by S. J. Sylvis
Eric’s jawline was sharp as he looked past me, his temples rocking back and forth, his high cheekbones as sturdy as stone. “Eric?” I asked again, gripping onto his flexing fists.
“She’s taking him back.”
No way.
“Even after…” I stopped myself from bringing up the one act that tore us apart.
He slanted his head, looking to the ceiling as if the thought was inconceivable. “Yes,” he bit out. “Even after fucking your mom—and whoever else he fucked.”
I flinched, that annoying bout of guilt hitting me.
A loud growl escaped him as he tore his fists from my hands. He brought one hand to the bridge of his nose as his eyes closed. “I’m sorry.”
“You have no reason to be sorry,” I whispered, grabbing his hand again and pulling it away from his face.
His eyes opened. “I didn’t mean to get angry. Your father is so much worse than mine. I’m just…” His head shook back and forth, and I pushed his hood back. The dark strands of his hair were damp from a shower, and the smell of his shampoo filled my bedroom.
“Hey, it’s okay.” I shushed him, pulling him into me. Eric’s arms wrapped around my body, and his head came and rested on mine. He nodded a few times before pulling back and taking my lips in his.
It was always an instant attraction between us. The second our lips touched, the lights glowed, the floor swayed beneath our feet, my back arched to press against his hard chest. Eric gripped me tighter, spinning me around and shoving me down onto my bed. He was on top of me, pulling my shirt up and my pants down with a look of pure, wild desire in his eye. There was a gleam there and I took complete hold of it.
Except…
“Eric.” His mouth hovered over the hem of my pants as he peered up at me from below. “I…” I looked away, unable to watch his reaction. “I, um…it’s just…”
“What’s wrong, Maddie? Am I going too fast? I thought after last night…” He immediately pulled up, and I clenched my legs around him.
“That’s not it.” That was really not it.
I pushed the words out before I could stop the vulnerability. “I just wanted to warn you that I haven’t done anything…in my bed…ever. Except when…” Why was this so hard to get out? My stomach grew queasy.
“Except when you were taken advantage of?”
This took vulnerability to an entirely new level. I wanted to be back at that party last night as I wore my confidence like a steel mask.
Eric tried getting out of my thigh grasp, his hand gently touching my knee. “Let’s stop for the night.”
“No!” I urged. “I just wanted to warn you, in case I freaked out.”
He gave me a stern look, searching my entire face. “Are you sure?” I nodded quickly, spreading my legs. His hand caressed my thigh slowly, getting higher and higher to the spot I wanted him to find. “How can we make this work for you, then? Tell me what you need, baby.”
I decided that I loved when he called me that. It did something wicked to me, like a button he could push that immediately made me wet.
“Why don’t you let me be in charge?” I asked, reaching my hand down between us to touch his hardness. I skimmed my hand over it, feeling him jump behind my touch.
Eric’s eyes immediately turned dark, his plump lips spreading. “Let you be in charge?” He smiled slyly. “If that’s what you need…”
I think it’s what we both need.
“It is,” I replied, sitting up and sliding out from his grasp. Eric pulled his hoodie from his back and dropped it to the ground, lying on the bed, displaying his steely abs.
I straddled him, rubbing my sex over his hard length before taking my fingers and tracing each, perfect abdominal muscle with a light touch. My lips grazed his ear as I lifted up a little, teasing him with small nips at his skin before slinking down to my favorite spot.
His hips flexed as my fingers dove into his pants, pulling down his joggers and boxers in one swift movement. He sprang free with a hiss as I blew a quick breath over his length.
“Fuck, Madeline,” he hissed. Watching Eric wither underneath me from need was the biggest turn-on of all. He was so hot with his eyes clenched and splotchy cheeks. His jaw was clenched, his abs tight. “I’ve dreamed of this,” he forced out as I ran my tongue over him.
“Of what?” I asked, gripping him hard with my hand.
His eyes flew open with his answer. “Of fucking that pretty little mouth of yours.”
Desire pushed me over the edge, and I took him in and sucked long and hard. His gasps were ragged as his hips thrusted to meet me halfway. I usually started off slow, but something about the way his words hit me had me moving my head as fast as I could. I wanted him to feel the pull. I wanted to be the one to make Eric come so fast and hard that he’d never ever be able to forget it.
“Madeline, fuck. Slow down before I come.”
“Nuhuh,” I mumbled, sucking and pulling. I felt him get wider and harder, as if that were even possible. Eric’s hand went to the back of my head, pushing down once before pulling me back and flipping me over onto my back.
“Let me fuck you,” he panted, pulling my pants down my legs. “Please.”
I could never say no to him. It didn’t matter that, on this very bed, I had been taken advantage of. It didn’t matter that I was broken beyond belief one night in the dark underneath these covers, because Eric was taking that awful memory and destroying it little by little. He made me feel strong again. He made me feel whole. With each kiss on my lips, I felt my ashes coming back to life. That broken, vulnerable girl was being reborn.
I nodded as Eric waited for my answer, and when he got it, he thrusted into me fast and hard. I was wet and ready, already moving my hips to find that sweet spot that made me forget everything in the world except him.
Eric’s tongue thrusted into my mouth, and we kissed roughly. Lips were being pulled; teeth were clanking.
“That’s it, baby.” His hand found its way underneath my bra, and he squeezed. “Find that spot you like. Let me take care of you.”
He was everywhere. He clouded every single one of my senses. His lips and hands touched every part of my body.
“God, Eric,” I moaned, feeling myself tip over the edge. “I think I might love you.” Then I exploded. My toes curled, and I was done for. Bliss took over, and my body shook as he pounded into me one more time.
“Good,” he said in between kisses. “Because I think I love you too. And I don’t give a fuck what anyone has to say about it.”
Neither do I.
Chapter Forty-Four
Eric
“Hey, pretty.” I smirked, slinking up beside Madeline as she dug inside her locker. I scanned my gaze down the backside of her as I rested my shoulder along the metal lockers. Her sun-colored hair tumbled down her back in voluminous waves. Her plaid skirt all but begged me to lift it up so I could see what color panties she was wearing.
“Eyes up here, Eric,” she chided as she slammed her locker shut. “I thought you said you weren’t gonna lay it on heavy today.”
I laughed under my breath. “No. You asked me to take things slow at school today. I never agreed to that.” I glanced around the hall. Nearly everyone was gaping except my tight group of friends. “Why would I? I want everyone to know you’re mine.”
Madeline rolled her eyes. “No one wants me, Eric. Remember? I’m the school loser. There’s no need to show your possession.” She glanced away and bit her lip.
My thumb pulled it from her teeth, and a little popping sound filled our close quarters. “But you like that, don’t you?”
Her blue eyes widened. “What? No.”
“Oh, really? I recall you walking into the cabin two days ago, reclaiming yourself, wanting to tell everyone that I was yours.”
She sighed as she began to walk to her next class, trying her hardest not to look anyone in the eye. “That’s because everyone wants you. No one wants me.”
I snorte
d as I grabbed her hand and intertwined our fingers together. “School loser or not, guys still look at you.”
“No, they don’t.”
We stopped walking, and I jerked her back a little. She tipped her head, giving me a look. “Do you recall me choking Taylor a few weeks back?” She nodded, glancing past my shoulder. I hated to see her cower. My girl was strong. She needed to show it. “That’s because he made a comment about you sucking his cock. A few other guys, too.” I pulled her in close, her breath hitching. “Don’t go back to that scared girl, Maddie. You can be both strong and nice. Selfless and confident. Who cares what they think? If I want to kiss you, I’m going to kiss you.”
She was breathing a little heavier, glancing down at my mouth as I said the word kiss. “And you’re sitting with me at lunch. I won’t take no for an answer. We can’t only be us hidden away in your bedroom. I love you too much to hide you.”
She blushed, looking away. “You don’t love me.”
“Always have. Always will.” The bell rung above our heads, and I gave her a quick kiss on the lips before backing away and smacking her on the butt. “Now get to class. I’ll see you in the cafeteria.”
Her face flamed, and it was surreal to see her get flustered like that. She had a damn good poker face at school; not many people could break it.
When I turned around to follow Christian and Ollie, they both shook their heads. Ollie was holding back a grin as he adjusted his tie, and Christian was stone-faced, as always, while holding Hayley’s hand.
“You ever gonna give us the details on her? Tell us what you were so bent on hiding the other night? Explain why she’s always been a bi—" Hayley tugged on Christian before he could finish his sentence, and it was a good thing, because I was about to put him through a locker.
I cracked my neck instead. “Didn’t realize you cared so much.”
Christian stared at me. And I stared right back. He dropped his head and shook it.
“He cares about you,” Hayley answered for him. “We all do.” She smiled and patted my chest as we walked into class. “I’m just happy to see you happy.”
I winked at her before going and sitting at my desk, only to count the hours until lunch.
It only took ten seconds of being in the cafeteria before I noticed just about every single student at English Prep giving me the side-eye, trying to figure out what my game was. Missy was brave enough to ask as I stood in the lunch line, scanning the room for Madeline so I could make sure she actually sat at my table.
“I thought you hated Madeline like the rest of us.” She placed a hand on her hip in typical mean-girl fashion. Why did I fuck her again?
“Things change, Missy,” I forced out, moving past her to grab a soda. “Much like your ever-changing hair color. What even is your natural color?”
“You should know. You’ve been downstairs a time or two.” She winked as her friends giggled behind her.
I arched an eyebrow, ready to retaliate. “Hmm,” I thought out loud, appearing bored. “It’s a shame I can’t remember much from when I fucked you. I guess you’re not all that memorable. Same ol, same ol. Just another boring lay.”
She gasped, her cheeks turning red as she glanced around the moving line. “Oh, whatever. That’s not true. If it was, why did you come back for seconds?”
I simply stated the truth. “Because you were easy, that’s why.”
Ollie’s loud laugh came from behind me, but I brushed it off.
Missy’s face blanched as she tried to come up with something good to say, but she couldn’t, because she was easy, and she knew it. “Look,” I started, grabbing a slice of pizza and placing it on my tray. “I don’t mean to be a dick. I don’t enjoy putting girls down. But”—I gave her a look that had her wavering—“keep Madeline’s name out of your mouth and we’ll be good, all right?”
Her eyebrows shot up. “Wow.”
“What?”
“I never thought I’d see the day where you stuck up for her. Makes me wonder what changed.”
She did. That’s what.
Missy must have been finished with the conversation, because she flipped her hair behind her shoulder and began chatting with her friends.
“Makes me wonder, too,” Ollie said from behind my shoulder. When I turned around, he was avoiding eye contact with me. He even began whistling, as if he wasn’t the one who had said it.
I wasn’t sure if I’d ever be able to tell my friends the truth. It was Madeline’s business. The abuse, the sexual assault. Those were two very personal subjects, and Madeline didn’t trust people easily.
“You’re just going to have to trust me, Ol. I would tell you if I could.”
Ollie ran a hand through his blonde hair before nodding. “I got you. Just know we’re here for you, Madeline or not. I’ve already talked to Christian. He’s gonna lay off.”
I tipped my chin and threw up a fist. He pounded it, and we gathered the rest of our lunches. Once I got back to our table, Piper and Hayley were already chowing down and talking adamantly in between bites about something that I didn’t care about. Christian was talking to Kyle, and Ollie was already halfway done with his food even though we had grabbed our lunches at the same time.
I stayed standing until I caught a swirl of blonde hair in the lunch line. Madeline was holding a cup in her hand, teetering back and forth on her feet, trying to decide what she wanted to drink. She was so fucking hot in her schoolgirl uniform. I understood why she thought no one wanted her anymore, because she was publicly shut down and her friends had turned their backs on her, but she was truly dense if she thought the guys in this school didn’t long to be in between her legs.
I chuckled under my breath as I took a step backwards away from the table, ready to remind her that she wasn’t getting out of sitting with me. But as soon as I went to step away, I heard the crash of something up ahead. The lunchroom quieted for a moment, or maybe it was just in my head, because the look of panic on Madeline’s face tore through me like a fucking jackhammer. Her drink was splayed on the floor around her feet, her blue eyes big and round.
“Is she paralyzed?” Piper asked honestly. “What’s wrong with her? Did someone knock her drink out of her hand?”
“Eric.” Hayley’s voice was a warning of sorts, but I continued to stare at Madeline and her mannerisms. What was going on? “Do you recognize that man?”
My eyes scanned past Madeline, and I locked onto an older man standing beside Headmaster Walton near the two cafeteria oak doors. He was tall and clearly very wealthy by the look of his suit. His dark hair didn’t move an inch, likely full of expensive gel, as he nodded to something the headmaster had said. The man had no interest is whatever the conversation was about because his lip curved upward as he stared back at Madeline. He winked, and my vision blurred.
I glanced back at Madeline who was slowly stepping backwards, away from her spilled drink. Her naturally pink cheeks lacked color, matching the whiteness of her school blouse.
Who the fuck was—
My head tilted in a predatory way as I sliced my attention back to the man. Headmaster Walton was urging him to take a look at something across the room, nodding and slowly striding to whatever it was.
“Ollie,” I barked, not letting my gaze waver from the man. “Go look out the window. Tell me if you see a cherry-red Porsche parked up front.” It fucking couldn’t be.
Ollie must have recognized the vileness in my voice because he was up and out of his seat before the words even piled out of my mouth. “On it,” he shouted back.
The longer I stared at the man, the more my heart pounded. My skin itched as blood came rushing to the surface. I wanted so badly to look at Madeline, but I was too afraid to take my eyes off of the man, too afraid he’d slip from my grasp before I could get to him.
“Yeah.” Ollie came rushing back. “There’s a red Porsche. What’s going on?”
The cafeteria doors opened and closed, and I saw the tail end of Madeline’
s hair as she bolted. I snarled as I watched the man stare after her while still pretending to listen to Headmaster Walton.
“Hayley and Piper, go check on Madeline. I know you don’t like her”—I gave them both a brief pleading glance—“but it’s important.”
They both got up right away.
“Eric,” Christian warned, coming into my vision. “Whatever you’re about to do, stop. I see that look. I know that feeling. Reel it back. I cannot get you out of whatever you’re about to do. Headmaster Walton is right over there.”
I pushed past him and set my eye on the target.
“Eric.” Christian’s hand clamped on my arm, and I tore it away, ready to deck him.
“If someone raped Hayley, what would you do?” My question came out full throttle. It was like I'd metaphorically smashed a blunt object on his head.
“I’d kill him.”
I was only a couple of yards away from the duo of men when I turned and looked at Ollie and Christian. “Stop me before I do. I don’t want to go to prison.”
Both of their jaws went slack.
Ollie shook his head. “Dude. Are you sure he…?”
“Yes,” I snapped. “You both wanted to know what I was hiding. Here’s your fucking answer.” Part of it.
Rage was beginning to blind me as I tapped the man on the shoulder. He and the headmaster both turned around, their eyebrows furrowed.
“Eric…” Headmaster Walton looked behind my shoulder to address Ollie and Christian. “Boys. What is it?”
“Sir,” I calmly started, ignoring the headmaster. “Do you drive a red Porsche?”
He was confused at first. “I do, why?”
“Then,” I laughed menacingly. “You know who Madeline is, correct? The blonde you just winked at?”
The man’s chin jutted forward, his eyes giving me a warning that I snatched and threw behind my shoulder.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
I wound my arm back and pounded him in the face so hard my hand went numb.