I haven’t been able to get Tora’s words out of my head. Every single day I wonder how Kaylah would react to me pressing her up against her locker and claiming her as my own, and the more I think about it, the more I want to do it, but I’m convinced she’s going to laugh at me. Yet I can’t deny that with each passing day, I grow more and more obsessed with this girl.
She’s fucking beautiful and over the space of the last week, I’ve wondered if I affect her just as badly as she does me. She watches me when she thinks I’m not looking, she gravitates toward me, and when I touch her, she sucks in a breath as though my touch is burning her skin in the best way possible. I fucking love it.
I have to do this. It doesn’t even matter if she rejects me, well, it kind of does, but I can’t go on without giving it a shot. Screw her brother and screw Nate. I’m done tip-toeing around this. I want her and I’m going to make her mine.
I sit in my English class with Lauren glaring at me and my patience is wearing thin. There are four minutes until the bell signals the end of school. Four minutes until I make her mine.
The clock counts down slower than what it’s taken Nate to realize how badly he fucked up.
Three minutes. I tap my fingers.
Two. My knee bounces.
One. Fuck it, I’m out of here.
I fly through the door before the bell has even rung. Who gives a shit about the last sixty seconds? It’s not like I was missing much anyway. I get halfway when the bell finally rings and the corridors fill with students all blocking my way to her. Though it’s not like I actually know where she is. I’m not like Nate and Puck and have my girl’s class schedule memorized.
I get into the junior hallway and probably look like a crazed animal, but I don’t care. I’m a fucking man on a mission. My eyes swivel to her locker and there she is. My fucking girl.
I make my way toward her, trying to reel in my crazy. After all, I wouldn’t want to scare her. Kaylah spots me a mile away and neither of us has the strength to look away. The closer I get, the more intense it becomes.
She knows this is it. I’ve sensed it all week. She’s been waiting for me to make my move and now it’s here.
Her eyes widen but before she can say anything, I’m right there, grabbing her wrists and slamming her up against her locker. Her gasp is swallowed by my lips coming down on hers and a deep groan rumbles through my chest.
I’ve been craving this. I’ve needed it like my next breath. One hit and I was addicted.
My knee slides between her legs and she hooks her leg up over my hip. I collect both her wrists in one hand and slide my other down her leg, needing to feel her skin on mine. Kaylah moans and allows me to take whatever it is that I need, but before I let myself get carried away, I pull back to see the fire in her eyes.
I look her square in the eyes, making sure she hears me. “You’re mine.”
She sucks in a breath, her chest rising against mine. “I…”
“No, Kaylah. Hear me. You are mine. I want you and don’t act like you don’t feel it too.”
She searches my eyes. “But, Nate and Jackson?”
“Fuck them. Nothing is worth holding back from you. If they have a problem with it, then they can deal with it, but I’m not staying away from you.”
“Are you sure?” she asks as I release her wrists and take her waist.
I gently press my lips against her. “Yeah, Tiger. I’m fucking sure. I need to see what the hell this is.”
Kaylah nods. “Okay, then I’m yours.”
Relief washes through me and I press into her. “Yeah?” I ask, sounding like a too-excited kid.
Kaylah grins wide, throwing her arms around my neck. “Yeah, but I should warn you, while Nate might just fume about this, Jackson is going to explode and he won’t be coming for me, it’ll be you.”
I smirk. “I can handle your brother.”
“Can you handle him while still respecting the fact that he’s my brother? I might be angry with him right now, but deep down I still love him.”
“If that’s what you fucking need from me, then that’s what you get. I don’t want to fuck this up.”
Happiness shines through her eyes and makes them sparkle like fucking diamonds. How is it possible for this one human being to be so damn beautiful? Kaylah pulls me back in and crushes her lips against mine. “Thank you,” she murmurs between kisses. “That means a lot.”
When we finally pull apart from each other, I look down at her with a wide smile. “Let me take you out. Anywhere you want to go, it’s all yours.”
She shakes her head with those eyes still glistening. “Take me back to your place.”
Well, damn. I wouldn’t want to disappoint her by saying no.
Chapter 8
Kaylah
I stand at my locker on Wednesday morning and grin when two warm arms curl around my waist from behind. Jesse’s lips drop to my neck and I close my eyes in satisfaction. Ever since he first touched me at that party, I’ve wondered if having something more with him would be a smart move, but now that I have it, I wouldn’t change it for the world.
Jesse is the sweetest kind of guy with a massive heart and I quickly realized that the cocky grin and smart-ass nature is all an act. That’s not who he is and the second I discovered his little secret, I fell for him so much more.
“How’d you sleep?” he murmurs against my skin, making me wonder if we’d have time to sneak into one of the supply closets or empty classrooms and scratch this itch that has been burning since he dropped me home last night.
“Perfectly,” I tell him, finishing with my locker and turning in his arms to look up into his eyes. “For some reason, I was super exhausted and I slept like a baby.”
Jesse grins with pride, knowing the only reason I’d be exhausted was because he thoroughly screwed me over and over again until my body was numb. “Hmm, strange. Me too.”
I laugh and he presses me back into my locker and kisses me deeply. Gasps and heart-broken cries are heard all around me and my brows furrow. What the hell is that?
I pull back from Jesse and realize that it’s all for him. I didn’t notice it yesterday when he asked me out as I was far too caught up in our moment but I don’t doubt they were all there and more than pissed off that I’ve just taken their favorite bachelor off the market.
Jesse doesn’t even seem to notice them as his eyes are only for me, though I can’t help but feel their glares digging into me. I think becoming his girl comes with a bit more weight than I had thought.
Jesse pulls back. “Let me grab my shit from my locker and I’ll walk you to your homeroom.”
I beam back at him. God, he’s so freaking sweet. How did the broken girl from Haven Falls get so damn lucky? Jesse jogs up to his locker and I fall back against mine, watching him go as a dreamy haze comes over me. I can’t wait to see where this goes.
Jesse reaches his locker and looks back at me for a brief second. His eyes light up with happiness as he finds my eyes still on his. A blush instantly creeps over my cheeks and I curse myself. I am so not the girl who blushes over some guy, but then, Jesse Ryder is not just some guy. I mean, the things he did to my body last night. He set me on fire over and over again and I have to say, it was even better than the party sex and the morning after sex. This was just so much…more.
As Jesse focuses on his locker, I realize that there’s nothing in my hands. Wait…wasn’t I getting my things out earlier? What happened to my stuff? I could have sworn that’s what I was doing, but then Jesse came along and well, I guess I forgot.
I turn back to my locker and as I do, I catch something out of the corner of my eye. Was that Jackson? I take a second look and on closer inspection, it’s not just Jackson, it’s an extremely pissed off one and right now, his glare is shooting toward my new boyfriend.
Fuck. Can’t this big fucker just keep his nose out of my business? And what’s worse is that he seems to have brought his whole cheer squad along for the show.
I shove my hand against Jackson’s chest, forcing him to come to a stop. “What do you want?” I demand, glaring up at him with everything I’ve got and silently reminding him that this is not okay.
“Tell me it’s not true,” he spits, more than just pissed off.
My attitude comes out in full force as I cross my arms over my chest and raise an annoyed brow. “What’s not true?” I question, terrified that he’s about to destroy the one good thing that’s happened to me since being at Broken Hill High.
“That you’re dating that…that thing,” he snarls in disgust, indicating down the hallway towards Jesse who’s currently fuming and storming over here. My silence speaks volumes and Jackson groans, as he runs his hands over his face. “Shit, Kaylah. Anyone but him.”
“Leave it alone,” I tell him. “I can date whoever the fuck I want.”
“Over my dead body,” he roars back at me. “Don’t be such a fucking idiot.”
“Hey,” Jesse demands, stepping in front of me and pushing Jackson away from me. “Leave her alone.”
“Stay the fuck out of this,” Jackson tells him, making my eyes bounce between the two men in my life.
There’s a fire burning in both Jesse’s and Jackson’s eyes and I’ve seen that look a million times from my brother. They’re just moments away from knocking each other out and I don’t doubt that it would be brutal. Jesse could probably handle Jackson screaming at him, but the second he yelled at me, it was game over.
In the blink of an eye, Tora throws herself between the two guys, pressing a hand against each of their chests and trying to force them away from each other. “Cut it out,” she yells at them before looking up at Jesse as though she’s the voice of reason. “Cool your jets. If I get another suspension for trying to break up another fight, Nate is going to have your balls. Besides, this is not a good way to impress Kaylah.”
What does this girl know about impressing me? She knows nothing about me. In fact, apart from Jesse bragging about how awesome she is all the time and how great of friends we’ll be, I don’t know a damn thing about her either.
Jackson growls, stealing my attention away from Tora. “He doesn’t need to be impressing Kaylah.”
“Mind your own business,” I snap at my brother though the comment seems to fall on deaf ears.
“You shut up,” Tora says from between the boys, looking up at Jackson. “You’re not helping.”
“I don’t give a shit,” Jackson scowls making the huge crowd around us all go ‘oooh’ as one.
I groan. What the hell is going on here? Why has this turned into such a huge thing? Who cares if Jesse and I want to date? It has nothing to do with all these dickheads.
“Yo. What the fuck is going on here?” Nate demands, appearing out of nowhere and looking between the four of us. His gaze falls on me and he narrows his eyes, probably wondering who the fuck I am, and despite him being the king of the fucking school, I couldn’t care less and I glare right back at him.
“This piece of shit,” Jackson spits, “thinks it’s okay to fuck over my sister.”
I groan, but again anything I go to say is cut off by these fuckers. “What?” Nate grunts, stepping impossibly closer to Jesse and Jackson while glaring at his brother and giving me a chance to breathe.
Jesse growls, ignoring his brother’s glare with practiced ease while slipping his hand into mine. “I’m not going to fuck her over.”
Tora gasps as though realizing something. Her head flicks between the two Ryder brothers, and I begin to grow bored of this bullshit. “You haven’t told him?” Tora accuses.
Nate looks down at Tora, seeming hurt. “You knew?”
Nope. I’m done.
I slip my hand out of Jesse’s and he goes to hold onto it but Tora says something about being the one to convince Jess to ask me out in the first place, and suddenly it’s on.
I take my chance to make a break.
I step back while silently fuming. Who are these people to decide they get to have a say in my relationship? I don’t give a shit that mine and Jesse’s brothers are feuding. This isn’t Romeo and Juliet. We’re living in the 21st century and if they have issues, then they can shut the fuck up about them and let us do our thing.
I end up standing at the door of my homeroom despite the bell not having rung yet. I try the door handle and upon finding it unlocked, I push my way through and drop down into my seat. That lasts for all of two seconds before I fly back up and start pacing the room.
Was I an idiot for getting involved with Jesse? Jackson is never going to approve and it’s going to make an even bigger strain on our relationship. Though he already seemed to have done that when he slept with Henley and broke my heart.
Damn it. Why is this so complicated? My eyes brim with tears but I will them to stay at bay. I will not cry over this. I’m seventeen years old and there’s no point crying over something I can’t control.
Nate and Tora should mind their own business and Jackson should learn that I’m old enough to make my own decisions. As for Jesse, he promised to have respect for the fact that Jackson is my brother.
I guess when I think about it, he only got angry when Jackson was in my face, showing that he’s willing to protect me and stand up for the people he cares about. Can I really fault him for that? It’s not as though Jackson has any respect for what I’m feeling and going through.
The door pushes open and I find Jesse peering into the room. When he sees me pacing, he steps through the door and gently closes it behind him. I stop pacing and turn to face him, feeling completely defeated. “Are you alright?” he asks from the door, not wanting to come any closer in case I’m about to lose my shit.
I drop down onto the desk. “Is this going to happen every time we’re together? What about when you come and pick me up for a date? Am I going to have to fend Jackson off with pizza and sneak out the window?”
“No,” he says as compassion fills his eyes. He rushes toward me and pulls me into his arms, realizing that I’m not about to break up with him. “Babe, I promise. It’ll get better.”
“When?” I say, feeling the tears begin to well in my eyes again.
“He’s just angry,” Jesse says, oddly defending my brother. “Think about it, he only just found out about us and his protective instincts kicked into overdrive. To him, he probably sees it as me trying to get under his skin by being with his baby sister. He doesn’t understand us and that’s okay. Just give him some time, he’ll come around and it’ll get easier.”
I shake my head against his chest. “It’s one thing for me to be angry with him, but I don’t ever remember a time when he’s been this mad with me.”
“He’ll come around,” Jesse promises, rubbing his hand up and down my back. “He just needs a moment for it all to sink in, and an explanation probably wouldn’t go astray.”
I laugh, Jesse doesn’t know Jackson on a personal level, yet he was able to work him out. I pull back and look up at him. “And what about you? You weren’t exactly innocent in all this. Nate and Tora weren’t helping either.”
“Hey, back off Tora, she’s rooting for us,” he tells me. “She’s cool, you’ll like her.”
“Jess”, I groan, shrugging my shoulders, not really in the mood to be matched with his friend right now.
He takes my shoulders and runs his hands up and down my arms as he presses a kiss to my forehead. “I’m sorry,” he murmurs. “I really was trying to behave as you asked, but when he was in your face, yelling at you, I couldn’t help it. I snapped. No one gets to talk to you like that.”
I smile up at him. “As much as I hate that you two don’t get along, I really appreciated you standing up for me like that.”
“Always,” he murmurs, bringing me back into his chest. “No matter what, I’m not going to let anyone take you away from me. Nate, Jacks
on, none of the bitchy girls who are bound to try and make your life a living hell. No one.”
I shake my head, laughing. Even when everything is falling apart, Jesse’s ego is still working overtime. “Really? Because the news about us has been making the rounds since yesterday and so far, no one has tried tearing out my hair, stealing my clothes, or humiliating me on social media.”
“What?” he gasps in mock horror. “Maybe I’m losing my edge.”
“I’m sorry to have to tell you this,” I say, fighting a smile as the bell sounds, “but maybe you never had an edge to start with.”
He shakes his head. “You’re going to be trouble, Kaylah Millington. So much fucking trouble.”
Chapter 9
Jesse
Two weeks in and things are going better than I could have imagined. I never knew I’d take to being in a relationship so easily but with Kaylah, it comes naturally. She’s my girl and quickly becoming my world. To not be with her would kill me and I’m man enough to admit it.
I’m falling for her.
I still feel giddy when she walks into a fucking room, I can’t have her near and not be touching her. The thought of kissing her makes my gut twist with excitement, and fuck, don’t get me started on how it feels when I’m inside her.
She’s cleared the air with her brother which helped her heal but she’s still hurting because of her friend Henley. She doesn’t tell me much about it, which coming from her means it’s a big deal. Kaylah chats about everything, so the fact that she refuses to open up about Henley tells me that it’s still way too fresh for her to even consider moving on.
Jackson has started dating Elle which honestly took me and everyone else by surprise. I still don’t know what to make of it. I’m definitely not a fan of Jackson’s but Elle is a good friend and I’m not going to lie, it makes me nervous. I don’t trust him and Elle has already been through enough, but she assures me that she’s happy so for now, I’ll leave it alone.
Jackson being occupied by his new girlfriend also means that he’s not on Kaylah’s back about me as much, which makes life a shitload easier. Though that certainly doesn’t mean that he approves.
Jesse: Broken Hill Boys (Novella 5) Page 5