I can still hear the music coming from downstairs, but I’m comfortably wrapped in his arms I doze off easily.
***
I wake to being nudged, my arm is being pushed, and when I open my eyes I know it’s not Taj. He’s still asleep next to me, so I reach for my glasses without waking Taj and see Turner sitting on the bed trying to wake me.
“What do you want?” As soon as I lift my head, it hurts. A headache is forming, plus my ribs are extremely sore.
“You need to get up… and don’t wake him,” he says pointing to Taj. I slip out from under his arm and follow Turner out the door. He sits on the steps and pulls out my cell.
Shit! I didn’t even think of that.
“It’s been blowing up all morning, I may have answered it.” He visibly winces when he says that. I take it from him seeing ten missed calls from my parents and begin to panic when Turner talks again. “You have to see this.” He presses play on his cell and a video starts playing. A girl is on top of another girl, her fist connecting with the girl’s face, then she’s being pulled backward.
“Oh my God,” I basically scream.
Turner hushes me, looking back to Taj’s room.
“It’s been viewed over one-hundred-thousand-times. So umm… I guess that’s why your dad is calling.”
My head drops between my legs. “Why,” I scream again, only this time it does wake Taj. He runs out from his room and when he spots us on the step, he stops and assesses us then walks slowly.
“What happened?” His shirt is off, so I drop my head again not wanting to deal with any of this.
Luckily Turner answers for me. “Her dad is on his way. Skye’s fight went viral.”
Just as he finishes saying that my head snaps up and a loud voice calls my name.
And I know who it is.
I try to run to the bottom of the stairs, but Dad’s there just as my foot touches the second step. His face is hard with a pointed stare. He looks past me to both Turner and Taj, shakes his head, then points to me again. “Car. Now.”
I turn back to the boys, both are watching the place where my father just vacated.
“That’s one scary mother fucker,” Turner says.
I don’t answer as I walk down the stairs and out to where my father is in his truck waiting for me to get in.
“First, are you okay?” he asks me.
I nod my head and he seems happy with that and then pulls away from the curb.
“Second, no more of them… at all, Skye. No more contact.”
I shake my head. But before I can say anything he grabs his cell and presses play, the video start playing and my name is chanted. I drop my head not wanting to watch it again.
“Can you guess where I saw this?” he asks while driving.
I shake my head.
“At work, Skye. At work. You know… the place I work at, right? The police station?” he questions me.
“I was defending myself!”
We come to a stop at a stop light, he turns to look at me and before he can say anything else his cell starts ringing. It’s on Bluetooth and speaker so my mother’s voice rings straight through the car.
“Are you with her?” she asks, her voice sounding panicked.
“Yes, Mom.”
She takes a deep breath. “Tell me how it happened. Tell me why? I didn’t raise you this way, Skye.”
I take a deep breath and close my eyes. “On the day I first started I went to buy some books. I was on my cell to Lauren and wasn’t watching where I was going. I bumped into that girl, spilled coffee all over her five-hundred-dollar top. Of course, I apologized, but she started calling me four-eyes then she left. Last night, while I was walking back inside, she pulled my hair forcing me to drop to the ground. Well, the rest is in that video,” I say shortening the version of events significantly. I wait for either of them to speak.
Surprisingly, it’s my mother that does first. “Well, I’m glad you kicked that mean girl’s ass then. What a troll,” she says. I look to my father wide-eyed, and he’s trying to contain his laugh. “Take her back to that boy, Stan. You saw how he protected her and got her away from danger. Take her back.”
My father looks to me then back to the road. “I don’t want to.”
I hear my mother “tsk-tsk” him.
“He just reminds you of you. Now stop being an over-bearing father and let our daughter go back. Oh… and I love you, sweetie. See you in two weeks.” She doesn’t wait for me to reply as she disconnects the call.
“I don’t like it! You being there with both of those boys, I saw how they look at you.”
“I’m an adult now, Dad, and both of them stopped that fight from going any further. So please take me back.”
He nods his head and turns the car around. The drive is quiet as we head back and when we stop out the front both Turner and Taj are standing there, but they both look like they’re about to punch each other. They start pushing, egging the other on. My father looks to me then back to them as he opens the door and slides out. I step out calmly, just a few steps behind my father and watch as he walks straight between them breaking them up. They both shut-up, instantly.
“Why are you both acting so immature?”
Turner looks down and kicks the ground. When I see them clearly I notice both have red eyes. I walk to Taj and grab his hand.
“What’s happened?” He looks up, his eyes hold so much pain and I know straight away what’s happened even without him even telling me.
“He died,” Turner says, still watching his feet.
I grab both of their hands and pull them to me, then wrap one around each. It’s kind of funny me being in control of these two large men, who are more than happy to lean on my shoulder and let me attempt to help them. And I will, in any way I can.
“In my car, boys,” my father says.
I pull away and go to protest when I see the look he now holds. No anger is present in his eyes at all—just grief, for both of them.
I tug them along and they both climb into the back.
“Which way to their house?”
I give Dad directions and when I turn to look back, both of them are looking out the window, lost in their own worlds.
Chapter 17
To say the last two weeks have been hard is an understatement. Taj’s father’s funeral was held four days after his passing. My father attended with me and he stayed that whole entire day, helping out the family as much as he could. He now, dare I say, likes both of the boys. When he comes up to visit me, which has been a lot more lately, he comes directly to the frat house, parks his car out the front and walks straight in like he owns the place. No one stops him.
One night he even pulled his badge to stop a party, it was the weekend their father died. My father wanted to be there and help as much as possible. My mother would cook, send him on his way with all the goodies, and now we have a fridge loaded full of food.
My studies are to not be interrupted, and that was also another reason why he was here so often. Helping them with the small things like driving them when he thought they were unfit to do so. It’s been two days since he last came and it will be the last for a while, probably until I go home.
When I walk into their house after my last class, both of them as well three other guys are on the sofa. They have all my mother’s food open and almost gone in front of them as they sit and play games on the PlayStation.
I walk past the trash on the floor and stand in front of the television in effect blocking their view. They all moan loudly. Turner throws a pillow at me, Taj looks at me like wants to eat me. Our relationship hasn’t progressed any further and I haven’t expected it to either. We’ve been in limbo. Actually, I don’t even know if we are in a relationship exactly. I stay here every night and have only gone back to my room once to collect some books, but tonight I plan to go home. My eyes shy away from his stare as it holds mine.
“I’m going back to my dorm. So you will actually have to cl
ean and cook for yourselves,” I announce. Their disappointment is loudly obnoxious. I look over at Taj and then I walk out of the room heading for the stairs and up to his room. I can feel him following me, and as soon as I hit the entry to his room he shuts the door pulling my back into him. I feel his head lean on my shoulder.
“You’re leaving?” he asks into my hair. I nod my head softly. “I don’t want you to leave.”
I pull away and start collecting my things. He stands at the door watching me, not saying another word.
“I have to see Nash, I haven’t seen her in two weeks.” She hasn’t been back here either, I don’t even know what’s going on with Turner and her. He doesn’t speak about Nash, and last time I saw her she was angry and upset.
“Move in with me?” he asks when I grab my bag and throw it over my shoulder. I smile but shake my head. “Please. I’m not above begging.” He steps closer but I move closer to the door.
I lean up on my toes and kiss his lips softly before I walk past him and out the door. This time he doesn’t follow me.
***
Nash is laying on the bed when I walk in, she looks up to me then back to her cell when she sees me. I throw my bag on the bed and stand near hers, but she still doesn’t acknowledge me, though.
“Are you going to ignore me?” I ask.
She drops her cell in her lap and sits up staring at me. Her dark hair fans her shoulders.
“I haven’t seen you for two weeks. You haven’t called to check up on me after that night. Yet you come in here expecting a what? Hello… I’ve missed you?” She shakes her head and fake laughs.
“If I remember correctly… you got angry at me over nothing to do with me at all. If you have problems in your relationship don’t come to me to figure it out. You need to do that all by yourself. Plus, I wasn’t angry at you when you were high and kissing Taj’s neck.”
Her head drops and she closes her eyes briefly. When she looks back up a tear escapes her eye. “I didn’t know what I was doing. I didn’t mean to. Do you think that’s why Turner won’t speak to me?”
I’ve lost a lot of faith and trust in Nash. Though I still care for her and hope we can mend whatever friendship we have left.
“I don’t think it’s you, he’s a lot going on right now.”
“I’ve heard. Your dad told me when he stopped by to get your computer.”
Of course, he did.
“Well, now you know. That’s the reason I couldn’t say anything, it wasn’t my place to.”
She nods her head in understanding. “How about dinner? Just us, I can tell you all about how I’m failing.”
I’m half shocked. A part of me knew something like this may happen, especially since I’ve never seen her study. But I was hoping I was wrong and she was just one of those naturals who doesn’t have to bury her head in books.
We grab our purses and I walk her to the Burger Shak, the one Henry works at, with the best burgers I’ve ever tasted. She looks at me like I’m insane when I step off to walk down the dark alley, as soon as she sees the lights she gasps in surprise. I can already hear the people and it’s busy in there tonight.
When we walk in I spot Henry straight away, he’s behind the counter cooking. Nash and I order up then sit at the bar waiting for our meals.
“Gosh, it smells so good. How did I not know of this place?” Nash asks looking around, having the same problem as me when I first came here. Our food is placed in front of us, and we devour every bite.
When I wipe my mouth, I notice a girl walk up to the cashier. I don’t recognize her at first until she laughs. She’s the model, the one that kissed and jumped on Taj at the beach party. She turns obviously feeling my stare and smiles warmly before she spins back.
“Did you invite them?” Nash asks.
I give her a skeptical look, not knowing what she’s talking about until I turn my head and see Taj with his frat brothers, as well Turner. I shake my head in answer. Turner smiles at me then looks to Nash. He stops in his path and pulls a chair out away from us. Taj continues walking then stops when he sees who’s standing next to me. He looks to her then to me, then walks straight to me. He doesn’t touch me like he usually does, he just stands there with his hands tucked into his pockets. It’s then the model notices him, turns and says his name happily. She leans in and kisses him on the lips. He doesn’t return the favor, instead spins around to look at me for my reaction. I don’t have one, I just watch. She notices as well and smiles.
Before anyone can speak, it’s Henry who does. He comes around behind them taking off his apron and smiling until he sees who’s standing in front of us.
“Monica,” Henry says speaking her name and she wraps him in a hug.
Taj keeps his eyes on me not caring about what I can’t work out in front of me.
How does Henry fit into all of this?
“Skye,” Henry says smiling, it drops when he looks at Taj. Who still isn’t looking at anyone but me. He isn’t even speaking. I’m not quite sure what’s wrong with him. I smile back then he introduces me to the model. Okay, she may not be a model, but she damn well could be.
“This is Monica, my sister…”
Ah, now I remember—he has three sisters if I remember correctly. He looks to Taj as the next words leave his mouth, “Taj’s ex.” He waits for something, I’m not sure what. “This is Skye… my friend.”
“Hi,” she squeaks.
“My girlfriend,” Taj states.
I bite my bottom lip hard because it seems as soon as he said that everything goes silent. People turn around at his words, wondering who he’s talking about. He looks to Nash behind me and smirks. “Excuse us.” He pulls me by the hand and out the restaurant.
I hear a hoot from Turner. “About time,” he screams.
Taj opens his car door and helps me in then jogs around to his side. He’s dressed in dark slacks, my favorite black leather jacket that he wears which suits him perfectly. He makes me think bad things.
We drive for a while and pull up at his house. He runs around and pulls open my door, lifting me up and carrying me with my legs wrapped around his waist all the way to his room. He shuts the door behind us and his hands leave my ass as I hear the lock being turned.
I squirm in his hold as he makes my body sing and come alive, he doesn’t even know how badly I want him.
“You’re never leaving again,” is all he says as his lips land on mine.
Chapter 18
Sometimes you build up so much hype in your head that you become afraid if the real thing can actually live up to your expectations. Each stroke of his hand over my bare body sparks something I didn’t know I had. Each kiss that touches my skin burns in hunger of the simplicity of wanting more. Before I know what’s happening, he’s naked and so am I. He looks at me like I’m the only person he’s ever seen, like a starved man. I’ve never had someone look at me so intensely before, and when he whispers sweet nothings into my ear I’m glad my panties are off because they would have dropped all by themselves.
His hands start to skim my body, his lips meet mine. I push myself up to touch him more. I crave more contact. He laughs against my mouth as I bite his tongue to make him keep going. Contact. Oh sweet Holy Mother contact—body on body, skin touching skin. It makes my insides scream and go crazy.
He comes close to my ear, his breath light when he speaks, “I think I’m falling for a girl who kicked me.”
I close my eyes as he kisses his way down my neck and over my breast. He doesn’t leave any of me untouched or unkissed, and my body sings with delight. I hear the wrapper tear after he pulls it out and I watch as he rolls it on. When he comes back above me, I circle my legs around his waist. I close my eyes for the first moment of contact, then open them quickly because I want to see his reaction. He does exactly the same thing, closes then opens them.
“It will never be enough.”
And he’s right, in that moment, it will never be enough.
We w
ill always want more of each other, always craving each other for as long as we live. I know I will. He has somehow embedded himself deep in my bones without me even realizing what was happening. And I don’t want him to ever leave.
***
I wake to banging on the door. I’m still naked with Taj wrapped around me like he’s afraid I may run at any moment. I chose to ignore the door until it’s busted open. I pull the blanket up covering myself as much as possible. Turner smirks, then strides in like it’s just another day. I guess it is, except everything has changed.
“So you left Nash last night.”
Shit! Fuck. I’m a bad friend.
“Don’t worry I took her home, tucked her in and all.” I roll my eyes and pull the sheet over my head.
Taj squeezes me and murmurs loudly into my back, “Get the fuck out.”
Turner ignores him and lays backward on both our legs. “We have class today or have you forgotten, and you’re not sitting with Henry. You’re sitting with me.”
I pull the cover down. “No, I’m sitting with Matt. You annoy me.”
He holds his hand up over his heart. Taj chuckles behind me.
“You hurt me… deeply.”
“Get out now, so I can get dressed.”
He raises one eyebrow. “You naked under there?” he asks wiggling them.
“Out… before I call her father.”
Turner stands fast then turns back to us. “What if I called him and let him know she’s naked in your bed? I bet you couldn’t run fast enough.”
Taj jumps from out of bed from behind me, naked, as he streaks to get hold of Turner, who laughs as he runs from the room. Taj’s ass squeezes and I stare, fully unashamed because that’s a mighty fine ass and I want to stare at that as much as possible.
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