In the Heart of Forever (A Heart Story)

by Jo-Anna Walker

  I leaned forward and brushed my lips over his mouth. “I just want to kiss you. That’s all.”

  “Really?” he teased, pulling me tighter against him.

  “Well, that’s all for now anyways.”

  He chuckled. “Then kiss me, baby.”

  Taking a page from his book, I licked into his mouth. His hand on my backside, tightened, igniting a new sense of yearning in me.

  Shivers ran down my spine as his hand ran up my back. A moment later, a snap sounded and my bra loosened. My nerves were rattled with anticipation, wondering how far this kiss was going to go. “Rave.”

  He released my mouth. “Do you want me to stop?”

  I shook my head. “No but…” I looked around the car.

  “Hey.” He grabbed my chin and placed a soft kiss on my lips. “We’re not having sex in my car but you tell me if it gets to be too much, okay?”

  I nodded and curled my hands around his neck. My stomach jumped when his hand grazed up my waist to my breasts. His fingers roamed under the bra and ran a thumb over my nipple.

  My breath caught and I crashed my lips to his, shoving my tongue into his mouth. Needing to feel him everywhere, my hips started moving slowly over his lap. It was like a sense of passion had taken over my body and I no longer had any control over my actions.

  “Jesse,” Rave said against my lips.

  I released his mouth and kissed his jaw.

  His hands went to my hips and stopped my tiny movements. “You need to stop doing that.”

  My chest tightened. “Sorry.”

  He smirked. “Don’t be sorry. But as good as that feels, I should take you home.”

  I sighed and grabbed onto his shirt. Tears welled in my eyes unexpectedly and I leaned against his chest. “I just…you make me feel good.”

  “Jesse, I…” His breath hitched and he ran a hand down my back.

  I cried against his chest, feeling ashamed that if he wouldn’t have self-control, I would have let him have his way with me in his car. What was wrong with me?

  “Jesse, we don’t have to rush into things,” he said against my hair, wrapping his arms tighter around me.

  “I know. I’m sorry. I really have no idea why I’m crying.” I tried laughing but it came out as a snort. I had issues.

  Rave lifted my head and kissed my forehead and then my nose. “You never have to apologize for crying. I’m your shoulder whenever you need it.”

  I smiled and ran a hand down his cheek. “You’re a good guy, Rave Black.”

  His eyes darkened with sadness and…guilt? He definitely had a story of his own but I knew then that no matter what it was, I would be there for him.

  Chapter 13

  Rave Black was a good guy. Dark and mysterious with probably more secrets than me but he was…good. Kind, caring.

  His dark green eyes showed years of pain. Anyone who didn’t experience some turmoil in their lives might not have noticed but I could tell. His beautiful eyes surrounded by dark lashes held an old soul. He was way too young to have eyes so mature.

  As we drove back into the city, our hands were entwined together. I watched as his thumb ran over the back of my hand, sending soothing chills over my skin. Sighing, I leaned back and watched the world fly by around us. The rumble of the big muscle car rang in my ears and at the moment, for the first time in years, I felt happy. My lips and body tingled from the memories of his touch.

  Warm lips touched the back of my hand and I turned to Rave. He smiled down at me as he placed a kiss on my skin.

  “Thank you,” I whispered.

  His eyebrows lowered in confusion and he thought a moment. “For what, Jesse?”

  “For…everything.” My cheeks heated.

  Understanding crossed his features and he nodded. “You don’t have to thank me.”

  “Yes I do. Not a lot of guys would have stopped.”

  His eyes darkened. “I didn’t want to stop but I’m not most guys.”

  “I know that. Trust me.” I placed our joined hands back in my lap.

  We pulled up in front of Allan’s house and I almost burst into tears that we were there already. I didn’t want our time together to end. It sounded crazy since we only just met, but Rave made me happy.

  “Text me,” Rave bit out. I frowned and turned to him. He was glaring in the direction of Allan’s house.

  “He’s not home yet. Won’t be for another couple of hours,” I told him.

  His eyes flicked down to mine. “Be careful.”

  I searched his face. He knew Allan was a douche bag but he didn’t know the extent of it. “I’ll see you at school tomorrow.” I placed a hand on his cheek, guiding his face down to mine.

  He placed a soft kiss on my lips, nose and then forehead. The gentle kisses brought tears to my eyes. He kissed me one last time. “Want me to walk you to your door?”

  “Sure.” I smiled and we both got out of the car. We walked to the steps and I unlocked the door. I grabbed Rave’s hand, pulling him into the house behind me.

  “Jesse, what if he comes home early?” Rave asked.

  “He won’t.” I knew Allan’s schedule like the back of my hand and knowing that he was drinking earlier today, he probably met up with some chick to get his rocks off before heading back to his office. He was slimy that way and I couldn’t imagine being that woman. My stomach clenched with nausea at that thought.

  Rave followed me upstairs to my room. I threw my bag on the floor and sat on my bed, watching Rave move about my room. He went to my book shelf and pulled out my favorite book.

  “That’s my favorite classic. I think I’ve read it like a million times.”

  Rave smiled at me. “It’s one of my favorites too.”

  I pulled my phone out of my bag and plugged it into my speaker that was on the desk. A moment later, the sound of a deep bass rang through it, relaxing me. I lied down on the bed and moved my feet to the beat.

  Rave walked up to me and crawled onto the bed beside me, putting his arm under my head. His eyes blazed as they took me in.

  I cupped his cheek, the scruff of his jaw, scratching at my palm and brought his mouth down to mine, kissing him slowly.

  His hand caressed my hip and moved over the waist band of my pants. His fingers grazed under my shirt, skimming the sensitive skin on my lower belly.

  I ran my hand to the back of his neck and pulled him harder against me, deepening the kiss. A low growl erupted from his throat as his tongue danced with mine. His fingers reached the button on my jeans and after fiddling with it for a moment, it loosened.

  My heart beat rapidly against my chest but I didn’t want him to stop. I helped him out by shimmying out of my jeans and lowered them to my ankles.

  Rave released my mouth and looked down at my half naked body, gently caressing his hand down my inner thigh.

  My skin tingled and burned under his touch and without hesitating; I grabbed his chin and crashed his lips to mine.

  His hand reached my center and a finger grazed the sensitive skin at my inner thigh. He moved his hand slowly, probably testing to see if I would let him continue. I spread my legs wider, hinting for him to keep going. My body ached for him and I needed to feel his touch.

  His fingers reached under the fabric and gently ran over an area that no boy had ever touched before. Needing more, I bucked my hips and gasped, when his finger entered me. It was slightly painful but not to the point of uncomfortable.

  “Are you okay?” He lifted his head and his eyes filled with concern.

  I nodded. “Oh…yes.”

  “Do you want me to stop?”

  “No. Please, don’t.”

  Rave smirked and slowly moved his finger in and out of me. A moment later his thumb ran over a spot that made me cry out. I smacked his chest and gripped his shirt in my hand. The intense almost unbearable pleasure roared through my body as his thumb kept moving against me. He leaned down and kissed my lips and I moved to kiss him deeper but he pulled away. “I wa
nt to watch you.”

  “Watch me?” I repeated his question, confused as to what he had meant.

  He didn’t say anything and removed his hand from beneath my panties. He pulled them down to my ankles and ran his hand back to my center before thrusting two fingers into me.

  I arched under his touch and moaned as his thumb rubbed over me. He kept up his movements and a moment later, an explosion of ecstasy soared through my body and then he kissed me, swallowing the rest of my cries.

  Once my body stopped shaking, he rose from the bed, leaving me to the memories and aftershocks of my pleasurable bliss.

  Rave left my bedroom and I took that time to redress. He came back a moment later and joined me on my bed. “How was that?”

  I smiled and leaned against him. “I have no words.”

  He chuckled and kissed my head. “You sure know how to stroke a guy’s ego.”

  I giggled and turned to him. “What about…um…you?”

  His eyes heated at what I was suggesting and he cleared his throat. “Don’t worry about me.”

  “Are you sure?”

  He smirked and kissed my lips. “Baby, it felt good doing that to you.”

  “I swear you’re not…how old are you?”

  He frowned. “Eighteen. Why?”

  I shook my head. “You’re not like most eighteen year olds I’ve heard about.”

  He ran his thumb over my bottom lip and kissed my forehead. “I’ve had a great teacher. My brother is good with the ladies and he’s taught me everything he knows. It’s not always about getting. Sometimes giving is way more pleasurable.”

  “Oh…are you…um…experienced?” My cheeks heated.

  “I’m not a virgin Jesse, if that’s what you’re asking.”

  Jealousy soared through my body knowing that I wasn’t the only girl he’s touched like that before but I hoped I was the last…for the time being anyways.

  A warm hand cupped my cheek. “The jealous fire in your eyes is really fucking hot by the way.”

  I smiled and leaned into his palm, kissing his calloused skin. “I’m not jealous.”

  “No?”

  I rose from the bed and moved to my dresser when heavy hands spun me. I looked up into dark green eyes and ran my hands down Rave’s torso. “I’m not jealous.”

  He pinched my chin and brushed his lips across mine. “Okay. If you say so.”

  I pushed him playfully and we both laughed.

  “What the hell is going on here?”

  I gasped at the sound of Allan’s voice coming from the door.

  Rave spun around as he came barrelling into my bedroom.

  “Who the fuck are you?” Allan boomed and instead of waiting for an answer, he charged at Rave. It all happened so quickly, my head spun. Allan punched Rave in the jaw; Rave fell back against me, pushing me against the dresser.

  “Allan, please. Go away. Stop this,” I cried.

  Rave pushed off of me and ran for Allan, tackling him to the ground. Rave was much smaller than him but the way he moved, you’d think they were the same size. Rave was definitely trained and not just with the ladies.

  I grabbed onto Rave’s shoulders, trying to pull him off of him. He didn’t know who Allan was or his level of power in the system. Rave needed to stop. “Rave, please. Stop.” I screamed.

  Rave pounded his fist into Allan’s jaw and nose, the sound of bone crunching erupted around the room making my stomach roll.

  “Rave. Stop. Now,” I screamed again. Just as I was about to hook my arms around Rave’s neck to pull him off of Allan, an elbow shot back and hit me in the head. A sharp pain pounded in my skull and a pit of darkness pulled me under.

  ***

  “She’s coming to.”

  I opened my eyes and found two people that I didn’t recognize standing around me. I tried sitting up but the pain behind my eyes changed my mind. “What happened?”

  “You had an accident. Your father said that you fell down some stairs.” The doctor told me.

  Father? “I…”

  Allan came into view and glared at me, daring me to say that he wasn’t my father or that I didn’t fall down some stairs. I just nodded and let the doctors do their thing. “We just want to run some more tests but you should be good to go in a little bit.”

  “Thank you, Doctor,” Allan said sweetly without taking his eyes from me.

  The doctors left a moment later, leaving me alone with Allan. Luckily we were in a public place so he couldn’t do too much damage to me.

  He came towards me and bent down, his hot breath scorching my skin. The smell of alcohol and sweat invaded my nostrils making bile rise to my throat. “Thought I told you to stay away from that boy.”

  “You can’t stop me from seeing him.” I was not in the mood for his mind games.

  “No? Try me. You won’t be in here forever, brat.”

  “I’ll go to the police if you do anything to me.”

  He grabbed my jaw and dug his fingers into my cheeks making my eyes water from the sharp hold he had on me. “They won’t do anything if they don’t have proof.”

  “Fuck you, Allan.”

  He kissed my forehead, letting his lips linger longer than necessary. “Do what you want but I am watching and you won’t always have lover boy around to protect you.”

  ***

  After Allan had left my room. I called Rave. I needed to see him knowing Allan couldn’t do anything while I was at the hospital.

  Rave showed up a couple of minutes later. “Were you here or did you drive really fast?”

  He smiled and covered my lips in a hard kiss. “I was here already. God, Jesse, I am so sorry.”

  I had found out that it was Rave that had elbowed me in the head. Note to self, do not get in the middle of a fight between two people much larger than me. “Rave, it’s not your fault. I’m fine. You were protecting me.”

  Rave scoffed. “Yeah, I did a shitty job of it too.”

  “Hey.” I placed my hand on his cheek and kissed his soft lips. “It’s my fault for getting in the way. You sure have some temper.”

  His jaw tensed. “When can you get out of here?”

  “She can actually leave right now,” the doctor said as he came back into the room.

  Rave helped me get dressed and gather my things. I signed some papers, discharging myself and let Rave grab my hand, leading me down the hall. “I don’t want to take you back there.”

  “I have to. It’s unfortunately my home.”

  “Jesse.”

  “Where else am I going to go?” I asked him.

  He turned to me as we walked up to his car. “You could stay with me.”

  My eyes widened. “I appreciate that but I think it’s a little too soon for us to move in together.”

  He sighed and shoved a hand through his hair. “Yeah, I know.” His eyes bored into mine as he thought a moment. “I have an idea.”

  ***

  “Are you sure this will keep him out?” I asked Rave as we stood in my bedroom.

  He turned the new door handle on my door and shut us in my bedroom. Locking the new deadbolt in place, he looked at me. “Oh yeah.”

  I smiled. “Good.”

  Before driving me home, we hit the hardware store in search of the new locking mechanism for my door. My heart swelled with affection for him, knowing that Rave wanted to do anything he could to protect me.

  I told him that I had wanted the strongest lock the department store carried. I knew it would only be temporary but I needed some sort of peace even if it was just for the time being.

  “I still don’t…” He sighed, running a hand through his hair.

  “Rave?” Unease settled in my stomach.

  “Never mind.” Taking a step towards me, he wrapped me in his arms.

  I returned the embrace and rested my head against his chest. His heart beat hard and quick against my ear, making butterflies soar in my belly. He was upset.

  I looked up at him. “What’
s wrong?”

  “This won’t keep him out forever, Jesse. You need to…”

  We both paused as loud steps rang up the stairs. A moment later, the door handle turned.

  My heart beat hard against my chest. Terror ran through me that we would have a repeat of my previous accident. I was in the hospital all night last night and even though it wasn’t familiar, I felt safe.

  “What the hell?” A body slammed against the door. “Let me in, little girl.”

  A growl erupted beside me. I turned to Rave and gasped. His eyes were dark with fury. “Let him break down the door.”

  “Rave. We can’t do this again.”

  He stared at the door as Allan tried to break it down.

  “Brat, let me in. No one locks the door in my house,” Allan yelled, pounding on the door.

  Fear curled in my belly and I took a step back. “Rave, get me out of here, please.”

  Rave turned to me, his eyes softening. His jaw clenched as he thought, all the while, Allan continued shoving against the door.

  I couldn’t take it anymore. I held my hands up to my ears and shook my head. “Stop. Please. Just stop. Make him leave.”

  I fell to my knees and squeezed my eyes shut. Sounds of banging filled the room. Allan continued to bang at the door, trying to break it down. I didn’t know how to deal with it. The noise, the abuse, the strong emotions I had towards Rave…I broke. My soul felt like it shattered beneath my skin at that very moment. I was losing my mind. Going crazy with hatred.

  After what felt like hours later, warm arms wrapped around my wrists. I screamed, jumping at the soft contact and fell back on my ass. I looked up into Rave’s green eyes and realized it was eerily silent. “What happened?”

  His eyes were cold and deadly but his touch was gentle. He pulled me towards him and wrapped his arms around me.

  “Rave?” I asked, sitting in his lap.

  He didn’t answer me.

  I searched his face and ran a hand over his cheek. He was shaking underneath me. “What happened?”

  He ran his hands over my back, his eyes boring into mine, like he was searching for something.