Ellie
Darryl scoots closer, and I shuffle away. This was a bad idea, a terrible idea. I’ve gone from having a teenage crush on a guy my age to having a full-on obsession with a guy almost old enough to be my father. Now, each time Darryl says any snarky innuendos or accidentally touches me, I feel like my skin is crawling with a thousand insects and am desperate to brush the sensation away.
When he followed me upstairs after school, I was shocked, but he pointed at my desk and suggested we study there while listening to music. I decided against changing, as there was no way I was getting undressed with him in my bedroom.
His overly affectionate gestures made me second-guess us being in my bedroom, and being alone with him sent bubbles of anxiety through me. I glance at my phone, unsure of whether to ask Jade to come over, but knowing how protective Tommy is of her, that would only cause problems in their relationship, and my friend’s happiness is more important than my silly agreement to house a study session at my house.
“You’re really pretty, Ellie,” he breathes too close to my ear.
Oh shit.
My cheeks heat, and I attempt to shrug off his comment. “Thanks. So back to question four. This student is really struggling with the understanding of Shakespeare’s heart tragedies. Maybe we should hold an additional class for students that will take Shakespeare next year. Let’s face it, they’re already at a disadvantage, and throw in Shakespeare, I can appreciate the confusion.” I smile awkwardly when Darryl sits with his head resting on his elbow, staring at me with a love-struck expression I hadn’t recognized before now.
“You know I tried to make you jealous, with Jade, I mean.”
I roll my eyes. Darryl has always been flirty and tried to screw every girl within a mile radius of him, so the fact he lusted after my best friend is really no surprise. “It’s true. I’ve always liked you, Ellie.” He sits forward, and my mind goes blank at how to divert his attention. The next thing I know, his lips smack mine. Like an idiot, I sit unresponsive, my brain and body not computing what’s happening, and when he tries to coax my mouth open with his tongue, I raise my hand to push him away, but an almighty roar has me jerking back.
Rafael appears from nowhere, grips Darryl by his hair, and slams his face into my desk. Blood splatters over our schoolwork, and I jump up.
Fury flows from him, anger like no other. I’ve never seen anyone so out of control, so feral.
I beg him to stop, tugging on his shirt. “Please, stop. Rafael, stop!”
My eyes swim with tears, and my bottom lip quivers. I hold up my hand. “Please listen, Rafael.”
He throws Darryl to the floor. Blood flows down his face, his good looks tarnished by his disjointed nose and swollen cheekbones.
Rafael pulls out a gun, and my heart plummets, my entire body shakes, and my legs feel like they will give out.
This is the pool scene happening all over again, and it’s too much to bear.
The way his dark eyes are trained on Darryl and the way he’s blocked me out leave me no choice but to try any tactic. I step in front of the gun. “You can’t kill him,” I sob, unable to get him to listen. “He’s the police commissioner’s son!” The thought of Rafael going to prison for me causes my heart to skip a beat. Oliver would lose his father too, and I know too well what it’s like to feel abandoned.
Rafael turns to face me. His nostrils flare and his finger twitches on the trigger while my body remains consumed by panic. Our gazes remain locked and my heart beats faster under his scrutiny.
“He’s the police commissioner’s son. Please don’t kill him. You’ll be in trouble, Rafael.” Fresh tears flow down my face at the enormity of the situation.
“Did you fuck him?” he spits out in anger.
I stumble back.
“Did you fuck him?” he roars louder.
“Of course not!”
He scoffs. “You just had your tongue in his filthy fucking mouth, Ellie.” The hurt in his tone is clear. Even laced with venom, I don’t miss it. Pain flashes over his eyes before he covers it, his Mafia mask slipping into place.
This is his way of lashing out because he is hurting. He caught Darryl and me kissing, and he thought I was into it. “He kissed me, and I swear, he only just did it, then you...”
“You’re my little doll,” he whispers, and my heart crumbles. The pain behind his tone has me wanting to comfort him, to remind him I am his.
I step closer to him and press my palm to his arm. This time, he lowers the gun, and relief floods me.
Staring into his dark eyes, I palm his cheek, delighting in the way he turns into me.
“You possess me,” he whispers so low I almost miss it.
Rafael may think I possess him, but he possesses me too.