24. Chapter Twenty Four
I blow out a breath as I watch Dawson walk around the corner leaving the five of us stunned. My heart skinks. I thought we had come to some kind of agreement. An understanding of sorts.
My place in the Thunderbirds isn’t optional. I thought he was coming to understand that, even if he doesn’t like it, but I was wrong. I know Dacre, Sonny, Nicky and Pike don’t like it; but unlike their idiotic friend, they would prefer to stand beside me and win me back.
I berate myself for letting Dawson have his way with me, especially after preaching to myself all day about how I wouldn’t let him, or any of them for that matter, back in. I build back up the fallen wall around my heart slowly after yet again, allowing him to break me.
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
I look at Pike who is looking at me with a solemn expression, like he already knows exactly what I’m feeling. He walks over to me and collects me in his embrace.
I take a deep breath in of his cologne. That manly scent of his filling my nostrils. I don’t even mind that he has been sweating. I need his comfort right now. I should refuse it, push him away. I haven’t forgotten the way he hurt me too but if he stands by his words, I will be selfish and take what he is giving.
I know that I can’t stay mad at Pike forever. The first of my men.
That day on the beach lives in my head rent free. I’ll never forget the feeling of seeing his face for the first time. The concern that was etched into his features that seems to be perfectly replicated on his face right now as he takes a step back to look at me. He keeps a hold of my shoulders as he looks at me intently.
“Are you okay, Princess?” His voice is soft as his hands run over my shoulders in a comforting way.
I give him a small nod, “I will be. I don’t know why I expected anything better from him. He is never going to be okay with me being here. I can’t just leave. I have my brother back…” I swallow, fighting the tears that threaten to fall. Pike brings his hand up and cups my cheek. I know he means to be supportive but it makes fighting the emotion even more difficult.
I look up at Pike, “I have my Dad back. I have you back.” I then look at Sonny, Nicky and Dacre, “I have you all back. How could I let that go now just because he’s scared?”
Pike steps closer to me, our bodies touching in so many places that I can’t help the hitch in my breathing. His hand stays firmly on my cheek. His thumb slowly caresses me.
“He is a fucking fool. I have regretted every single day of the last nine months. I have tortured myself day in and day out looking at the photos of us. You have consumed my every waking thought.” I watch as he swallows, he gives a slight shake of his head, “I fucked up, Princess. We fucked up. Walking away from you was–is–my biggest regret. It has always been you.”
The tears that have been threatening me finally fall. Pike catches them with his thumb, instantly rubbing them away.
“I’ve got a lot to make up for. I hurt the most precious thing to ever walk into my life. I promise you I will crawl to the ends of the earth to make it up to you. You are my life. You are every breath I take. My salvation. My bright light in the darkness.”
He looks at me intently for a moment. I return the stare. Looking into the eyes of a man who with a precious few words has all but brought me to my knees. Screw sticking it to The Man. At this point I wouldn’t even be able to see The Man if I bumped into him in the street.
“I know you aren’t going to make it easy on us,” Pike chuckles, and I hear Sonny, Dacre and Nicky all chime in with chuckles of their own, “I don’t expect you to either. We deserve to bow at your feet. To accept whatever scraps you give us. You deserve the world, Scarlett.”
Words evade me as I stare up into Pike’s eyes. Those bright blue orbs suck me into their depths. I don’t bother to give a verbal reply. I know he deserves one after the way he spilled his heart out to me but I know if I tried, it would just be a sob.
I bring my hands up, gripping his face and bring his lips to mine. I communicate everything I’m unable to say through words into our kiss. How much I appreciate him seeing me. His understanding of how I feel and not just pushing me away like Dawson. By vowing to fix the hurt he caused .
I let him know just how much he means to me in return. Just how much I have missed his golden smile. Missed his soul which now feels so intertwined with mine, it’s hard to find where I end and he starts.
We eventually break away from each other but Pike doesn’t stray far. Bringing his forehead to fine. He takes a deep breath, one I follow.
“I won't leave you ever again, Princess.”
“Promise?” I whisper, not trusting my voice.
“I promise.” Pike lays another gentle kiss on my lips before pulling away.
I take a step away from him reluctantly, needing space to pull myself together. I turn to look at Nicky who takes a step towards me. I open my mouth to speak but he beats me to it.
“Saturday,” he says, taking the words out of my mouth.
I nod, making him smile.
“Come on, we don’t want to keep Shelly waiting. She may have missed you but she will still give you hell if you're late,” he says with a grimace. My eyes widen, realising just how much time has passed.
“Shit,” I say, looking around at the guys who just nod. Sonny grabs my hand, pulling me down the hallway back towards the now empty training room.
“I’ll drop you off if you like, mi estrella? ”
A shiver runs down my body at the sound of the nickname rolling off his tongue. He notices my reaction but doesn’t comment on it as I mindlessly follow him out of the clubhouse.
Sonny and I fly through the streets of Rydell. He was adamant that I take the helmet instead of him. He muttered something about not wanting to be scrapped off the side of the road from Dacre blasting his brains out. An image that made me cringe at the thought.
He drops me off at Pinks’. When he offers to walk me in I decline, knowing I need a little bit of space to collect myself. I still feel vulnerable and it makes my skin feel itchy. That barrier I spent months reinforcing seems to fracture around these men. While I know I will eventually let them back in, it makes me feel anxious at the thought of just willingly giving them my heart again, or whatever pieces are still left of it. Even the bits and pieces I seem to be giving them even sparingly, set me on edge. I know I shouldn't. I know it's just giving them more of me they could break but I’m apparently a sucker for pain.
He lets out a breath in disappointment, but he nods his head as I hand him back his helmet.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, at school?” he asks, an almost hopeful look in his eye.
I lean down, kissing his cheek slowly before pulling away. Before I even go to answer, a bright smile takes over Sonny’s face.
“Okay, perfect. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I watch as Sonny carelessly throws his helmet on. He revs his bike a few times, watching me before giving me a sly wink and taking off. I shake my head, watching the tail end of him turn a corner.
Pinks’ is dead quiet this time of the afternoon. The only inhabitants are the few bartenders who rush around getting everything ready for opening time and the dancers currently practising on the stage.
It gives me a chance to really take in the establishment. The tables are all clean of glasses and bottles. The entire place is completely lit up from the house lights. If I wasn’t so familiar with the setup from last night, I would feel lost. Compared to the clubs back home, this place is immaculate.
As I take a few steps towards the centre stage, I notice the absence of sticky residue on the ground. Yet another difference between this club and the ones back home. Or is this home now?
Can they both be my home?
Shelly instantly spots me, “Scarlett, baby!” she yells, taking the steps one at a time until she is engulfing me in her embrace.
“Hi, Shelly.” Her arms are locked tight around me so it's nothing more than a wheeze. Eventually she steps back from me but barely as she takes me in.
“My girl, you’re even more beautiful in the daylight. Dacre was nearly senseless when he came home last night. Since he came home from Australia, he has non-stop spoken about this girl he met.” She rolls her eyes as she folds her arms over her chest.
“That little shit was way too ominous about the details too, but last night, it was like this light had come back on in his life,” she chuckles as she looks at me intently, “This whole time, it was you. I know this is forward of me and I shouldn't be sticking my nose in your business but I wouldn’t be his Momma bear if I didn’t tell you this,” My heart skips a beat as Shelly grabs my hands, her eyes feel like they pierce my soul.
“That boy is in love with you. His world was all but destroyed when he thought you had died. My story is for another day but I have been through it. My demons haunt me everyday. But I've been able to handle them. But Dakes?” She blows out a breath and I watch the tears slowly begin to well in her eyes. I can’t help the way my own eyes start to blur.
“That boy of mine wears his heart on his sleeve. His soul has been lost for ten years. I can’t count the amount of times I dreaded coming home at night. The thought of my boy not being here still makes me sick. But now that you are home,” she sighs, letting go of one of my hands as she wipes away a lone tear, “It’s like all of that is gone now. That light is back in his eyes and I know it's all because of you. You have been the star in his dark sky.”
A tear slips out of my eye as I stand there stunned. I knew the depth of Dacre’s love for me. It has been clear to me from the moment he told me he was all in with me. But hearing this from his mother, it feels somehow deeper. I just nod, unable to give a verbal answer. Shelly gives me a sad smile as she reaches up and wipes my face.
“I know what those boys did to you. Dacre was very forthcoming with the details last night.” She gives me a serious look that pulls a chuckle from me. “Give them hell.” She smiles before we both burst out in laughter.
I shake my head, “I didn’t think you would ever tell me to bust your son’s ass for the way he treated me.”
“Are you kidding? I raised that boy better than to ghost women just because of some fragile masculinity bullshit. If he doesn’t treat you like the queen you are, you tell me.” She gives me a pointed look, letting me know just how serious she is.
I nod, before looking over at the stage as a few of the dancers swing around on the poles. My eyes bug out as I watch one of them hang upside down and slowly spin.
“Impressive aren’t they?” Shelly says and I note the hint of pride in her voice.
I nod my head before turning a worried look to the woman standing next to me, “You don’t expect me to dance like that for my initiation?”
Shelly turns to me and laughs at the expression on my face, “God no! Your feet will be staying firmly on the ground.”
I let out a breath I had been holding in. The nerves that had slowly started to creep in diminishing.
“Basically, I want you to pick a song that you feel comfortable dancing to. We will go to the dressing room and you can pick out one of the costumes we have. I’ll let you have a play around with the music and some dance moves over the next couple of days. If you need help to coordinate it, call me or one of the dancers can give you some pointers.”
I nod, songs already coming to me, “How long do I have to prepare?”
I notice Shelly wince as she looks at me, sympathy in her eyes. “Your father called me this morning. He wants your initiation set for Friday night. ”
My eyes bug. Three days? Jesus christ. “Um, okay.”
Shelly gives me a reassuring smile, “It will be fine. You should have seen your Mum dance around the stage during her initiation. She looked like a drunk giraffe. Your father still had stars in his eyes though.” We both laugh as Shelly leads us out the back.
Shelly brings me to one of the rooms that I didn’t get a chance to see last night. The walls are lined with different props and costumes. I stare in wonder as I take in the sight in front of me. It’s like a woman's playground here. Every form of lace and leather in a variety of colours and designs is here.
My eyes instantly meet a black lingerie set on one of the mannequins. The bra is mostly sheer lace with a leather buckle going over the nipples with the thong in the same style. A leather garter adorns the waist of the mannequin leading to sheer stockings. A pair of eight inch studded heels sit just underneath.
I don’t even have to bother looking at any of the other sets. This one is mine.
I walk over to the mannequin, letting my fingers explore the scraps of leather and lace before I turn back to Shelly.
“This one.” I smile.
Shelly chuckles as she walks over to where I’m still admiring the piece. “Those boys are going to regret ever messing with you. ”
A sinister smile takes over my lips. “That was my plan.”
After Shelly and I undress the mannequin, I get dressed in the set. My eyes bug out as I take in my reflection in the mirror of the dressing room. I quickly pull the shoes onto my feet, wobbling slightly as I slowly get used to the height difference. Taking one last look at myself, I grab my phone out of my bag, snapping a few selfies and sending them to the girls back in Australia. They instantly blow up my phone with fire emojis and engagement proposals. I giggle as I tuck my phone away safely. Taking one last look in the mirror, I try to steel myself. Build up the confidence I need to pull back the curtain and do what I need to do.
A month ago I was just a normal girl in a small beachside town in Australia. Now I am standing in front of a mirror, covered in leather in lace in a club in America, ready to learn my initiation dance so I can inch one step closer to taking on my role as the next president of the Thunderbirds.
Straight out of a goddamn movie.
I stand there for a moment longer as I allow my eyes to travel over my body once more. After a moment, I let out a breath before swinging back the curtain and making my way back to Shelly who is waiting for me. Her mouth drops as she takes me in.
She eventually meets my eyes after she has looked over the entire outfit, “Your father is going to kill me,” she laughs, “Let’s get started.”