He gave her an incredible look. “After everything she’s done and I expect she’s not done yet, you want to protect her?”
“No. I’m just saying it’s not right that anyone would be treated like that without their consent and willingness to participate. If that shit happened, they’d look at you Dillon.” She threw her arm out back to where they’d come from. “You just told everyone what would happen. They’d come for you. I’m protecting you you idiot, not her.”
He looked so deeply in her eyes her legs became jelly. So close to her now that his words floated over her face.
“You’re protecting me and don’t know if we’re together?” he whispered.
He looked so intense her heart was in her throat. “I…. don’t know what we are Dillon. I hope we are at least friends now but I’m not on solid ground here. I’ve a lot going on with my medical and stuff, I don’t know what’s even possible.”
They were surrounded by people coming and going, staring right at them while they stood in the middle of the hallway like an island parting the sea. He swooped in and kissed her hungrily. Dominating her mouth. Processing it. Like they were the only two that mattered. Cat calls and whistles made no difference. He seemed to pour everything in him into that kiss. Then pulled back so his lips were still touching hers. She was breathless against him.
“I know I’m not clean. That I bring a lot of shit to your doorstep but unless you don’t want me Sam, I’m in, all in. I’m with you. I told you, we are together, and I meant it.”
Jesus. He was killing it. Did she want this?
“Okay.” She whispered breathlessly.
He pulled back looking a bit surprised. “Okay?”
She nodded and smiled. “Yeah, okay.”
“Don’t go all gushy on me now will ya Brit.” He mocked.
She patted his chest. “No chance of that stud.”
That shit eating grin lit up his face and she was glad to see it. All the hard planes of yesterday and earlier were now gone. She loved the look of this Dillon. This was the man child not the brute he didn’t want to be.
The bell rang and they ran for homeroom lighter for it.
Lunch came around quickly and they spent it together, Trent, Dale and Cosmo joining them. Dillon didn’t hold back in front of his friends. He was open and affectionate just as he had been since first seeing her for who she was. The boys told them they’d not gone to the dugout after what Sam had told them. She’d sniggered and they’d sneered at her but there was no heat in it.
“Thanks Sam, you probably stopped my balls dropping off.” Trent told her.
“Eww. Too much information. But more like a drippy dick that you couldn’t get up.” She told him biting into her apple.
He stared at her aghast, the boys all going for their dicks and checking them through their trousers. Sam laughed and found Dillon laughing with her. She pointed her finger at them.
“Get bloody clinic appointments ASAP.”
Cosmo’s mouth dropped open. “Dillon’s worse than all of us!” Dillon froze. Cosmo frowned he genuinely looked pissed at himself. “Shit, sorry man I didn’t mean it like that, it slipped out.”
“Dillon’s getting checked too.” She told them. “He’s not stupid.” She continuing to eat her apple.
Dale looked at her. “You’re not bothered by what they said yesterday?”
“Shut the fuck up.” Dillon clenched.
Sam put her hand on his arm to calm him. He looked at her and she smiled. He relaxed and cooled down. She turned back to Cosmo.
“It’s a good question and we should talk about it. I’ve got to tell ya, plenty of women would be put off by it, others would be interested because of it. Not necessarily the right kind. Dillon was honest with me before the cheer slut show and tell. And yeah, I didn’t need them throwing it in my face, but I knew already. His reasons for being that person are his own, as are yours. The only thing that’s important to me is that he’s not that person….. with me.”
“You errr…. forgiving all that shit?” Cosmo.
Dillon clenched again. She grabbed his thigh and shrugged. “He doesn’t need my forgiveness Cosmo. He owes me nothing. Just needs to forgive himself and move on.”
Dillon’s arms wrapped around her shoulders pulling her into him kissing her neck. “You’re fucking amazing.”
She smiled up at him. “I mean it Dillon.” He nodded into her shoulder.
“Shit I need to find me one of those.” Dale said. They all looked at him. He was looking at her.
“Not this one.” Dillon told him staring right at him.
Dale put his hands up. “Got any sisters Sam?”
“No sorry but I know several girls who’d like to say hi who aren’t sluts.”
Cosmo elbowed Trent who elbowed Dale. “Yeah?” came in unison.
“Yeah.” She sniggered at their over eagerness and hoped she’d not put her girls in it.
Lunch ended and the afternoon flew by.
Before she knew it, they were all walking to the carpark to go home.
He left her at her bench while she said her goodbyes to Julie, Kim and Laraine having made arrangements for them to see her at lunch the next day to meet Dillon’s boys, much to their excitement, while he headed for his truck. So many people still avoided Dillon, but more and more were brave enough to talk to her. And he still only smiled at her. To the rest of the world he mainly growled and snarled his day away.
He came roaring back with his truck, right up to the curb, got out and sat awhile with her in their bubble as she got her breath back and he played with her hands, kissed her neck, whispered in her ear things that sent blushes to her neck and face. Things she knew she wanted.
“I could just carry you and move this along you know.” He told her nibbling her ear.
“Am I keeping you?”
“No. Just like the idea of having you in my arms, somewhere a little less public.” He wiggled his eyebrows.
She gave him a rueful eye and smiled then he whispered what he’d like to do to her if she was in his arms and she blushed.
“Jesus, is that even possible?” she asked to his laughing.
He was telling her just how possible it was nipping at her ear. She should have been put off by his experience, but she wasn’t. Her body was on fire.
“God you smell so good turned on,” he told her nipping at her lips.
She swotted him. The good humour lasting until another truck pulled up.
Neither of them paying any attention. Until two pairs of astride feet stood in front of them. Dillon looked up before she did. She saw the mask descend and looked at the newcomers. They looked just like him and she knew who they were instantly. His brothers. The bullies and users.
“Da wants to see her.”
“No.”
“Either she comes, or we take her.”
“I said no.” Dillon shot up and stood in front of her making threats if they didn’t back off.
She knew he couldn’t win this. They were both as big as he was and there were two of them. It would be a physical fight he couldn’t win. He’d get hurt.
Holy shit.
She looked around Dillon at both the men standing there, trying to judge how bad this was gonna be. They were similar to Dillon. Just so much harder. He’d told her exactly who they were but seeing them was something else. They oozed menace and just as much sexual appeal.
She took her phone out and punched the number for the Consulate.
“British Consulate.” She said aloud. “Hello, this is Samantha Goring passport number 8938372.”
Dillon turned around to look at her, both his brothers were now looking at her too.
She kept her eyes on the brothers. “Could you remind me of the protocol of a British National being harassed or threatened while on treatment sabbatical here in the US?” She listened for a while, then put her phone on speaker. “Do you have a threat to report Ms Goring, do you need assistance?” She looked at the brothers and
placed her thumb over the speaker.
“Do I boys? Cos I’m sure your dad would not welcome the Consulate telling every state department that there’s a problem here and be up his ass.” She could hear the woman calling her name asking if she was okay.
“If Mr Connolly would like to speak with me, I’m sure both Dillon and I can find the time to meet properly at a mutually convenient time and public place where Dillon will be more comfortable.”
She took her thumb off the speaker. And tilted her head as if to say ‘well’.
They both gazed at her and smiles appeared. It wasn’t that bad. A bit indulgent if anything, a little goofy which was a surprise but none of the menace Dillon talked about. She was sure it was there alright, just hidden.
One pulled on the other and they walked back towards their truck. Neither one giving anything away. She took the phone off the speaker and put the phone to her ear. And watched them drive off.
“Hello yes I’m sorry I couldn’t hear you for a moment there. Yes everything is okay at the moment. I just wanted to be clear. Thank you so much.” She listened to the woman giving her instructions for any future contact and cut the call.
Dillon looked fit to burst. He was pacing. “That won’t stop him.”
“We don’t need to stop him.” He looked at her like she was mad. “He needs to respect you.” She told him.
“If he hurts you, I’ll kill him.”
“I’d say he knows exactly what he’s doing Dillon, he knew he could use this to his advantage and he’s pushing your buttons. What do you think will happen if he pulls you into his world by using me to do it?”
Dillon took a deep breath. “He gets what he wants.”
“Yeah, so don’t let him.”
“You don’t know what you’re asking, I won’t let him hurt you. He’ll expect me to bring you to him to stop anything else happening.”
“Do you want to?”
“Fuck no.” He ran his hands through his hair.
“Then we don’t do that.”
He shook his head. “Fuck! That stunt won’t protect you next time. I’m sorry I brought this to your door Sam.”
She stood and went to him. “Stop. Enough already. Come on, Bill’s taking us to dinner we shouldn’t be late.”
He picked her up regardless of her objections, not willing to let her walk to his truck.
“Not leaving you so shut up woman.” She smiled and let him have his way. She guessed he needed to be in control of something when everything else seem so far out of it.
Bill was waiting when they arrived home and all three piled into his car for the local diner.
Dinner was comfortable and stress free.
The hassle of before forgotten for a while. Bill seemed genuinely interested in what Dillon had to say, he asked about scholarships and college and she found that Dillon wanted to go to college. If he kept up his grades and ability on the field, he was on a full ticket. He wanted to get away and do something else with is life other than working for his dad. He had several early acceptances and a keen interest in graphic design wanting to explore that. Both he and Bill seemed to understand that wasn’t going to be easy, but they didn’t elaborate. She was genuinely happy for him. Dillon had ambition despite everything he’d been through which was amazing.
What surprised her more was Bill’s offer for Dillon to stay over whenever he wanted. He seemed to understand that Dillon’s homelife wasn’t great.
She didn’t know how bad it was, but he wasn’t keen to go home that was obvious.
They got home and made drinks sitting in front of the TV watching some sport stuff and it hit her that although it had been a stormy few weeks, right then, she didn’t want to dwell on it. Life was good. Dillon had his whole life in front of him and she wanted him to have it.
He stayed in the den again that night. She thought he was worried they’d get a visit in the night from his brothers but somehow, she didn’t think his dad was that stupid. Dillon told Bill he’d feel better if he was close by, saying he’d sleep in his truck, but Bill wouldn’t have that and told him the den was his whenever he wanted it.
And suddenly Bill’s house now had three occupants.
Her girls started hanging out with her and Dillon’s crew next day. He brought a bag over later that night and made the den his own. On the Friday at lunchtime, Candice handed Dillon 7,000$. She wondered where she got it but didn’t ask. It wasn’t small change but then she knew most of the kids at this school had money.
He gave it straight to her, much to Candice’s disgust who flounced off. The boys and her friends hiding sniggers. Sam ordered her new scooter that night after Italian take out, her treat.
She couldn’t argue that Dillon’s reputation had results. It had been the end of a great week after a rocky start. Really. It felt right. Despite the hic ups.
And Dillon had been around for most of it and although she still had reservations about what they were doing, she couldn’t deny he made her happy. Made her feel again. Want things she shouldn’t and if she were honest, that scared her more than a little, and she felt a little guilty that she was harbouring secrets of her own that could hurt him.
She pushed those feelings aside and they got into a routine. Over the next few weeks, they took turns in cooking and grocery shopping.
Dillon sort of helped and she teased him all in good humour. Her fake choking at his so called cooking never got old and went down a storm. Dillon was lighter, funnier and smiled far more often. They did their own laundry and helped keep the house clean although Bill had a cleaner that came in.
Bill dragged Dillon off to watch sports with him while she did her projects and provided drinks and snacks. It was so much more than she’d ever expected when she’d taken the chance on coming to the US. And their time together was precious. Sweet. Caring. He was gentle with her and would shut it down when it got too heavy. Dillon was respectful and that burned a little knowing his reputation, but she appreciated that he was trying to change and wouldn’t push him on it. But it was getting harder to ignore the burning sensation within her.
They argued over her treatment. Dillon desperate to be with her although he had practice and needed to keep up his attendance on the field. It was the one thing they stressed over. She came to expect him to challenge her on wanting to go with her and her refusal came naturally not wanting him to fail because of her. She came to expect it every Friday night and put those flames out quickly so they could enjoy their date night.
What she didn’t expect was a visit by his dad at the clinic during her treatment on the following Saturday morning. Saturdays were her treatment days and why she kept Dillon at a distance. She didn’t want him seeing her like that. It was why they argued. She felt it was bad enough that he saw her when she got back wreaked and weak and that he chose to care for her until she fell asleep. Fed her and let her sleep again. His face always looked haunted and it tore at her. More than once she’d seen him look scared and she hated seeing it.
So she’d refused to let Dillon see her like that, hooked up to the machines and made him leave her at the door. He’d argued and fought her on it every time, but she’d told him she’d only be sleepy which was true and reminded him he needed that scholarship to be free. With her or without her, he still had to go.
He’d reluctantly drop her off at the door, sulked a little which she found charming and amusing while his kisses lingered demanding a time to come back for her. Tired and drained, she knew she wasn’t good company and couldn’t face him seeing her so raw without her armour and spit and was glad to see him go. The treatment heavy going but it was getting better as the weeks passed.
So finding Mr Connolly sitting next to her bed after her first nap was more than a shock. How he’d got in there she had no idea. She gazed at him confused. He didn’t look like the asshole of the day she’d seen him, he looked, concerned if anything.
“I hear you might die lass.”
And like his son, he was straigh
t to it. Shocker!
She chuckled sleepily. He didn’t waste any time getting to the point. He voice wasn’t cruel or derogatory. It sounded like honest interest which surprised her. The angry man of Pizzeria wasn’t home.
Yet.
“The Connolly…. Wit…. strikes again.” She murmured.
She focused on him being in her room. His face showed nothing, just stared at her. She couldn’t tell what he was thinking or what he wanted. She swallowed. Her mouth dry, from the treatment.
“If… you’re here…. to fight, you win…. I’m too tired to argue. But to answer your question …..we’re all dying Mr Connolly. How’d you know I was here?”
“The boys always keep an eye on Dillon. They saw him carrying you around a fair bit. The scooter. Heard you tell that Consulate woman you were on sabbatical medical leave. Nice move by the way, I had to look that one up.” She sniggered. “So we asked about. People are always willing to talk for the right incentive. And that’s true, we are all dying lass, but you might be gone in a few years.” He looked around the room. “This gonna work?”
She shrugged. “Don’t know worth a try though.”
He didn’t say anything for a bit. Just looked at the wall opposite.
“Why isn’t Dillon here?”
“I don’t want him to see me like this and he has practice, he needs that scholarship.”
“To keep you?”
She laughed. “I’m an A* student already with entrance offers to Cambridge and Oxford. School here is a requirement of getting my treatment because of my DOB, not because I need it. I won’t be living off Dillon.”
“He knows about all this then?” he waved his hard around at the room.
Dillon: Bad Boys Series High School Hot Love Hate Relationship Page 9
