“I promise you on your virginity, I’m not lying.”
He grabbed her hand on his face and pushed it into his skin harder, like he wanted to tattoo the impression of her palm into his skin. “I still need to know more benefits, because I’m sick of waiting. It’s too painful.”
She sighed, big and heavy, her chest rounding, then concaving. “I didn’t want to tell you this, but I’ve been thinking . . .” She glanced around her room. What if this made him lose it? What if he trashed Zach’s room? How would she contain him? “Don’t freak out, hum some music while I tell you this . . .”
He obeyed immediately without asking why.
“I want to find your mom. I want her to be at our small wedding, and that’s going to take time.”
His expression was blank.
It was like he saw past her.
“Adam?” She could tell he was breathing, and his heart rate seemed normal.
“Shhh . . . Thinking,” he said in a terse tone.
She tucked her head into him and played with his sparse, but sexy as hell, chest hairs.
“Okay, but we’re gonna be late, and I know you hate that,” she whispered.
“It’s healthy to ditch now and again,” he said woodenly.
This wasn’t him. At least, not outside that crazy Vegas trip he tried to take her on.
Stupid! You should’ve never brought her up. They never talk about their mom. At least not when they’re all together. Way to go . . . He’s about to go ballistic, and it’s your fault. Just sleep with the guy now and get it over with. You’re too exhausted. You can’t keep doing this . . .
She inhaled deeply, taking in his scent that was always stronger after he’d been sleeping.
His arms slowly wrapped around her, and he began to rock them. Hums kept going, but she could tell he was crying.
“I’m sorry . . .” She cried, too.
For him, for his family, his mom’s absence and how much this was hurting him—all of it.
“Okay, we’ll wait . . .” he said after a few moments of holding her tightly bound against him. “But I need you to kiss me every day like you mean it—like it’s a kiss that’s gonna last forever, just like us. And I have to feel it all the way down to my toes, because if I don’t, I feel lost. And I don’t like feeling that way.”
“I can definitely do that for you, love.”
He squeaked. “I can too, sweetie.”
She stroked his stomach. “Are you taking my endearment from me?”
“Yeah. You’ve made a new one, and I think I like this one even better. I hope you’ll use it around other people, because they need to know I’m your love.”
She looked up at his consuming gaze, and it made her stomach twist, so she practiced right then, giving him a kiss that would douse him from head to toe in overwhelming feelings of pure bliss.
He put her on her back and simulated with their clothes on what they’d be doing five seconds after they were married, because who needed a reception? Not them.
* * *
They showed up to school late that day, but Adam was unconcerned by it.
He was growing so much—able to adjust to his surroundings easier every day. The entire day went smoothly, and he was in a good mood.
That night at home, Samara was quiet as their dad cooked dinner. She sat at the counter and merely watched as Mari and Adam assisted him.
“We need to find Mom,” Adam blurted to his dad while chopping carrots.
His dad swallowed and went rigid. “Why?”
“We want her to be at our wedding, the day after we graduate,” Adam explained.
Now Mari was the one gulping and stiffening. They’d never discussed a date. The speed of his brain and how it worked was astounding. Truthfully, there was no objection to the day after, but where did that come from?
She mused internally over how he probably calculated it down to the second when he could have her in his bed and they could both end their celibate misery.
She had been so close this morning to giving in . . . She certainly wanted to as much as he wanted her to, but it always felt wrong to dirty him like that. He was more than a gorgeous guy and an easy lay. He was everything wonderful and needed to be treated special.
“I have no idea where your mother is. It’s not like she left a forwarding address,” his dad said flatly, then went back to attending to the meal.
“We need to look for her,” Adam insisted.
“You don’t think I’ve tried?” His dad’s voice shook. It was shocking to hear—he was always so measured and in control. “I’ve hired private investigators, and no one can find her. It’s like she disappeared off the face of this planet.”
“The planet doesn’t have a face—not like the moon,” Adam corrected.
His dad gave a hint of a smile.
“I think I know what you mean,” Adam said and bit the corner of his lip like he was trying to conceal his smirk.
Mari nudged him and grinned widely. “So cute!” she whispered and tweaked his nose.
“Can Mari and I try? Would that be all right?” Adam asked him.
“I honestly don’t know why you would even want to,” Samara mumbled. “Not after how it ended with her.”
Adam stopped and turned to her. “Because it wasn’t her fault.”
“It was too!” Samara said, sitting up a little straighter, her eyes going black. Her white teeth flashed.
“How? She didn’t know I was gonna go berserk. I’m sure she was scared of what I might do next. I don’t blame her for leaving. I want to apologize and tell her she can be in our family, with me keeping a respectable distance.”
“She’s never gonna do it. You know it’s not going to work,” Samara said, shaking her head in disbelief.
“Well, I can try!” Adam said. “Besides, I’m trying out for the basketball team tomorrow, and if I make it, then maybe Mom can come see one of my games, too.”
His dad set a hand on his shoulder. “You can try to contact her—nobody’s going to stop you. You have my blessing to invite her to any family functions you wish and to join any after-school sports teams. Just don’t expect me to go anywhere near her if she shows up to any function that I’m at. I don’t want anything to do with her. Not anymore.” There was a trace of heavy despair in his eyes, but he went back to finishing the meal like he was no worse off than when they first began.
Only his fist held the spoon much tighter than was needed, and his tendons stood out on his neck.
Mari looked away to give him a moment and to avoid prying.
“The whole family can ignore her if they want, but Mari and I want her there. Who knows if Mari’s own mom will show up,” Adam said.
Mari’s heart sunk.
She hadn’t thought of that. He was right. She might not have any friends or family there at all.
Depressing.
Suddenly, she’d rather just go to City Hall this weekend and have a Justice of the Peace do it. Less stressful.
And then she could deflower him like some deranged, debauched villain. Get back to being a bad girl, since she seemed to excel at that particular role.
Chapter 2
“Adam, we’ve gotta go, you maniac,” Zach said, tugging on his shirt.
“Just one more minute . . .” Adam hunched over the computer. “I’m so close.” He was tired from basketball practice today, yet jumpy because he’d found out he made the team. Really, though, his legs were bouncing with excitement because of something else entirely.
He was searching for his mom everywhere over the last few days. Today he was especially obsessed with finding her. For once, the Internet was working fast because nobody else in the house was on it.
“You’ve spent all this time listening to all their songs, and we’re gonna miss it if you don’t shut that laptop off.” Mari stepped behind him and stroked his hair while leaning her hips into his shoulders.
“You can both go get in my car. I’ll be right out. I promise,
” Adam said, his eyes straining. They hurt from looking at the screen so long.
“Promise?” Mari kissed his cheek.
“Promise. Thirty seconds and I’ll be there.” He waved them off without looking.
He heard their footsteps retreating.
“Get your ass down here, Adam Mathews!” Zach called out, chuckling, using Adam’s biological father’s last name.
That was it! Adam jumped in his seat. She probably changed her name back to his biological father’s, or maybe her maiden name.
Why hadn’t he thought of that before?
He closed the laptop, kissed the lid and bounced like a bubble about to burst as he slid down the banister.
His mind was swirling, but not with numbers. They were absent.
He hummed one of Mari’s favorite Pearl Jam tunes and ran out to join them.
Sam was right outside the door, talking on her cell.
She acknowledged him with a curt nod and ended her conversation.
He took her hand and walked her to his car.
“Wanna drive?” he asked her.
“Why? So you can make out in the backseat? No thanks,” she said.
He chuckled and tried something new—he shoved her playfully like Zach and Mari sometimes did. His hands were careful not use more than fifteen percent of his strength and power.
Sam stopped. “Why’d you do that?” she asked in a shrill, tight voice.
“I was playing with you. You know—like we have fun together because we like each other?” He grinned like a dope.
“Whatever that’s supposed to mean. I like you fine, but you don’t have to get physical with me.” She straightened her sleeve on her shirt.
He shoved her again. “Come on, Sam, play with me.” He hopped around her, prancing from foot to foot and fluffing up her hair, twisting her shirt and sticking his tongue at her as he’d lean in. “Try to get me!” He pushed her with one hand. “Tag, you’re it!” he howled and took off running around the car.
Mari and Zach pasted themselves up against Adam’s passed-down Mercedes and watched, wide-eyed, as Sam tore after him.
“We don’t have time for this,” Sam whined, but smiled and swung after him as his legs carried him faster.
He ducked and swerved away, instincts like a jungle cat.
“You can’t get me!” he taunted in a sing-song voice.
Out of nowhere, she jumped and knocked him down. She smacked him and laughed. “You’re such a jerk, you know that?”
“But a cute jerk. That’s what Mari says.”
Sam removed herself from him and stuck her tongue at him. “You drive, cute jerk.”
“What if I don’t want to?” He tossed the keys to Zach.
“Awww, man, no!” Zach groaned. “I’m not gonna listen to you two smacking lips in the back while I act like a goddamn chauffeur.”
“That’s what I said,” Sam replied, grinning at Zach.
“I’ll drive,” Mari said, snatching the keys out of Zach’s palm.
“No! Mari, I . . . No!” Adam gripped the hem of her shirt. He bent over and whispered in her ear, “I had plans for us in the back.”
“I’m sure you did.” Mari smirked, stepped away from him and unlocked the doors with the fob.
His siblings got in the back, and Mari opened the passenger’s door for Adam, trying to help him in like he usually did for her.
He refused to move and wore a glum expression, his eyes zeroing right in on her breasts. She had on some kind of frosty bra with anti-gravity properties, because they were really high and round. Plus, her nipples were trying to poke through it. He wanted to feel them in the shadows in the back. At the concert, there’d be too many people around.
“Can’t handle a little role reversal?” Mari waved around inside the car in a grand gesture.
“I don’t like this. This night was supposed to be about fun.”
“It is fun. I’m enjoying myself a ton.” She kissed his cheek, patted the side of his leg and gave him a little shove.
He slipped inside the car and crossed his arms over his chest as he sunk down into the seat.
She shut the car door.
“Quit pouting. It’s unattractive,” Sam told him. She pushed his shoulder.
“I thought you didn’t want to play like that?” Zach said.
“Nuh!” she said, poking her tongue out at him now.
A second later, and they were both play-slapping each other’s hands like a girlie fighter would.
“You suck,” Sam said, giggling and continuing to flail her hands in Zach’s direction.
“Nobody sucks worse than you! I bet you don’t even know which concert we’re going to.” Zach’s laugh reverberated around the car.
Mari got in, snorted and broke into gut-busting laughs as she backed out.
Sam had Zach in a headlock and was spitting in his ear.
“Gross! Stop, stop!” Zach howled, and his laugh went hoarse.
Sam cackled. “Say I don’t suck! Say I’m Queen Samara of the rock world!” She spit again.
“Okay, okay! You’re Queen Samara of the rock world.” She let go. He sat up and added, “The lame end of the rock world that sucks toenail clippings.”
She jutted her foot out and started pressing into his stomach as he jammed himself up against the car door and laughed some more.
Mari drove safely, considering there were lunatic hyenas in the backseat.
Adam smiled and brushed his fingers up and down Mari’s arm, dreaming about kissing her and touching her where he wanted.
She looked over at him, her eyes bright, and she stifled her laughter over his family’s antics.
It was a half-hour drive, and Zach and Sam were giddy the entire time.
When they got there, Zach took off, running inside the concert arena without them. He told them he’d meet them at the car when the concert was over.
Unfortunately, Sam remained at Adam’s side and was no longer being silly.
She seemed on edge, walking with a sharpness to her steps. Her eyes roamed around like she was going to shoot anyone that came near.
“Where are we sitting again?” Sam asked.
“We’re on the green in the back. There’s no assigned seating. We could’ve brought a blanket to sit on, but most people wind up standing, singing along and dancing.” Mari moved ahead at a faster pace, leading the way to the venue.
“Oh, great. That’s the hobo junction section, filled with winos and potheads,” Sam complained.
Adam pointed to his fake smile. “Fun? Remember?”
“Yeah, whatever.” Sam’s tiny legs kept up with their frantic pace.
“God, I haven’t seen them perform in forever. I can’t wait!” Mari said, pulling on his arm as she almost ran.
They got in line, and once inside, Mari knew exactly where to go.
Adam beamed at her. She was so happy. Seeing her this way made his stomach feel like birds were flapping around inside it and trying to fly away. His chest was light, and his feet were hopping to keep at her side.
“I love being here,” he told her.
She kept moving at a brisk speed but looked over her shoulder and grinned. “I’m glad you’re here with me. And thanks again for paying for the tickets. You have no idea how amazing this all is to me—and you.”
He leaned in and kissed her quickly.
A few minutes later and they were at the back of the Ak-Chin Pavilion.
“Oh, Jesus, no. We’re on a grassy knoll? Are you kidding me? We paid a hundred bucks a head for this?” Sam dragged her phone out of her pocket and called somebody.
“Spoilsport,” Adam said, then clung to Mari, his arms wrapped around her with his head glued to her chest. He wanted to lick her neck, she smelled so good.
Mari made a face with her teeth tight together. It was kind of a smile, but more like an I wanna bite you, you’re so cute! grin. He loved it when she looked at him that way.
She swung them back and forth. “I
love you!” she said in a funny growl.
“I do, too. And if any boy tries to touch you, I might dump them in the garbage,” he replied.
She chuckled and fisted his hair, then rubbed her forehead on his. After a few moments of that, she sighed like she was too happy to breathe and let go.
“All I know is, we’re gonna dance our asses off, scream ‘til our voices are gone and get so sweaty, we’ll look like we just jumped in a swimming pool. That’s what it’s all about.” Mari peered around Adam and looked over at Sam. She whispered in his ear, “And maybe make out some. Concerts get my juices going.” She kissed his shoulder.
His eyes went wide. “We need to go to more concerts,” he squeaked. Maybe it could mean having intercourse—finally!
They made out at home when they could, but it was never enough. If he could just get rid of Sam . . . It sounded like maybe he had a real chance tonight to get everything he needed.
Mari found them a spot to sit while the concert arena filled with people pouring in.
Twenty minutes later, after sitting and snuggling with Mari, kissing her neck absentmindedly and ignoring the pointed looks Sam gave them, the lights dimmed and the crowd erupted into deafening cheers.
The opening act was announced, and Mari whistled with two fingers in her mouth so loud he almost had to cover his ears.
She did it several times and jumped up and down.
The stage lights went on, and some band he’d never heard of began playing so loudly he could barely hear Mari when she told him she loved this group.
She thanked him several times for taking them here as song after song played.
Finally, the band left the stage and Mari said, “I’m thirsty from all this yelling. You want me to get you something?”
“A soda?” he mouthed the words and made sure Sam didn’t see.
Mari smirked and started to leave him.
His heart almost jumped out of his chest. He was surrounded by strangers, and he did not want to hold Sam’s hand right now. Numbers taking him down was not an option. No way! He was going to enjoy this entire concert at all costs! So, he’d figure out a way to deal with this.
Besides, holding his sister’s hand would feel wrong. People might think it was weird after he’d been kissing and hugging Mari so much for him to shift and hold hands with some other girl. They wouldn’t know it was his sister.
Harkham's Choice (Harkham's Series Book 2) Page 2