by Jenika Snow
I laugh at the lust-filled look Claire is wearing. “I don’t know.”
“This guy saves you from a creep, and you don’t know?”
“The last thing I looked at was his arms, sweetie. I was more focused on getting away from the creep.”
“What do Holden and Alex think of him?” Claire asks between stuffing another chip into her mouth.
My roommate likes to eat a lot. She’s always hungry.
“They don’t like him. Do you think I should be worried about that?” Taking a seat on the bed, I run a brush through my hair and push the book away that is digging into my ass.
“They’re super protective of you, right? Clearly, they want to keep you wrapped up in a little tiny bubble, and won’t let anything touch you. I think you need to do what you feel is right, not what those two think. This is your decision.”
“That didn’t help.” I pull on a pair of sneakers and glance at the time to see I’ve got five minutes.
“This is something you’ve got to do. Not me.”
“What would you do?”
“Skylar, I’ve not even met the guy. You’ve met him. What do you want to do?”
“I want to go out with him.”
“Then go out with him. He can’t be that bad. He did save you, didn’t he?” Claire puts some perspective on the situation, and it’s the same as Adrian’s.
“Fine. Fine. I’m going to have some fun tonight. It’s going to be Alex and Holden free.”
I don’t know when I started to get frustrated with Holden or my brother. Maybe it was this past week with them both being there, driving me crazy. College is supposed to be fun, and I’ve been here a full week, and no fun.
When I agreed to go to the same college as my brother, I never for one second thought I would have a constant escort, and yet that is exactly what I’m getting.
“What you thinking about? You look pissed off.”
“I am pissed off.” I cover my face with my hand and shake my head. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it. What has you pissed off?” Claire touches my arm and I lower my hands.
“Holden and Alex. They’re everywhere.”
Claire laughs. “That’s the curse of having guys who care about you.”
The sound of a knock on our door has us both frowning.
“Who could that be?”
“It’s not anyone here, they’d just barge in,” Claire says.
In the past week, unless we locked the door, some of the girls in the building would just walk right on in to ask for stuff. It was fine most of the time. Most of the time but not all the time.
Knocking was something new, and seemed so foreign to both of us. Going to the door, I open it up to find Adrian standing there. Several of the girls on our floor are also there. They are all staring at him, giggling, and looking ready to eat him up.
“I hope you don’t mind me coming to your door.”
“Keep him, Skylar,” Claire says. “Any guy who is willing to come into our dorm and knock is a keeper in my book.” She rests her arm on my shoulder and smiles. “Hi, I’m Claire, the awesome roommate.”
“Pleasure.”
“And he has tats. Do you want him? If not, I’ll take him.”
Adrian laughs and lifts up his shirt to show off more of his ink. Claire squeals, and I move her out of the way. “Don’t stay up.”
“Oh, I will. Believe me, I’ll be staying up for all of the yummy dirty details. Girl, you’ve got it bad.”
I close the door on her rant and smile at him. “So, where are we going?”
“Somewhere.” He takes my hand.
“I can’t believe you risked coming in here. A lot of guys would have run in the opposite direction when they saw all the girls.”
“Girls don’t scare me, and besides, I asked you out.”
We leave the dorm, and I pause when I see a motorcycle. No car, or bicycle. No, this was a bike, a real one as well.
“You own a bike?”
“Yeah. You ever been on one?”
I laugh. “Did you see Holden and Alex? They wouldn’t let me ride on a motorbike.” I’m giddy. Honestly, I don’t even recognize myself right now. I’m so excited.
“I’ve got a couple of rules.” He grabs a helmet, and I groan.
“Seriously? You’re going to make me wear a helmet.”
“How about we make a deal?”
I fold my arms across my chest, glaring at him. “I thought you were supposed to be cool.”
“I am cool. I’m more than willing to take you out, babe. First, we have to set out some ground rules.”
“Fine. What are your rules?” The start of our little date, if it could even be called that, is not going well. I’m wondering if I should just stay in and study. It would be fun. Claire’s fun to be around.
“You’ve never been on a bike before, and the first time, I want you to wear the helmet, babe. Next time, if you behave, we’ll take it off. Deal?”
“You promise?”
“You want me to pinky swear?”
“Yeah, I do.”
He holds out his little pinky, and I take it, feeling like a big kid all over again. “There, pinky swear.”
Taking the helmet from him, I dump it onto my head, feeling like a big kid. “I look ridiculous, right?”
“No, you look cute.” He takes the strap and secures it underneath my chin.
“This is not being a rebel, Adrian.”
“We can be rebels, and we can do it safely. I’m happy taking you out, but you’ve got to follow protocol on my bike.”
“Fine. Fine.”
“You’ll love it when you don’t have to wear a helmet though. It will happen.”
I sigh, and wait by his bike. He straddles the machine and I climb on behind him. “You’ve got to put your arms around me, babe.”
I love how he calls me babe. It’s sweet and charming, and it makes me wonder if he sees me as such.
Wrapping my arms around his waist, I wonder if that’s too much. He grabs my arms and secures them tighter.
“You may have the helmet, but you’re going to love this.”
Before I can question him, he pulls away from the dorm, and we’re traveling really fast down the long road. I can’t even contain my excitement. Crying out, I watch the road ahead, and then close my eyes, loving the rush of wind on my face. He rides the bike expertly, and I know I’m going to be begging for another ride.
I want to know what it would be like with my hair down, and the wind rushing over him.
“You love it?” he shouts.
“You know it, I do.”
Hugging him tightly, I already love our first date, and I don’t even care if it’s too early to assume that we are dating.
The ride doesn’t last long at all, and we are pulling up to an old abandoned warehouse. Several cars and bikes are already parked, but Adrian doesn’t seem concerned by that.
“It’s going to be a party tonight,” he says, parking the bike.
“Is this dangerous?” I never thought for a second that I would be nervous.
“It is, but like I said, you don’t have to worry about anything. I’ll protect, and look after you.”
Taking a deep breath, I take hold of his hand, and we’re moving through the crowds. What I notice is that they’re people of all ages. This is not just college or high school kids, there are older people here. I am sure I see a couple of men and women in their late forties.
“Are you sure this is legal?”
“Babe, I never said it was legal. I said it would be fun.”
He doesn’t release me, and I am happy about that. This is so far out of my comfort zone.
“I don’t know.”
“Stop stressing. Everyone here has something else they want to be doing, and it’s not attacking you. Besides, I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise.”
I wonder if that will extend to when he’s in the middle of actually fighting. I hate the wa
y my hands have gone all clammy. The first real taste of freedom, I’m fucking it up.
Deciding to embrace the unknown, I push aside my doubts and focus on what is ahead of me. I look around the large abandoned grounds, and everyone is either talking or shooting the shit with each other.
“Hey, what’s up, what’s up. Adrian, the dog, is here, and y’all are going to the ground.” A large guy walks toward us. I don’t even recognize him, and he is way older than either of us.
“Eric, man, of course I’d show up. You know I’m not the kind to turn down a fight.”
“And I like that about you. Now, who is this delicious morsel?” Eric looks at me and licks his lips.
Yeah, my comfort scale is tipped to the more uncomfortable side.
“She’s mine, Eric, back off.”
He did!
Eric immediately backs off, and it is then that I notice that everyone keeps a wide berth from Adrian. Who is this guy?
Chapter 9
Skylar
Everyone starts moving into a loose circle, and I know the fighting is about to happen. Adrian turns and looks at me, and the smile he gives me has this heat spreading through my body.
I’ve never felt anything like this before, and I don’t want it to end.
Some guy hops atop this overturned barrel I just now notice, and the crowd of people goes wild. Their hands are raised, their beers sloshing over the rims of their plastic cups. Their voices are so loud and in unison it’s earsplitting.
This is definitely a shock to me. Never have I been in such an atmosphere. The parties I went to in high school were nothing like the crazy experience I know I am about to have.
The people that surround me are like a different breed. They keep chanting for blood, broken bones, and violence. They keep screaming for the fight to start, that they need it.
Through the parting people—swaying as if they were a living ocean—I see Adrian off to the side.
“Well, look at all you assholes waiting for some violence,” the guy on the barrel shouts. The crowd goes wild once more, and I am pushed forward from behind. There is a string of screams from the crowd. “The ladies ready to get wet, and the guys ready to get hard from the aggression about to go down?”
I am shoved forward once again, this time so forcefully I fall forward and land on my hands and knees. A hiss of pain leaves me, but I right myself. I back up until I am several feet from the crowd. The crowd surges forward once more and I have to brace myself or I would have fallen again. I am pushed forward once more, and this time knock into the guy in front of me.
He turns around, his face a mask of anger, probably because he is being pushed around. But when he looks at me his expression softens. Maybe he sees how freaked out I am? He grips my arm to steady me.
“Shit, you okay?” I pull away from him and nod. “I about clocked you, thinking you were some drunk running into me.”
“I can’t hear you,” the guy on the barrel shouts again.
The crowd screams.
“Are you ready to see some hardcore, bare-knuckle, dirty ass fighting?”
“Hell, yeah.”
“Bring it.”
“More blood the better.”
The comments are being yelled out in all directions.
My heart is pounding a frantic beat. I am so out of my element here.
I look through the crowd and spy Adrian. He is shirtless now, bouncing on the balls of his feet, clearly trying to get worked up.
“I’ve never seen you here before,” the guy who I had run into said. He moves a bit closer to me. “You new to this scene?” He is shouting to be heard over the yelling.
I just nod. There is no point in me shouting too, I don’t even know if he’d be able to hear me.
“Let me hear some fucking noise.” The “announcer” drags out the last word. Like the crowd needs to be even more intense.
And then I watch Adrian step into the center of the circle. The guy who he is clearly fighting against isn’t as tall as he is, but looks stockier.
And then they go at each other.
Punches are thrown, blood is spilled, and all the while the crowd roars out for more.
I feel like I am holding my breath the whole time.
I don’t know how long the fight lasts, but I doubt I will have any fingernails after the fact. And then I watch as Adrian rears his arm back, swings it forward, and hits the guy right on the side of the jaw. The other fighter goes down like a bag of cement.
Shouts, hollers, and screams surround me, making my ears ring, and my very bones vibrate.
I am frozen in place as I watch someone hand Adrian a towel. He wipes the blood and sweat from his face and chest, but his focus is right on me. He moves forward, and the crowd parts for him. Some people slap him on the back, and the congratulatory comments are being thrown around.
Adrian is right in front of me and I picture what I’ve just seen. It has been violent, slightly frightening, but above all it has been … arousing.
And then he reaches out, cups the back of my head, and kisses me right in front of everyone.
He kisses me until I am breathless, until the flavor is engrained in my very cells.
He kisses me like he owns me right now, and in this moment I don’t want anything to consume me aside from what is happening.
Chapter 10
Holden
I’ve fucked up. There’s no way that Skylar would go out with that asshole. I refuse to believe it. Taking a deep breath, I force a smile to my lips. Skylar’s dorm is only a few feet ahead, and there is nothing stopping me from getting out and seeing how she is.
For the longest time she had a crush on me, and there’s no way that shit just ends. Climbing out of my car, I ignore the buzzing of my phone. It’s Alex wanting me to bring Skylar.
Running fingers through my hair, I see several chicks checking me out. They can look all they want. I’m not here to look for them.
Entering the dorm, I make my way up toward the floor where Skylar lives.
“Hey, aren’t you that guy, Holden?” a blonde asks as I’m about to pass.
“Not interested.” I’m more interested in Skylar, and keeping her away from Adrian. That guy is completely dangerous, and she could do so much better than him. She could stick with me. I’d treat her right.
I’ve known her my whole life, and there’s no one else I’d ever trust with her. Going to her floor, I ignore the stares and girlish giggles.
Slamming my hand against the door several times, I wait.
When she doesn’t answer right away, I lose my patience and repeat the action multiple times.
“Skylar, open up.”
Slamming my hand against the door, I pause only when the door opens.
“Jeez, what is your deal?” Skylar’s roommate says. She leans against the doorframe in a pair of cute pajamas.
“Where’s Skylar?” I ask.
“She’s not here. She’s out on a date.”
Staring at the girl, I wait for Skylar to pop out somewhere. “Very funny. Where is she?” I ask, losing my patience.
“Do you even remember my name?” the girl asks, closing the door.
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“You’re a very rude guy. What do all the girls see in you?”
I’ve finally had enough, and I push open the door to find that Skylar’s bed is completely empty, and what’s more, she’s not even there.
“I told you. She’s out on a date. Not my problem. You’re really rude, you know that?”
Her roommate goes back to her bed, where several books are spread out.
“Where is she?”
“Ugh! Are you stupid as well as deaf? She’s … on … a … date!” The roommate closes the book she was reading and continues to glare at me. “With the way you’re reacting, no wonder she’s chasing after the other guy. You’re really cramping my style, and I don’t even know you.”
“Clara, your name is Clara.”
“Idiot. My name is Claire.” She shakes her head, and I feel like shit.
“I must have misheard.”
“So, you’re here for Skylar. Why?”
“Why not? I’m her friend.”
“You’re her brother’s best friend, and if you ask me, you’re nothing but an all around pain in the ass.” She closes several books and gets off her bed to place them in a small bookcase near her corner. “You’re driving Sky up the wall. You know that, right?”
“I’m just trying to protect her.”
Claire rolls her eyes. “Yeah, seriously. That’s what every girl dreams about. Her brother and his best friend saving her all through college. Stopping any kind of life.”
“Who did she go out on a date with?” I ask.
“A fun guy. A guy who is willing to give her a little excitement.”
“You’re really starting to piss me off.” No girl has ever gotten under my skin. I don’t know if I want to throttle this girl or kiss her.
Wait.
Kiss her?
When the fuck did I want to kiss this girl?
I want Skylar.
“What’s wrong now?” Claire asks.
“Nothing.”
“You’ve got this weird ass look on your face, and it’s creepy.” Claire folds her arms and stares at me. “She’s on a date with Adrian, okay? If you want to know, she was really excited about it as well. Between you and Alex, she’s not having the best time.”
“She talks to you?” I ask, taking a seat on Skylar’s bed.
Now that I’m here, and I’m talking with her roommate, I don’t actually want to leave.
“Yeah. She talks to me all the time.” Claire shrugs her slim shoulders. “I wish she’d been there growing up. She’d have saved me some serious boredom at high school.” She sits down opposite me. “Are you going to run after her?”
“Where has she gone?” I ask.
“To a fight.”
I tense up. Adrian is known for fighting. I’ve been to several of his fights and know firsthand that he is a tough fucker. No one can beat him. Not even me or Alex.