Chapter 20: Chapter 20

Vega's heart flipped as she stared at the hands that felt like hot brands gripping hers, then she gazed back at him, her brows furrowing but he just smirked at her obvious confusion.

"I'll take you to get ice cream instead," he said, his smooth voice trailing like a caress over her skin and she couldn't stop a light shudder as goosebumps beaded across her skin.

Vega pulled away sharply, her smile and voice nervous when she spoke. "It's good. Jake is already taking me, you don't need to worry about me" she said ignoring the way Jake was pinching her sides.

Zach smiled and Vega swore as her heart flipped, her stomach dropping to the floor. Yup definitely dangerous for your heart, she thought as she shook the image from her head.

"Jake doesn't seem to mind tho, or do you?" Zach asked, arching a brow.

"Of course not" Jake answered, almost spluttering. "I mean I have a lecture right now, and Vega just won't stop whining about ice cream. I'm cool if you can take her on my behalf" he said and gave Vega a pointed look even tho she was staring at him incredulously.

"Well, your boyfriend gave me the go-ahead, so will you come with me".

Vega stared at him, her eyes widening as she caught what he'd referred to Jake as. "Jake's not my boyfriend, that's fucking gross," she said and Jake made a face. "No offense, but you get my point".

Zach frowned, then smiled and Vega knew that he was just dying to ask questions about the dynamics of their relationship.

"Glad to know it's only Markus that's..." he said, then paused as if he'd said too much and Vega stared at him, curiosity taking root in the pit of her stomach.

"That's what?" She asked, unable to stop herself.

Zach quirked a brow, a light dimple coming out to play and Vega stared, forgetting what she'd even asked him. "That's a secret you're going to have to dig to find out".

Vega scoffed. "Yeah, good luck with keeping your secret then, cause I won't be doing any digging".

Zach smiled, his eyes getting smaller and he looked all the cuter. Vega tore her gaze from his face choosing to stare at Jake who was watching her with a question in his eyes.

"Can we just get ice cream... I'm starving!" She snapped sullenly, hating the fact that in the end, she wouldn't only be breaking Zach's heart but hers as well.

"Stop sounding so grumpy. I'll make it up to you later" Jake said and pulled Vega in for a hug. "Be a good girl ok?" he said, then brought his lips closer to her ears to whisper. "We'll talk about your problem later, but you need to win the freaking bet first ok," he said then pulled back, a stretched smile on his lips.

Vega forced one on her lips too. "I'll try to keep that in mind."

"Awesome. I've got to go meet Markus..." He said then noticed that Zach was still there watching their exchange. "that's after lectures, of course, so yeah, I'm off now" he said, waved awkwardly, and rushed off like his pants were on fire.

Zach turned to face her and she noticed the dark look in his eyes as he stared at Jake's retreating figure, but when he noticed her staring, a light carefree smile replaced the frown and it confused Vega. "It's just us now".

Vega raised an eyebrow. "There's no us..." She said stopping before she added yet.

"We can always work around that. You deserve someone better than Markus. You shouldn't be sharing anyone's affection Vega" he said staring into her eyes and Vega wanted to do nothing more than to close the space between them and press her lips against his very inviting ones. Vega could also tell that he meant everything he was saying which was weird except maybe not. Zach was a playboy, of course, he had many aces up his sleeves that he used when he needed to seduce someone. Not that he had to try very hard, because she was already making it all too easy by falling for the bad boy after reading all about them.

"You're cute when you're thinking hard," he said, his knuckles reaching out to graze across her cheek and the sparks that ignited under his touch made her head spin.

"Let's just get ice cream" she got out shakily, as she stepped out of his reach.

Zach chuckled, almost as if he knew the effect he had on her. "Ok, let's go get ice cream because I wouldn't want you soaking up my shirt again" he teased and Vega rolled her eyes as she walked ahead of him.

"Hey don't leave without me, you're breaking my heart," he said as he ran up to catch up with her.

******

Ray stepped out of the place he'd stood to watch vega, his eyes lingering on her retreating figure. He rubbed at his jaw, as he calculated in his head. He hadn't known that Zach Dante was attending the same school as Andrianna and it came as a surprise to see him there, and also clearly in love or getting there with Vega. Everything was starting to look good because he was going to get everything he'd been dying to get his hands on all the while even when it seemed hopeless. It seemed he made a good decision to make to go after Vega because now he had the key to exactly what would get him all he needed and that key was no one but her.

Ray's lip quirked in a smile as he slipped on his sunglasses. "I'll be back, and that's a promise," he said, a smug look on his face.

Ray turned to go and stumbled as a girl barrelled into him, hitting him so hard that she knocked the breath out of him.

The girl screamed in frustration, then in righteous outrage, as she stared down at her coffee cup that was nonrepairable as its content splurged out all over the floor, then glared at him like a demon from the pit of hell.

"Why the fuck were you fucking standing there? Oh my goodness, why are there so many stupid people everywhere? Ugh!!!!!" She yelled in his face as two girls rushed towards her.

"Oh my gosh, Arielle are you alright," One of the girls asked, her voice skipping between being utterly terrified and nervous".

"What the fuck do you think? So stupid! Goodness! You should be freaking happy I'm in a hurry or I'd have made you regret this, you ugly-looking toad" She said, glowering one last time, and trudged off haughtily.

Ray glanced around, his jaw almost hitting the floor at the girl's audacity. His face burned as he saw some people standing around, staring in his direction with bemused expressions on their faces.

Ray snatched the sunglasses off his face and cursed under his breath as he rushed towards his car. A toad, she had called the face millions of girls fawned over a fucking toad face, that too in front of everybody. How dare she! The utter disrespect and she'd been the one to bump into him. No! He couldn't let it go, he told himself, his jaw set in a hard line. The plan about Vega had to wait. The little girl who had humiliated him had to pay and he would make sure she rued ever embarrassing him in public.