux on and heading to the party now. See you there baby-girl. xx ~ Tristan

I smiled at the text, my finger hovering over the keyboard, when it buzzed again.

Can't wait to see you in your dress Princess, I would be lying if I said I didn't miss you ~ Aaron

Yep, either way I was screwed.

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A/N: This was kinda a filler chapter but I promise the next chapter will be worth it!!

Also the big question, are you an Triara shipper or an Aaria shipper??