Reaching down, I rearrange myself, before trying to drag my head out of the gutter and focus on what I should be doing.
My foot presses a little harder on the gas and the car shoots forward. My heart picks up pace as adrenaline surges through me. Ruby must have spent all night driving like Miss Daisy because the arrival time on our GPS that I was trying to beat has gone backward and like fuck do I want this journey to take any longer than it has to.
I pull out into the fast lane and push it harder, seeing what the engine can really do.
Hopefully, by the time she wakes, I’ll have knocked a few hours off our arrival time.
I might not want to be in Seattle, or anywhere near my old life. But the thought of no longer being confined to a car makes it seem a little bit more appealing.
The miles and hours tick by, but eventually, I need to pull over to take a piss. I bring the car to a stop on the side of the road. I was hoping to make it to the next gas station but after the three cans of energy drink I’ve had, I know I’m not going to make it.
The gravel crunches under the tires and I jump out the second the car comes to a stop.
I do what I need to do around the side of the car before opening the back to find something to eat.
“Feel better now?” Ruby asks in an amused voice. Her sleepy eyes stare up at me and I rummage through the bag closest to me.
“Much. Where are the chips?”
She shrugs, still half asleep. “Try this one.” She pokes a finger out from under the blanket and points to a bag in the footwell by her head.
“Fine.” Pressing my knee beside her leg, I lean in and reach over. My hand touches the bag, but my eyes find hers as I stretch over her, and I freeze.
Her green eyes are dark as she stares up at me. Her scent fills my nose and the sight of her sinking her teeth into her bottom lip does something to me it really shouldn’t.
I remember all too well what it was like to kiss her, the way she matched me move for move as our hate and lust collided. I remember exactly how she tastes and how fucking wild it made me.
Aside from her heaving chest, she’s stock still beneath me for long, tense seconds as I fight an internal battle with myself.
“Ash?” she finally breathes. “How much farther do we have to go?”
Her question is like a bucket of ice water over me.
“About eight hours?”
“Eight hours?” she echoes, sitting up so fast her head collides with mine, making stars appear in my vision.
“Fucking hell,” I mutter, pulling back, still without the chips I came for but now with a blinding pain above my left eyebrow.
“Shit, I’m sorry,” she murmurs, pressing her palm to her own head to ease the burn.
“Whatever,” I grumble, climbing from the car and slamming the door behind me. Walking around the back, I drop my hands to the trunk and lower my head.
What the fuck is wrong with me right now?
I need to remember that this is all her fault. I shouldn’t be looking at her like she can take all the pain away, make me forget the reason we’re heading back to Seattle.
“Fuck,” I bark, slamming my hand down on the trunk so hard it stings.
Why did I think this was a good idea?
Turning my back on the car, I rest my ass against it and shove my hands into my pockets as I try to shut everything out.
I have no idea how long I stand there trying to get my head on straight, but by the time I pull the driver’s door open once more, I find Ruby sitting in the passenger seat with the bag of chips I wanted in her lap.
“You okay?” she whispers as I silently lower myself to the seat and rest my head back.
“No, not even a little bit.”
“Y-you want these?” She holds the bag out for me, and I look at it. Part of me is grateful that she’s here and that I’m not alone, but the other part wishes no one was witnessing me teetering on the edge of losing control like I am right now.
“Maybe in a bit.”
Sitting forward, I start the car and wait for the GPS to wake up.
“Wow, just how fast were you driving?” she asks, noting just how much time I’ve managed to knock off while she was sleeping.
“Speed limit, obviously.”
“Sure, whatever you say. Want me to take over?”
“In a bit. Right now, I need something else to focus on,” I admit.
“Something else?” she asks.
Turning to look at her, I can’t help the smirk that pulls at my lips as I stare down at hers.
“Yeah, something else.”
My fingers tighten on the wheel in an attempt to stop me from reaching for her. She’s so close, it would be so easy. I already know she would submit, just like she has every other time I’ve touched her.
She sucks in a breath, but despite the fact I know she wants to, she can’t rip her eyes away from me.
Doing us both a favor, I twist back to look out the windshield and get myself ready to eat up some more miles on our road trip.
I stop for gas at the next station, but I don’t allow Ruby to take over the driving. I need to do something to expel some of the pent-up energy inside me the closer we get to Seattle. It’s either I drive, or I need to find something to break a sweat, and right now, we don’t have time for me to hit the gym, and we really shouldn’t be even considering the other option that might help.
“Our parents are in Seattle,” she says, interrupting my less than innocent thoughts about how we could make use of the back seat of my dad’s car.
“Great.”
“I’ll tell them that we should be at the hotel in—”
“You’re not going to the hotel,” I bark, my grip on the wheel tightening until my knuckles turn white.
“Uh... why not? Where am I going?”
I look over at her as she stares at me like I’ve lost my mind—which to be fair, I probably have.
“You’re coming with me.”
“Why? You hate me. Just drop me at the hotel and you can go do your thing.”
“You’re right.”
She breathes a sigh of relief at my words but I don’t think she’s thinking the same thing as me.
“I do hate you.”
She gasps, proving me right.
“And I’m not dropping you at any fucking hotel. You’re staying with me.”
“W-why?”
“Do you ever just do as you’re told without an argument?”
“Before you stormed into my life I did, often.”
“So you’re just a pain in my ass.”
“I wouldn’t be if you’d let me go.”
“That’s not happening. You might want to get used to it.”
Her lips part to respond but she must decide against arguing this time because she closes them again in favor of staring out of the window at the passing scenery.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to take over?” she asks again a few hours later.
“No, we’re nearly there and you clearly drive too slow.”
“I do not.” I look over at her with a raised brow. “I just follow the speed limit, unlike some people.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t really want to spend longer in here than absolutely necessary.”
“I can only agree with that. The company isn’t exactly... friendly.”
“I took you for pizza,” I argue.
“Oh yeah, because pizza fixes everything,” she mutters, much to my amusement.
“Are you hungry?” I ask, as my stomach grumbles once again.
“Yeah.”
“We’ll stop once more than we’re not resting until Seattle.”
“Fine. The sooner we’re there, the better.”
“Have you been to Seattle before?”
“No. But I’ve seen it on TV.”
“We’re not going to the part of town that’s often shown on TV, little one.”
“Oh.”
“You might regret wanting to get there as
fast as possible.”
“Did you grow up in the ghetto?”
“That might be putting it lightly.”
She swallows nervously and I can’t help but smile. I’m glad she’s feeling nervous, it makes my cock hard.
Oh little one, the things I have to show you.
“Nothing is open,” Ruby helpfully points out as we drive through a sleepy little town. Okay, so it’s kinda late, but I was expecting something to be open.
“I guess we’ll just have to wait until the next town.”
“But I really need to pee,” she whines, fidgeting in the seat like she’s been doing for the past thirty minutes.
“You’re just going to have to go outside.”
“Ashton,” she spits, turning my way. “I didn’t want to come on this little road trip, and I really don’t want to pee outside where anything could bite my ass, or more specifically, that you could watch.”
“I promise I won’t watch,” I say, lifting my hands in surrender. “Jeez, who do you think I am?”
“Honestly, I’ve no idea,” she mutters, much to my amusement.
“Please, explain,” I ask politely.
“I’m pretty sure that you already know you’re an asshole.”
I can’t help but chuckle. “Yeah, little one. I’m aware.”
“So why do it then?”
“Because...” I pause for a bit as my anger resurfaces. Most days it’s like a living beast inside of me, but since being in this car with Ruby, for some reason, I’ve been able to breathe a little easier, like it’s not sucking the air straight from my lungs. “Because it’s so much fun.” I wink at her and she huffs out in frustration.
“Well, I’m glad ruining my life amuses you so.”
“How exactly am I ruining your life?”
“By moving into the room next door to mine, your music, your presence, just... you.”
“Wow, I really do affect you, huh?”
She growls in response and my body instantly reacts.
“Do you lie in bed at night thinking about me?”
“Of how to kill you, yeah?”
“So you’re not remembering just how it felt when I licked your—”
“Ashton,” she barks, cutting off my words.
“Oh come on, you can’t tell me that you didn’t enjoy it, little one. I know for a fact—”
“Over there,” she squeals, cutting off what I was saying and the memories of that night that were happily flooding my brain. She was so fucking sweet. “The lights are on.”
Forcing myself out of my own head, I drive over to where she’s pointing to find a Chinese takeout. It must be the only place open in this little town.
Killing the engine, I climb out. Ruby is already halfway there in her need for the bathroom.
“Hi, good evening, is there any chance I could use your bathroom really quick?”
I step inside the small waiting area just in time to see the middle-aged guy run his eyes down Ruby’s body. A smile curls at his lips as he does so and it immediately puts me on alert, the hairs on the back of my neck standing.
“Sure thing, sweetheart. But I’m going to need something in return.”
“Don’t worry, we want food too,” she says happily, totally ignoring the look in the guy’s eyes. She sounds so much like her oblivious mother with that statement, I almost roll my eyes at her.
“Okay, well the bathroom is through here,” he says, lifting the hatch to allow her through the counter. “It’s right this way.” He goes to follow her.
“Just give us the directions, no need for you to stop what you’re doing,” I say, stepping up behind Ruby and wrapping my hand around her waist. She tenses in my hold and I squeeze tight, hoping that it’ll warn her about arguing.
“Down the hall, second door on the right.” His eyes remain locked on Ruby as we make our way down the hall as instructed.
“What the hell is your problem?” Ruby hisses, twisting out of my hold.
“That guy is my problem.”
“He was just being nice.”
“No, Ruby. He really wasn’t.”
“Like you care,” she mutters, coming to a stop at the final door.
“You think I don’t care if you get attacked by the creep from this dead-ass town?”
She shrugs, pulling the door open and stepping inside.
“What are you doing?” She sulks when I follow her in and lock the door behind me.
“Just pee, Ruby, so we can get the hell out of here.”
“With you watching?”
“I’m not fucking watching.” I make a show of turning around so I’m facing the door that’s not seen a lick of paint for far too many years.
“Just... wait outside, please?”
“No.” I shove my hand in my pockets and wait.
After a few seconds, her need to pee wins out because the sound of rustling fabric fills my ears.
“You’re a pain in my fucking ass, Ashton,” she grumbles.
“Oh little one, is that an invitation?”
“Is it, fuck? You’re not getting anywhere near me ever again.”
The toilet flushes and when I glance over my shoulder, she’s standing at the sink ready to wash her hands.
“Is that right?” I ask, stalking over to her, not stopping until my front is pressed against her back. She gasps, telling me everything I need to know about her previous statement. Dropping my lips to her ear, I make sure they brush her skin as I speak. “Because from where I’m standing, I think you like having me close.”
“Ashton.” I think it’s meant to be a warning, but it comes out as a needy whimper.
“You’re really lucky, you know?”
“Lucky?” she spits, her eyes lifting to the dirty mirror before us and holding mine.
“Yeah. If we were anywhere but this disgusting bathroom with that creep probably watching on a hidden camera then I’d prove just how much of a liar you are, little one.”
“Liar... I’m not a liar.”
“Sure thing.” My fingers twitch to reach out to her, to touch her, but I resist. Instead, I walk backward so she can wash up and I can make use of the toilet.
“Just because you insisted on being in here, it doesn’t mean I want to watch you.”
I don’t look back, but I know she’s got her hand on the door and about to walk out.
“You’ll regret it if you walk out of that door, little one. I can assure you.”
She huffs. “He’s not going to do anything with you here.”
“I wasn’t warning you about him this time.”
“O-oh.”
I finish up, wash my hands and in a heartbeat, we’re standing back at the asshole’s counter ordering some dinner. I’m not entirely sure how I feel about eating his food, but since we’ve munched through our snacks and nothing else is open in this town, we’ve got little choice.
The second he passes the bag over, I take it along with Ruby’s hand and march from the building.
“Get off me,” she hisses, pulling herself from my grip the second we’re out of the door.
I let her go but catch up with her before she gets a chance to open the car door. Placing the bag on the roof, I cage her against it.
“What now?” she spits.
“Stop being a pain in the ass.”
“Me? Jesus, Ashton. What do you want from me? I came on this little fucked-up trip. I’ve slept in the back of the car and driven through the night for you. What else do you want?”
15
Ruby
His eyes narrow on me as my breathing increases to an embarrassing speed. I can’t help it. He’s got me caged against the car with his big body mere inches from mine and his scent filling my nose. How the hell he smells so good after the number of hours we’ve spent in this car, God only knows. I sure don’t feel all that fresh.
I can practically see the wicked thoughts flicking through his mind as our stare holds. His breath—also annoyingly fresh—fans
my face and I can’t help my mouth watering for a taste of him.
His mood has been up and down during the last part of our journey. I know it’s because we’re getting closer to Seattle and that he’s freaking out. He likes to think he hides all this pain and distress inside, but I see it. I can see the storm swirling behind his dark eyes. And some sick part of me wants to help him take it away.
I shouldn’t. I should let him drown. But I can’t. It’s not who I am. Even if he is a prick.
“Ash, what do you—”
“Get in the back of the car, Ruby,” he hisses, cutting off my question.
My eyes drop to his lips as he talks, and something clenches inside me. It’s been months since he’s kissed me. I’ve almost forgotten what it was like.
Reaching up on my tiptoes, I lock my eyes on his. They’ve darkened since I last looked, his pupils almost swallowing the darkest of brown that’s usually there.
“Don’t test me, right now, little one. It won’t end well for you.”
“Who says I want it to?”
He closes the space between us, and I suck in a breath, thinking that he’s going to kiss me, but right as my eyes start to close, his heat is gone. When I come back to myself, I find the car door open.
“Get the fuck in,” he growls.
This time, I do as I’m told and crawl over my makeshift bed that’s still laid out to the other side, assuming he’s going to join me.
He does and I breathe a sigh of relief because a part of me is expecting him to jump in the front and speed off, forgetting that we had food. That all vanishes the second he closes the door behind him and essentially sucks all the air out of the car.
He places the bag between us and looks at me. “Eat.”
“O-okay.”
I open the bag and start arranging the boxes between us. He grabs what he wants along with a fork and sits back.
We eat in an uncomfortable silence for the longest time. And when a question that’s been eating at me for days finally passes my lips, I regret it instantly.
“Do you really have pictures of me from that night?”
Ashton stops moving with a forkful of noodles halfway to his mouth.
My heart pounds against my ribs at asking such a stupid question. Of course he has. Why wouldn’t he?
FURY: A Dark High School Bully Romance (Rosewood High Book 6) Page 11