16. Ethan
16
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I watch as Sky heads for the back door, passing our table she shouts over the noise, “I’m leaving Mason. If you’re my guard dog for the night I suggest you get your shit because I’m not waiting for your ass.”
“Sky? You good?” Cash pulls away from the chick he’s been making out with against the wall for the last half hour. Sky gives him a slight shake of her head. He grabs her shoulder and walks her out to her truck. I follow them, keeping my distance.
Catching up to Mason, I tell him, “Wait inside. I’ll get you when she’s ready.” He gives me a finger salute in acknowledgement.
Once they get to the truck, Cash starts in on her. “Start talking.”
I stick to the shadows, listening in.
“Why wasn’t I safe in Mountain Heights? Wet tears slide down her cheeks. “Daddy said everything he has done has been to protect me, but what he didn’t realize is protecting me…has been killing me, Cash.”
“What the hell do you mean? You have a good life,” Cash pushes back. “You were working a good job. Training. Dancing. Happy. You didn’t get this way until you came to back to this town and saw Ethan!”
“It’s not his fault. He didn’t cause any of this. I did.”
“But he’s done something.” He pushes. “Look at you, Sky! You’re falling apart. You’re usually so strong. You don’t let anyone break you down, and here you are, all twisted up over some asshole who’s done just about everything in his power, aside from hitting you, to hurt you. You both clearly hate each other. So, I don’t understand why you let him get to you. What power does he have over you?”
I would never hit her, asshole.
Do I want her gone? Hell yes. But I’m not a monster. I would never lay a hand on any woman out of anger, no matter how bad I want to throttle her.
“It’s not Ethan’s fault. We have a past. And I guess I thought we had something the other night, but then, it wasn’t me, it was Scarlet…”
Wait. What? How does she know about Scarlet?
“...and then he freaked out when he saw me dancing at the clubhouse. And when he kissed me, I don’t know…I hoped maybe things were finally changing. That he had somehow forgiven me. But when he realized it was me, he pushed me away and started screaming at me how he doesn’t want me here. How…he doesn’t want me.”
She looks up at the sky, fanning her eyes. “Damnit!”
“You don’t hate him,” Cash says, lifting Skyler’s chin to look at him. I growl, not liking how casually he touches her. Like he has every right.
“No, I don’t. I never did.” The words are whispered. But I hear them. Something in my gut twisted.
“Shit,” Cash groans, hugging her against his chest once more. I’m two seconds from stepping out and grabbing the fucker to get him off her. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
She shrugs.
“You know, this means I can’t hurt him because you’ll hate me. And that shit won’t fly with me.”
He fucking wishes.
“It doesn’t matter. What’s been lost…,” she pulls out of his hold, wiping my face, cursing softly under my breath. My hand instinctively goes to my stomach. My eyes meet Cash’s, “…can’t be brought back to life.” She wipes the tears from her face, taking several deep breaths. “There’s nothing you could’ve done to change anything. Ethan feels what he feels and …I-I’ll get over it, eventually.”
“Why don’t you come crash at the clubhouse tonight? You can sleep in the room they set up for me. I don’t think you should be alone tonight.”
“Hard pass.” Cash laughs at her response. “I’m fine. Go see Eli. I have my overgrown, babysitter who’s probably waiting for you to go inside so he can follow me home.”
Cash gives her one last hug. “Sky.” He calls back over his shoulder, one hand on the door handle. “I know about the promise you made, but I also know George wouldn’t want you to suffer. If he knew how being here hurts, you. How every time you see Ethan with another woman, or in the same room, it tears you apart. If George could see the pain etched on your face, the way it dims the light in your eyes. He wouldn’t want it for you. You know I’m right.”
“It doesn’t matter how much it hurts. It’s always hurt. Even when I was in Mountain Heights. The only difference now is my location. The pain never went away, Cash. I learned to live with it. It’ll take some time, but I’ll learn to do it again. I do know I won’t leave my parents again. Leaving Oak Ridge is not an option for me.”
Cash nods. “Just think about it, okay?” Once he’s inside, I run up behind Sky, grabbing her arm and spinning her, putting her back against her truck. I feel the sharp sting of metal cutting through my skin. Looking down, I see she’s jabbed her key into my forearm.
I release her arm. She drops her keys. I’m shouting her name, but she’s scrambling on the ground for her keys not hearing a damn thing I’m saying.
“What the fuck, Skyler?” Finally, she hears me, looking up from the ground confusion etched on her face.
“Ethan? Oh my God!What the hell are you doing?”
“Bleeding,” I groan pulling a black bandana from my back pocket, wrapping it around my forearm to cover up the blood.
She reaches to help. One hand on my arm, the other snatching the rag, tying it around my arm. It’s not a deep cut, but I let her doctor me up, watching her closely. Her face is a myriad of emotions, but I can’t make sense of any of them.
I place my hands on her hips, my body heats up with the proximity as I watch her.
What’s happening?
She pulls the knot tight causing me to flinch. She steps back out of my grip. “There.”
“You’re not even going to say sorry?” I ask, smirking. It wasn’t hard enough of a stab to do any real damage, only meant to stun me into letting go. There’s not even that much blood. She’s smart. Doing what she had to. If I’d been a real attacker, the move might’ve been enough to get her a few seconds to get away.
“Sorry, not sorry.” She replies, turning away, reaching to open the door of her truck. I slam my hand against it, not letting her get away from me that easily.
“You know, usually I’m the one doing the poking when I’m with a woman,” I can’t resist messing with her.
Her eyes narrow. She’s scrutinizing me, trying to figure out my game. Hell, I’m still not sure myself. I take the time to study her face further. Red rimmed eyes. A pink tint to her cheeks, the slight sway in her stance.
“Are you drunk, Sky?”
“What? No.” She looks scared, ready to flee. “You should’ve remembered I don’t like being touched without permission.” Maybe she’s worried I’m going to retaliate for the key she jabbed into my arm.
Skyler tries to turn toward the handle, probably looking to escape. I grip her hips from behind, pulling her back into me. Her luscious ass pushing into my cock. I groan at the feel of her against me.
Mayday! Mayday!
I step in closer, pushing myself into her back. My mouth is next to her ear. “You used to like my touch,” I say, my voice thick and gravely.
“I used to like a lot of things about you.”
“And you don’t anymore, is that it? I’m only a part of your past? But you don’t hate me.” I repeat the words I heard her tell Cash. Wait for her to deny it.
I feel her body stiffen.
I nuzzle her neck, then pull back when I see it. “You have a bumble bee tattoo?” My voice strained.
“I do.” She doesn’t elaborate, but I know what it represents. We used to call Emily a bumble bee because she was always fluttering about from one thing to the next, never content to just be.
“Emily?” I whisper. Her name on my lips sends a sharp pain to my stomach. Anger rises as I remember that this is Skyler. The person who led my sister to drugs, then left her when she needed her help the most. Left me.
I step back. Skyler turns back around to face me. She’s nervous, unsure of what I’m about to do or say.
My eyes rake over her body, my brows furrowed trying to decide what I should do next. I could get her revved up and leave her hanging. Let her feel how she makes me fee; every fucking time I’m around her.
You could hate fuck her and get her out of your system.
I step closer. She moves to the side, putting her back to the truck, I follow her with a wicked smirk.
“What are you doing?’” She asks, swallowing hard.
I step in closer, closing the small gap between us, moving myself in front of her, my left hand blocking her path to the door, the other on her hip. The fierce way she’s looking at me, dragging her eyes over every inch of my body. She feels this pull between us too. My fingertips caress the edge of her shirt brushing against the soft skin of her stomach.
She looks away, attempting to break the spell between us. I step forward steps, my leg pushing into hers, my large frame caging her in. I study her face. Her violet eyes hold so many conflicting emotions.
You hate her.
But you want her.
She wants you too. Fuck her and leave her. Prove to her she doesn’t mean anything to you anymore. She still loves you. Break her heart the way she broke yours.
I push a loose piece of hair behind her ear. Her face drops, still avoiding my heated stare. I’m not having it. With the tips of two fingers, I tip her chin to face me. Her violet eyes meeting my brown ones. I’m close enough, she can feel the heat and hardness of my body through our clothes as my body presses into hers.
“Where’s Mason?” She barely chokes the words out. Her voice shaky, nearly a whisper. I chuckle, my lips curve into a smirk. Her eyes holding mine.
“Do I make you nervous, Sky?” She shakes her head clearing her throat. I chuckle at her weak attempt to play down her nerves.
“Not at all, but I’m not one for an audience.”
Ha. Liar!
With my finger I rub her bottom lip, leaning in so close; I feel her breath on my lips. I could kiss her, but instead, I stop short and whisper, “Liar. We both know you like to be centerstage.”
Her eyes register my meaning, and the tears I see forming there almost convince me to let her go.
“I told Mason to wait until I called him to come out here, I’d walk you to your truck since I wanted to talk to you privately.”
“What do you want to talk about?”
“Relax, Sunshine. It’s only me.” She sighs at the use of her nickname. She’s fighting back tears.
I run my nose down the side of her neck pushing her hair away with my fingers. Turning her head to the side, she’s trying to ignore the reactions her body has to my touch. But I see the goosebumps that rise along her skin. Her breath has quickened. Nipples harden to taut little peaks. I bet if I shoved my hand in her pants her sweet little pussy would be gushing for me. I groan softly in her ear at the thought.
“Mmm. You’ve changed, Skyler. Not quite the shy wall flower anymore.” It’s not a question, it’s a fact. One that both intrigues and irritates me. She whimpers when I twist her nipple through her clothes. She always was sensitive to my touch. “I hardly recognize you anymore.” Again, she’ s silent. “Your tight little body with all this muscle definition. Tattoos. A fighter. Who are you, Sky?”
“I don’t know how you want me to answer that.”
Her heartrate is picking up. Her breathing coming in pants. I don’t know if she’s angry or turned on. She’s got her mask in place making it hard to read her true feelings.
“Do you belong to Cash? Are you his?” I need to know. To hear the words from her.
“I belong to myself.” Her voice sounds breathy.
Definitely turned on.
“Skyler.” I growl against her neck, the vibration making her body jump. A slight nip to her ear sends a shiver through her.
“I know Ghost sent you to be with them. I know he’s been keeping your whereabouts hidden. You said you left once for me. What did you mean by that?”
“I shouldn’t have said that.”
“That’s not an answer Sky.” My jaw is clenched. “I’m trying to make sense of it all, but I just can’t.” My breathing is coming in harsh pants. My thigh wedging between hers. She grinds down on my thigh, then pulls back as she realizes what she’s done. I smile knowing I’m driving her crazy the same way ’he”s done to me.
“I can’t tell you what you want to know, Ethan. I want to, but I…I can’t. I’m sorry.”
“You can’t or won’t, Sky? I know you know what happened to Emily. You called the cops. Then you and that piece of shit Matthews kid took off. Were you together? Huh? Were you cheating on me with him, Sky? Is that why you left? To save me the humiliation of seeing you together. Is that why you ran off; to be with your drug dealer boyfriend.”
Anger flashes in those beautiful eyes.
“Are you drunk, Ethan? Because you don’t know what you’re saying.”
“The hell I don’t!” I shout. “Why did you come back? Why did Eli have to bring you back? Why did George tell you to come here. Why didn’t he tell me where you were? What’s everyone hiding from me, goddamn it!”
“My father died, remember? That’s why I’m here! My whole life got turned upside down and his only request was that I come home. Eli and his men brought me here for my own protection. They’re glorified babysitters, like Mason or Blake. They’re job is to keep me safe,” She huff. “I didn’t come back to hurt you, Ethan,” she says, biting her lip as she looks me in the eyes and says, with so much conviction, “but I won’t leave for you either.”
My eyes lock on hers. The storm raging within me is almost too much. I’m holding on by a thin thread. My control slipping with each second that passes.
“You leave without a trace for six fucking years. Only you weren’t hiding, were you? At least not from everyone. No, only fromme. My brothers knew where you were. Some even knew I was looking for you, but never said a word. I was going out of my fucking mind wondering what the hell happened to you. At one point, I even thought maybe you were dead too. Thought maybe the asshole found you after you called the cops and left you for dead somewhere.”
“Ethan, I—” Her voice is barely a whispered hiccup. I cut her off, shaking my head.
“My brothers were there to pick up the pieces, help me put my life back together. They gave me a family. Helped me get a better focus on my fighting career. Mourned my loss at my side. They were all there for me, and you…you were off in Mountain Heights playing club whore with Eli’s men.” I laugh mirthlessly. “My brothers. Hmm.” My words drip with disdain. “They kept your secrets. They chose you over their own. Even Ghost, and Gabe. My own fucking president.” She doesn’t confirm or deny anything I’m saying.
“It all brings their trust into question, don’t you think, Sky?”
I tilt my head, studying her face. I hold her wrists in one hand, bringing the other down tracing her cheek, her collarbone down between her breasts. I follow the trail until my hands grip the waist of her shorts tugging her toward me. “It begs the question, is your pussy made of magic or are you so good at giving head, a brother would neglect his loyalties to keep you on your knees at night?” My hand slips down gripping her pussy through her clothes, and she closes her eyes, her breathing picks up, almost to hyperventilating.
She’s faking. Trying to get me to let her go.
With my focus on her crotch, she’s able to twist her hands. My grip tightens slightly, and when I bring my head up to meet her eyes, she head butts me. I let go of her wrists, my hand ripping out of her shorts. She steps to the side enough she’s able to get the door open and get into the truck. I grab the door, keeping her from slamming it shut.
“Running again, Sky? Tsk, tsk, tsk,” I growl.
“Why would you bring the Devil’s Order to Oak Ridge, Sky? Did you bring those drug dealing bastards into our town? You know who they are. What they did to Gabe’s family. To Caleb’s brother. Now they’re looking for you.” I chuckle. “They killed George.” Sky gasps, but I don’t believe for a second she didn’t know they were the ones to kill George. Iheard you tell Cash it was your fault. You came home because you figured Gabe would protect you. You know how much he hates the Devils. Why would he want to keep you safe from whatever shit you’ve stirred up with them.” My voice is dripping with venom. “Typical Skyler. Guess you haven’t changed so much after all. When shit gets tough, you run. Leave everyone else to clean up your fucking mess.”
“The Devil’s Order?” She whispers the words as if to herself.
“Where’s my uncle?” she asks nearly in a panic. “Ethan! Where’s Ghost? They’ll look for him next.” Tears are streaming silently down her cheeks.
“Ghost is a big boy. He can handle himself. Maybe you should leave town with Eli and Walker. Take Cash up on his offer, and go homewith them, where you really belong, Sky. Take your trouble with you. I’m sure they’ll protect you,” I snarl. “Get the fuck out of here and leave the rest of us to get back to our lives in peace. Without you. With any luck the D.O. will follow your trail. Maybe Eli and his boys will work out a deal to save you using some of your magic pussy currency. There’s nothing left for you here.”
She slams the truck door, and starts the engine. I step away and watch as Skyler drives away.
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