SAVAGE: A Dark High School Bully Romance (Rosewood High Book 3)

by Tracy Lorraine

  That thought is the bucket of cold water I need. This girl is mine, no one else gets to have their eyes on her.

  Ripping my lips from hers, I kiss down her neck. “Baby, we need to stop.” I hate that the words pass my lips, but this isn’t how this is going to go between us. Not now, anyway.

  “We really don’t,” she whispers, throwing her head back to give me better access. My hands slip around to her stomach, and the temptation to push them up to her tits is so fucking strong, but she deserves more than this. She deserves everything and more. Fuck knows if I’m able to deliver it, but I’m gonna give it a fucking good go.

  “We do. I want to do this properly. Treat you properly, the way you deserve.”

  “Didn’t stop you before.” Her chest is heaving before me, her lips parted to drag in the air she needs. When she looks down, her usually dark eyes are almost black with desire.

  “I know,” I say, regret filling my tone.

  “So make it up to me. I thought you wanted to prove yourself.” She tilts her head to the side and her eyebrow quirks in challenge.

  “But—”

  “Are you man enough, Ethan?” She wiggles in my lap, ensuring I feel every tiny movement. My hands land on her hips, holding her in place, desperate for more of her.

  “You fucking know I am.”

  “So… Prove. It.”

  The fabric of her fishnets disintegrates beneath my fingers, and in seconds I’m moving her soaked panties aside.

  “Fucking hell,” I moan as her juices coat my fingers.

  “Ethan,” she moans in return, throwing her head back once more and thrusting her tits in my face.

  Forgetting everything, I push the fabric of her top up and pull the cups of her bra down to give me the access I need.

  Pushing my fingers inside her, I lean forward and suck one of her nipples into my mouth.

  “Fuck. Fuck.”

  I suck hard before biting down enough to have her crying out. I pump my fingers inside her, bending them to hit the place she needs before kissing my way toward her other nipple to give it the same treatment.

  “Ethan. Shit. Fuck,” she moans above me, and my chest swells with everything I feel for the woman. She’s so fucking strong. So fucking brave. And needs to be so fucking mine.

  I sit back when I sense she’s about to fall, because as much as I want her in my mouth, I want to watch her come apart in my hands more.

  “Come on, baby. Come for me. Let me see how fucking beautiful you are.”

  “Oh god.”

  “Nah, just Ethan Savage, baby.”

  Her lips curl up as if she’s about to laugh, but I graze her G-spot once more and she falls headfirst into her release instead. And it’s fucking magical. Her chin drops, her eyes close, and she clenches around me so fucking hard it makes my cock weep to be inside her, to experience just what it’ll be like with us connected exactly as we should be.

  She falls forward against me as she fights to catch her breath.

  “I’m pretty sure that was the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.”

  She laughs against me but doesn’t say anything for the longest time. When she does speak, I can’t help but laugh too.

  “I really needed that.”

  “Glad I could help, baby.”

  Regretfully, I help her off me and she rights her clothing before falling back down into her own seat. She’s too far away, but there’s not much I can do about it other than drag her home to bed, but even I know I need to be here for practice. Mason is joining us for the first time to see if he’s going to be able to be a part of next week’s final.

  “So…” Rae starts hesitantly.

  “So what?”

  “So now what?”

  “Well, I think it’s safe to say you finished your lunch.” I look to where what she had left is now scattered on the ground.

  “I meant with us, you idiot.”

  My heart slams against my chest at her use of the word us. Is there an us? Is she going to allow there to be an us? “I told you. I fully intend to do things right this time. If you’ll allow me, that is.”

  “Hmmm…”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “It means that I’ll consider it.” Her lips twitch as she fights her smile.

  “You’ll consider it?” I ask, arching my brow.

  “Yeah. I mean, I have just had quite a significant bump to the head, so there’s a very good chance I’m not thinking straight right now.”

  “I should hope not, after that orgasm.”

  “Ethan, I’m being serious,” she says, swatting my shoulder, but the wide smile on her face tells me otherwise.

  “Right. Of course you are.”

  The school bell rings in the distance, efficiently putting our time to an end. Jake will castrate me if I miss practice, and I’m in too much of a good mood right now to put up with his angry ass.

  Reaching over, I wrap my hand around the back of her neck and gently pull her over to me. “This is what happens next. I’ll get Amalie or Camila to take you home. Then you can wait for me there. Clothes optional. I fully intend to spend the entire night proving myself to you.”

  “Oh yeah?” Her cheeks heat at my words, and it’s almost enough to blow off practice in favor of her body.

  I shake my head, trying to get the dirty thoughts out of my mind before I go and get sweaty with the guys.

  “Yeah. By the end of tonight, there’s going to be no doubt who you belong to. I guarantee that by morning there will only be one person’s name you remember, and I promise you, it won’t be yours.” Her cheeks only get redder as her tongue sneaks out to lick her bottom lip. “Sound like a plan?”

  “Um… I’ll consid—”

  I slam my lips down on hers before she gets a chance to finish the word.

  Pulling back abruptly before I’m in so deep I’m not going to be able to walk away without being inside her, I stand and pull my cell from my pocket.

  “Can you take Rae home?” I bark the second Camila picks up. My voice is rough even to my own ears, and she doesn’t miss it.

  “Of course. Is everything okay?”

  Rearranging myself so that Rae has no choice but to know the state she’s left me in, I smile down at her. “Yeah, everything’s great. We just came back to school after her appointment.”

  “Oh, she wasn’t in my last class.”

  “No, she was getting a very different kind of lesson.”

  “Ethan, what are—”

  “She’ll meet you by your car,” I interrupt when Rae looks like she’s about to kick me in the balls and steal my cell. I hang up and give her my most innocent face.

  “You’re a fucking nightmare.”

  “I’m your fucking nightmare though, baby.”

  “I haven’t decided if I want you yet.”

  “Oh, ouch.”

  “Come on, Savage. You’ve got practice to get to.”

  “It’s just a warm-up really, for what comes later.”

  I leave her in the parking lot with a sweet kiss that’s sure to tide her over until I get home. Camila walks up to us with Amalie hot on her heels, and both of them witness it. As I walk past them back toward the building, I can tell they want to smile, but instead, they both keep their hard eyes on me in warning.

  They don’t need to say it. If I hurt her, I’ll cause myself some physical pain; they don’t need to threaten it.

  I walk toward the locker rooms with the widest smile on my face. Jake and Mason take one look at me when I join them and slap me on the shoulder.

  “We’re happy for you, bro. Now, you ready to smash this shit before you can get back to your girl?”

  “Fucking right. Let’s do this.”

  42

  Raelynn

  “Bloody knew you wouldn’t be able to fight him,” Amalie says as the three of us climb into Camila’s Mini.

  I sigh. “I tried. I really did. But man, he knows exactly what to say to make me melt.”
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  “Huh, I never had Ethan down as the romantic type, so I’m assuming you’re talking about his filthy mouth.”

  I bark out a laugh. “Yeah, something like that.”

  “You want a milkshake?” Camila asks the two of us.

  “Yeah. I need to see Bill and Cody, show them I’m still alive.”

  “Awesome. That’ll waste some time until the guys finish and Ethan can eat you for dinner.”

  My entire body heats with the suggestion. “Jeez, he really has worked his charm on you, eh?” Camila asks, glancing at me squirming in her backseat.

  “Do you guys think I’m an idiot for even considering this thing with Ethan?” I hate sounding unsure, but I need to know what they think.

  “No, not at all. If you feel that connection, then I say go for it.”

  I nod, a small smile playing on my lips as I think back over the afternoon with him.

  Both Bill and Cody race toward me when the three of us enter the diner. Bill’s given me two weeks off fully paid after what I went through. It’s not necessary, but I appreciate it and will gladly accept. They throw question after question at me but mostly just repeatedly ask me if I’m okay.

  Eventually, they leave the three of us in peace to enjoy our milkshakes, but I don’t miss their concerned glances my way. It’s not helped by the missing hair exposing my wound. It makes me want to take it down to hide it, but I’m not sure I’m ready to fully embrace it yet, or ever.

  “What’s going on?” I ask Amalie as she furiously taps at her cell with a wide smile on her face.

  “Oh, um…”

  “What?” Both Camila and I ask simultaneously.

  “We just need to wait an hour before delivering Rae back home.”

  “Why? Has something happened at practice?” Images fill my head of Ethan getting hurt so close to the final game, and I panic.

  “No, no everything’s fine. Just trust us, yeah?” Amalie winks at Camila as they share a silent best friend conversation over the table and I sigh in frustration.

  “Fine, whatever. I want another one of these for it, though.”

  They both laugh but agree and call Cody back over.

  It’s almost an hour and a half later when we eventually pull up in front of the Savage house. The sun is beginning to set, casting the house in a gorgeous orange hue. Both Jake and Mason are waiting out front, and, after nodding a greeting at me, they climb into the car with their girls.

  “Have a great night,” Amalie calls out. I look back over my shoulder to find all four of them grinning at me like idiots.

  “He’s waiting for you,” Mason says before Camila revs the engine and they disappear out of the driveway. It’s not until I’m alone that my nerves hit.

  What the hell am I going to find inside this house?

  With a trembling hand, I push the front door open and step inside. There are cases in the hallway, pointing to the fact that Mom and Eric are home. I’m surprised she doesn’t come running at me the second I’m in the house, but everything is eerily quiet.

  “Hello?” I call out, but really it’s not loud enough for anyone to hear me. I find the kitchen and the family room empty when I poke my head inside. Assuming they’ve gone straight out, I head for the stairs, thinking that it’s probably where Ethan is waiting for me. Naked, hopefully. Butterflies take up flight in my stomach at the thought.

  My steps quicken as I climb up and race toward my bedroom. My door is ajar when I get there and I push it open eagerly, convinced that he’ll be there. Disappointment floods me when I look around and find the room empty, aside from the flowers that I now know came from Bill.

  “Where are you?” I mutter, walking farther into the room and dropping my purse to the bed. It’s then that a crash comes from outside, followed by a curse in a very familiar voice.

  Smiling that I’ve found him, I walk toward the balcony. The closer I get to the edge, the more my jaw drops as I take in the pool area beneath me.

  Twinkling fairy lights are strung up everywhere. There’s a little bistro set with candles flickering in the center, and the outside sofa that sits at the edge of the patio overlooking the beach is covered in blankets and pillows. Soft music plays as the scent of the grill floats up to me. Then finally, Ethan appears. He’s dressed in a pair of sweats and his usual Bears jersey. I watch him walk to the grill and open the top before he starts poking at the contents. The butterflies that were already fluttering erupt in my belly, and everything below my stomach clenches in anticipation. The memory of his fingers playing me earlier slams into me and spikes my temperature. I can’t deny that I need more of that side of Ethan.

  I stand and watch him for a few minutes, wanting to take him in while he’s not aware he’s got company. He looks so relaxed and totally at home. There’s nothing pulling the muscles in his shoulders tight, and I’m sure when he finally looks up at me, I won’t find any of the shadows haunting his eyes like when we first met. He’s like an entirely different person, he’s just still wrapped in the same unbelievably hot package.

  I don’t think I make a noise, so I can only assume that he senses my stare because after another two seconds of my quiet perusal of his body, his head turns and his eyes find mine. I discover that I was right, because even from this distance all I can see is desire and… love? No, that’s crazy. Isn’t it?

  “There you are,” he says softly, staring up at me. “I feel like I should be quoting some sappy line from Shakespeare right now.”

  “It’s okay. I think you may have already maxed out on your romance quota tonight.” I glance around at what he’s done once more in total awe.

  “You like it?” The shyness in his tone has my eyes immediately flying back to his. Surely Ethan Savage isn’t unsure of himself right now?

  “It’s incredible. You did it for me?” I ask, just to be sure this isn’t his usual way to welcome home his dad.

  “All for you, baby. I told you, I’m going to do it right this time. Give you everything you deserve and more.”

  I shake my head, tears burning my eyes as I take in the sweet guy before me, the one who’s a million miles from the one I first met. Some might think I’m crazy for allowing myself to be swept up by him after what he did to me, how he treated me but I can’t help myself. Our connection was there from the very beginning. I see that now. We both just dealt with it in the wrong way. I understand that he was hurt and lashing out. Did he push boundaries he shouldn’t have? Sure. But I get it. And now, I see the genuine regret and need to make things right every time I look at him. And I might have caved earlier than I was expecting, but I still fully intend on making him work for it. I’m not one to make anyone’s life easy, and Ethan’s going to have to learn that I also like to play dirty from time to time.

  “It’s amazing. You’re amazing.”

  “Well if that’s the case, why the fuck are you still up there while I’m down here?” He holds his arms out as if to say, come and get me, and I spin on my heels and run toward him.

  “There she is,” he says when I emerge into the garden.

  I stop in the doorway and just look at him. Really look at him, as if it’s our first time. He really is beautiful. His thick hair flops down into his face, his blue eyes stare into mine, and the square cut of his jaw gives him the edgy look that I know he loves to play up. But it’s his smile that that gets me moving. Gone is the cocky, arrogant, full of himself asshole he shows the rest of the world, and in its place is a small, nervous smile as he waits to see what I’m going to do. That one smile tells me so much. He’s nervous that after all this I’m going to turn my back on him, and it’s the first time I’ve ever really appreciated that he needs me just as much as I’ve realized I need him. It sounds corny as fuck, but as I stand here with him waiting for me, I can’t help but feel he’s the piece that’s been missing from my life. It’s not been a place that I needed, or the friends that have eluded me all these years. It’s just been him. His sexy smirk, the way he refuses to take my s
hit or believe me when I’m trying to push him away. The way he smashes through my barriers and climbs over my giant wall. The way he forces me to admit to myself how I really feel. Just the way he is: flaws, broken parts, hurt and all. Just him.

  His brows furrow in concern, and it’s that move, that final show of weakness for me that has me moving. My legs carry me faster than my brain realizes, and in seconds I’m in his arms with his lips pressing down on mine.

  One of his hands slides into my hair while the other comes to rest on my hip and ensures there’s no space between us whatsoever.

  He kisses me for the longest time. We’re both breathless when he finally releases me.

  “Whoa, that was some welcome.”

  “Only the best. Are you hungry?”

  “Starved, seeing as someone deposited most of my burger on the ground earlier.”

  “Let me make up for it.”

  He walks over to the bistro set and pulls one of the chairs out for me. “Thank you,” I mouth, totally blown away by all of this. The self-confessed fuck ‘em and chuck ‘em seems to be hopping aboard the romance train along with his two best friends.

  “I’ve got meat in every variety you could desire.” When he turns to me, I make a show of running my eyes down his body.

  “Stop it. Stop it right now,” he warns. “I promised you I’d do this properly, but when you look at me like that it…”

  “It what, Ethan?” I cross one leg across the other, knowing it’ll make my skirt rise up.

  “It’ll… um…”

  “What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue?” I stand and close the distance between us once again. “Where are our parents?” I breathe into his ear.

  “G-Gone out.”

  “So there’s no one here to watch what happens next?”

  He shakes his head, eyes locked on mine.