by C. A. Rene
“Go away, Vincent.” I growl at him.
“No,” he shuts the machine down completely. “We need to talk.”
“Fuck you and your talk.”
He grabs the back of my shirt and drags me off the treadmill and down a narrow hallway. I could easily break away and put the drop on him, but for some reason I don’t want to. I want him to manhandle me a little and I’m desperate to hear every excuse he has from his pretty mouth.
I’m so fucking screwed.
He pulls us into a small, dim towel closet and shuts the door. We are now completely in the dark.
“Does it need to be dark for you to spew your bullshit?” I snap at him.
I feel his body push up against mine, we are completely flush and I feel him starting to harden against my stomach. His face comes into my sweaty neck.
“Why? You afraid of me?” He licks my neck from my collar bone to my ear, sweat and all. I swallow back my groan to hide my arousal but he presses his tongue against my pulse feeling it.
“I didn’t fuck her.” He states his lips still pressed to my neck. He takes another step into me pressing my back to the door. His hard cock grinding into my stomach.
“I really don’t care.” I try to say it with grit but I’m so aroused it comes out breathy and full of lust.
“I took her drunk ass home, because even though I’m a dick, I didn’t want her to do something crazy like drink and drive after I rejected her.” He punctuates his sentences with his cock.
“Sure.” I say regaining some of my senses.
“Ember!” He growls, biting down on my neck hard. “Stop being stubborn.”
I whimper and finally put my hands on him. I grab his waist and pull him in tighter. I swear I was about to shove him off until he bit me, I like it a little rough.
“Does my girl like a little pain?” He bites me again harder.
“I’m not your girl.” I retort while I’m rubbing myself against his leg.
“Sure.” He mocks me with the same tone of disbelief.
He drops his forehead to my shoulder and starts taking deep breaths. I’m doing the same to bring myself under control. I can’t fuck him in the towel closet where I’m employed, as much as I fucking want to.
“Let me drive you home. We need to talk.”
“How do you know I didn’t drive myself?” I ask him.
“Because your car is fucking flashy and it’s not here.”
Right.
I drop my head back against the door. I should just call my uncle because I really don’t need the drama of a guy who’s damaged beyond my capabilities. But my heart won’t let me.
“Okay.” I nod.
We’re sitting in his Hummer still parked in the gym lot.
“My dad dropped by our house a few days ago. Apparently he has cancer and wanted to try to right his mistakes. He wants Travis and I to have a relationship and he wants my forgiveness.” He says while looking out his window. I watch his jaw clench.
“Wow.” I respond, I really have no words.
“My mother is all about it, she says she’s forgiven him a long time ago. I don’t know if I can.”
“That’s understandable, I don’t think you have to forgive him if you don’t want to. But Travis is a good person, and really, he’s not to blame for this mess.” I put my hand on his arm.
“I know that, but when you’ve hated someone this long it’s hard to rewire your brain.”
“True.” I nod. “I suck at any family advice because I’ve only ever had my mother. I didn’t even know my father.”
“That’s the other thing I wanted to tell you.” This time he turns his eyes to mine. “I found a box of my mothers stuff the other day. I was trying to find pictures of when she was with my father, I also found pictures of your mother with a group of their friends. Then I came across yearbooks with her writing in it.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah,” he nods, “you can come by whenever, we’ll go through it together. Maybe there will be answers there about your father.”
I don’t think I just lean forward and wrap my arms around his neck. He’s hesitant but after a beat his arms come around me, too.
“Thank you.” I whisper.
He drops me off at home with the promise of having me over during the week. He says he would rather we do it while his mothers at the restaurant, since I expressed concerns that both her and my aunt were hiding something.
I enter the house and scream out, “I have a job!”
“Yay!” My aunt hollers back and I follow her voice to the kitchen.
“Congrats kid.” My uncle says with a smile.
“I’m gonna go FaceTime Tommy to tell him the news.”
Alright,” my aunt waves me off, “I’ll call you when dinner is done.”
After my FaceTime with Tommy, I am left with more questions than answers. He says Raphael has become crueler since his jail time and doesn’t trust anyone. He thinks it’s a good possibility he put a tail on me to make sure I’m not spilling gang secrets. Which I have none, I was just hired muscle. The reason for the call was so he could tell me he’s heard my name come up in passing conversations, this doesn’t bode well for me. My only option is to corner this black sedan and extract answers, as dangerous as that will be. I must protect my family.
During dinner I am quiet and distant, I know my family notices but thankfully they let it be. I’m in no mood to discuss the clusterfuck that is my life.
I have my shower and settle into bed. I have one more person to talk to tonight.
The phone rings a few times and finally he picks up.
“Hey E.”
“Hi Travis.”
“Everything okay? You need something?” Tears cloud my eyes at his kindness. His father is sick and still he’s ready to help anyone.
“I’m okay, I’m calling to see how you’re doing and if you need anything from me.”
“He told you?”
“Vin? Yeah he told me.” I exhale, “I’m so sorry Trav.”
“I still haven’t really processed it. I was going to talk to you about it.”
“You want to hang out for lunch tomorrow? We can talk?” I ask.
“Yeah, I’d like that.”
“Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Thanks Ember.”
We hang up and I immediately text Adri, she’s my main bitch and I need to fill her in.
Me: Ho, I’m having lunch with Travis tmr. Family issues. I will fill u in after.
Adri: You better bitch.
Me: Fa sho
The rest of my night is full of a restless sleep trying to figure out how I’m going to corner this sedan.
Chapter Nine
Today my uniform is hiding two switch blades and a set of brass knuckles. It’s a good thing the school does not have a metal detector. Now that I know the gang may be on my tail I need to prepare myself and make sure I protect the people around me. I have a feeling shit is about to get messy.
After grabbing my free coffee from Sharla-she’s spoiling me-I pick up Adri. I have Marilyn Manson bumping and sunglasses stuck firmly on my face.
“Feeling dark today, beautiful people?” She asks, her eyebrow raised. I turn down the music.
“Baby, I’m dark everyday.”
“That’s pretty hot.”
I laugh at her response and take us to school. I pull into my usual spot beside Travis’ pretty blue car.
“Vin is waiting by his Hummer. You guys okay again?” Adri glares at him through my rear window.
“I think so?”
“Okay?” She chuckles, “I’m sure you can handle him. Just cunt kick him when he gets out of line.”
This makes me burst out laughing, “I love you bitch.”
She gets out of the car and blows me a kiss. I watch as she walks by Vin, running her finger across her throat. I’m laughing again at her threat. He starts walking towards my car shaking his head.
“Get out here so I c
an feel you up.” He growls into my window. Panties flooded at 8:30 in the fucking morning.
I get out of the car and he pulls me in for a hug. His arms wrap tightly around me and his lips press against my forehead. His sudden display of affection has left me speechless.
“You smell good.” He rasps, his voice deeper than usual. I can feel his erection pressing into me.
“You have a boner.”
He starts to laugh, a full out laugh and again I’m struck speechless by this man’s beauty. He is so gorgeous when his face lights up. I want to do that for him all the time.
We casually stroll into the school with his arm slung over my shoulder. I can see it’s a big deal since everyone is watching with shocked expressions. We stand by my locker and he waits patiently as I drop off my bag and grab the books for the first few periods. When I close the locker and turn around he’s slowly closing in, making me back up. Finally, he crowds in close and his runs his lips along my jaw, pressing into my ear.
“You seriously smell so fucking good.” He groans. I can’t with him this morning. I’m so turned on and I know I will have blue ovaries. It's a thing, people!
“Everyone is looking.”
“Don’t care.” He presses into me.
“Keep it in your pants, I gotta get to class.”
“I’ll walk you.”
True to his word he walks me all the way to my homeroom class. We’re standing in the doorway and I’m instantly feeling awkward. He’s looking at my face and I’m getting the feeling he wants to kiss me. That’s foreign territory for him, so I decide to instigate it. I’m leaning in and he instantly grins, his dimple winking at me.
“Hey, morning.”
Vin groans and turns his head to glare at his brother.
“Morning Travis.” I smile at him and slap Vin’s arm.
“I’ll see you later. Don’t forget roles are being posted after lunch.” He grunts and shoots Travis another glare before leaving.
“He’s pleasant this morning.” Travis narrows his eyes at Vin’s back.
“No different than usual.” I shrug.
The first two periods go by without incident. I’m anticipating the role posting. It would be nice to work directly with Vin. Our chemistry would be amazing in the lead roles together.
“Ember?” I turn and see Jake following me to my locker.
“Hey Jake, what’s up?”
“I just overheard Marlana talking about fucking up your car.”
“Serious?”
He nods.
I abruptly turn around and dash for the parking lot. If she so much as leaves a fingerprint on that car I will knock her the fuck out.
I race to the parking lot and see this bitch and a few of her skank posse carrying two paint cans. She is a brave bitch.
I will give her that.
I slowly walk up behind them and grab the two chicks behind her by their uniform shirts and whip them to the ground. The paint can dropping alerts Cunt Head to my presence. Her eyes widen then immediately narrow.
“What the fuck are you doing?” She yells, “Travis tell this bitch to back off.”
I look over my shoulder and see a crowd forming, some recording with their cell phones and Travis sauntering towards me.
“What are you doing with paint cans?” I ask the bitch.
“None of your business!” She screeches.
“According to Jake and a few others, it is Ember’s business.” Travis answers calmly.
Shay breaks away from the crowd and comes to stand in front of Marlana.
“Mar you can’t do that, it’s going too far.” She picks up the fallen paint can. “You could be charged. Let this shit go.”
Marlana tips her head back and looks towards the sky.
“Plus, this one could seriously kick your ass.” Shay looks to me, “I signed up for your class, by the way.”
I’m too angry to acknowledge her right now, my fists are clenched and it’s taking all my willpower not to mess up Marlana’s face.
Shay leads Marlana and the other bitches back inside the school. I watch them walk inside before I turn back around, it’s then I notice two men with black clothing and hoods drawn over their heads watching me. One of them taps the other and motions for them to go around the side of the school. With my anger raging and a severe need to feel my fists hitting flesh, I start to run towards them.
This must be the gang fucks who have been following me. They go around the corner and I slow down, I don’t want to be surprised when I turn the corner.
“Ember!” I hear Travis scream out, “come back!”
I peek around the side and see they are walking about fifteen feet ahead. I quickly slip on my brass knuckles and come up behind the first guy. I hit him in the kidney making sure to aim up and under the rib cage, he drops with a grunt. The other guy turns quickly with a shocked expression, he doesn’t have time to react before I’m slamming him in the trachea. His hands come up and grips his throat leaving his solar plexus open, another hit to that leaves him winded and dropping to his knees. I hear his buddy starting to get up behind me so I quickly hit the guy in the chin and he’s instantly knocked out. I turn to the first guy struggling to get to his feet, he’s holding on to his lower back.
“Why are you following me?” I grit through my teeth.
“Orders.” He huffs out, “fuck, they warned us about you but I didn’t believe it.”
“Orders from who?” I growl, I’m losing my patience and the guy notices.
“Raphael.”
Before I can interrogate further, Vin and Travis run around the corner screaming my name. They stop immediately when they see me squared off with one guy and a second is out cold on the ground. I shoot out and punch the guy in the side of the neck, he dizzily falls to his knees and I grab his hair pulling his head back to look him in the eye.
“Stay away from me and what’s mine. Pass this on to Raphael.” I spit in his face and throw him to the ground.
I slip off the brass knuckles, tucking them back into my bra and walk towards a shocked Vin and Travis.
“What is going on, Ember?” Travis asks, slightly panicked.
“Bronx business.” I shrug walking pass them and back to the school.
“Was that brass knuckles?” I hear Travis ask Vin.
“I can’t process, I’m so fucking turned on.” Vin replies. A smile creeps over my face. They are having a conversation.
They follow behind me back inside and the hallways are quiet as everyone is in the lunchroom. My stomach growls but I’m so amped and I need to drain this energy. I turn to head back outside. I need to run this off and the school has a track. It’s not optimal with my kilt but I have make do or I will be antsy and on edge for the rest of the day.
“Ember, what was that?” Vin grabs my arm.
“What did it look like? I’m a fighter, Vin.”
“Who were they?” Travis asks.
“People tailing me from my former life.” I shrug past them and head outside.
“I’m coming with you.” Vin rasps behind me. “I don’t care if you’re the heavyweight champion of the fucking world, I won’t let you fight alone again.”
“I’m not going back to fight them. I need to drain my adrenaline or I won’t be able to concentrate for the rest of the day.”
“Got it. So, what are we doing?”
I turn and look into his eyes. He’s serious about being with me, I decide to let him come along.
“I need to do laps.”
He nods and we head to the track. For the rest of lunch, we do laps together. I’m not running full speed, just a jog but Vin is keeping up with me. We have a comfortable silence together.
I’m leaning against the wall and watching Lisa post the roles on the message board beside the gym. My adrenaline is gone but my anger is still here and coursing through me. I need to fight, that’s my problem. I’ve never gone this long without one, it’s the only thing that relieves the darkness.
I need a fight.
Vin is standing with Danny and a few of his other friends, all of them looking excited with anticipation. After our run I asked him to back off for a bit. He could read my volatility and did as I asked.
The roles are posted and I watch as everyone crowds the board. All except me and my moss-green eyed bane.
“Em, let’s check it out.” He holds out his hand, “then I’m taking you home. We’ll check out that box and figure some shit out.”
My anger subsides a bit and the darkness recedes a little back into my soul. I nod and take his hand as people are congratulating us and I deduce we have the lead roles. I read the board and see that Britney is playing my best friend and my understudy. I can’t feel a reaction, I’m so numb.
“Can we go?” I whisper. He’s so in tuned to me and hears over the excited squeals.
He nods and grabs my hand leading me outside. I don’t bother grabbing my bag because I have my cell phone in my bra and it’s all I need. I’m Adri’s ride so I do the most best friend thing by texting Travis to take her home. Maybe they can work through their bullshit.
Vin is leading me to his Hummer when I stop. “I can’t leave my car here. Marlana tried some shit earlier.”
He nods and we go to my car, his hands reaching out for my keys. Fuck, they’re in my locker. My head falls back and I close my eyes, irritation running through me.
Vin wraps his arms around me and brings me into his chest. “What’s the combo?”
“22,67,81.”
He jogs back inside and I lean against the car. I have to FaceTime Tommy tonight and tell him about the visitors, and I really should be feeling something right now. I’m about to learn more about my mother’s secret life, but there’s nothing but seeping darkness. She was the only one that could bring me out, and fighting.
I see Vin jogging back with my backpack that looks way overstuffed.
“I grabbed every book. I don’t know what you’ll need. I also told Anna you were having your time of the month and I had to take you home.” I lean forward and pull him to me. I bury my face in his neck and kiss him there lightly.
