Strangers To Lovers

Chapter Thirty-One

Channing glanced at the number on the car's display as it came over the speakers and remarked, "Luke, your mother is calling."

I shrugged, already anticipating the reason behind the call. "Most likely wants to make sure everything's okay after the board meeting," I muttered. Channing raised an eyebrow at me before hitting the answer button on the steering wheel. The tension in the car thickened as we both braced ourselves for the inevitable.

"Luke?!" Her voice exploded from the speakers, louder than necessary. "Where the hell are you?!"

"He's not with me," Channing responded, glancing at me warily as he tried to maintain his calm. I shook my head vehemently, feeling my pulse quicken. Something was wrong, and the fear radiating through my mother’s voice only made it worse.

"What did she do?" I whispered to myself, but Channing could hear the unease. He did an illegal U-turn, heading back toward the house. I fumbled with my phone, scrolling through recent calls in a hurry. What had she done to Ella?

"Find him and bring him to me!" my mother barked, her tone reaching a fever pitch. "And drag out that tramp who’s been staying at his house!"

I froze. My pulse thundered in my ears. "She called Ella a tramp?" I whispered, more to myself than to Channing. The word stung. How dare she talk about Ella like that? What the hell was going on?

"I’ll send you across the globe if I have to!" my mother screamed. "Get her out of that house! You are not permitted to see her anymore, do you hear me? Ever again!"

A surge of anger coursed through me. "No," I said, my voice low but firm. This was the final straw. "I’m going to file a report if you ever come back to my house without permission again."

She sputtered on the other end of the line, but before she could say anything else, I hung up. I couldn’t take it anymore. My hands shook, and Channing shot me a concerned look, one that said, Are you okay?

"She’s lost it," I muttered. "She’s gone off the deep end."

Channing reached over and squeezed my shoulder. "I’ll always be on your side, man," he said quietly, giving me a reassuring nod. "You’re doing the right thing."

I wasn’t sure anymore. My family was falling apart, and I was caught in the middle, torn between the woman I loved and the mother who was willing to destroy everything in her path to keep control.

When we pulled up to the house, I didn’t even wait for the car to fully stop before I jumped out. I sprinted inside, my shoes barely making a sound on the hardwood floors as I rushed into the living room. Ella stood there, her eyes wide with concern as she saw the panic written across my face.

"Are you okay?" she asked, stepping closer to me. Her hand gently brushed my arm, and that simple touch was enough to ground me, to remind me why I was doing this.

I placed my hands on her shoulders, scanning her face for any signs of distress. "Did she hurt you?" I asked, my voice tight with worry. "My mom...did she do something?"

Ella shook her head, though her expression was hesitant. "I’m fine," she said softly. "But she did come by. Said some pretty awful things."

I gritted my teeth. "I’m so sorry. She’s...I don’t know what’s gotten into her."

Dylan, who had been quietly watching from the kitchen, stepped forward with a smirk. "I think Ella handled your mother just fine," he said, crossing his arms. "Didn’t you, Ella?"

Ella blushed, biting her lower lip as she glanced away. I could see the humor in Dylan’s eyes, but it wasn’t funny to me. My mother had crossed a line, one that I wasn’t sure I could ever forgive.

Donna chimed in with a laugh. "Sugar daddy Luke, huh?" she teased, raising an eyebrow. "Looks like Ella’s got you all tied up in knots."

Ella winced at the phrase, and I felt a surge of protective anger rise in me. "I’m not her sugar daddy," I snapped, more defensive than I meant to be. "And she’s not going anywhere."

The room fell silent for a moment, the tension thickening. Ella’s gaze softened, and she reached up, resting her hand against my cheek. "I’m not leaving, Luke," she whispered, her voice soothing. "I’m staying. I promise."

I leaned down and kissed her, a soft, lingering kiss that was meant to reassure both of us. The world around us seemed to disappear for that brief moment, until Donna’s loud clapping brought us back to reality.

"Alright, lovebirds," Donna teased. "How about we have some fun tonight?"

Troy, who had been leaning against the doorway, grinned and nudged Dylan. "Yeah, how about a party?" he said. "Let’s drink and play some games. Make it a night to remember!"

Ella hesitated, glancing up at me. "This is your house," she said softly. "Are you okay with that?"

I knew she was concerned about my mom, but I didn’t care anymore. Let her be angry. Let her try to control me. I wasn’t going to let her win.

"Yeah," I said, grinning down at her. "Let’s party."

The night had taken on a life of its own. After several rounds of drinks, Donna announced it was time for some games. "Let’s play King’s Cup!" she exclaimed, pulling out a deck of cards and a bottle of Jack Daniels.

We all sat around the table, the mood light and carefree, the alcohol loosening everyone up. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt this relaxed, this...alive.

Ella was seated next to me, her thigh brushing against mine as she laughed at something Troy said. Every time she touched me, a spark of electricity shot through my veins, and I had to remind myself to keep it together.

As the game progressed, the dares and questions became more risqué. At one point, Donna looked directly at me and asked, "Luke, what’s your biggest secret?"

I smirked, glancing at Ella before replying. "I’m hopelessly in love with the woman sitting next to me," I said, my voice low and sincere.

Ella blushed furiously, hiding her face in her hands as the group erupted into cheers and whistles. I leaned closer to her, my lips brushing her ear as I whispered, "And I’m not just saying that because I’m drunk."

She looked up at me, her eyes shining with emotion. For a moment, it felt like we were the only two people in the room. I could see the same feelings reflected in her gaze, the same desire, the same longing.

Without thinking, I leaned in and kissed her again, this time deeper, more passionate. She melted against me, her fingers tangling in my hair as the kiss deepened. The heat between us was undeniable, and it took everything in me to pull away before things got too heated in front of our friends.

"Get a room, you two!" Troy teased, throwing a pillow at us.

I chuckled, pulling Ella closer to me as I whispered against her lips, "Maybe we will."

Her eyes widened in surprise, but the playful smile on her face told me she was just as tempted as I was.

As the night went on, the drinks kept flowing, and the tension between Ella and me continued to build. Every touch, every glance was filled with a heat that neither of us could ignore. By the time the others were passed out on the couches and floor, it was just the two of us left, sitting close on the living room couch.

Ella shifted, her knee brushing against my thigh. "So...what now?" she asked softly, her voice laced with nervous excitement.

I met her gaze, my heart pounding in my chest. "Now," I whispered, leaning in until our lips were just a breath apart, "we take this upstairs."

She didn’t protest, didn’t hesitate. Instead, she stood, pulling me up with her as we quietly made our way up the stairs, leaving the chaos of the party behind us.