Southern Steel - Titan

14. Ari

I'm pretty certain my head isn't supposed to sound like a construction crew has set up camp there. God, I have never been so thirsty in my life! And what is that ringing?

I suddenly realize the ringing is the doorbell. I raise up tangled in the blanket and unceremoniously roll straight off the couch with a loud thud, and yell "Son of a bitch! Ouch!"

"From the door I hear pounding now, "ARIELLA! What is going on in there? Open the fucking door!" Is that Titan?

I go to the door and swing it open. "What do you want?"

"What was that noise? Are you okay?" He asks as he frantically looks around where I'm standing in the doorway.

"I'm fine. What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see if we could talk. Please!" He then notices that I'm in tiny lace panties and a tank top. I remember it being so hot last night and stripping off my shorts. "Fuck! Get your ass inside before someone sees you!"

"You're not my boss, Prez!"

He gets a dark look in his eyes. "Im not your president, and you do not call me that."

"I know! You're not my anything." He flinches slightly. "Well except my best friend's brother." He looks confused.

"What are you talking about?" He asks, and I gesture to the couch where Eden is starting to stir.

"Eden?! What the hell?" This gets her awake.

"Oh look a family reunion. What are you doing here penis wrinkle?" She says groggily.

"What?" He asks as I try to hide my snicker.

"Nevermind. I'm going to make some coffee." She heads towards the kitchen and we follow her.

"Since when are you two friends?"

"BEST friends!" Eden tosses over her shoulder as she heads to the kitchen leaving us alone.

"Traitor." He says to Eden as she disappears.

"That seems to be one of your favorite nicknames huh?!" I see him close his eyes in regret.

"Baby I am so sorry. I know that I fucked up, but I want to fix it. I know you're not a traitor. I said horrible things to you, and I shouldn't have."

"If you don't trust someone, there is no fixing anything. I think it's time you go." I said sternly with no room for argument.

"I'll go, but Ariella we are not finished!" He kisses my temple and heads out the door before I can think straight.

I sigh in frustration. Eden is sitting at the island in the kitchen. "Your brother is an infuriating man."

"Oh I'm well aware. It's what you get when you mess with a biker. They are all ridiculously frustrating. I wonder if it is from the exhaust fumes from riding and being around motorcycles too much." She laughs.

"Now that we're friends, what's going on between you and Mack?"

She gives me a side eye. "Absolutely nothing. We've known each other forever a very long time. To him I will always be that annoying little kid. I had a dumb 'school girl' type crush on him, but it was one sided. I'm not an idiot, and I am moving on." She shrugs her shoulders.

"His loss. I know some people from the hospital and my uncle's gym. We're going to hook you up."

"Perfect or you can set me up with that hot brother of yours. Now let's go get some breakfast at the pancake house. I need to soak all of this alcohol up."