SAVAGE: Rosewood High #3

by Lorraine, Tracy

  He lies still for a few seconds before blowing out a long breath and turning toward me. His arm comes around my waist, and he slides his front to my back.

  The heat of his bare skin against my barely dressed body burns, and everything in me aches to turn over and see what he’d do. But this isn’t the time. What Amalie and Camila said might be true. All the words he’s said to me in the last few days might be true, but the middle of the night when I’m still in pain isn’t the time to figure our shit out.

  “Are you awake?” he whispers.

  Fuck. I will my breathing not to falter and for my body not to tense. I’ve no idea if I pull it off or not, but after a few seconds he speaks again and I relax.

  “Goodnight, baby. I’m here if you need me.”

  A lump forms in my throat and tears burn my eyes as he drops a kiss to my bare shoulder and gets comfortable behind me.

  What is wrong with you, Rae? Turn around. Turn the fuck around.

  But I never do. Instead, I lie there until my exhaustion claims me once again. Make him work for it, they said. Make him prove it. Don’t give in just because he’s here protecting you like no one else ever has.

  * * *

  He’s gone again when I wake the next morning. I’d turned my alarm off, knowing that I wasn’t going to school this morning. I’ve got a follow up with a doctor to check my stitches.

  I glance at the clock, and realizing I’ve still got ages, I intend on rolling over once again but a piece of paper on my nightstand catches my eye.

  I’ll pick you up at eleven for your appointment x

  My hand trembles as I hold the slip of paper. He’s going to skip school for me? I don’t know why I’m shocked, it’s not the first time. He’s not exactly a model student. But he needs to be there, not escorting me to a bullshit appointment.

  Grabbing my cell, I shoot him a message.

  It’s fine. I’ll grab an Uber. My thumb hovers over the send button before I add some more at the last minute. Thank you, though.

  His reply comes almost immediately, and I’m unsure if I’m more shocked by the speed when he should be in class or his words.

  For once, do as you’re told. I’ll pick you up at eleven. Be ready.

  Well… fuck.

  I fall back on the bed with a groan. I could reply and tell him to go to hell, but I have a suspicion that he’ll just turn up here at eleven anyway. If I’ve already left then he’ll turn up at the appointment. I’d put money on it, so I decide to just take the easy route for once and climb out of bed to shower and dress.

  I apply my makeup with extra precision than usual and I very, very carefully blow dry my hair and pull it back in a loose bun. I tell myself that it’s just because I’ve got the time, but deep down, I know that’s not the reason. He is.

  I allow Rachel to make me breakfast, although the thought of spending time with Ethan awake after everything that’s passed between us has my stomach in knots, and the last thing I really want to do is eat.

  Ten minutes before eleven, the sound of an engine rumbles through me before his giant truck appears at the end of the driveway.

  I stand from the swing and take a step toward him. My temperature soars and goosebumps cover my skin the second his eyes lock on me. Something flutters in my stomach, and I try to convince myself it’s not nerves. I don’t get nervous.

  I walk, on wobbly legs, down to his truck, but before I reach him, he’s out and running around to the passenger door to open it for me.

  “Whoa, who are you, and what have you done with Ethan Savage?”

  He chuckles, but it doesn’t meet his eyes. They’re deadly serious as he stares down at me.

  “I told you. I’m a good guy really.”

  “So you keep saying. But don’t you know that most girls like their boys a little bit bad?”

  His eyes drop from mine and run down the length of me. That one look has my heart rate picking up and desire knotting in my lower stomach.

  “Is that right?”

  I swallow loudly as he closes the space between us. The air is thick with tension as I try to drag some in, but under his intense stare, I’m unable to do anything but feel the crackle of chemistry between us.

  Reaching out, he tucks a stray lock of hair that’s escaped behind my ear. The second we connect, my entire body flinches with the shock. He continues moving his head toward me. I start to wonder if he’s going to throw caution to the wind and be the bad boy I just alluded to and kiss me, but at the last minute, he leans to the side so his lips brush the shell of my ear. A shudder runs up my spine as his breath tickles.

  “Lucky for you, I can be bad. Very bad. Some might even say I’ve got a bit of a rep.”

  My mouth goes dry, stopping any words from coming out.

  When he pulls back, a smug smirk pulls at his lips.

  “I’ve had better.” It’s a total barefaced lie, and I’m pretty sure he knows it. He laughs, and this time it lightens his eyes.

  “Then I guess I’ve got something to prove. Your chariot awaits.”

  He waits while I climb in, not an easy feat when I’m basically three foot two. I expect him to help me, any excuse to get his hands on me, but to my surprise, he holds back. Maybe he can be a good boy. I refuse to admit it, but I’m kind of disappointed.

  Once he’s happy I’m settled, he closes the door on me and jogs around to the driver’s side.

  “I’ve got to be honest,” he says as he turns the car and heads off the property, “I didn’t think you’d be here waiting for me.”

  “I thought I’d keep you on your toes.”

  “You certainly do that, baby.”

  His use of my new nickname does things to my insides that I don’t need to be thinking about right now.

  “How are you feeling?”

  “Fine.”

  “Are you ever anything other than fine?”

  “Yeah. Often I’m angry. Mostly at you.”

  “Fair enough. Are you angry now?”

  “No. Just fine.”

  I stare out the window in an attempt to seem unaffected by him.

  “It’s not working, you know.”

  “What’s not working?” I turn to him to see him drag his eyes from me and back to the road.

  “Looking out the window and attempting to ignore me. I know you can’t ignore me. Ignore this.”

  He gestures between us.

  “Oh? And what is this exactly?” I copy his previous arm gesture and raise a brow.

  “Us. You can fight it all you want, baby. But we both know it’s only going to end one way.”

  He pulls into the hospital parking lot and straight into a vacant space.

  “Oh yeah, and how’s that exactly?”

  He leans over, the scent of him filling my nose, and I damn near moan in delight. “With you admitting how you really feel and with me so deep inside you that you’ll never be able to forget me.”

  My breath catches at his words. It’s something the old Ethan would say, but it’s laced with something other than hate now, and I’m not really sure how to deal with it.

  “You’d be so lucky,” I sass, reaching for the handle, but he catches my wrist.

  “I really fucking hope I will be.” He tugs my arm, and my body moves forward just enough for him to capture my lips. My brain screams fight, but my entire body sags in relief. It’s a teasing kiss, just a simple brush of his lips against mine, and when I think he’s going to deepen it and give me what I need but won’t admit, he’s gone and jumping from the car.

  “Motherfucker,” I mutter to myself, but when he pulls my door open, the smirk on his face tells me that he knows exactly what he just did.

  I take two steps toward the entrance when his fingers tickle against my wrist. My immediate reaction is to pull away, but my curiosity gets the better of me and I leave it to see what he does next.

  Not a second later, his fingers tangle with mine and he squeezes. My chin drops. He’s holding my fucking hand. My he
art begins to race as I fight with myself as to what to do.

  He pulls me to a stop, and before I know what’s happening, he backs me up against the wall of the reception. He stands staring down at me, amusement shining in his blue eyes.

  “Stop over-thinking,” he warns. “Just trust me.”

  A laugh rumbles up. Trust him?

  “I told you that I’d prove that all those words I said to you in that hotel room were the truth, and I can’t do that if you won’t let me.” He lifts the hand that’s not still gripped onto mine tightly and cups my cheek. “Let me show you how I really feel. What I really want.” He presses his body against mine, and I gasp as the unmistakable shape of his hard cock presses into my stomach. He leans down so only I can hear his next words. “Only you do that. No one else in the world could have me hard as we walk into a fucking hospital.”

  I laugh, because if I don’t then I’m afraid I might give the people around us waiting a show.

  “W-we’re going to be late,” I whisper, trying to keep my wits about me.

  “We are. Let’s go and get your head checked.”

  Thankfully, the wait to see the doctor isn’t all that long. I’m not sure I could have coped with the tension crackling between the two of us if it had been much longer.

  He was happy that my wound was healing okay and that there didn’t seem to be any other issues. He cleared me to go back to school—not that his word would stop me from showing up in the morning, but it’s nice to know it’s actually safe.

  “I need to be back at school for practice, but do you want to go for lunch first?” Ethan asks once we’re back in his car.

  “We need to go to school.”

  “I didn’t have you down as a goodie two shoes.”

  “I’m not, but I intend on graduating and getting into college so it kinda needs to be done.”

  “Oh yeah. What do you want to do?”

  “Honestly, anything. All I’ve wanted for years was just to be in control of my own life. I don’t even know where, all I know is that it’s going to be my choice and mine alone.”

  “I understand that.”

  “I’ve been dragged to every corner of the country, or so it feels, in Mom’s quest to give me the perfect life, or what she deems as perfect, and I’ve fucking hated it. This is the only place that’s ever felt—” I slam my lips shut, knowing that I’ve just said too much.

  “Ever felt like what?”

  “Fuck,” I mutter, resting my head back and closing my eyes for a beat. “Home, okay? It’s the first place that I could actually see myself making a life. It’s fucked-up, but for some reason, I feel like I might just belong here.”

  “Why’s that fucked-up?” he asks, turning to stare at me, but I refuse to look back, knowing that he’ll be able to read too much in my eyes.

  “Because Mom’s barely been here since we moved. It’s my gazillionth school in the last decade, and I’ve had to deal with you.”

  “Oh come on, I’m not that bad.”

  “Really?” I ask, now leaning forward to look into his eyes. “You want me to list all the fucked-up things?”

  Guilt immediately fills his eyes as he takes a trip down memory lane.

  Before I notice his hand move, he takes mine in his and lifts my knuckles to his lips. He places a kiss there but doesn’t pull away.

  He looks at me through his lashes, and my heart jumps into my chest. “I’m so fucking sorry, Rae. I’ll do anything to prove to you that that person back then wasn’t me. Name it and I’ll do it, just to show you.”

  “Shut up, Ethan. I don’t need you to do something crazy like run through school naked to prove anything.”

  “Really?” His eyes light up like the idea actually excites him.

  “No, don’t do that.”

  “Oh yeah. Why not?” My cheeks heat. “Fuck, I love it when you blush. So come on, tell me why I shouldn’t do that. Be brave, Rae. I dare you.”

  “Y-you s-shouldn’t because…” I suck in a breath as I try to come up with a lie that won’t expose me too much, but with his eyes boring into mine, begging me to tell the truth, it’s exactly what falls from my lips. “I don’t want anyone else seeing you naked.”

  “See, admitting what you really want wasn’t that hard, was it?”

  “Worse than this gash on my head, I can tell you that for nothing.”

  He barks out a laugh, and I know there and then that it was worth admitting for that noise alone. I smile and laugh with him.

  “So you want to go back to school then?”

  “I think we should. We’ve already missed enough.”

  “Okay. We’ll stop for takeout and head back.”

  I buckle up while he starts the engine. He drives to a burger place and orders for us before taking the next turn toward Rosewood High.

  “Don’t,” he warns when I start to open the bag of food that’s sitting on my lap.

  “Why? Did you buy it for us to look at?”

  “No, just… do as you’re told.”

  “Not my specialty.”

  “Don’t I fucking know it,” he mutters, pulling into a space and hopping out.

  He comes around to my side once again and takes the bag from my lap before taking my hand and helping me jump out.

  “Where are we going?” I ask when he refuses to release my hand and walks us around the back of the building.

  “Trust me.”

  “You say that a lot.”

  “Because you need to.”

  He walks us toward the football stadium and pushes through one of the side doors. We walk through until we begin climbing the stairs. The place is deserted apart from the two of us. I guess that’s what he was going for.

  It’s not until we’re right at the top that he turns, pulls a seat down for me and nods for me to sit. He undoes the bag and hands me my half of the food. We begin eating in silence, but it’s not uncomfortable.

  “I love it here when it’s empty. Things are so crazy on game night that it’s nice to come up here and reflect on everything during the day.”

  “The perfect Ethan Savage with the perfect life has things he needs to reflect on,” I quip.

  “I’m far from perfect, Rae. Just look how I’ve treated you. My life was falling apart long before I even realized. If I was paying more attention, or just home more, I might have noticed that things hadn’t been right between my parents. I should have seen it coming, and I sure as hell shouldn’t have taken it out on you.”

  “Hindsight is a great thing. Sadly, there’s not much we can do about the past.”

  He tenses beside me. “I’m sorry you had to go through what you did, and I’m sorry I invaded your privacy and found out the way I did.”

  “It’s okay. Well… it’s not, but it is what it is. And in a weird way, I’m glad you know.”

  “Me too.”

  “No one else knows about it. I’ve never told anyone.”

  “No one?” he asks, turning to look at me, but I continue to stare ahead at the empty stands.

  “Well, obviously the police officers and social workers, but I’ve never told anyone in day-to-day life.”

  “Why?”

  “Never had anyone to tell.”

  “Fucking hell, Rae,” he says sadly, shaking his head.

  “Don’t pity me.”

  “I’m not. I’m not. I’m just so glad you’ve got people who care now.”

  “Have I?” I know I’m pushing my luck by asking, but I need to hear it.

  “Yeah. Amalie and Camila love you. Jake cares enough to plow his fist into my face,” he says lightheartedly, pointing to his split lip. “And I…” He trails off.

  “And you?” It’s my turn to turn to him, but he avoids my stare as he considers his words.

  “I… I think you’re kind of incredible.”

  “Is that right?”

  “You’re the strongest person I’ve ever met, Rae. By a fucking mile. After everything you’ve been through, you’re
a fucking warrior.”

  “It was nothing. People deal with worse.”

  “Yeah, they do, but you’re amazing. That kind of shit would break most people but you’re… you’re…”

  “Amazing?” I add, using the last word he said to describe me.

  “Yeah. That and some.” He turns to me, his eyes soft, his barriers down. His eyes study mine for a few seconds, his lips parting like he has something to say but is unsure if he should let it out or not. I want to push him, but I find I can’t, wanting him to offer whatever it is himself. “And… and I’m falling for you harder than I know what to do with.”

  My breath catches at the honesty in his tone.

  “Ethan, I—”

  “No. We’re done talking.”

  “Oh.”

  His hand slips around the side of my neck, his thumb brushing my cheek gently as he leans in. My brain screams to back away, to protect myself, but my body is all in and I find myself closing the space between us.

  41

  Ethan

  I brush my lips over hers gently, waiting to see how she responds to me. She was more than up for it when I kissed her in the car earlier, but if I’ve learned anything about Rae, it’s that she’s unpredictable at the best of times. My fingers twitch against her neck as I wait to see what she's going to do.

  It feels like it takes an eternity, but eventually, her soft lips move against mine and my restraint snaps. Her lips part the second my tongue touches them and hers almost instantly meets mine. I explore her mouth like it’s the first time, savoring her taste, allowing it to feed my addiction for this woman beside me.

  I shift over in my seat to close the space between us, but already knowing that I’m never going to be able to get close enough with an armrest in the middle.

  Dropping my hands to her waist, I lift her from her seat. The remaining food and wrappers that were on her lap fall to the ground as I settle her where she belongs: on my lap.