“I have an extra car in the garage. It’s not much, but a teenage girl should have a way around,” she said, sliding a key across the table.
A car isn’t much? A used pair of skates would be an upgrade at this point.
I’m speechless for a beat.
“Are you sure?” I finally asked. Let’s be real, I’m not the most responsible teenager on Earth. It’s very likely I’ll run this thing into a sign or forget where I’ve parked indefinitely. At least that’s what my mom told me when I asked for a car after I passed my driver’s test.
She sat her book face down on the table, smiling at me. “It was my third husband’s. I never had any use for it.” She winked, “Him or the car.”
Shaking my head, I tried to suppress a smile. “I don’t know what to say.”
Leaning over, she clasped a hand over mine. “I’ve never had the opportunity to have a relationship with you, Raquel. So, say this is the beginning of that. I think you and I are more alike than your mother ever wanted to admit.”
My face fell at the mention of her. I looked down the hallway where she probably sat behind the guest bedroom door. “How is she?”
“Oh, honey, a girl your age shouldn’t worry about her parents. It should be the other way around.”
I shrugged and pulled my hands back in my lap, feeling more exposed than I wanted to. “It’s just how it’s always been with us. Well, since dad…”
“Don’t you worry about her. I’m getting her out of the house today. I’m taking her to the spa, and we’re job hunting. It’s time to get her on her feet.”
I nodded. Standing up, I hooked my backpack over my shoulder. I looked down at the key and then back at the stranger sitting across from me in the white pant suit. “Thanks, Grandma. For everything.”
“Raquel don’t thank family members for taking care of you. It’s just what we do.”
With that, I walked out of the kitchen, passed the laundry entry and into the garage. My jaw hit the floor.
Beside grandma’s luxury SUV sat an older Mustang. I wasn’t good with cars, but I knew this had to be a classic. Restored and shiny. She didn’t have use for this?
Bringing my hand up to my mouth, I masked a scream.
This is mine?
I ran over to the black car and threw the door open. Throwing my backpack in the backseat, I started it. It purred to life, and I leaned back in the seat, grinning like a damn fool.
By the time I get to school, I’m over people for the day. Completely overstimulated. But it doesn’t matter that I live with my overly chatty grandma, or that my teacher’s still force me to be present.
Because I have a car!
But still, this morning in English I’m that pet student that my teacher needs to see grow in order to feel better about herself. It’s exhausting to say the least.
Little does she know; Roman is whispering the answer in my ear every time she calls on me.
She gives herself a Goldstar for making me participate, and my heart does a little flutter every time I feel his breath on my neck.
I mean, I guess that’s a win for both of us. Not that I would admit that to him. When first period is over, I close my doodle notebook as Roman taps on my shoulder.
“Thank you!” I said before he had the chance to speak.
“Don’t thank me yet.”
Her smile fell into a frown. And that plush bottom lip I couldn’t get out of my head raked between her teeth as she watched me, nervously. I don’t know why she felt that way. I’d never tell her, but I wondered why she never even bothered to text. She’d had my number since the first day she came to school and not a single word from her.
She held all the cards, and she had no reason to be nervous. And still, she looked at me right now as if I could shatter her entire existence. If I was an asshole, I’d feed off her insecurities, but I’m not.
My fucking brother would. And I’m directing my anger at him.
“Do you have plans for dinner?” I asked.
“Not yet.” She smiled.
“Keep tonight open,” I said. She looked too fucking happy for what was about to happen. As if she wasn’t a fly buzzing around a Venus fly trap. “But find me before you leave today.”
And I walked off because I couldn’t stand to see her look happy about going to dinner with me.
Maybe if it was just me. But it’s not. Rhett is about to fuck her whole world up, but I’ll be there every step of the way.
I’ll keep her safe, no matter what. Rhett be damned. I’ll fix this.
When I turned the corner, I walked past a locker, and before I could talk myself out of it, I slammed my fist into it. Blood trickled down my hand as I slid down to the floor.
Fucking Rhett.
What have I done?
My brother wants to talk to us tonight. Come over any time after six.
It’s been replaying in my head all afternoon. Why the hell would Roman’s brother want to talk to me and why did he look like he wanted to throw up as soon as those words left his mouth?
He specifically asked me to find him after school so he could tell me that. It couldn’t be good. Right?
I’d been able to sneak out of grandma’s house with only a note to explain I was at my friend Roman’s. No one had been home, so I guess my grandma followed through with her promise of getting my mom out of the house. Maybe all she needed was a little bit of tough love. I have a few months until graduation, it wouldn’t be a horrible thing if she decided to be a mom while she still had me at home.
Wishful thinking. I shook my head.
I was standing outside his huge ass house, staring at the door as if it had the answers to all my questions. There were a few cars parked in the front, but nothing like I’d seen at the massive parties they throw here.
Sighing, I stepped up in front of the door to listen before I knocked or barged in. No loud sounds, just quiet chatter. Maybe that’s a good thing. Or possibly a horrible idea. Less people, not a lot of things to focus on, leaving me to not be able to shy away from conversations.
Before I could find the courage to knock, the door opened. I gasped. I recognize the man standing in the doorway staring back at me. It's the same guy I'd seen with Roman that day at the coffee shop.
He was absolutely Roman’s brother. Their resemblance was striking. The only difference was this guy had at least twenty more pounds of muscle stacked on his upper body and his eyes were dark, more sinister.
I don’t like him.
He fucking looked me up and down and smirked at me.
I really don’t like him.
“Raquel, come in. We’ve been waiting,” he said, holding the door open wider.
“Where’s Roman?” I held my chin up, demanding respect before I walked into some trap.
“He’ll be down in a sec. You coming?” He nodded behind him.
“I don’t know your name. Stranger danger and all,” I said. Okay, I wasn’t feeling brave. I wanted Roman to pop up, so I knew he was here before I walked into this guy’s house of horrors.
“Rhett,” he said, sticking his hand out. “Now that we’re friends, you want to come in?”
His grin was wide, and he was toying with me. So, I plucked my phone from my pocket and did the thing I said I wouldn’t. I texted Roman. Son of a bitch. He has my number now.
“After you,” I said.
I stepped in the door, and he slammed it behind me. That’s precisely the moment I saw a living room full of girls. My absolute worst nightmare.
I recognized a few from school, but most of them I’d never come across. I kept my head down and hadn’t made friends at school, so for all I knew they could all be in my class, and I didn’t know.
What I did know is that their eyes were glued to me. I stopped at the doorway, dragging my eyes across the room. There were a few guys peppered in, but none of them were looking my way.
Just the girls. And they were whis
pering about me.
“Do you want me to tell them to leave?” A familiar voice startled me.
I turned. Broad shoulders. Tall. Strong jaw. Short black hair. Terrifyingly dark eyes watched me. This wasn’t easy going Roman. He was next level.
I hardly recognized him.
“What?” I croaked out.
“Those girls?” Gritting his teeth, he pointed toward them with his beer. “I can’t fucking stand mean girls.”
I tilted my lips up into a smile. If he only knew. “They’re only whispering about me. It’s nothing they don’t do most days. My old school was worse than this, trust me.”
I think that was the wrong thing to say because his face grew harder. I scanned the room and then landed my sights back on him. My eyebrows bumped together with confusion.
“Say the word and they’ll be gone.”
“You barely know me,” I laughed. “You’ve probably hooked up with half the girls at the school.”
My stomach twisted in knots. I wanted him to correct me. But I think I knew. Why else would their eyes be glued to me? Why would they be here? For whatever reason, Roman’s brother is trying to run me off, and it just might work in his favor because Roman’s nostrils are flaring.
I don’t know if he’s breathing anymore. He’s just staring wildly at me. I’ve never been good in situations like this. I usually run off to find the adult, or slink into a corner, but I may have to snap him out of this.
“EVERYBODY OUT!”
His voice boomed.
Okay, so he’s fine. I think. Just mad. And his dark eyes are pinning me down as a sea of people walk around us, scrambling to get to the door.
“Where’s my brother?” He asked me and I just shrugged.
Jesus Christ, I think Roman forgot how to blink.
When the last of the stragglers made it past the living room, in came Roman’s brother again. Roman was unmoving, jaw clenched and shoulders rigid.
“What’s going on?” I asked but his eyes were fixed over my head.
“Why did you kick everyone out?” Rhett came strolling through the living room as if this was just a casual day for him.
“What the fuck was that about?” Roman shot daggers at him with his eyes.
His brother might be older and bigger, but Roman could hold his own. His jaw ticked as his eyes bounced from me to his brother. He laced his fingers around my forearm and pulled me closer to him.
Heat spread from my arm and all the way through my body.
The two of them facing off like this, toe to toe was scary as shit. I wanted to scramble out of there as fast as I could. But call it morbid curiosity or maybe a strong desire to rip Roman’s clothes off, I stayed.
“I said we needed to have a talk. That’s what we’re doing,” Rhett said. He backed up a couple steps before dropping on to the leather couch in the center of the room.
“We can talk without a show,” Roman said, unamused. I was still painfully aware of his hand wrapped possessively around my arm.
“If she’s going to be a part of this shit, she’s got to get used to people.”
I looked up at Roman and his jaw clenched. “She’s not a part of anything. She doesn’t know shit. I told you that and I’d like to keep it that way.”
I stepped away from his hold. “Um, hi. She is right here. And she can speak for herself.” I looked up at him again. “What’s going on?”
Roman’s eyes softened. “Just a misunderstanding. Now that my brother sees that, come up to my room with me and we can talk. Okay?”
Rhett hopped off the couch and intercepted me from leaving the room. “I’m not a fucking idiot, doll. If Roman says you won’t say shit, I believe him. But if the two of you break up and you run your mouth,” he said, clenching his teeth with a grin. “Granny up the road is going to pay the price.”
Roman shoved his chest, hard with both hands. Rhett stumbled back and chuckled.
“Get the fuck out of here,” Roman said.
Rhett’s hands shot up. “I was just having some fun.”
When he left the room, I whipped around to face Roman. “Explain. Now.”
“Come with me,” he said.
He took my hand and led me toward the stairs. And for whatever reason, I let him. All of my life I’d been told my brain doesn’t work the way everyone else’s does. But recently, I was starting to think it doesn’t work at all. I looked at our interlaced hands and back up at him as I followed him up the stairs, and I all could think was what in the actual fuck am I doing?
Rhett has jokes. With most guys he may make them steal some shit or beat a guy up to see if they really want in with him. With me, he was even fucking harder. But with Raquel? He invited every girl in a twenty miles radius that wanted to fuck me to see if she got jealous.
I said she was a friend.
I said she didn’t know anything.
I said she was irrelevant.
He saw her reaction, and he saw mine. It wasn’t a game anymore. It was out there. He knew I was interested, and now he’s going to fuck with me and test loyalties. He’s about to find out, I’m only loyal to myself and my own interests.
But fuck if this chick sitting on my bed, staring up at me with confusion swimming behind those blue eyes doesn’t make me want to murder him right now.
“Well?”
I wiped a hand down my face and sat down next to her. I’m not usually an open guy. I don’t do communication or trust falls or any of that shit. But whatever I say, I feel like it would stay with her.
“My brother has a lot of…business opportunities going on,” I said.
“Like stealing cars.”
I rubbed the back of my neck and looked over at her. Those big, blue eyes were staring back at me with curiosity. I can’t tell if she’s ready to run for the hills or not, but she’s sitting here with me and that’s a start.
“Like that,” I said, nodding. “And other things.”
“He seems like an asshole. Why are you even talking to him?”
“I kind of have to.”
Swiping my hands down my jeans, I stared at my lap. Her small hand wrapped around one of mine. And I looked up at her. Her pale face lit with embarrassment.
“Sometimes when I was little it helped me focus on what I needed to say if my dad held my hands. My brain stopped running so much.” She smiled shyly. She doesn’t really mention her family, so I took the crumb and stored it in the back of my brain hoping one day I’ll have completed the puzzle that is Raquel Hendrix.
“Why do you have to be around him?” She asked. I knew it was coming, but hell if I didn’t wince anyway.
“My parents thought I could raise myself I guess, so when they left the first time, I got into some stupid shit. I was caught selling shit I shouldn’t have been. My brother made it go away and said he wouldn’t tell my parents if I’d help him out until I go to college.”
“Do you really think he’ll let you go?”
“No,” I answered honestly. Her hand squeezed harder. I don’t know if it was for my sake or hers.
“What are you going to do?”
Sighing, “Deal with it later.” I looked from our hands to her face. She dragged that perfectly plump lip through her bottom teeth. “Until then? Enjoy the last few months of senior year.”
I don’t know who closed the distance, but my mouth crashed into hers as soon as those words left my lips.
She pulled back and I stared at her, impatiently. “I don’t like to be touched.”
Wait. What?
My face probably resembled a child being told their favorite toy had been taken away from them, but she didn’t look up at me. She was fixated on the floor. I wanted to pull her face in my direction and demand she faced me. But fuck.
“Why didn’t you say something before?”
She shook her head and finally peeked up at me. “Because you’re different. I’ve been trying to figure it out, but I can
’t.”
“Elaborate.”
She pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a breath. “So awkward, but Aiden. I could barely stomach hugging him. My mom, my friends…I’ve never let anyone touch me.” Those blue eyes looked up at me again under thick lashes and I fucking hated it, but I think I melted a little. “Until you.”
“Why me?”
She shook her head. “I’ve stopped asking myself that. I’m just rolling with it now.”
I smirked. That was something I could relate to. I tried to swallow my inflated ego with her confession because the biggest part of me wanted to throw her on the bed and show her how much she’d like being touched by me.
I adjusted my pants and tried to focus on something. Anything other than how she was looking at me right now. Like she did want me to do those things to her.
Testing my limits, I tucked her hair behind her ear on one side, exposing more of that perfect face. I cupped her cheek, rubbing my thumb across it.
“What are you saying?”
She looked me in the eye, a daring smirk played on her lips. “Let’s enjoy the last few months of senior year together.”
Turning on the bed, she slid on her knees to face me. The whole fucking world could burn to the ground, but it wouldn’t stop me from making her come.
I slipped one arm under her knees and the other hand was firmly placed on the back of her neck. Dropping her on my bed, I took this sight in for a beat. Red face, swollen lips, and eyes practically begging me to get on top of her.
I didn’t need to be convinced. I dropped on her, holding my weight up with my elbows on each side of her head.
I sucked her bottom lip in my mouth. I could never get enough of that sweet tasting mouth. When her hands snaked around my waist, I let out a groan.
“How far did you get with the last guy?” I asked. I think I already knew the answer, but I needed to know.
“Not even this far,” she said against my mouth.
Her blue eyes popped open and looked at me. I knew it before she said it, but Jesus Christ hearing that out loud changed it for me.
A virgin.
I knew she could feel how bad I wanted her when a shy smile slid across her face.
Dare Me: The Pierce Boys of Georgia, Book One Page 7