by Summer Rose
“It’s okay honey, we won’t talk about it,” she said. She held me as I continued to cry even louder. Suddenly, my mom’s beautiful voice burst into a sweet, melodious song that I recognized from a few years back; she was singing my lullaby.
I mustered a small smile as I relaxed into her arms while she rocked me to bed. It was exactly what I had needed.
Sleep soon found me, but when I woke up the next morning, I felt sad and hurt all over again. Jake hadn’t come through my window the previous night.
Maybe this was it, maybe things were really over between me and him.
CHAPTER SEVEN
A nticipation radiated through me - even though my stomach was tangled in a ball of nerves - as I got out of my mom’s car. I stood staring at the modest house quite similar to the one I lived in with my mom.
“Have fun bebé,” my mom said with a huge smile before driving off. I had eventually told her what happened between Jake and me. Somehow, I had been convinced to go on a date with Aaron, the only one I’d hardly spent time with lately.
Luckily, Aaron’s parents were out of town, and he was home alone with his little sister, so he had suggested we watch a movie in his house.
Stepping forward, I mustered enough courage to knock on the door. It was almost immediately opened by a cute little girl, clutching a Barbie doll to her chest. She jumped into my arms. “Hey, Renee, you’ve gotten so big,” I said because what kid didn’t like to hear that they were getting more mature.
She beamed at me “That’s what everyone says! Look, I’ve grown taller too,” she waved her doll toward the wall that showed markings of both her and Aaron’s height measurements. Her British accent made her even cuter.
I grinned at her. “That’s wonderful, I’m so proud of you,” I said as she buried her head in my neck, sniffing me.
“You smell like cake,” she whispered innocently, and I laughed. She probably smelt my vanilla shampoo.
Aaron ran down the stairs, looking freshened up but wearing a scowl on his face directed at the little girl in my arms.
“I told you never to open the door without me, Ren,” he chastised.
“But Kat’s not a stranger,” she pouted, then tossed him a scowl of her own that made them look so alike. They both had brown hair, pointed noses, and deep green eyes. I was reminded of the first time I had met Aaron, of how handsome I had thought he was. My heart flipped when those green eyes met my blue ones.
“You look beautiful Kat,” he whispered, looking at me like I was some sort of exquisite treasure when I was only in a t-shirt, jeans, and boots with my hair pulled back into a ponytail.
I returned his compliment with a shy smile. “Thank you, Aaron. You look good too,” I said.
He took Renee from me and let her know that it was her bedtime, which the poor girl threw a tantrum over. She wanted to play some more with me, but it was getting late, so I offered to bathe her and read her to sleep, which she agreed to.
“I’m sorry about that, she’s normally not that stubborn,” Aaron said as we descended the stairs together after putting Renee to bed.
“Are you kidding? I love that kid,” I answered, letting him know it was okay. “So what are we watching?” I asked, taking my seat on the couch.
“Sci-fi,” he said, unsurprisingly. Luckily, I enjoyed science fiction too. “I’ll go get the popcorn ready.”
He came back with a large bowl of popcorn several minutes later and settled in under the blanket beside me. “Can I say something before we start?” he asked.
I turned to face him “Sure.” He seemed serious, and I hoped I hadn’t done anything wrong.
“Relax,” he said, reading my mind. “It’s about Jake…”
I rolled my eyes with a sigh
“No, let me finish,” he said, continuing when he was sure I was listening. “I understand how hurt you are right now, but please don’t be mad at him. I’ve watched him with Noelle for a while now, and I think I get why he likes her. Even though he doesn’t seem to know it yet. Both of them have something in common, something that draws them to each other and something none of us will ever truly understand.”
He paused and then continued, “They’ve both felt pain, and they find solace with one another. That’s not to say you didn’t bring him comfort, but it’s just different between them. Could you please not fight anymore? With Mason still recovering and you and Jake on the outs, our group is getting divided.”
“It’s because of me,” I whispered, feeling guilty. I had divided the group with my indecision; Mason was on bed rest, I had sent Jake off to Noelle and Liam was in prison because, in his own warped way, he had been trying to protect me. “I’m so sorry.”
“No, don’t be Kat. I didn’t say any of this to make you feel bad. I just want you to stop hurting and realize Jake is better off with Noelle.”
I nodded, he was right. The connection between Jake and Noelle was something else entirely. They completed each other in a way I didn’t understand. It must have been why I was so jealous of them together. I just wanted Jake to be happy, and if she made him happy, then so be it. “Ugh, I can’t believe I have to like Noelle now,” I joked, causing Aaron to laugh.
I watched him, studying his features in detail. Christ, he was so beautiful, I thought. Soon he stopped laughing, and we gravitated toward each other. I don’t know who initiated it, but soon we were kissing. It was heavenly, bringing memories of our first kiss, but I realized something as we got lost in each other. For some reason, it wasn’t enough. Something was missing.
He probably realized it too because he pulled back and watched me with a sad smile. “It’s not me, is it?”
“I’m sorry,” I shook my head.
“No, never apologize for how you feel Kat, ever.” He held my face in his hands. “You should go; he’ll be waiting for you.”
“But, we didn’t even get to watch our movie…”
“I’m not going anywhere Kat,” he said, staring at me with intensity in his eyes. “Now go… damn, he’s one lucky guy,” he muttered and I smiled.
As I was about to leave, I turned to him and said, “I love you, Aaron,” he said it back, but this time we both knew it was a declaration of friendship. “Oh, and I can’t believe you still let your mom take your measurements.”
I laughed at his shocked and embarrassed expression, carefree and happy, before skipping off to profess my love to the other boy.
CHAPTER EIGHT
T he large doors opened to reveal him, the boy I had realized I was utterly and irrevocably in love with, Mason.
“Kat, what are you doing here? It’s late,” he said, concern written all over his face as he pulled me into the house.
“You,” I said, not wanting to waste another second. “I choose you, Mason.” I waited carefully for him to comprehend my words. When he did, laughter echoed through the otherwise silent house, bubbling out of him as he took me in his arms and swung me around.
He stared into my eyes with those beautiful, bright blue eyes that melted my heart. “I love you, Katrina Dawson,” he said.
I raised myself on my tippy toes before planting a kiss on his sensuous lips. A kiss that felt right and completed me. A kiss that moved the earth beneath me and made my world turn. I knew then that nothing I felt for the others could ever be compared to what I felt for Mason. The thought both scared and excited me at the same time.
“I should take you home, it’s really late,” he said, already going to open the door and lead me outside.
“No, it’s fine. I already told my mom I’ll be staying here tonight,” I said, raising my eyes to meet his.
He lowered his head to kiss me again, and my hands found the buttons of his shirt, undoing them. “Come,” he said as he led me toward his room. We stood in the middle of it, wrapped in each other’s arms, kissing without a care in the world. When my hand fell to his belted trouser, he sucked in a breath. “Kat…”
“I want you.”
“Are you su
re? We don’t have to do anything now,” he said, but I wouldn’t be deterred.
“Yes,” I nodded. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”
He stretched out a hand and waited for me to take it, and when I did, he led me to the bedside, pulling my hair tie out so my locks flowed freely over my shoulders. “Beautiful,” he murmured.
Slowly, he unbuttoned my shirt and jeans while I kicked off my boots. My clothing fell to the ground. In a few swift motions, we took his clothes off too.
We then stood in front of each other, entirely naked.
He carried me and I gasped as our bodies met, skin-on-skin contact sending an electric sizzle through me as he laid me down gently on the bed. His fingers wove through my hair, the blonde locks splaying around my shoulders.
Easing my head back, he tilted my eager lips to meet his. A deep groan shuddered through him when I met the thrust of his tongue with mine as we claimed and consumed each other in a fiery passion.
Releasing my mouth, his head sank lower to suck on my neck. That might leave a mark, but I didn’t care. His hand grazed my thigh then slid upward to cup my breasts, teasing the pointed nubs of my nipples that hardened instinctively to his touch.
My hands rose to link around his neck, my fingers buried in his soft hair as my hips lined up against his growing bulge. I moaned in ecstasy as he took one nipple in his mouth, fingers teasing the other.
I couldn’t wait anymore “Mason…”
I heard a wrapper rip, and then he entered me, thrusting gently at first until I begged him to move faster. To go harder and deeper into me.
Waves of emotion crashed through me, igniting an unquenchable fire at the center of my being as we fell into one another.
*****
Thirst woke me later that night from the deep sleep I had fallen into after making love to Mason twice more. I wandered aimlessly down the hall right outside Mason’s room until I realized I was lost. Soft music could be heard from the room to my right, so I curiously opened the door and came face-to-face with something unimaginable.
A laptop sat on the cluttered table in one corner of the room, and I walked up to watch the images on the screen. I recognized Mason’s parents in the video even though I had only seen them once and I couldn’t believe my eyes.
“What the hell are you doing in here?”
I gasped, looking like a deer caught in the headlights, and turned around to find the livid voice that spoke, “Mason?”
“Wrong. Try again,” the boy in the wheelchair said, his blue eyes filled with brewing anger.
“I don’t… I don’t understand,” my voice trembled.
“I’ll ask you again, what the hell are you doing in my room?”
CHAPTER NINE
I t took me a while to understand that the boy in the wheelchair wasn’t Mason, but his secret paralyzed twin brother Connor.
“You’re not a very smart girl, Kat, are you?” he asked, eyeing me as I sat boneless on his bed.
“I don’t… what’s going on? How come no one knows about you, and how do you know my name?”
He rolled his eyes, clearly exhausted with my questions “A few people know about me, it’s just best if most people don’t. I know your name because Mason won’t stop talking about you whenever he comes to see me.”
“Comes to see…?”
“Ugh, enough already.” He pushed back his hair in frustration. Suddenly his eyes lit up.
“If you help me, I can tell you everything you want to know,” he said with a mischievous smile. I nodded like a zombie, drained of emotions.
“What do you need?”
His chair whizzed toward the laptop and he removed the flash drive connected to it, cutting off the video that had been playing on the screen.
“Those were your parents, in the video, what were they…?”
He cursed under his breath. “Help me, and I’ll tell you everything I know,” he repeated, and I nodded. I needed some answers.
“I need you to take me to this address,” he handed me a piece of paper.
“Don’t ask why and don’t wake Miss T and Mason. If you do it, I’ll tell you everything you want to know.”
I would have said no if I had known what was about to happen. I would have refused. But I had been so desperate for answers that I didn’t question him. I simply snuck Connor out of the house quietly.
It was when we finally reached the address - which was a warehouse - that he told me everything.
“Listen carefully, Kat. There’s no time to explain why my existence has been kept a secret from you until now. Hopefully, Mason and I will be able to do that later in the day. But I’m about to do something dangerous, and I need you to contact the cops just in case something goes wrong.”
“What?!” I panicked. “You told me you’d give me answers! You didn’t say anything about involving the cops. Are you some sort of drug dealer vigilante?” I asked, despite knowing my assumption was stupid.
“There’s no time Kat. I’m sorry for involving you in this, but I didn’t want Mason to have anything to do with it, and you already saw the video.”
“Yes, the video. Explain to me what in God’s name that was.” Everything was happening so fast and I was so confused.
“Knowing will only put you in more danger. Now do as I’ve asked and call the cops,” he ordered, wheeling himself into the building as I made the call, hoping the cops would arrive soon because I was starting to get really scared.
I stood outside, contemplating whether to go in or to run while I had the chance. I had just decided I couldn’t leave Mason’s brother here all alone when a muscled hand suddenly yanked me inside and I felt a blow to my face.
I screamed, pain piercing through me as I fell to the ground. Scrambling to my feet, I tried to run from whoever had punched me, but they grabbed me by both ankles and twisted them. The sound of my bones popping out of their sockets echoed through the room, and I shrieked in agony. The shock came over me and I lapsed into unconsciousness in a matter of seconds.
CHAPTER TEN
Funny how life works, I thought.
Just days ago, only a few people knew about the existence of Connor Welsh, Mason’s paralyzed twin brother whose parents had kept a secret because they didn’t want their public image tarnished. That same son had died protecting their legacy as I later found out the flash drive had been an incriminating video to blackmail their parents.
Connor had been receiving threatening emails from the people that wanted the video. When it became clear that Mason’s life would be in danger if he didn’t do something, he bravely put himself in the line of fire. Now, half of the town stood in the cemetery watching a boy we all barely knew being lowered into his grave. The cops had rescued me, but they had been too late for him.
Jake came to stand beside me, his hands offering me support so I could forgo the crutches for a while. “You okay?” he asked. After my brush with death, I had made up with Jake, even giving him my blessing to be with Noelle. He didn’t need it - Jake would do what made him happy - but I wanted him to know I was happy for him too.
Was I okay? I didn’t think I was, but I was so tired of the pitiful looks everyone had been giving me that I didn’t mind lying. “Yes, I’m fine,” I said to him, offering him the ghost of a smile.
“You should go to Mason, he’s all alone.”
We both turned to watch my boyfriend, who stood between his stoic parents. My heart ached for him, but I still couldn’t bring myself to talk to him, not after what I had done. If only I had confronted him about Connor instead of leading him to his death.
“I can see what you are doing, so stop it. Mason doesn’t blame you for anything that happened and you shouldn’t blame yourself either. We can’t change what has happened, we can only move forward.”
I smiled sadly. “When did you become so wise?”
He chuckled “I have always been wise, Katrina,” he said, nudging me gently with his elbow.
; “Thanks, Jake. For everything,” I said to him. I reclaimed my crutches and trudged away from him when I saw Noelle approaching. Things were still awkward between us, and it would take time to change that.
At the last minute, instead of going to Mason, I changed course and walked toward my mom’s car, wanting to get away from it all. I felt a finger tap my shoulder, and I raised my head to meet a figure in a black hoodie. It was a man, but I couldn’t see his face. He handed me an envelope and ran off.
“It’s not over yet little girl.” Those were the words written on the paper in the envelope, and I felt lightheaded as I read them.
They were coming for me.
GUILT
A Dark High School Romance
The Brotherhood- (Redwood High) Book 4
Summer Rose
CHAPTER ONE
I walked as fast as I could, sand and gravel crunching beneath my boots. Head lowered and hands clutching desperately unto the strap of my satchel, I tried not to look behind me to confirm my suspicion. Instead, I continued to walk faster, bordering on running as I almost reached my destination. I could hear the blood rushing in my ears, and my heart pounded with each step I took.
"You're almost there, almost there…" I whispered to myself as my breathing increased. When I went to open the door before me, I felt a solemn hand rest on my shoulder.
I screamed.
"Kat, it's me… it's just me,” came the reassuring voice behind me. As I turned to face him, I heaved a sigh of relief. "Hey, are you okay?" Aaron asked, standing before me in a white T-shirt and blue jeans paired with combat boots that were similar to mine.
I wiped my sweaty palms against the yellow summer gown I was wearing, which my mom had gifted me just two days ago. "I'm fine, Aaron," I said, my eyes flitting around to make sure there was no one else around us but the students I was familiar with.