Twenty-One
SCARLETT
W e head over to the right side of the private beach, on the opposite side of where I’m sure the party is in full swing now, an eerie silence flowing through the air.
I sent Jade a text when we left letting her know that Drake and I were going to skip the party tonight to hang out and talk. Like I imagined, she texts back a winking emoji along with the eggplant. I can’t help but chuckle when I open her text and Drake looks up to me at my laugh.
“Anything you wanna share?” he says sternly, and it pisses me off that he’s assuming it’s Ace. I roll my eyes and turn my head staring toward the vast ocean before us.
We choose a spot on the sand, closest to the water and sit. It’s gotten windier since earlier, so I cross my arms to try and warm up. Drake turns his head to me and notices I’ve gotten cold, so he slips off his black hoodie, exposing the silky skin of his tattooed abdomen under his black t-shirt. I bite my lip as he pulls it over his head, handing it to me as I slip off my jean jacket.
I slip into his hoodie and lay my jacket on the sand beside me before turning to face him. I find he’s staring off into the night sky looking toward the ocean that looks almost black except for the small gleam of the crescent moon. He doesn’t ask again, doesn’t pressure me to talk right away but I need to let it out.
“As you know, a little over three years ago, the day Jade and I first got to the foster house, a bunch of Hillcrest police officers and a detective barged into our house early in the morning. They were looking for Lilith, my mom, and Chaz, Jade’s dad. We knew they weren’t home because we had been looking for them too.”
He continues to stare forward nodding slightly at my words but not making eye contact. He knows I don’t open up easily and I think this is his way of giving me the space to do it at my pace.
“The detective in charge told us they were primary suspects of three armed robberies and the murder of the Hillcrest Hills mayor. We swore we didn’t know where they were and shortly after a child services agent came to take us. But not before the detective interrogated us and made us, made me, feel terrified and uncomfortable.” I swallow hard before my next words. “The detective was Agent Servite,” I say, and he turns to me immediately. I can see he didn’t expect me to say that.
“I swear, Scarlett, if he did anything,” he says, a raging anger clouding his covered eyes.
“Nothing more than scare the shit out of me and threaten that I’d pay for my mother’s crimes if they didn’t find her.”
He stares angrily, confused at my words.
“I hadn’t seen him or heard from him since that day until he showed up at the Grayson’s with the Headmaster, the day they kicked us out. But he looked at me the same way he had that first day. A mixture of lust and hate, anger. I can’t describe it, but he made me feel dirty, guilty like I had something to hide. The day we arrived at the academy, when he pulled me aside, he asked if I’d had any contact with my mother. Apparently, she’s fallen off the face of the earth. He pulled me aside and whispered some dirty, crass things to me that proved there’s more to the reason we’re here. That I’m here. He knows my mother. He knows her more than I thought he did. He knows her intimately.”
He reaches out to me. “Scar, you should have told me.”
“I didn’t even tell Jade. Not until last weekend when,” I stop and turn away from him.
Drake reaches over to me, picking me up and pulling me into his lap. He uses his right hand to cup my chin and turn it towards him as his left arm wraps around my waist as he brings my lips to his once more whispering against them.
“Scarlett, you can tell me anything, you know that, right? I won’t blame you, won’t judge you. You were right the other day. You don’t owe me anything.”
I reach for his lips at his words and lose myself in the kiss. It’s intense, passionate, volatile. His lips fit perfectly in mine as they caress each other in a sensual dance. I bring my hands to his shoulders, gripping them and deepening the kiss, moving myself to straddle him. My legs now over his allow me to feel his thickness rubbing against me.
Drake groans into my mouth at our contact only making me move faster against him. He wraps his hand around my waist, moving it up my back and back down again landing on my ass. I’m so vulnerable, so exposed. I pull away slightly, the two of us gasping for air. I look in his dark green eyes and see a look of distress. He needs me to make him feel like he’s the only one for me. To make him feel needed. Wanted. I need to give him this.
“My loyal dragon, my fierce protector. If only you knew what I did, you wouldn’t look at me the same way. Kiss me the same way. Like you need me to survive.”
“Scar, anything you did. I don’t care. I’m not a saint in all of this, never have been, never claimed to be. Just tell me what happened, that’s all I ask. It can’t be worse than what I imagine. ”
“That night after the Saint and Sinners party, I didn’t text you I wasn’t feeling okay. It was him. Ace. He hacked my phone. He’s done it before. I don’t know how, but I went out to meet you and he was there instead.”
I decide to skip the details of him drugging me and tying me to a chair. I know that would make Drake furious and I don’t want him to do something that can get him kicked out of the academy or worse.
“He took me into the beach house and his uncle was there waiting. Agent Servite. Jade somehow followed me and when she got there, Servite made me tell her everything. I hadn’t said anything because I didn’t want her to worry. Just before we left, he talked to me alone and told me I had to help him get in contact with my mom or…”
“Or what, Scar?” he asks angrily, his eyes flaring as he lets out a sharp breath.
“He threatened you guys, all of you. Said that he’d find a way to get you guys kicked out. I can’t risk that. You don’t deserve to be put in danger because of me.”
“Scar, come on. When have we ever cared what happens to us? You can’t work with him, he’s dangerous, and an asshole and fucking creepy as hell. He wants you. I can see it in his eyes when he looks at you, the same way Ace does.”
“That same night, as I was leaving, Ace…”
“Don’t,” he says, interrupting me. “You don’t have to tell me. I know I said I wanted to know, but I don’t think I do. Just tell me, have you and he…?”
“It was just a kiss, Dragon Man. You’re still the only one,” I say, and he grins wide. I punch his arm and he laughs, looking like a kid who just found out they can have candy.
“Ouch, Scar, that hurt.”
“Take that smug grin off your face, Dragon.”
“I can’t help it, Scar. I’m glad he hasn’t touched you, touched what’s mine. ”
“I warned you about saying that, Dragon. We were right before to not jump into anything. This thing between us won’t end well. We’re reckless together.”
“But it’s true, Scar, you’re mine. Always will be no matter what and so what if it doesn’t end well, so what if it ends today, next week, or years from now? You are my best friend, my family. No matter what. But right now, you’re mine. And I plan to take advantage of that for as long as I can.”
He pulls me toward him and kisses me again. His arms wrap around my waist inside his hoodie. His hands move up slowly as he tugs on the sweater pulling it over my head. It’s still cold out but our body heat is heating my core, setting me ablaze. I reach over to him, down to his waist and pull his shirt over his head as well.
Once it’s off, I push him down and his back slams against the sand. He lets out a small grunt followed by a wicked grin as he bites his lip. I place my hands on the sand beside his head and stare into his lust filled eyes. They’re dark green and full of desire, full of need. He needs this, needs us to be together. I’ve always known Drake to hide his past and issues from the world but with me he’s always been himself. He needs to show me he’s all in. He needs me to show him I’m his.
“You ready for me?” I say, smirking back at him, and the sexiest grin appears on his face.
“Ride me, baby. Ride your dragon,” he says, and I lose it.
I reach down to unbutton his jeans as he quickly reaches to undo mine, our fingers moving at lightning speed. I stand up slightly to pull my jeans down my legs kicking them off beside him and he does the same to his, pulling them down below his ass. This reminds me of our first time, which was also on the beach back home.
I was nervous, as was he, both not knowing what to expect. He was my first, but I also was his. We took it nice and slow our first time, not wanting to rush the moment, rush the feeling. But unlike that first time, the crazed look in his eyes makes my heart rate accelerate beyond relief. I need him, and I need him now. I look down as his dick springs free of his boxers, hard and ready for me. I run my tongue along my bottom lip as I bend down and lick the tip of his cock and he growls causing me to laugh.
“Scar, fuck, I need to be inside you,” he mumbles, his head falling back onto the sand.
“So eager, Dragon Man,” I whisper.
He looks up at me and fuck if it doesn’t make me wet. The way he looks at me is enough to make me come here and now without the slightest touch of his hands. I’m ready for him.
I position myself above him lining his dick up with my entrance as I lower myself down slowly. I can feel him stretching me as I take him in deeper. I got on birth control shortly after Drake and I slept together for the first time. Mrs. Grayson took me to the local clinic after she walked in on Jade and I talking about it once. She knew she couldn’t forbid us from having sex, but she wanted to make sure we were careful and didn’t end up doing something we’d later regret. Pregnant at seventeen like my mother was high on my to-don’t-list.
I increase my speed, moving faster against him as he reaches up cupping my breasts in his hands, squeezing my nipples already bringing me close to my climax. He moves his hips forward meeting me with every thrust.
“Fuck, Scar,” he says as he quickly flips us around, crashing my back into the sand as he lowers his body above me.
“Keep going, Dragon. Fuck faster,” I moan, curving my back off the sand as he continues to drive into me over and over, until my core contracts around him.
“Fuck,” he groans, and he’s right there with me. He kisses me softly pulling me onto him as he lies back, and for some inexplicable reason this feels like a goodbye. Bittersweet.
My cheek is resting against him, listening to the steady rise and fall of his chest, the thumping of his heartbeat. And this feels like all I should need. My loyal companion here for me, not judging me or turning his back on me after the things I’ve done to deserve it. He’s still here, making me feel like I’m the only thing that matters to him. And here I am saying I’ll give him the one and only thing I know I can never give.
Myself.
I’m too jaded to put my trust and love into another. I gave it all to the one person who was never supposed to take it for granted. A mother’s love is supposed to be like no other. But mine, well let’s say I’m better off. How can I trust he won’t do the same? That he’ll be able to value it, safeguard it. No, it’s better off locked away deep inside of me with no key to unlock it. A seal proof safe, not even the most wicked of thieves could crack.
We lay together on the sand for what feels like hours. It isn’t till about 2am when we finally head back to the Dahlia House and say our goodbyes. Instead of slipping my jeans back on I wear Drake’s hoodie like a dress and carry my jacket and jeans in my hand. Back at the girls’ house he kisses me goodnight before heading back over to Astor House. I quietly sneak back into our quarter and into my room without being seen. Grabbing a pair of shorts and a white tee, I head over to the bathroom and shoot Jade a quick text letting her know I’m home before jumping in the shower.
About fifteen minutes later, I step back into my room and snuggle under my covers replaying the events of tonight in my mind. My confessions to Drake, how he reacted when he suspected I had slept with Ace, and when he found out I hadn’t. His words echo in my mind.
You’re mine. Always will be no matter what… And I plan to take advantage of that for as long as I can.
It’s almost as if he knows there will be an end. And that it’s soon approaching.
I shake the negative thoughts out of my head as I grab my phone off of the night table beside me. It suddenly goes off notifying me I have an unread text. I open it quickly expecting a message from Drake since I asked him to text me, letting me know when he got back to the Astor House, but I find the same unknown number from before.
Ace. I really ought to save it.
9146662114: You didn’t show tonight. That wasn’t smart.
I shake my head and decide not to reply when another message comes in.
Horseman: Don’t ignore me again. You know how that will end, Red.
Me: Didn’t feel like going to another one of your little parties. I’ve had enough of them. Besides, I had something better to do. Well, someone better.
Let’s see if he still thinks I’m to be messed with.
Horseman: Careful Red you’re playing with fire. I’d hate to see you get burned.
Me: You see that’s the thing you don’t know about me Ace. I need the fire. I crave the burn.
Horseman: Don’t test me Red. I will bring you to your knees and make you beg for the flames of my inferno to consume you.
Me: You don’t scare me Ace. I’ve been to hell and walked out without a scratch.
Horseman: Don’t confuse the two. This is hell on earth baby, and the devils here, they’re nothing like the fallen angels under Lucifer’s command.
His warning makes a cold shiver run through me and I decide not to reply, throwing my phone on my bed and turning to face the window of my room. A light shining bright from the outside Illuminates my room. I close my eyes, but sleep takes too long to come. I can’t help feeling that after all, Ace is right about one thing. This is my hell on earth. The only question is, will I survive it, or will the flames of my enemies consume me?
My very own personal hellfire.