11. Chapter 11
Chapter 11
Britt
M y head was throbbing. It felt as if an anvil fell on my head. It also crushed my hopes and dreams of dance rehearsal today. What the hell did I drink that had me this hungover? I was never hungover. I didn’t even have more than two drinks. I groaned, turning over and seeing a coffee and some Tylenol on my nightstand. Krista was a saint. The light filling the room felt like hellfire to my eyes. I shut them briefly, pulling the blanket over my head to snuff some of the brightness out. I grabbed the Tylenol and swallowed it without water, needing this headache to disappear quickly. Pain made for one angry little Britt, and trust me, no one wanted that. I heard a shuffle on the floor next to my bed, and army crawled over the edge to see precious little Krista asleep there. “What the hell?” if she was passed out on a makeshift bed on my floor, then who set up this hangover station? Where was my phone? I felt around for it and came up empty-handed. It was then that the red flags were raised. My hangover had me groggy and slow, which was precisely why I didn’t drink more than two drinks. I sat up, and chills washed over my body at the sight of Derek in my doorway.
“I could have killed you,” I whisper yelled. I didn’t want to wake my best friend up.
“Right!” replied.
“You couldn’t even walk when Ryder brought y’all home.”
“What now?” I asked
“Yeah, he called me around two am saying he went to the restroom and saw you two with the bartender but that he had never seen either of you that drunk.
“Impossible,” I said back.
“Very possible because it happened; I even got the club footage to show you because I knew you wouldn’t believe it unless you saw it for yourself.”
I think I was blushing because even though we are clearly both insane, that was so sweet of him to know and do for me.
“So anyway, I watched the bartender get a call, and then he spiked both of your drinks. I don’t know who he spoke to, and I don’t know why,” I interrupted him.
“I’m going to fucking kill him,” I spat, yanking the blanket off to get dressed and go do just that; my feet hit the cool tiled floor, and my nipples hardened.
“There is one little problem with that,” he smirked as he eyed my body. My naked body.
“Oh yeah? And what’s that?” I asked, walking to the dresser and pulling on some sweatpants and a T-shirt.
“I already did,” he smiled proudly.
“Why the hell would you do that, caveman? That was my kill; I deserved it. It was me and my best friend he was fucking with”.
“Right, and that’s exactly why.” He responded while walking forward, eating up all the space between us.
“I already told you once, trouble, and don’t make me say it again after this. You are mine, and I am yours. If anyone so much as looks at you as if they want to touch what’s mine, I will cut off any body part that could make contact with yours.” his hand wrapped around my throat gently as he pulled me in for a kiss, only he didn’t kiss me. His bottom lift softly grazed my top one.
“I’m going to claim you, Brittany. You will be mine forever.”
He released my throat and walked out of my room and out of my place—no other words needed.
He was going to claim me. What the hell? Did I even want to be claimed? Did I have a choice? I rushed to the kitchen where two plates of food sat, with a note that said Britt in the most beautiful cursive.
Britt
My little troublemaker, I can’t let my eyes leave you for even a second because when they do, you end up in these situations. I made you and Krista breakfast. Don’t worry, I didn’t touch her. That was all Ryder. Anyway, eat, drink some water, and enjoy your day.
PS Go buy yourself a new outfit; my Amex card is under the Invitation.
Krista, too, the works. Hair, face, nails, all of it. See you soon
Derek
I felt giddy and, in some weird way, safe. Derek was a man, a man I didn’t think still existed. These past couple of years, we had just watched each other. No words were needed. We were just drawn to each other. I think I did want this. I wanted him to claim me. First, I needed to find out who the fuck kept sending someone after me because now it affected Krista, and I couldn’t be at peace with Derek if he constantly had to help me clean up these fucking messes. I would have to visit Lionel to see if he knew anything. Because I was at a fucking loss.
Krista appeared at the doorway of our kitchen and sat at the bar.
“What happened last night?” she wondered, her hands holding her head up. I knew her pain.
“Apparently, we were drugged by the bartender at the club, and some knights had to help us home.”
“Which ones, and how do you know?” She questioned, her eyes lighting up. I knew she was hoping I would say Ryder. She had been crushing on him forever and would love nothing more than to have him be her knight in shining armor. I wasn’t sure. I only knew because Derek’s psycho ass told me.
“Oh,” she mumbled, disappointed. I pushed the plate of food to her, and she smiled, diving into the bacon and egg with chorizo.
“Eat up, and then we have a long day of pampering, thanks to Derek.” She swallowed her food, eyes wide.
“What? Why?” she asked, confused.
I swiped away at the counter. It wasn’t dirty, but I felt I had to keep busy or I would melt into a puddle.
“Umm, well, he is claiming me.” I blurted, staring straight at her this time. She began to cough, choking on the food in her mouth. I rushed over and gave her bottled water, waiting until she caught her breath.
“And you're letting him?”
“I am,” a wide smile spread across my face.
“Are you feeling okay? Are the drugs still affecting your brain?” she stood up, putting her hand on my forehead as if she were checking for a fever.
“That smile is creepy, being that I've never seen you smile over a guy, like ever”
“Yes, you lil bish, I feel fine. Listen, I can’t explain what it is, but every bone in my body never lets me settle, never allows me to feel safe. With Derek, there is this unexplainable comfort I got from knowing he was always watching over me,” I had to be careful how I said things because even though Krista knew some of this life, I shielded her from a lot of it. When she gets claimed one day, if she did, then I would be honest about some of the things I had to do to keep her safe. For now, I was deciding to shield her still.
“With Derek, I feel like I can stop running and fighting. I know he’ll have my back. I don’t know how to explain my sureness, and trust me, it scares me. But, for a couple of years, I've bet on him. He hasn’t let me down yet and especially recently. I feel like he’s the one.” She giggled.
“I know, I know, it’s fucking dumb. Ugh,” I groaned. “I’m so stupid.”
“No, Britt, you aren’t stupid, and it’s not dumb. It’s, “she paused, her finger on her chin as she thought about what to say next, “cute.”
“Fuck me! That’s worse, Krista,” she giggled again, “I in no fucking way want to be associated with the word cute.”
“Well, too bad. Now let’s get ready because after the headache I woke up with, we deserve a day of pampering, and it’s time you find a man that can pay up; well, it’s about time you find a man, period.”
I smacked her ass hard as she headed up the stairs, and she squealed and ran up them faster.
“I’ll have to leave right after I have something I need to take care of alone.”
She looked back at me, her face telling me she knew something was up but didn’t know exactly what. “Are you sure I can def come with you?”
“Nah, I’m good. Trust me, you will be bored out of your mind. Besides, I heard Ryder and a bunch of the Knights are going to be in the square I'll meet you there. What I have to do shouldn’t take long.”
“Okay, I can’t wait to see Ryder. God, he is so freaking hot!” for the next hour, I heard her dote on her crush, and I listened happily. I pulled up my texting app, and I didn’t even know what I was doing or if this was what I should be doing, but I was trying here. I hated this, mostly because I felt vulnerable; everyone knew vulnerability was a weakness. Some part of me, deep down, felt that Derek wouldn’t use my vulnerabilities against me. He made me feel like I was his equal without saying anything. It was a vibe I just knew. Maybe that’s why I had pursued him, hoping he wanted me back. I knew he had to feel it, too, because I knew first-hand he had never been with anyone in a real way ever.
I started typing before my brain could catch up.
Me: hey, caveman, just letting you know…
I typed and erased the message multiple times. I felt so weird checking in. It goes against everything I had been taught, everything I knew.
Suddenly, I see him typing.
Caveman: Go take care of business. You don’t have to tell me every single thing; I know you enough to know you got this. Besides, I’m always watching, so I’ll know if you need me.
Me: Stalker
Caveman: you’re so CUTE
Me: asshole.
Caveman: yeah, but I’m YOUR asshole.
Me: I think I like that.
Caveman: you do.
Caveman: that’s why I’m able to make that pretty pussy glisten
I clenched my thighs together. This man was made just for me. I knew it in my bones.
I typed the words I wasn’t sure I could say.
Me: I want you to claim me.
Caveman: you sure?
Me: Yes, more sure than I've ever been about anything in my life.
Caveman: good to hear. You were made for me trouble.
Me: I know. I’m done fighting it, fighting everything.
Caveman: I got you.
Me: I know that too.
Krista caught me smiling and teased me the whole way to the outlets. We spent the day shopping and pampering ourselves with pedicures and manicures. It didn’t even seem real.