Chapter 10
ten
Elliot Jacobs
Memories
Driving down the windy hill, I make a right and shut off my lights, parking along the river’s edge.
Taking out my phone, I let Terrance know I’m here and waiting, then I pull out a smoke, lighting it, and take a deep inhale.
I reach over to the door and hit the button for the window, rolling it down some.
All you hear is the little waves crashing against the rocks and the wind screaming between the mountains.
It always sounds like screams when it’s too windy.
Or I’m losing it again and it’s just memories I try to forget.
Car lights shine behind me, and I hit the button for the trunk and get out.
Walking towards the trunk, Terrance gets out, fixes his watch, running his hands over his shirt then comes over to me.
“Elliot, how have you been, friend?” he asks, and I want to roll my eyes. Friend is a term I would use loosely with him. He’s not my friend. Hasn’t been since that fatal night right before senior year of high school.
“I’m good. Can’t complain,” I respond as he hands me a wad of cash, and I grab the bag his order’s in.
“Aren’t you going to ask how I’m doing?” he states.
“No, I’m not,” I reply coldly, and he tilts his head, staring at me like I’m beneath him. If it wasn’t for me and the others, he’d be in jail. But no, we protected him, and now, he thinks who the fuck he is.
“I’m disappointed. I thought we were friends? How are the others?” he asks, and I shrug.
“Fine,” I answer, seeming bored of this conversation. I don’t like small talk, and I really fucking hate being down here.
“Well, it was a pleasure doing business with you. See you next time. Friend,” he states with a smirk, then gets back in his car, revs his engine, and peels out of the lot.
I take a deep breath and shut my trunk, then lean against it.
I look up at the starless sky and relight my cigarette.
Taking a puff, I look at the river’s edge and—what the fuck?
No? Am I fucking losing it? I hop over the guardrail and see someone laying in the rocks.
I rub my eyes because I don’t know if my mind is playing tricks on me.
My feet carry me closer, and I take another puff, blowing it out when I see it’s definitely a body. Fuck!
Flicking my cigarette, I take my phone out and put on the flashlight.
Pointing it towards the water, it illuminates the space, and my eyes widen when I see long dark hair matted and spread over the person’s face.
As I get closer, tiny whimpers and cries echo against the rocks.
The water crashing against the earth almost drowns it out.
Her body shivers uncontrollably, and I crouch down and move the soaked hair from her face.
“Ma’am are you—” The ability to form words leaves my brain as I stare at her.
I swallow thickly as my hand trembles. “R-Rowyn?” I stutter, and she whines, saying something I can’t hear because all the blood in my body is rushing to my ears and my brain is in overdrive.
I don’t move. I can’t. This can’t be fucking happening.
Why is she here? How is she here? What the fuck is happening.
“H-help m-me,” she cries out, and for whatever reason, my feet and body respond before my brain does and I roll her over.
She winces and groans, and I put my phone in my pocket then slide my arm under her neck and under her legs and try to lift her soaked, frigid body.
It takes me a few tries because my boots keep sinking into the sand, making me slip.
“I got you, baby. Cuddle into my warmth. We have to get you warm, just not too fast or it will affect your heart,” I whisper, pressing my face against hers.
Her body continues to tremble as I walk back to my car.
Stepping over the guard rail, I open the passenger door and place her in the warm car then run to my side and get in.
“Don’t worry, Rowyn. I’m going to get you back to school.
We will be there soon,” I tell her, then put my car in reverse and spin out of the lot.
Getting onto the backroads, I gun it towards the school, going too fast for the curves on this windy road.
She shifts against the leather, and I look over at her face.
It’s pale and her once pink lips are damn near purple.
What the fuck happened? My hands tighten around the steering wheel and the urge to question her is stifling, but I need her warm first. I don’t need her wasting any energy she has left on speaking.
“A-are we a-almost t-there?” she asks as her teeth chatter.
“Yes. Less than two minutes,” I answer as we pull through the gates and I fly through the parking lot, finding a spot. Putting the car in park, I turn to her, pushing her messy hair out of her face. “Can I bring you to my room?” I ask, and she nods.
Getting out of the car, I round the hood and open her door.
I reach inside and lift her again, then kick my door shut and head for the doors.
Thankfully, it’s late and no one is around.
Walking up the steps, I pull the door open and step inside.
We are immediately engulfed in warmth but she still continues to tremble in my arms. “Almost there, Petal,” I tell her and hit the button for the elevators.
The doors slide open and I step inside, hitting my floor.
“T-thank you,” she whispers, and I squeeze her body tighter. The doors slide open again and I walk down the hall to my room.
“Can you dig into my pocket for my card?” I ask, and her hands slide into my jeans, grazing my cock as she searches for my room card. I clear my throat as she pulls it out and presses it against the reader. It blinks and I pull the lever down, kicking the door open.
“I need to get you warm. The only thing I know will work is to get naked and under the covers together. You need my body heat. The shower will shock your system,” I tell her but she shakes her head.
“Please, Rowyn. I promise not to look,” I reassure her and set her down on her feet.
They wobble and I hold her hip and move us toward my desk.
I grip the bottom of her hoodie and pull it up over her head then throw it across the room.
Next is her t-shirt then bra. Her hands immediately cover her large breast and I want to roll my eyes because they do a shit job of hiding them.
Then, I unbutton her jeans and slide them down her legs along with her green panties.
I bite my lip, wanting so badly to shove my face between her legs but that’s not what she needs from me right now.
I shut my eyes and stand up. “Okay. Go to my bed and get under the covers but close your eyes so I can get naked too. If I can’t see you, then you can’t see me.
” I chuckle, and I feel her step away from me and hear the blankets ruffling.
“Are your eyes closed?” I ask as I take my wet shirt off.
She gasps, and I whip around to look at her.
“Hey. You're cheating. Shut those hazel eyes, Petal,” I scold, and she giggles, shutting them like a good girl.
I take my phone, cigarettes, keys, and money out of my jeans and put them on the desk, then strip off the rest of my clothes and get in the bed under the covers beside her.
“Turn to face me and wrap your body around mine,” I tell her, and she hesitates for a split second but does as she's told.
Wrapping my arms around her, I pull her closer to me, and I have to remind my dick to stay soft. That her cold body that fits so perfectly against me isn’t for right now. I clear my throat and cup her face. “Do you feel any better?” I ask, and she nods.
“Thank you. I don’t usually get naked and lay in a boy’s bed like this. No one sees me this way,” she whispers as I trail my fingers down her spine and over the curve of her ass then back up.
“I don’t either. Not like this. There’s usually moaning involved.” I chuckle and she shakes her head. I move my face closer to hers, letting my nose graze hers. “How did you end up in the river tonight? Was it that guy you were with? Did he hurt you?” I growl, but she shakes her head.
“No, I’m really not sure what happened. I think I was pushed off the cliff,” she says, and my hold tightens on her.
“Pushed? By who?” I ask as tears fall down her face. So, I lean in and lick them away, making her gasp, but I place a soft kiss on both of her eyes then nose, and as I go to press my lips against hers, she speaks.
“I-I’m not sure. I think it was Grayson and Kade,” she accuses, and I still.
“What do you mean?” I ask, and she takes a deep breath.
“I went into the woods with Mike…” she trails off, and I press my lips against hers. She parts her lips and I snake my tongue inside, swirling it with hers. She moans and my cock twitches. Fuck.
“And then? You can tell me,” I assure her, and she licks her lips.
“Kade and Grayson scared him off. Threatened me to not cross the line Grayson made, then they left me there to freeze,” she huffs, and I chuckle.
“Okayyyy… but that still doesn’t explain how you got into the river,” I say, and she rolls her eyes, so I lift my hand and slap her ass, making her squeal.
“Elliot…” she breathes, and my dick twitches again, causing her eyes to widen.
“Pay him no mind and finish the story,” I tell her.
“Well, I guess they came back for me, trying to scare the life out of me, and I ran. And just as I got to the edge of the cliff, I can’t remember if I was pushed or what, but I remember I felt pressure against my shoulders.
It happened so damn fast, I could’ve fallen too,” she says, and I press my lips against hers once more.
It’s one thing to play games with her like they said they were, but trying to murder her is another. Not after what happened years ago. Something just doesn’t add up. I pull away and rest my chin on the top of her head.
As I lay there, I replay the words she said over and over again, and still, something just doesn’t add up.
Soft snores greet my ears and I take a deep breath.
Her body is like a heater and I can’t help but pull her closer.
My eyes begin to drift, but what happened tonight can’t go unpunished and I need to get to the bottom of it.
If it wasn’t Grayson and Kade, who else would’ve been in the woods targeting her?
I never gave anyone permission to fuck with her.
She’s mine to do with as I please. Everyone else will need to wait their fucking turn. That’s if I fucking allow it.