Gifted Connections [Book 2]

by SM Olivier

  “Sounds good,” Troy gave Jaxson a fist pump before he took the spot on the other side of me and started maneuvering us through the crowd.

  I tried to keep close to them, letting them buffer me between the crowd. It took us a few minutes to make our way across the room to the VIP section. It was in the corner near one of the bars and roped off. Jemmy, Gavin, Rachel, Terrance, Michael, Sam, Dawn, and Marcel were sitting, eating, drinking, and talking in the large corner booth. There was still room for us to squeeze in the booth and drag additional chairs up to the table.

  “Woah, Blake,” Terrance said in a flirtatious tone as he winked at the boys.

  The team had become like family, and he was well aware of my connections, but I also knew that wouldn’t stop him from pushing their buttons.

  “Thanks,” I blushed, glad for the low lighting in the restaurant.

  “You look fabulous girl!” Dawn exclaimed.

  “Thanks,” I muttered with a smile.

  “I heard you had an altercation and botched kidnapping attempt today,” Michael said as he leaned forward with concern. “Are you okay?”

  I gave him a feigned smile and nodded as the others groaned at his lack of tact. “Fine.” I said as I glared at Jemmy.

  “It wasn’t me.” She held up her hands.

  “Will told us,” Terrance explained gently. “We have a team meeting on Monday, after the o-course, with the other teams. He has apprised us of the new situation regarding your…brother and Horatio.”

  We had a ‘friendly’ competition on Monday, involving all the active Knights. We canceled our normal morning run in lieu of the race. It also gave us a little extra time to sleep in. It was scheduled after school began.

  “Am I permitted to come?” I asked with interest. I didn’t want to be out of the loop. My hatred for Horatio had grown since this morning. I wanted to hit him where it hurt, more now than ever.

  Terrance nodded. “All the teams will be there. Jemmy, Jaxson, Rachel, Gavin, and Noah will be excused from all their classes for the complete day, not just the morning.”

  “Why didn’t I hear about this?” Jemmy asked affronted. This afternoon, we had already had a family meeting, minus Remy, to let them know about the new development.

  “Because Pops wanted you to study for the test you’re supposed to be taking,” Noah said with a snort of laughter.

  Jemmy rolled her eyes. “It’s not the first time I had to take a make-up test,” she said petulantly.

  “Enough shop talk,” Rachel insisted as she handed me a drink. Her eyes were glazed over, her cheeks red, and she looked more perky than normal.

  My eyes narrowed as I took a sip of it. She winked at me and held a finger up to her lips, in the universal ‘be quiet’ gesture. The drink wasn’t unpleasant, in fact it was tasty. I could taste something sour; orange juice and another taste I wasn’t familiar with. I eyed my glass for a moment before I shrugged and took another large sip. I knew it contained alcohol, but I didn’t care. After the day I had, I needed it.

  I had never been a big drinker. In fact, after growing up near Heidi and her boyfriends, I had shunned it. It wasn’t until I felt I could drink in a controlled environment around people I felt safe with, did I ever allow myself to slightly overindulge in it. Plus, Will was raised in an Italian family. It was common for the children in his family to have a glass of wine with dinner. Although he hadn’t allowed his own children and the children partake in it. He had allowed Jemmy, Jaxson, Rachel, and I to drink the occasional glass with dinner.

  Jaxson and Jace came back with our food, and I found myself caught up in the current conversation. Rachel and Jemmy continued to fill my glass and I let them. Especially after I spied Remy above us on the catwalk. He wasn’t alone.

  Remy had kept, but refaced and renovated, the old foreman’s office located in the corner of the restaurant. You had to climb a set of metal stairs to get it. He had also kept the original catwalk that circled and intersected the outside perimeter of the whole restaurant. He found it convenient to walk along it and watch from above to make sure his employees were being productive.

  I saw Remy had gotten the memo about our costumes because he was dressed as Thor. Scoot over, Chris Hemsworth, because you have nothing on Remington Murphy, I thought as I looked up at him. He still seemed to be in his aloof mood, but that hadn’t stopped two of the Knight females I was vaguely familiar with from following him to the upper level. He didn’t seem to be entertaining them much as he leaned on the railing watching the party with an unfathomable look. They continued to fawn all over him and kept whispering stuff in his ears. I was seeing red.

  “Let’s dance,” Troy stated as he saw me glance up at the catwalk for the hundredth time.

  I normally reserved all my dancing to the bedroom while I was alone with my music turned up, but I was feeling good enough to shed all my natural inhibitions. I took his proffered hand and let him lead me to the dance floor. I let the music sweep me away and danced with wild abandon, not caring who was watching.

  Jemmy and Rachel joined us on the dance floor, and soon we were all laughing and having a fun time. I needed this more than ever. The last few weeks had been harrowing. Today had been terrifying. I needed to forget, even if it was temporary.

  Jaxson and Noah were the next ones to join us and I allowed Noah to maneuver me around the floor in seductive, suggestive dances. He growled in my ear at one time. “You have no clue how sexy you are and how much I want to take you, right here and right now.”

  I gave him a sultry smile as Jemmy and Rachel grabbed both of my hands and led me to the bar. “Bathroom and drink time,” Jemmy pushed the boys away, before dragging me to the bathroom.

  I hadn’t realized how full my bladder was until we got to the bathroom. I started to do a pee pee dance as we waited in line for one of the six stalls.

  “There’s no line for the guys bathroom,” Rachel giggled pragmatically as she grabbed our hands and led us back down to the hallway to the men’s bathroom.

  “There may be men in there,” I hissed. Even in my buzzing state, I knew we shouldn’t be going in there.

  Jemmy stepped forward with a purpose and charged into the bathroom. It wasn’t long before two guys came out of the bathroom laughing and zipping up their pants.

  “Hey there, Wonder Woman,” one of the men leaned in towards me. “Wanna take me to heights I’ve never been to?” he asked suggestively.

  “I’ll be your Daddy, Lil monster,” the other guy leaned towards Rachel with a suggestive wink.

  I held up a hand with a smile. “Sorry boys, nature calls,” I stated emphatically as I took Rachels hand and dragged her in with me. Then I poked my head back out the door. “I’ll find out if she’s interested, Daddy,” I said to the cute Asian guy that had been hitting on Rachel. “Sorry, Luke Skywalker.” I feigned a frown. “But I already have my super men,” I giggled as I saw Drake heading our way.

  “Blake,” he groaned. “What are you doing?”

  I looked up at him, then the bathroom logo. “Using the bathroom,” I said in a tone, like it should have been obvious.

  He sighed but gently pushed me into the bathroom. Jemmy was just coming out of one of the stalls as Rachel ducked into another. “I should have known you would have been behind this.”

  Jemmy gave him a huge grin. “I don’t know why you assumed it was my idea.”

  I slipped into her vacated stall, not even caring that I was about to relieve my bladder several feet away from Drake—or any guy. I giggled. There was a first time for everything.

  “It was me,” Rachel called out gleefully. “Blake did you tell the Asian hottie to wait for me.”

  “I did,” I called back.

  “Give us a minute,” I heard Drake tell someone sharply when the door opened.

  I came out of the bathroom and washed my hands. Jemmy and Rachel were waiting for me. As I washed my hands, I couldn’t help but notice Drake’s eyes once more. He made glasses look sexy, bu
t without them his eyes were so much more startling.

  I advanced towards him and pulled his face down to mine. “You have such beautiful eyes. Where are your glasses?”

  He blushed. “I put on my contacts. I’m superman. Only Clark Kent wore glasses.”

  “Hmm,” I hummed as I stood on my tip toes to take his lips with mine.

  He froze for a moment before responding. When he kissed me, any residual shyness was gone. He was sure of himself. I found myself getting lost in his kiss. We hadn’t kissed since I had returned, and I was reminded what a great kisser he was.

  “Ugh, get a room,” Jemmy yelled.

  “Hush,” Rachel admonished her. “It’s kind of a turn on.”

  Drake blushed before brushing his lips with mine once more. “You’ve been drinking,” he softly accused me.

  “I needed it,” I said petulantly.

  “Come on,” he sighed. “Let’s get you back out there.” He gave me a small smile.

  When we got out of the bathroom, I noticed there was no music on, and Ben, Rick, Mike, and Taylor were no longer on the stage. They must be taking another break. In my slightly tipsy, uninhibited state, I took the steps up to the stage.

  “Blake,” Drake groaned as if he was dealing with a naughty two-year-old.

  I smiled and waved at him.

  “Woo hoo! Blake,” Jemmy and Rachel yelled in unison.

  I smile out at everyone and stood behind the keyboard. “Hello everyone,” I called out to the crowd. Their hum of conversation didn’t die as I began to speak. “My name is Blake, AKA Misty, and I want to sing you a little song, well not you. This song is to my Lost Boys,” I giggled as I adjusted the mike.

  “Hey.” Taylor came running towards the stage. “That’s my keyboard, dude.”

  Jemmy and Rachel held onto his arms. “Let her use it,” they begged him.

  Taylor looked at Drake who shrugged. “She won’t hurt it.”

  I smiled at them before turning back to the keyboard and began to play the opening to Lost Boy by Ruth B. I looked at the corner where Jace, Jaxson, and Troy were sitting, and winked at them. I smiled over at Drake, and finally, I looked up to the catwalk and blew a kiss up to Remy who was he was still brooding. I opened my mouth and poured my soul into the song.

  This song was almost the perfect representation of us. I had been lonely. I didn’t have any companionships from people around my age. I had Ella, but there wasn’t much you could burden a seven-year-old with. It was my job to protect her from it. Oftentimes I struggled on my own.

  Before I met Jace, I had no place to call home. I couldn’t call that trailer a home. It was just the place I stayed at until I got my ticket to freedom. In most homes, you looked forward to going to it at the end of the day. Not the trailer—that place had always filled me with dread. I never knew what I was walking into.

  Jace was like my Peter Pan. He whisked me away to a place where I could run free. He brought me to my very own lost boys. Since I met Remy, Troy, Noah, Drake, and Jaxson, I was never alone anymore.

  I finally had a family. It wasn’t the most conventional family, but it was mine. They took care of me. They didn’t hesitate to take care of my siblings either. This was our story. It had its ups and downs, but it was ours.

  When I finished the last notes, I opened my eyes, not realizing I had closed them. The clapping, cheers, and whistles warmed my soul. I missed this adrenaline rush.

  Ben came rushing up the steps. “That was amazing, do you know any other songs?”

  I smirked at him. “Let’s play Broken by Seether and Amy Lee.”

  Ben smiled. “Sweet, I know that song.”

  I had to refrain from giggling and telling him that I was well aware of that fact.

  Chapter 25

  I sang a few songs with the band, swapped numbers with Ben, and finally decided to join my people again. Jemmy and Rachel kept giving me drinks, and the natural high of performing again had me oblivious to the crush of bodies that was surrounding me. I looked up at the catwalk and noticed that two other girls that were on other Knights teams had joined Remy.

  I decided I had enough. I marched my way over to the steps. I had enough of his crap! As I got to the steps he turned around and looked at me, with hooded eyes.

  “Leave,” I told the girls.

  “Blake.” One of the older girls, dressed as a ‘sexy’ nurse, had the audacity to speak to me in a slightly condescending tone. “What’s wrong, sweetie? We’re just up here keeping Remy company.”

  “Which one of these girls are you hooking up with?” I demanded of him, looking over the other older girls. One was dressed as a devil, one a witch, and ironically, the last was another Wonder Woman.

  Devil girl grabbed me by the arm. “Blake, you’ve been drinking. You’re young. You can’t possibly understand what it takes to keep a man like Remy…satisfied.” She smiled suggestively to Remy.

  “None of them,” Remy finally said. “I’m not sleeping or hooking up with any of them.”

  “Not anymore.” The witch pouted.

  “Leave,” I turned to all four of them, my fist clenched. “I’m not sure if you are aware of this or not, but I am his connection and you…girls…” I curled up my lip in distaste. “…are no longer needed.”

  “But, you can’t poss—" Wonder Woman began.

  “I said leave,” I said between clenched teeth. I didn’t know if I had compelled them, or if they just saw the fury I was about to unleash if they didn’t leave.

  When I ensured they left, I grabbed Remy’s hand and dragged him into his office, slamming the door behind us. “What the hell is your problem?” I asked him in anger. Those girls knew how to crawl under my skin. They knew how to hit below the belt.

  I didn’t know when or if I would ever feel like I was enough for my guys. I didn’t know if at one point in the future they would decide that they were tired of sharing or waiting on me and leave me. Jace and Jaxson’s mother had left not only Will, but them as well.

  “Why did you leave last night without telling me? Why have you shut us all out today, but you’re okay with hanging out with all your exes? I refuse to compete with them. I won’t compete with them. Either shit or get off the pot,” I yelled at him.

  He looked at me with a raised eyebrow, crossing his arms across his broad chest. “You shouldn’t let those girls get to you. They never meant anything to me. I work with them. They were a means to an end. They knew where they stood.”

  “Yet instead of spending any time with me tonight, you spent all night up here with them,” I accused him with narrowed eyes.

  “Blake.” He sighed. An enigmatic look crossed his eyes. “You can’t take it personally. When I get to a certain…place, I need to get away and just be, so I don’t hurt anyone. You especially.”

  I could feel the tears enter my eyes. I angrily wiped them away. “You hurt me last night, you hurt me this morning, you hurt me in the past. You would disappear for days at a time, and I didn’t know who you were hooking up with then. It made me feel worthless, like I wasn’t good enough to satisfy you.”

  He growled deep in his throat, before he advanced towards me. His height and size should have frightened me, but they didn’t. He picked me up and slammed me against the wall. “There were never any other girls when I left, now or then,” he said roughly. “I just didn’t trust myself not to physically hurt you. In the past, I used girls to get rid of my anger and excess energies from my gift. I don’t know if you noticed or not, but I’m not a small guy and you’re tiny, I could tear you apart in that state of mind.”

  “Then why did the guys hint at the string of girls in and out of your bed?” I glared at him as I wrapped my legs around his waist.

  “Because that was my life before you,” he said between clenched teeth. “I knew the girls that liked it rough, that liked me pounding in them, that could take me, all of me. I swear to you that there has been no other girl since I’ve met you. Now or then.”

  A
little of my anger was fading as I saw the sincerity in his eyes. “Then how are you…coping?” I was mortified to realize his words had turned me on. That the thought of him being rough with me, could make me want him.

  “With a lot of cold showers and lotion,” he muttered in a peeved voice. “Now run along. You shouldn’t be around me right now. Especially after watching you move those hips on the dance floor, wearing that costume, and singing your soul out on stage, mesmerizing people with your siren’s song. I’ll be home in the morning,” he said in a slightly defeated voice.

  “No.” I felt my anger rising once more when he went to put me down. I wrapped my legs tighter around him now. “I’m not going to let you continually push me. I know you have demons. We all do, but I’m not letting you run from them anymore. If you need to get lost in anyone, you should be getting lost with me.”

  He ground his hips against me, so I could feel his large arousal. “Blake,” he tried to say in a calm voice. “You have no clue what you’re asking. You are young and tiny. I’ll break you.”

  “Then break me,” I muttered as I grabbed his manhood in my hand.

  He growled once more. “Knock it off, Blake. I don’t want hurt you.”

  “You won’t hurt me,” I said as I reached up to take his mouth with mine, cupping his jaw with one hand and stroking his manhood with the other.

  “Blake,” he snarled. “Remember, you asked for this.” I could see the slightly wild look in his eyes, but his inner beast still didn’t scare me. I could feel him fumbling with his pants with one hand as he cupped my rear with the other.

  I heard the tearing of my spanks before he was there. I almost cried out in pain as he drove into me. He sucked in a deep breath as if cold water was doused on him.

  “Shit, Blake, I’m sorry, dammit,” he muttered as he stilled.

  I don’t know how long he stood there, but finally I felt the pain recede and I moved my hips against him.

  “We should stop,” he quietly said and tried to pull away from me once more, tried to lift me off him.