CHAPTER 7
Cold air hit my face again as Marcus was pulled off me in a blur of a moment. I only heard a crunch and Marcus’s shriek, and his once white shirt was now red.
A sudden zing zapped through my body as a calloused hand closed around my wrist and pulled me away from the dark, dark alley.
And before my eyes could adjust to the big black car waiting on the street, I was thrown inside it. What was happening?
“Drive,” called out an icy voice.
I turned to see a man clad in a leather jacket sitting beside me, radiating with fury. I frowned, sliding my ass down the seat to peer at him. But it was too dark.
I tiled my head lower to get a good look at him. The position only made me dizzy, and my head ended up on his lap.
“Jay.” I giggled as I traced a finger up his chin. “Is this a dream?”
His cold blue eyes bore down my soul as he gripped my finger and pulled me off his lap. “No, Evelyn, this isn’t a dream. It’s more like a nightmare.”
“No, you’re lying,” I whined, hugging his arm. “You’re only nice in my dreams.”
“Trust me, this isn’t a dream.” He wiggled his arm.
I plopped my chin on his shoulder. “No, don’t leave too soon. I want this dream to last forever. I miss you.”
I felt his body freeze against my hold, but he didn’t say anything.
I grinned, nuzzling my face on his shoulder. My eyes drifted to the man driving the car. I pointed a finger at him. “Ohh, I know him.” I furrowed my brows, trying to place him. How do I know him?
I felt Jay sigh. “You met him at the apartment,” he said flatly.
I grinned as a light bulb sparked out from my brain. “Oh yeah. That’s Tyler. I can’t believe I forgot Tyler. Nice to meet you, Tyler,” I chirped out. He gave me a nod, his face dancing with amusement as he peered at us through the rearview mirror.
And soon my eyelids drew heavy as I sank into Jay’s delicious warmth.
“Evelyn, wake up. Evelyn,” someone called out from a distance.
I moaned, “I want to sleep.”
“Fucking hell. Evelyn, wake the fuck up.” Fingers gripped my chin, jolting me awake as they pulled me out of the car.
I blinked back at my sleep, my eyes taking in my surroundings. Several expensive cars were lined up in a corner. It looked like it was some sort of basement. This dream was interesting.
Jay let go of my hand and was muttering something to Tyler.
I gave up trying to support my noodly legs and plopped down on the floor. Hmm, maybe I should lie down.
I grinned with glee as I rested my cheek on my arm and dropped flat on my stomach. Now that feels comfy!
I was met with the view of huge tires right at my face. Oh, my eyes widened with excitement. I had never seen what the underside of a car looked like. Maybe I should have a look. I can do anything I want in my dream.
I dunked my head inside. I tsked. “It’s so dark. Maybe I need a flashlight.”
“Ugh, sir.” A throat cleared from somewhere behind me.
A moment passed before someone pulled my head out of the car. “Jesus fucking Christ, Evelyn! What the fuck are you doing on the ground?” Jay had a bewildered look on his beautiful face.
I pouted, wide-eyed. “It’s my dream; I can do whatever I want! Jay, can you believe I’ve never seen what a car looks like from below!”
He squeezed his eyes and blew a heavy breath. And in a second, my world turned upside down as my belly dug into a hard shoulder and a strong hand held me tight.
“Jay, I’m in the air,” I squealed.
“Remember what I said, Tyler.”
“Yes, sir,” a firm voice said before my eyes landed on an inverted Tyler becoming smaller and smaller before disappearing altogether as we entered a golden chamber with mirrors.
Jay pressed a huge circular button on the panel, and the doors to the chamber drew close.
“Jay, where are we? Are we going to heaven?”
No answer.
“Jay, tell me!”
No answer.
“Jay! Tell me!!! And why is the world spinning round and round and round?” I kicked my feet but was only met with hard resistance that felt like bricks.
A loud crack cut through the air just as I felt a burning sting creep its way up my ass.
“Ouch! Did you just spank me?” I cried out.
“Stop wiggling the fuck around, Evelyn.”
We entered a long hallway, and Jay finally put me on my feet but still kept a firm hold around my waist.
His face scrunched up in concentration as he fiddled with the keypad.
“Jay.” I smiled, looking at him. “You’re so beautiful.”
His blues flashed to mine before he pushed me inside, and I dropped in a heap on the floor.
I looked around in confusion. “Jay, I know this place. How do I know this place?” My eyes met a gigantic marble vase. “I know that vase! That’s where I met the Jay who hates me!” I turned around to look up at him and pouted. “But you don’t hate me, right? The Jay in my dream never hates me.”
He peered down at me, his mouth tugging in the corner ever so slightly like he was trying to fight a smile. “Fuck me,” he muttered under his breath before he bent down to place one arm under my thighs and the other under my shoulders and pulled me to his chest.
My hands automatically wrapped around his neck as I rested my head on his shoulder, yawning.
“I’m tired,” I mumbled against his jacket.
“More like drunk.”
I giggled. “Maybe.”
He laid me down on a cloud that smelled like him. I sighed as I sank into it. “So soft.”
His eyes darkened but averted to my feet. He tugged my shoes off and threw them on the floor, then draped something warm over me.
“Sleep,” he whispered as he stepped away.
I gripped his hand, pulling him to me. “No, don’t leave. I don’t want this dream to end.”
He sighed as he took a seat beside me. The look on his face was unreadable as he stared at me.
My eyelids drooped as I tried to fight the sleep that was waging a war with me but in the end, sleep won.
“Hmm,” I moaned as I snuggled closer to the fluffy silk under my cheek.
“Don’t stop on my account,” thundered a sharp voice.
I blinked, startled as I shot upright. “What?” I mumbled before my eyes landed on a shirtless man lounging back in the armchair with his head propped in his fist, watching me.
I licked my lips as I blinked again. “Jay,” I muttered, confused. My head felt like a dozen men were pounding their sledgehammer inside it.
He ran a long finger along his eyebrow, his face in an impassive mask. “Do you make it a habit to end up with strange men in dark alleyways?”
I frowned. “What are you talkin…” The memories of last night flashed back to me. The Box. Long Island iced teas. Lily. Four foxes. And Marcus.
My eyes almost bugged out of my head as my cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. “It wasn’t a dream.”
“No, it wasn’t,” Jay said flatly.
Fuck, Evy, way to screw things up.
I swallowed the nerves trying to rise their way up my throat and strangle me. His gaze was still locked on mine, peering at me like an owl perched on a tree. It only made my hands clammy with sweat.
And after what felt like the longest minute, with my pulse pounding in my ears, he spoke.
“I asked you a question,” Jay drawled out.
I shook my head, averting my gaze. The events of last night came to me in a clear picture, the mortification only escalating further. I had to get out of here.
I slowly wiggled my feet out from the covers. Thank God, I was wearing stockings that hid the ugly scars marring the skin on my knee.
I kept my head low as I scrambled out of the bed. My leg was killing me, but I powered through, fumbling as I searched for my shoes which were right next to him. Fuckity fuckity fuck. God loved me.
I dragged my eyes to him and gave him a jittery smile.
He nodded. “Go ahead.”
My wobbly feet made my way up to him. Just as I slipped on my shoes, my clumsy self faltered, and having no support, I lost my balance.
“Fuck,” he groaned, gripping my waist, catching me from imminent fall, and I ended up sprawling on his lap instead.
My heart thudded in my chest, begging to jump out as he peered at me with his gorgeous blue eyes. We were just a whisper away. Slowly, his pointer finger hooked on my chin, pulling me so close to him that I could feel his breath on my skin. The warmth from his bare skin burned through my dress.
“Don’t make me find you in an alley with another fucker, sweetheart. You won’t like the man I’ll become then,” he whispered against my lips.
My eyes widened as all the air left my lungs. I nodded. The tension in the air was unaliving me.
“Good, now leave.” And with that, he pulled back.
I scurried out of his lap like I was on fire and ran out the door without looking back.
I swear that man made butterflies flutter inside my stomach and at the same time had the capacity to punch a hole through my heart.
“Evy, I’m so sorry! Please forgive me!” Gabe cried out, hugging me from the side. “If I knew Marcus was a creep, I wouldn’t have left you with him!”
“No, I’m not forgiving you so fast. You need to grovel more.”
Gabe pouted, faking a wide-eyed, innocent look. “But I even painted your toenails pink.”
“Not enough.” I folded my arms and huffed out a breath.
“She’s right, you know. You need to grovel more for leaving her alone. If it wasn’t for my brother, he could have taken advantage of her,” Lily called out from the floor, where she was currently playing with Strawberry.
Guilt set in as I looked at her, my poor baby. I left her all alone last night. Thankfully, I filled her food bowl before leaving.
Gabe moaned, “But look on the bright side. J.J. showed up to save you, and you got to spend more time with him.”
“Actually, that’s one more reason I’m super mad at you. Do you know how much I embarrassed myself?” I groaned, slapping a hand across my face. “I was lying on the basement floor, Gabe! The basement floor!!”
“I’m pretty sure Emmie thought it was cute, Evy.” Lily smiled.
“I’m sure he thought anything but that.”
Gabe hugged me tighter, rocking me. “Evy, please don’t be mad. I hate it when you’re mad at me,” he said softly.
“Fine.” I relented but held up a finger. “Only if you paint my fingernails too and buy me food.”
“Duh.” He grinned.
“Mine too,” Lily exclaimed. “But I want black.”
I rolled my eyes. “Why is that not surprising?”
“I never say anything about your obsession with pink. And black is like the coolest color ever!”
I laughed. That was kind of true.
Gabe painstakingly painted both our nails to perfection. And brought us the best Mexican food ever. We all huddled up watching 10 Things I Hate About You while we bitched about boys and cried like sappy fools. Strawberry had the time of her life, taking turns getting cuddles from all of us.
Lily stayed over at mine while Gabe left because he had an early shift.
“Do you still love my brother, Evy?” she asked as I was setting up her blankets on the couch.
My entire body froze at that question, but the answer was easy.
I smiled softly as I looked into her eyes. “Some part of me always will, Lily, but we’re as good as done now.”
She nodded. “I don’t know if it’s ever possible, but I’m rooting for you and my brother to get back together. But, Evy, break his heart again, and I’ll never forgive you.”
I sighed internally.
That night, I lay wide awake, staring at the plain white ceiling as I pulled my pink bunny sheets closer to me. I kept thinking about what Lily said to me, the barest possibility that Jay and I could get back together.
I knew that it was impossible.
She didn’t know that a great deal of damage had been done to our relationship. Like a forest fire, we had burned it to the ground.
There was no coming back from that.
Not after the way he treated me the other day.
I hated him for that. My Jay would’ve never done that.
He was gone.
We were a lost cause.