Chapter 2 The Wrong Kind of Rescue
~ Lina's POV ~
I stood there frozen with my cheek still burning from that slap like someone had pressed a hot iron to my face.
The girl who hit me glared down at me with her lips curled in disgust. She was all legs and attitude, dressed in a tiny silver dress that barely covered her thighs..
“Do you even know who you just bumped into?” she repeated loud enough to cut through the music. “Worthless trash like you should watch where you’re stepping!”
My mouth opened but the words came out in a stammer.
“I-I’m really sorry. It was an accident. I didn’t mean...”
“Accident?” She scoffed. “Look at you in that cheap red rag. You probably crawled in here looking for handouts!”
I felt heat of shame rush to my face. My soft brown eyes stung but I refused to let tears fall.
“That’s enough,” Bellamy repeated calmly.
The girl spun toward him.
“But baby, she...”
“I said that’s enough!” Bellamy snapped loudly. “Leave.. now!”
His tone was so sharp and sudden that even I flinched.
The whole area around us seemed to quiet for a second like the club itself was holding its breath. You don't fuck around a Middletown, that much, was clear. And Bellamy was every inch a Middletown, the most wealthiest family in the city.
The girl’s eyes widened and for a moment she looked like she might cry then like she wanted to murder me on the spot. She shot me one last hateful look before storming off into the crowd with her silver dress flashing under the lights.
I rubbed my stinging cheek with my heart still racing.
Bellamy turned to me and up close he was even more overwhelming. He was tall... really tall, like 6’4” with dark hair that fell just right, piercing blue eyes and arms covered in tattoos that peeked out from under his rolled-up sleeves.
He was muscular in that way that made it impossible not to notice. The kind of guy every girl at Blackthorne University whispered about. The star basketball player.. the rich playboy.. the one who changed girls faster than I changed socks.
“I’m sorry about her,” he said with his voice suddenly smooth and calm again. “She gets carried away sometimes.”
I blinked in surprise.
“You’re… apologizing? To me?”
A small smirk tugged at his lips.
“Yeah. Not every day a beautiful girl in a red dress crashes into me. Though I gotta say, the view was worth it.”
There it was.. the flirtation. I almost rolled my eyes..
Guys like him only turned nice when they smelled easy prey. But I wasn’t about to be another notch on his very long belt.
“Thanks, but I’m fine,” I said politely, stepping back a little. “Really. No need for the charm offensive.”
His blue eyes sparkled with amusement.
“Charm offensive? Ouch. Most girls don’t complain when I talk to them.”
“I’m not most girls,” I muttered under my breath.
Before he could reply, I spotted a familiar blonde head pushing through the crowd. Lexi.
“Lina!” she squealed, throwing her arms around me in a tight hug.
Her trendy perfume wrapped around me like a cloud.
“Oh my God, look at you! Are you okay? What happened?”
I hugged her back, relieved to have someone normal near me again.
“Long story. I bumped into her guy by accident and she lost her mind.”
Lexi pulled back, eyes wide as she glanced over at Bellamy, who was still standing there watching us.
“Her guy? Wait… you were talking to Bellamy Middleton?”
“Yeah, unfortunately,” I said, keeping my voice low. “He apologized but then started flirting like I’m the next prize on his list. Typical.”
Lexi’s perfectly made-up face lit up like I’d just told her I won the lottery.
“Lina! Do you even hear yourself? That’s Bellamy Middleton! THE Bellamy Middleton. Star of the basketball team, richest family in California and basically campus royalty. Girls would kill to have him look at them twice!”
I scoffed.
“Yeah, well, I’m not one of them. He’s insufferable. All smooth lines and zero substance.”
Even as I said it, I couldn’t completely ignore the fact that there was something magnetic about him... those piercing blue eyes, the way he carried himself like the world belonged to him.
My stupid heart did a tiny flip despite my brain screaming danger. 'Get it together, Lina. You’ve got enough problems without adding a playboy to the mix.'
Lexi grabbed my arm and pulled me aside.
“Listen to me. You need to accept his advances. I’m serious. He’s rich, he’s got connections everywhere on campus and right now you’re literally homeless. Think about it! A guy like him could change your whole situation.”
I stared at her.
“Change my situation? Lexi, I don’t need a man to fix my life. Especially not one who treats girls like disposable toys.”
“But he’s different!” she insisted, eyes shining. “He’s protective and loyal to the people he cares about. Imagine having someone like that on your side. With your mom gone and everything… you deserve a break, Lina. He could give you that.”
My chest tightened at the mention of Mom and the old pain stirred, but I pushed it down.
“I’m not trading my dignity for a roof over my head and I don’t even have a place for tonight,” I admitted with frustration leaking into my voice. “My stuff is under a bridge, Lexi. A literal bridge.”
Lexi opened her mouth to reply but stopped with her eyes flicking past my shoulder. I turned and my stomach dropped.
Bellamy was walking toward us again, moving through the crowd like it parted just for him. His tall frame and confident stride made heads turn.
Girls stared openly, whispering behind their hands. He stopped right in front of me, that smirk back on his face.
“This must be your favorite dress, I see,” he said, voice low and teasing. “Suits you. Fiery. I like it. Red.”
My temper flared.
“Look, I don’t know what game you’re playing but I’m not interested. Go find your slap-happy girlfriend and leave me alone.”
Lexi gasped beside me and tugged my arm hard.
“Lina!”
Bellamy didn’t look offended. If anything, his blue eyes lit up with more interest.
“Feisty. Even better.”
I moved further away from him and Lexi followed.
Across the room, I could feel his gaze on me the whole time like he was undressing me with his eyes while pretending to listen to his friends. It made my skin tingle in a way I hated admitting.
A few minutes later, he approached yet again, this time with a serious look that almost seemed real.
“I overheard you might need a place to stay,” he said casually.
I blinked.
'How?'
The music was blasting, people were shouting and he was across the room. How the hell did he hear that?!
He continued like it was no big deal.
“I’ve got a spare room in my off-campus apartment. Luxury building, good security and quiet when you need it. You can crash there. No strings.”
My mouth went dry. Part of me wanted to laugh at how ridiculous this was. The other part... the tired, soaked and exhausted part... was screaming to say yes.
My books were getting damp under that bridge while my clothes smelled like rain and concrete.
Lexi jumped in before I could speak.
“Lina, say yes! This is perfect. Just temporary, right? You need help right now.”
I hesitated, glancing between them.
Bellamy’s piercing blue eyes locked on mine.
There was something deeper there, something almost… possessive. It both scared me and pulled at me in the strangest way.
He was insufferable, cocky and clearly used to getting what he wanted. But damn, he was beautiful. The kind of sexy that made smart girls do stupid things.
“I… okay,” I finally said, with the words tasting like regret already. “But just temporary. Until I find something else. No funny business.”
Bellamy smiled slowly and confidently like he’d known I’d say yes all along.
“You’ve done the right thing, Red.”
My stomach twisted.
'What the hell did I just agree to?'
I was already inwardly cursing myself, wondering how long it would take before this “rescue” blew up in my face…
