17. Chapter 17
Chapter 17
Dylan
He stalks towards me and I take a step back, but he doesn’t stop.
He grabs my arms roughly and I scream, causing him to immediately let go.
“What the fuck? I’m not going to hurt you, D.” He yells as I start to shake. God, I missed him, but he doesn’t understand my reaction at being grabbed. I need to tell him, but I’m too scared. I closed off my heart over the last thirty days trying to forget about him and act like he never existed, but the minute he manhandled me and his fucking scent hit my nostrils, everything I worked so hard to accomplish flew right out the window.
“I know, I know, I’m sorry. I just,” I stammer as he walks closer, holding his hands up in surrender. I look away as tears form in my eyes. God, I need to tell him, but does this revelation with Bianca change anything for us? I need an answer now. I can’t continue this game.
“Don’t cry baby. Talk to me.” He pleads, walking closer, but I keep taking steps back. I can’t. I just need a fucking second to think. I’m so scared to tell him, so afraid of his reaction; his rejection. Tears continue to fall down my face as I try to give him what he wants.
“I–I can’t. If I say anything, they will come back and do it again. But I can’t take it anymore!” I yell in frustration. He steps closer, grabbing me, trying to pull me closer, but I brush him off.
“Please don’t touch me, Eas. I just need to get this out and I can’t have you touching me when I say it.” I beg as his face drops and hurt forms on his hardened features.
“Please Eas, just listen, and then you can say what you need to say.” I growl and he nods, walking over to his car and leaning on the hood. Taking a deep breath, I follow, standing in front of him, feeling really fucking vulnerable at the moment. I’m not sure what to do with my hands that are shaking uncontrollably. I shake them out, but it does nothing.
“It’s okay, Hellcat. You can tell me anything, baby.” He says and the tears flow harder because I know, I know he’s right. Out of all the people in this world, Easton is the only person who never judges, and listens with open ears. I take a deep breath and stand closer to him, grabbing his hand as an anchor. His eyes meet mine and I release a shaky breath.
“Last month, when I told you I had my period and wanted to be alone, I lied.” I say as his hold on my hand tightens. He hates being lied to. He finally relaxes his hold, but his eyes never leave mine.
“I was drugged, raped and beaten. Something about Fatal being responsible, and if I said anything, they would do it again.” I sob as tears pour down my face. I take another deep breath, already on the brink of crumbling. This is the first time acknowledging what happened to me, of having it buried deep in that suitcase, not wanting to deal with the mess the situation left behind.
Centering myself, I continue, “Not only will they come back, but they will force Benny to watch as they kill our mother,” my voice cracks and I feel it in my chest. I can’t hold it together any longer. He grabs me, pulling me into his embrace, and I break. My knees buckle, but strong arms tighten around me, never letting me hit the ground.
“I’m sorry, baby. I’m so fucking sorry that happened! You didn’t deserve any of it.” He whispers as I sob into his chest. I inhale his scent of cigarettes and cedarwood. This man can turn me feral just by the smell of him alone. He lifts my chin to look up at him as he licks his lips.
“I need a name, Hellcat. Do you know who did that to you? Are these the same people who left bruises all over your perfect body? The same ones who fucked with your car?” He snarls as anger flashes across his face.
“Yes, I’m pretty sure it was Garrett, Bryce and George from the swim team, but I can’t be positive. I heard their voices, but I never got to see anyone. I know there were five or six men there. The drugs disoriented my vision, amongst other things.” I hiccup, putting my face in my hands. I feel his lips kiss my head as he inhales deeply.
“Look at me D, I need your eyes, Hellcat.” He whispers, placing his pointer finger under my chin and lifting so my eyes meet his.
“Kiss me, or I’m going to leave and hunt these mother fuckers down and end up in jail for the rest of my life,” he breathes, only inches away from my lips. Taking a deep breath, I inch closer and kiss him tenderly. The moment our lips meet, the stars in the sky burst and my heart seizes.
He brings my body closer between his legs, wrapping his arms around my waist tightly as he deepens the kiss, slowly pushing his tongue into my waiting mouth, twirling it with mine. He takes every last morsel of air as he kisses me like he needs to consume me. Tears stream down my face because it’s too much. There’s so much emotion and so many feelings in this one soul-binding kiss.
I don’t ever want to stop. I want to stay here like this forever and give him everything he needs. We share each other's oxygen until there’s nothing left. He pulls away first, breathing heavily as he cups my face. I lean into his touch. I fucking missed him.
“Tell me what happened, from the beginning.” He breathes, but I shake my head. I don’t want to ruin this bubble we are in. That shit can wait. I need answers from him first. It’s fucking now or never.
“No Eas. We can talk about that shit at any time. I need answers from you.” I say sternly as he narrows his eyes at me. Taking a step back he growls and pulls me closer.
“Tonight is not the night for games babe. I’m seconds away from snapping. I’ve been on edge all month because of you.” He growls, and I raise a brow, tilting my head at him.
“Don’t give me a fucking attitude. Not tonight. Tomorrow maybe, but tonight, we need to say everything that was left unsaid because I cannot leave here not knowing what the fuck this is.” He spits. He’s right, we need to lay this out on the table. Taking a deep breath, I run my hands through his curly black hair and look into his chocolate brown eyes. This could be it, he could reject me and then I’m stuck in a loveless relationship with a prick I’m starting to hate.
“Spit it out Hellcat, my patience is wearing thin.” He chides.
“Are you with Bianca?” I ask and he laughs, shaking his head.
“No! Are you still with Carter?” He asks through gritted teeth, and this time I laugh while running my hand down his clenched jaw.
“That depends.” I smile and he smirks.
“On what, Hellcat?” His hands run down my back and over my ass, giving it a squeeze.
“On your answer to my next question.” I laugh, and he smacks my ass, making me yelp.
“I can’t play these games anymore. I care about you too fucking much to continue without knowing I have you. So either you take what you want or we walk away from one another.” I say with as much confidence as I can muster, bracing myself for the rejection.
“It’s not that easy, Dylan. There’s a lot more to it!” He says, shaking his head. I take a step back, and he lets me, which gives me all the answers I need.
“I’ll call someone for a ride.” I say, turning my back to him as I walk towards the road. My heart shatters yet again, leaving pieces to my soul with the same person who cracked it the first time. I can’t help the tears that trickle down my cheeks. I shouldn’t have said anything. How can I be so stupid? I’m so far gone in my head I don’t notice when he spins me around, wraps his hands around my throat,and fuzes his lips to mine. He squeezes so tightly, like he’s waging a war within himself. Relaxing into the kiss, he releases his grip on my throat and picks me up by the backs of my thighs causing me to wrap my legs around his waist and walks us back to the car.
“I can’t let you walk away again. I won’t fucking survive. You’re on my mind day and night. I need to see your eyes daily. But most of all, I just need you. Every fucking day. Can that be enough?” He pleads, his eyes filled with hurt and hope as he holds my face with both of his hands. He holds my stare, but I shake my head. I wish it was enough.
“No. I don’t want to be your dirty little secret. I want more, Eas, so much more.” I whisper, looking into his sad eyes. I know that look. It’s the look of defeat, I’ve just never seen it on his face. Tears pour down my face, dripping from his hands, but I don’t care. This hurts to the core.
“B–but it’s all I can offer right now. Please D, don’t walk away from this.” He stammers as tears continue to fall. I remove his hands from my face. I don’t want to let him go.
“I have to, it hurts too much to stay like this. I’m sorry, but this is goodbye, Easton.” I confess as I swallow the lump in my throat. The words feel like acid as they leave my mouth. Why can’t this just be simple?
Lightning cracks through the sky as thunder starts to rumble in the distance. We stand there, unmoving, for a few minutes as rain drizzles down onto us. I wipe my tears and he takes a step back, spinning and looking up at the sky. I go to hop off the hood to start my long walk home but he spins back to me, his eyes wide and wild..
“Eas, don’t. We tried. We are just not meant to be, not in this lifetime.” I hiccup, my breath caught in my throat.
“Fuck that. You’re fucking mine. You always have been, and you always will be. Fuck it. Fuck it all!” He snaps, wrapping me up in his arms.
“Wait, what are you saying?” I ask. His mouth is on mine before I can react, as he sucks my bottom lip into his mouth, pulling it with a pop. He cups my face, looking deep into my eyes. Lightning cracks again above us, and the rain gets heavier as it crashes down.
“What I’m saying, Hellcat, is that I fucking love you. You consume me just as much as I yearn daily to consume you, Dylan.” He confesses, placing a tender kiss on my lips as the rain pelts over us. I'm unsure if it’s the tears that soak my face, or the rain, but I don’t care. Easton loves me?
“You-yy-you love me?” I ask hesitantly and he smiles so fucking bright.
“I do, Hellcat, more than you will ever fucking know. Now gimme those lips.” He doesn’t give me a second to reply before he’s sucking my face into his and ripping my tank top right down the middle.
“Jesus, Eas.” I pant as he shoves his face into my cleavage.
“I wish I had more time tonight to ravish you, properly.” He growls as he licks the drops of rain up my neck, causing me to shiver.
“You’re right, I do wish we had more time. Speaking of which. What time is it? Don’t you have somewhere to be tonight?” I ask and he freezes for a split second, his head snapping up at me.
“How do you know about that?” he asks with curiosity written on his faceas he kisses my jaw. Jesus, he’s so fucking distracting.
“I overheard Benny on the phone with you the other night. You idiots talk so loud.” I laugh and he nips my ear.
“Well, when I get back from the job, I want you in my bed, waiting for me. In nothing but that teal thong.” He growls, grabbing my ass.
“I think that can be arranged, Daddy.” I purr against his lips as he pulls me tighter against him.
“Don’t start, Hellcat. I need to get you back to The Den before I’m late. But after, you’re mine, baby.” He says through gritted teeth as I caress his taut jawline. I nod, giving him a quick peck before sliding from his grasp and hopping off the car.
“Let’s go babe.” I wink. He smirks as he adjusts himself, walking over to the driver’s side and getting in the car.
“Before we leave here, I need you to come back to me. I’m not stupid, I know the shit you guys are involved in. So please come back in one piece.” I plead and he looks at me with that million dollar smile.
“Nothing would stop me from finding my way back to you.” He leans over and presses a kiss to my forehead, starts the car, and takes off into the night.
I hope we know what we are doing.