Jolted (Conflicted Encounters #1)

by Alyne Roberts

  We compromised on putting me in a blue plaid skirt, a navy blue tank top, and a leather jacket. I borrowed a pair of her black boots to complete what I was calling my "slutty school girl" outfit. I teased my hair and wore it down. I loved the way the pink color stood out from the rest.

  "Caleb has these parties every now and then," Scarlett informed me as we walked from her car. I looked around and didn't see anyone in sight. I was starting to worry she brought me out here to kill me. The area looked abandoned. "They sell fertilizer or something like that. When his boss goes out of town, he throws a huge party here. But, they only happen a few times a summer, so it's something you can't miss," she explained excitedly. "You have to park far away so we don't attract attention."

  I kept up with her brisk walk. Finally, we came to a large warehouse. There were very few cars in the lot, and from looking at the place, you would think it was empty. I saw a few other shadows coming out of nowhere and going to the warehouse as well.

  When we finally reached the small main door, I could hear the loud music bumping from inside. We went in and down about three steps before reaching a landing. To the left, a few more steps led to the large storage space. Lights flashed over the moving bodies. I stood on the landing and watched from the railing. It looked like a nightclub I had seen in the movies.

  Scarlett grabbed my hand and pulled me down the steps to the party. A DJ was setup at the bottom, complete with fog and strobe lights. The music almost hurt my ears from being so close to the speakers. Scarlett pulled me away and through the dancing bodies to the other side of the warehouse. I pushed through, getting touched and jostled every so often.

  We finally made it to a bar that was setup in the back corner. The bar consisted of a few planks of wood being held up by some buckets. More buckets served as a bar stools. Several folding chairs and small patio tables were scattered around. The music wasn't as loud on this side and most of the people around were just talking. Scarlett asked the bartender for drinks while I watched the crowd. She handed me a glass and I took a big gulp to calm my nerves.

  "Ladies! You made it," shouted Caleb, making his way through the line at the bar to greet us. He wrapped us both up in a hug, lifting us off the ground. "Good to see you again," he whispered in my ear.

  "I never miss these," Scarlett said as he put us down. "Where's Logan?" I nervously ran my hands down the skirt, wishing I could make it longer.

  "I saw him around earlier," he shrugged. "He was pretty wasted already. They both are."

  "Fantastic," she grunted. I never thought to ask if Ryder would be here. It was his friend after all, why didn't I expect him to be here?

  "Have a good night ladies." He pulled me closer to him and bent to my ear, "Dance later?" I nodded back instinctively.

  Caleb disappeared into the crowd as we finished our drinks. When we went back to bar for more, Scarlett ran into some people she knew. Soon, shots were being poured and I was downing them with the rest. Each one burned less than the last until eventually, I was completely numb.

  I eventually confessed to our new friends how much I loved them. My face was tingly and I felt twenty pounds lighter. I loved everyone there. They were good people. I was leaning against Scarlett for support when I was suddenly jostled backwards.

  I stumbled back and caught my footing before landing on my butt on the floor. I spun around to find Ryder smirking at me. I instantly wanted to punch him right in the face. My face burned red as I fumed and he raised an eyebrow at me, almost like he was daring me to.

  "What the hell was that for?" I yelled as I pushed him back.

  He barely moved. He didn't answer me; instead, he continued to stare me down. He was wearing his usual jeans and a tight tee shirt. His black hair was messy and pointing in different directions.

  "See something you like?" he asked me. I snapped my eyes away from his chest to see his black eyes shining with amusement.

  "Not at all," I quipped. He rolled his eyes at me. I clenched my jaw and shook my head, trying not to bite his head off.

  "Dancing," Scarlett called to me as she was dragged over to the dance floor.

  "That's my cue," I said, waving to him. I walked past him and turned around after a few feet to see his eyes on my backside. "See something you like?" His eyes snapped up back to mine. I laughed because I had the upper hand. I continued to walk away, feeling his eyes burning into me the entire way.

  I found Scarlett and our new best friends from the bar. They claimed a small area on the dance floor. Scarlett reached out for me and I grabbed her hands, letting her pull me into her. She raised our hands up and we danced along with the beat. I moved along with her, closing my eyes and listening to the deafening beats.

  Scarlett, not so nicely, brushed off any guy that came within touching distance of us. After a while, fresh drinks magically found our hands. We raised our glasses and never broke our rhythm. Eventually, I felt nothing. Not the pain in my feet, or the heat on my skin. Our new group kept us encased in a fortress of dancing bodies.

  Scarlett pulled me in and we moved closely together to the music. Sweat was dripping down my back and I tried to remove my leather jacket. I felt like I was on fire. I handed off my drink to whoever who grabbed it, or maybe I dropped it. Scarlett helped me pull the tight, tough fabric off my arms. Finally, we managed to get it off and I gasped at the coolness I finally felt.

  I knew how Scarlett and I looked to the people around us. I just couldn't seem to care. We swayed and twirled together. Sweat was coating our skin, and the room was only getting warmer. When another drink found my hand, I realized I really needed water.

  "Water," I yelled in her ear. She nodded and pulled me out of the crowd. My skin instantly chilled outside of the moving crowd. She pointed up, so I looked up at the second floor of the warehouse. I nodded and let her pull me up the stairs.

  "They keep it up here for some reason," she slurred. "I guess no room down there at the bar?" she mused.

  "Hold it, girls."

  We both came to a halt and I ran into her back, shoving her forward. She stumbled and Logan caught her just before she hit the floor. I looked up to see a very angry Ryder and Logan glaring at us.

  "What the fuck," Scarlett shouted, pushing Logan off her.

  "I think you two are done for a bit," Ryder announced, handing us each a bottle of water. I quickly took mine and drank as much as I could. Scarlett threw hers back at him.

  "Fuck off," she slurred. "We're having fun, so you two mind your own damn business. Come on, Kallie," she said. I started to follow her before Ryder's arm wrapped around my waist, stopping me in my tracks.

  "Scarlett, just chill out," Logan told her when she yanked her arm away from him.

  "No. You're more wasted than we are. Don't tell me what to do," she snapped, shoving Logan hard in the chest. He didn't budge. I giggled at her failed attempt.

  "Do you have any idea what you two look like out there? You're asking for trouble, darling," he warned her.

  "What? You like that?" she asked, her voice dripping with seduction.

  He shook his head, quickly wrapped both his arms around her slim body, and then lifted her off her feet. She kicked and fought against him. He remained calm and walked away from us with a screaming Scarlett in his arms. I watched him drag her away and then looked back at Ryder. He was glaring at me and I shrank under his stare.

  "Well, if you'll just excuse me," I said, trying to step around him. I made it all of three feet before he grabbed my arm and turned me to face him.

  "What happened to never drinking again?" he asked.

  "What happen to staying away from me?" I threw back at him. His jaw clenched and he pushed me until my back was against the metal wall. The metal felt cold and refreshing on my body.

  "Is that what you want?" he asked. His tall body had me surrounded. With his chest at my eye level and one of his hands on the wall next my head, there was no escaping.

  "Does it matter?"

  "Not really," he
admitted, leaning in, only boxing me in more. "I don't think you want me to though," he said in a low voice.

  "Is that so?" I tilted my face up to look at him. His confidence and arrogance was starting to irritate me.

  "Yep," he assumed, leaning down closer to my face. I could smell the liquor on his breath. "I think you want me."

  I snorted nervously. I could feel his body heat coming off of him and all my head could think of was how right he really was. I shook my head defiantly at him, not trusting my voice. I had no idea what he was doing to my body right now, but it was not agreeing with my head.

  "That's bullshit, Princess," he growled. His body pushed flush against me and I gasped at the surprise. His hand slide down my arm and rested on my hip. "I heard you begging for it."

  "That was a mistake," I spoke through gritted teeth. I placed my hands on his chest to push him off, but he didn't move. He continued to move closer to me, breathing hot air on my cheeks, my ears, and down my neck. I squirmed at the sensation.

  "What's wrong?" he asked, tilting his head with a mock expression of concern. I could only shake my head at him. My body felt like it was on fire as he dug his fingertips into my hip. My breathing was now in pants and I could tell by the way he was watching my rapidly moving chest that he noticed, too.

  His hand let go of my hip and a sound came from my mouth from the loss before I could stop it. His eyes locked on mine and he gave me a knowing smile. His hand traveled down my thigh and stopped behind my knee. He quickly lifted it up to his waist, pushing himself closer to me. I could feel his jeans on my thighs as he pushed me into the wall.

  "Isn't this what you want?" he rasped in my ear. His hot breath mixed with his words made me shiver. "Do you have any idea what you did to me dancing like that down there?" He pushed into me, showing me exactly what I’d done to him.

  Excitement bubbled inside me and I clenched my hands to keep from grabbing him and doing things that would only prove how right he was. I squeezed my eyes shut and forced myself to remain still. My one leg started shaking from holding most of my weight. My skin was clammy and hot, and my body burned like it never had before. Every nerve in my body was on overdrive.

  Just when I thought I couldn't feel anymore, that I would explode from his words, voice, and body so close to mine alone, he proved me wrong. His fingers gently trailed from the back of my knee and up the back of my thigh. His touch was so soft that it tickled. When he stopped and palmed my butt, I felt the calloused skin from years of hard work.

  The perfect mixture of soft and rough was driving me insane. I couldn't figure out how hands could be so gentle and soft, yet rough and hard. His lips grazed my neck and I exhaled a shaky breath. I felt his smile against my skin. He knew what he was doing and I wanted to push him off me for it. When his fingers trailed inside my thigh, I forgot why I was so angry with him. They rubbed the fabric of my thong and I was sure he could feel the wetness.

  "You want me to touch you?" he asked against my collar bone. I nodded. "Say it," he demanded, his hands stilling.

  "Touch me."

  His fingers quickly moved aside the unwanted fabric. I dug my fingers into his chest with the anticipation. When he finally touched me, I moaned out loud. His fingers explored me for a second before I felt one finger enter me. I gasped and put my face in his shoulder to smother my moans. My other leg was about to give out on me.

  Ryder grabbed my other leg with his free hand, and with little effort, he pulled it up to his waist along with my other leg. I was pinned with my back on the wall and one of his hands between my legs. He finally started to pull his finger back out, only to go back in again.

  I leaned my head back against the wall and gasped at the sensation. I was so sensitive and teased that now his touch was amplified. He pulled out and reentered me with two fingers. I bit down on his shoulder to keep in the cry I was about to let out. My legs trembled around his body as I panted on his skin.

  I knew anyone could walk by at any second, and it thrilled me. I had never done anything like this before and I was loving every second of it. I ignored the voice in the back of my head screaming that this was a bad idea. All I thought about was how good he felt and how I’ve never felt so much before, never felt so alive.

  "Is this what you want?" he asked roughly. I nodded. "You like that?" he taunted in a low and tense voice.

  "Yes," I breathed.

  "Show me, Kallie," he demanded, pushing harder and faster. "Come for me."

  With his words, I did as he commanded. His fingers worked me while I shook and squeezed against him. An explosion went off deep and sparks ricocheted inside me. I used his shoulder to smother the cries while the waves of heat rolled over my body.

  When my body finally turned to liquid, he slowly pulled away his hand. He unwrapped my legs from his waist and let me stand on my feet again. He rested his forehead on mine as we both tried to slow our breathing. I could still feel him hard against my stomach.

  "Ry," I heard from behind him. "We should go." Ryder pulled away from me, and I saw Logan standing behind him with a passed out Scarlett in his arms.

  "Okay," he said and took my hand. He quickly led me down the stairs and out of the warehouse.

  I inhaled the cool air deeply when we reached the outside. I let Ryder lead me to Logan's car and he helped me get in. Logan laid Scarlett across the backseat, resting her head on my lap. I closed my eyes and gently ran my fingers through her hair, feeling exhausted.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Ryder

  I wandered out of the room to find Logan passed out, face first, on the couch. The rest of the apartment was quiet, even though it was almost the afternoon. I started the coffee and rested my head on the counter. I looked up to watch Logan starting to stir.

  "Shit," he groaned.

  "Morning, gorgeous," I laughed back at him. Logan hadn’t drank much this summer and was starting to become a bit of a lightweight.

  I waited for the coffee to finish brewing and Logan sat up, rubbing his face. He had bags under his eyes and looked like he’d been losing weight. This week finally brought him some good news and he was beginning to go back to his normal self. Logan grunted as he stumbled to the kitchen and grabbed a cup of coffee.

  "Girls up?" he asked me.

  "Not yet," I told him, looking over at Scarlett's bedroom door.

  We put both of their sleeping bodies in her room when we got home last night. Logan and I stayed up and finished a bottle of tequila I had stashed away. We sat silently and took shot after shot, drowning away our anger and worries.

  "I can make breakfast," he offered.

  "I don't have much to cook," I warned him.

  "Bacon is all you need, bro," he said as he looked through the fridge. I nodded and moved to sit on a stool, giving him room to cook.

  Groans from the bedroom let us know the girls were waking up and not feeling too great about it either. Logan had put some water bottles on the night stand for them last night. After a few more minuets, Scarlett darted from her room to the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. Logan turned and watched the closed door with a concerned look on his face. Scarlett rarely got sick after a night of drinking.

  Kallie came out slowly behind her and let herself into the bathroom, apparently checking on Scarlett. We watched the door while we heard the shower turn on. Kallie came out, went to the bedroom, and came back out with some clothes. She set them down on the sink for Scarlett before coming to the kitchen, not looking at me, and poured some coffee.

  "Never again," she said, shaking her head.

  I laughed. "You say that every time," I teased.

  She looked up from her cup to look at me. Her cheeks turned a pink color and she smiled shyly back.

  "I know. Your sister is a bad influence," she joked. "I think she is seriously regretting it though," she said, looking at the door with a worried look.

  She had changed out of her clothes from last night and wore cotton shorts and a concert shirt that was p
robably Scarlett's. Her hair was pulled into a messy ponytail. Her crystal blue eyes stood out with the light black smudges around her eyes from her makeup last night. I wanted to haul her off to my bedroom. Now, I wanted to punch myself.

  My eyes traveled up her legs in the short shorts. Memories of touching them last night in that tiny skirt floated in my head. I had to look down at my cup to keep away the thoughts. I was supposed to be staying away from her. I screwed that up bad last night. Seeing her dressed like that and watching her dance, I couldn't stop myself. My hands and lips moved on their own accord. I was sure I would pay for my moment of insanity soon enough.

  "She sick?" Logan asked quickly, abruptly stopping from flipping bacon.

  "She'll be fine," Kallie told him. "Are you making breakfast?"

  "Yes, I am, darling. Wanna help?"

  "That's a bad idea," she said as she came and sat on the stool next to me. She fidgeted in her seat and played with the bracelet on her wrist.

  Logan soon placed a plate of bacon and toast in front of us. We ate and Logan put some bacon to the side for my sister. We finally heard the water turn off when we finished eating. Scarlett came out in the clothes Kallie brought her and laid on the couch.

  "This sucks," she whined.

  "Logan made you bacon," Kallie remarked. She poured some coffee and brought Scarlett a cup and the plate of bacon. Scarlett smiled up at her.

  "You were supposed to keep me out of trouble," she complained.

  "Yeah, right," Kallie said. "Have you ever tried to get yourself to do something? You are the most stubborn person I’ve ever met." I laughed at her blunt honesty.

  Scarlett glared back at her playfully. "Well, I at least helped you be bad." Kallie shot her a death glare and Scarlett shoved some bacon in her mouth.

  "Thanks," Kallie said back sarcastically. She came back and grabbed her coffee and her phone.

  "Why don't you ever have your phone on?" I finally asked. It's been driving me crazy. Every day it's on the counter and turned off. Most girls are glued to their screens. Surely she has someone who would be calling her. Or maybe that's the point.