Chapter Twelve
Cassi
“You have to choose or your whole family will die,” Alec says.
I let out an exaggerated sigh. “Alec, I’m sorry but that’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. Why would my whole family die if I don’t choose if I’d rather stick my hand in a hornet’s nest or fight a bear.”
“It’s part of the game,” he insists.
I can’t help but roll my eyes as I line myself up to the dartboard and sink it into a triple twenty. Writing down my mark, I reach for the beer to my left as we continue to play the dumbest version of would you rather in this little dive bar.
“Fine, I’d probably take the hornet’s nest.”
He looks at me like he’s disappointed and shakes his head.
“What! I’m allowed to make my own choice,” I laugh in outrage.
“Well, yeah, but I thought you were going to choose right.”
My eyes bug out of my head. “You want me to fight a bear? A fucking bear?”
He shrugs, his eyes running over me slowly. “You could take him.”
I laugh at his ridiculousness as he begins to chuckle before lining up for his shot. He misses pathetically so and I can’t help but tease him a bit.
“God, is it painful to be losing by this much?”
“I’m slow playing it,” he shrugs as I grab my darts and throw mine.
I get a sixteen, an eighteen and a one. Still doing better than he is.
“You’re no playing it, Alec,” I laugh.
He smiles, pushing his golden blond hair out of his face as he nods.
“Alright, I’ll make you a deal. Sudden death. First person to make a bullseye wins.”
I tilt my head to the side and smirk.
“Oh yeah? And what do I get when I win?”
“Whatever you want,” he says with a shrug.
I think on this for a moment. I mean, this is a high pressure moment. I can’t waste this opportunity.
“Your leather jacket,” I smirk.
He looks down at it in faux outrage.
“Don’t you have enough of my jackets? I’m fairly certain you have enough from high school to make an entire exhibit.”
“I don’t have one since you got…taller,” I say as I look him up and down.
He has gotten taller, and wider, more muscley. His jaw line is sharper, his eyes more observant. Alec was cute in high school, now, he’s fucking hot.
Alec closes the distance between us, taking his time as he lets his words draw out like he has all the time in the world.
“Yeah? Taller? Is that what I’ve gotten, Cass?”
I swallow and nod once, causing him to grin as he comes toe to toe with me. Slipping his hand into my hair, he begins gently playing with it in a way that has my eyes fluttering closed for just a moment.
“Deal, if you win you get my jacket, but if I win…” he pauses, forcing my eyes to open and meet his gaze.
I look to him expectantly and he smiles down at me with a look that is equal parts sweet and spice.
“Then I get to take you home and show you how much I’ve missed you.”
My breath stalls in my chest. I don’t know why it does.
It’s not like Alec and I haven’t slept together a million times.
He took my virginity for fucks sake. He’s only gotten hotter and I’d be a liar if I haven’t been a little curious if he still has that…
touch about him. Maybe even some new moves from the years.
Honestly, there is only one thing holding me back and it’s a pair of deep brown eyes flashing into my head.
I haven’t been with anyone since him. If I sleep with Alec, it almost feels like I’m erasing the memory completely.
Like it never happened, which actually is a good thing, right? Right.
“Okay, deal,” I breathe out with a nod.
Alec’s mouth hooks up in the left corner, delivering a devastatingly delicious smile. He takes advantage of how close we are, pressing his lips to my own before pulling away.
“Ladies first,” he whispers against my mouth.
Butterflies rush through me as I nod and grab a dart, blowing out a breath as I line myself up.
I’m torn on making it or missing on purpose.
This guy doesn’t have a chance in beating me and I am more than curious to find out if we have that spark still.
Then again, I’m extremely competitive and absolutely hate to lose so fuck that. He has to earn it.
Tossing the dart, it spirals in the air for a moment before sinking into the green bullseye.
Not technically a full bullseye but it’s close enough.
I shout in celebration as I begin victory dancing while Alec laughs.
He nods his defeat, slowly peeling off his leather jacket as he wraps it around me.
I take it happily, not so subtly inhaling the musky scent of leather and him.
“Congratulations, so glad to see that you’re still a miserable winner,” he teases.
I grin at that and nod. “I’ll never change, baby!”
His smile lifts even higher. “I hope not.”
Picking up a dart, he keeps his eyes on me and that smile on place as he lines up without looking and sinks his dart straight into the red bullseye. Like directly in the middle. It couldn’t be more in the middle if he fucking tried, and he did it without looking.
My jaw is on the floor as I turn to face him, a shit eating grin donned across his features.
“Are you…you fucking hustled me,” I accuse.
“In my defense it was for a good cause,” he says as his grin turns guilty.
“What’s that? My panties?” I scoff.
“No,” he says as if he’s offended. “What’s under them.”
I smack his arm and he laughs before shaking his head.
“I’m teasing, Cass. You know we don’t have to do anything you’re not comfortable with.”
I let out a dramatic sigh like I’m so inconvenienced as I shake my head.
“I’m a woman of my word. C’mon Alex Thompson, let’s dust off your dick and give you that orgasm you’ve been waiting for since you left me.”
He laughs at that and smiles, grabbing me into his arms as I turn to walk towards my car.
“I have been waiting for this ever since we broke up. You may have not been my last but you’ve always been my first, Cass. You’ve always been here,” he says as he rests a hand over his chest.
I melt, okay? Like into a fucking puddle in the middle of this sticky and dark dive bar. Wouldn’t you? Jesus this guy is good.
“No need to lay it on thick, you’re already getting laid tonight,” I say with a dramatic eyeroll, attempting to cover up the massive melting that is going on over here.
Alec laughs and presses a kiss to my cheek before grabbing his motorcycle helmet and dropping a twenty on the table we were using for a tip as we head out of there.
I follow Alec to his childhood home, though I could have easily led the way. I practically lived here all of high school. Even when my parents thought I was out with Arianna and Naomi, I was always here.
The driveway is empty, though, the house dark.
It’s such a stark contrast from how I remember it.
So full of life and love. I can’t believe his parents are really gone, and his grandmother is on her way as well.
When she’s gone, he will have…no one. My chest aches for him at the idea of that. Of how unfair it all is.
When we park, Alec swings off his bike and comes to my door, opening it for me as I shut the car off. He holds out his hand for me and smiles as he intertwines our fingers.
“We don’t have to sneak you in the back like before.”
I smile at him.
“I mean, I’m not sure I know how to use your front door, but I’ll give it a go.”
Alec laughs as he unlocks the house and turns on a few lights before shutting the door behind me. God, it’s just like I remember it. Perfectly preserved in time.
“Do you want some water or anything? I think I have—”
I rest my finger on his lip to stop his hosting habits as I shake my head.
“A deal is a deal,” I say as I head up the stairs, his leather jacket still wrapped around me.
His heavy feet follow after me quickly as I turn and head for his bedroom. The only new thing in here is that there is a bigger bed, meaning less walking space. Which, honestly is fine because what else do you do inside your bedroom but sleep, really?
Alec steps inside the room behind me, shutting the door as he closes the distance between us, his hands cupping my face tenderly as his breath brushes against my lips.
“I’m giving you an out, Cass. We don’t have to do this.”
I raise an eyebrow as I take a step out of his hold. Steadily, I shrug off his jacket before peeling off my shirt. I unclasp my bra and push down my shorts and panties until I’m standing completely naked.
His eyes roam over me like a man who has been starved, lust completely drowning any color he used to have.
“Does it look like I want an out?” I ask.
Alec practically pounces on me in the next moment.
Our mouths battle for dominance as I fall backwards onto the bed, his body quickly covering mine.
He tears his mouth from my own, peppering my neck with rushed and passion fueled kisses before his teeth nip at the sensitive skin.
I gasp at the feeling and can literally feel his smirk against my neck as he does it again and again, sucking on it as if that will ease the bite.
“You’re gonna give me a fucking hickey,” I moan on a laugh.
He pulls away for a moment, those blue eyes boring into mine as he smirks.
“Good, now there will be no question that you’re mine.”
Alec begins kissing his way down my body before nudging my legs apart.
He makes himself perfectly at home as he tosses my legs over his shoulders and goes face first into my pussy.
He groans in pleasure almost louder than I do.
Almost. Like no time has passed, his tongue eagerly tastes me, swirling and flicking through me as he slips a finger inside.
“Fuck, Alec,” I moan.
“I love my name on your lips,” he mumbles against my clit, sending a rush of pleasure through me.
“More,” I beg, winding my hand through his thick hair.