I walk up to Candice, taking her face in my hands, tilting it up so I can look into her eyes. “There are sixty-six roses here, one for each day that you’ve been mine. From the moment I laid eyes on you, I knew I had to have you. These photos around the room, are to show you what I see every time I look at you.” I remove my hands from her face, reaching into my pocket I pull out the long black velvet box, handing it to her. “You are the only light I see, the only thing beautiful in my ugly world. Wear this necklace knowing you are wearing a part of my heart. The heart that only beats for you.”
Chapter 21
Candice
Right now, at this very moment I cannot move. Not from the same terror I have felt multiple times before, this is a new sense of fear. Jasper stands before me saying everything a girl my age dreams of hearing. He planned this wonderful surprise. I should be wrapping my arms around him, showing some type of appreciation. Instead I’m standing here, holding this jewelry box not moving.
“Open the box Candice” Jasper says softly.
My hands are shaking. My palms are sweating. I have never received jewelry. Who am I kidding, I have never been given a birthday present. I manage to open the box, revealing a beautiful necklace, that shimmers in the candle light. The heart is made of black diamonds, outlined with sapphires. Next to the black the blue of the sapphires shines so bright, reminding me of the night sky back home.
“Say something gorgeous.”
“I can’t do this Jasper,” I whisper, “I don’t know how to be this girl.”
“I’m not asking you to do anything,” He says while running his hands through his hair, “Or be anyone but you.”
“I’ve never done the relationship thing, I’m not normal, I thought you were okay with that.” I reply in a small voice, handing the necklace back to him “I think we need to push the pause button for a while.”
“You can’t push a pause button Candice,” his breathing is picking up and the vein in his neck is out, “This isn’t a damn game we are playing.”
I start to turn my body just slightly toward the door, making sure I have an exit strategy. I know Jasper would never mean to hurt me, I can tell he is getting aggravated which causes me to get anxious.
“Let me ask you a question,” He takes a step toward me, “How is it, you’re so willing to give me your body, but not even the tiniest piece of your heart?”
He stands there staring at me, waiting for my reply. There is a huge lump in my throat. I keep trying to speak around, but there is no denying the truth. I could come back from anything he does to my body, but my heart and soul are different. There would be no coming back from that, not again.
A loud knock on the door interrupts us, “Jasper get your ass out here, London just showed up. You’ll never guess who she is with.” Dalton yells through the door.
“This is not over,” Jasper says turning back to me, “We will continue this conversation.”
He reaches out for me, wanting me to grab his hand after he opens the door. Dalton is on the other side smiling but he eventually walks off making a path for us to follow. We go through the house ending up outside beside the pool. The music is no longer playing and the conversation around us all but stops when we walk up. I look around not seeing London. However, I do make eye contact with a familiar pair of blue eyes. Liam is a few feet from us standing around the same group of guys I seen him at the diner with. There are several girls around them, all in different costumes that look like lingerie. That’s when I also notice that one of the girls happens to be London. She is not hanging on just anyone, she is currently draping herself around Liam, while glaring at me.
Jasper must spot them not long after because he heads their way, pulling me behind him the entire way. When we are no more than three feet from them, Jasper stops and makes sure to stand in front of me. K.J. and Dalton come up beside him, creating a wall between me and the enemy. I lean to my left, where there is a big enough gap between Dalton and Jasper, that I can see what is going on.
“I can’t figure out whether you and your new bitch are brave or incredibly stupid for showing up here.” Jasper says in a calm voice.
“My odds are on stupid.” Dalton states, “I should know, I did have to talk to this one long enough to fuck her.”
“Stupid or brave it doesn’t matter” K.J. declares, “They are uninvited guests on our private property.”
Liam seeming to realize things are about to go from bad to worse, speaks for the first time, “We only came to have a good time, not to cause trouble. London said it wouldn’t be a problem.”
“That’s where you are wrong asshole. I hope you got your money’s worth.” Jasper says, “This whore just fucked you, and you’re about to pay.”
“I’m not a whore” London starts screeching, “You’re doing all this for that skinny little freak standing behind you like a scared puppy.” She turns her gaze on me, “He won’t be here to protect you forever,” She yells over Jasper.
“Enough London.” Liam shouts, “We are leaving, get your stuff and let’s go.” Turning back to my three body guards, he peers through the gap, “I’m sorry Candice, I had no idea it would be a problem.” He grabs London by the arm, turning to walk off. He takes about ten steps before peering back around, “I almost forgot, happy birthday beautiful.”
That is all it takes, It’s like time stops, and everything starts playing in slow motion. Jasper barrels through the few people in his path towards Liam. Dalton is by his side, trying to stop him from doing something stupid, but Jasper has completely lost it, he charges right into Liam’s stomach with his shoulder, carrying him a few feet before slamming him on the ground, with him landing on top.
I look to K.J. still standing in the same spot, watching everything unfold, “Are you going to stop this?”
“My jaw hurt for a week the last time I tried.”
“You can’t just let them fight K.J.”
Just as I am about to start begging K.J., London comes walking back toward me with an evil gleam in her eyes. She must not think K.J. will care too much about what happens to me when Jasper isn’t paying attention because she merely glances at him while continuing on her path towards me.
“You little bitch, you caused this. When are you going to get the hint and go back to the shit whole you crawled out of? No one wants you here.”
“You need to leave, before I make you leave. I have no qualms about putting my hands on a woman that deserves it.” K.J states looking directly at London.
She sees the same truth in his eyes that I do and all but runs out of the back yard. That is the first time I have ever seen London back down. I can’t be more thankful for K.J. right now.
Looking back towards Jasper and Liam, I notice Dalton has managed to separate the two, they are now standing in front of each other. Dalton between them, both seething with anger. I cautiously walk over, fully expecting the fight to start up once again. I make no move to touch Jasper, his anger has put me on edge, and I’m not entirely sure he has control over it.
Liam turns his head in my direction, that’s when I notice he has blood dripping from his left eyebrow. It is not a lot of blood, just a trail leading down the side of his face. Blood is a sensitive trigger for me, I stand there fully expecting to have a meltdown in front of everyone, taking deep breaths, reminding myself where I am at. After a few more deep breaths, I’m fairly certain I will be alright, I turn my gaze back to Liam and give him a small smile.
“Liam I’m sorry but I think it would be best if you left. Go home and take care of your eye, you’ll probably need stitches.”
“Don’t apologize Candice, none of this was your fault. Are you sure you’ll be alright?”
Jasper growls, and tries to lung for Liam again. Dalton is able to step in his way, effectively stopping him for now.
“Jasper would never hurt me. I’m completely safe.” I say to Liam, hoping he believes me enough to leave but even I can hear the doubt in my voice.
&nbs
p; Liam gives me one last look, before he turns around, walking away with his friends not far behind him. Fully expecting Jasper to be mad, I turn toward him, trying not to look as scared as I feel. The only person I see standing there is Dalton. Jasper must have taken off when I was trying to convince Liam to leave.
“I wouldn’t go looking for him Candice.” Dalton says, with disappointment in his voice, “Let K.J. talk to him first.”
Dalton walks off in the direction of the house, leaving me standing there wondering what I did to cause that look on his face. The only thing I said to Liam was to leave, surely that can’t be the reason for Jasper’s disappearance and Dalton’s reaction.
Walking back into the house, I suddenly want to take my hair down, and hide from everyone here. I can feel everyone looking at me. Making my anxiety rise. I walk through the house, heading for the front door, with every intention to walk home if I have to. It is dark outside and while I know it is not safe, the only thing I can think of is getting out of this house. Away from these people.
Almost to the door, I’m not paying attention where I’m going, just frantically trying to get out of here, and I nearly trip over someone. Bethany places her hands on my shoulder, and I recoil from her touch. She immediately takes her hands away, asking me if everything is alright. I don’t answer, just put my head back down continuing my path toward the door.
“Candice wait. Do I need to go find Jasper?”
This question causes me to laugh out loud, which makes me sound like a crazy person on the verge of a break down. “No thanks. I was just leaving. Please just leave me alone.”
“Do you have someone picking you up?”
I lie trying to get her to leave me alone, “Yeah they are meeting me at the entrance gate.” She thinks on it for a minute and nods her head.
“I’ll just walk up with you and wait.”
Standing here thinking of another way to get rid of her, I see a set of headlights stop at the gate and wait. Pretending like it is my aunt, I tell Bethany bye and all but run into the night just wanting to go home. Once I get on the street into the shadows I am able to breathe easier. Taking a deep breath in I realize my cheeks are wet. Wiping my face with me hand, it comes back wet with tears I never realized I was shedding.
Chapter 22
Jasper
“What in the hell do you mean she’s gone.” I yell at Dalton. “She didn’t have a ride; Izzy is passed out drunk in K.J.’s room.”
“Bethany said her aunt picked her up at the gate, she was crying, and acting weird.”
I turn my gaze toward Bethany, who is currently trying to hide behind Dalton, “Did you see what the car looked like.”
“No it was dark, all I could see were the headlights, and they were high off the ground. It must have been a truck or SUV.”
Knowing her aunt drives a car I grab my phone out of my pocket to call her. It takes a minute for it to ring, but when It does I hear a vibration coming from her backpack, sitting in the corner beside my bed. Walking over to the bag, I search through it, pulling out her phone that is vibrating in my hand.
I don’t say a word. I just walk out of the room heading straight for my truck. There is no way she called her aunt if her phone was in my room. She is walking the streets, alone and vulnerable. I’m going to find her. When I do she will learn to never run from me again.
I should have never walked away from her at the party. It wasn’t her fault London decided to show up bringing with her the one guy that can’t keep his fucking eyes off my girl. It kills me to hear Candice being nice to him. It makes me insane with jealousy. Logically I know I wouldn’t care for her, if she was a bitch, but maybe just once, she could tell him to go to hell.
It’s nearing two in the morning, and I still have not found her. She left my house only thirty minutes ago, so I know she hasn’t made it home yet. Driving the path, I am sure she took, I slow down looking in the shadows, hoping like hell she is out here safe. Just when I’m about to call K.J. and Dalton to see if they have had any luck, I see a figure making their way down an alley, coming up to the main street. I pull my truck over choosing to wait at the curb, trying to get a better look.
When I see her strawberry blonde hair, now down and hiding her face, I am able to take my first easy breath. I get out of the truck, slamming my door, making sure she hears it. She stops mid step when she sees me walking toward her.
I grab Candice pulling her into my chest holding her tight in my arms. I was terrified for the first time in a long time, not knowing where she was or if she was safe. She is shaking in my arms, from the events of the night, or the slight chill in the air, I don’t know. Picking her up, she wraps her arms around my neck, still hiding her face from me. I walk to the truck, setting her in, and then get in on my side turning on the heater.
I drive around town, until I find a hotel that is not run down, or surrounded by drug dealers. Candice sits in the seat, not saying a word, just looking out the window. I tell her to stay put while I go get a room. She merely nods her head in understanding.
Once we get in the room, I nod my head toward the king size bed, indicating for her to take a seat. The room is plenty big for us both, with a mini fridge and microwave. There is a flat screen T.V. on the dresser, and it smells like Lysol spray, and air freshener.
I walk to Candice kneeling on the floor in front of her. She is looking at me through the veil of hair patiently waiting for whatever I have to say, but there is nothing to say. I have told her multiple times how I feel, yet she still chose to run. It is time for me to show her. No more words.
I put my right hand on her left calf lifting her foot off the floor slipping off her shoe. I lift her leg up higher, kissing her ankle. I begin to make my way up her leg, until I’m at the back of her knee, then make my way back down, kissing her flawless skin the whole time. I put her left foot down, and then start the process again on her right foot.
With the shoes lying on the floor I stand up and take a step back, lifting her up with me by the hands. I walk around her, making sure to touch keep my hand on her, running it across Candice’s stomach and onto her back. I slide her hair over to her left shoulder, moving it out of the way so I can reach the zipper of the dress. I slowly pull it down trailing my other hand down the center of Candice’s now bare back. The dress slides off easily, body bunching up on the floor. I slowly bend down to whisper, “Tell me you want this Gorgeous.”
The only she gives is a slight nod of her head.
“Say the words Candice, or I stop.”
I barely hear the yes she whispers, as I kiss my way up her neck. She tilts her head to the side, allowing me better access. I step back, walking around her, gazing at her beautiful body. Her fair skin looks so beautiful in the light, making it hard not to continually touch what’s mine. Standing in front of her, I lean down, taking her lips in a slow kiss. The taste of her has me grabbing her harder then I should while trying to pull her closer. I want to consume every part of her. I want her thinking of nothing but me. Not wanting to move too fast, I break the kiss, and look into her blue eyes while unclipping her white lacy bra. I can see the affect my body has on her, it’s the same affect her body has on mine. The lust in her eyes and the way her body melts into my touch is proof enough. I hook my finger into the matching panties, kneeling, while pulling them down her legs.
Laying Candice on the bed, I nibble and kiss my way down her body. Teasing and tasting every inch of the flawless skin laid out in front of me. She moans when I suck her right nipple into my mouth, lightly biting down on it. I move on to the left one next, doing the same thing, loving the sounds she is making.
Tracing the rest of her body with my lips, I imprint this to my memory. After this night she will know she is mine. Her moans, whimpers, and touches will all belong to me.
Chapter 23
Candice
Every nerve ending in my body is on full alert. Jasper has my blood turning to flames, begging for every touch he gives me. It’s
the feel of his smooth face running down my body, leaving kisses in some places, and biting me in others. When he starts to kiss my inner thigh, my body arches off the bed, silently pleading to be touched more. He must hear the desperation when I let out a whimper, because he finally takes pity on me, and licks his way up my core.
The first swipe of his tongue leaves me wanting more. He flicks his tongue on my clit, causing me to moan out loud. The things he can do with his tongue quickly has me teetering on the edge. Panting and moaning while withering around on the bed.
“Jasper, please.”
When he inserts one finger inside me I feel my walls clamp down. With the second I feel a slight sting but It is quickly turned to pleasure when he angles his fingers up, rubbing my inner walls. It doesn’t take long before my whole body tenses up right before a wave of ecstasy washes over me.
I’m still floating when Jasper makes his way back up my body. He has already taken off his clothes, and is now laying between my legs. I can feel some of his weight on me, but he is supporting most of it with his elbow. He looks into my eyes, silently asking me if I want to continue. I lean up kissing him long and slow, this is my way of saying yes. He kisses me back, speeding up the pace at the same time he starts to enter me. He isn’t using a condom, there is no need to, since I am on the pill. The pain is almost unbearable. It feels like I am being ripped apart slowly. I can’t help the painful whimper that escapes my lips. He breaks the kiss, looking down at me.
“Do you want me to stop?”
“No, I just need you to speed up, get the most painful part over.”
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