Dark Universe (The Universe Series)

by Devon Herrera

  “What? Oh, yea, she called and she wants you to call her back.”

  “And that explains why you answered my phone how?”

  “I already explained all of that. Honestly, Drake, you need to pay more attention.”

  “I need to pay attention! You were the one who was practically raping me with your eyes a second ago.”

  I scoff at him, completely outraged that he would call me out on my slip up. “Have you ever heard the saying you can’t rape the willing, Drake?”

  He shakes his head and turns and storms off towards his room and slams the door behind him, leaving me standing in the hallway wondering what the hell just happened.

  CHAPTER 8

  "If a man knows anything, he ought to die with it in him."

  - Sam Bass

  “Your mother is calling. She will keep calling. You might as well answer it. Your mother is calling. She will…”

  “Dick’s Hotdogs. If you love hotdogs, you’ll love…”

  “Don’t you dare say it, Lola Scarlet Chase!!” My mother shouts through the phone, cutting off the punch-line.

  “Oh come on, Mom, you know that’s a good one.” I snicker while she huffs in outrage on the other line.

  “Lola, please, can you just focus for one second. Your father and I would like to have you over for dinner.”

  I sit in silence, processing her request. In the past, dinner with the parents wouldn’t have been a big deal, but the tension between me and Mother the past couple weeks has been pretty thick. “Lola, are you still there?”

  “Yea, Mom, I’m here. I would love to come to dinner, but I already made plans with Drake tonight.” A total lie since Drake is still brooding from my interference with his family issues.

  “Oh, I see.” My mother says then pauses. “Well, then, why don’t you guys just come here instead?”

  What the fuck? “Seriously?”

  “Yes, I don’t see why not. I know the two of us haven’t been seeing eye to eye in regards to your relationship with him, but I don’t want you to alienate yourself from the family because of some boy. So, if I have to set aside my objections for a night in order to have a dinner with my only daughter, that’s what I will do.”

  Again, I sit in silence as I try to process what she just said. For some reason my gut is telling me she is up to no good. That feeling is extremely unsettling because as much as I disagree with my mother on a regular basis, I have always trusted my parents. So, I set aside my instincts and agree on dinner at seven before hanging up to go in search for Drake, having no idea how the hell I’m going to pull this off.

  I find him in Ruger and Taz’s joint stall feeding the two horses biscuits and scratching their fur. “Hey there, cowboy.” Drake doesn’t so much as hesitate in his movements, solidifying my earlier assumption that he was going to make this difficult. “So, I just wanted to stop by and let you know we are having dinner at the parents’ house tonight at seven, which means we will need to be there around six thirty so we should leave around six fifteen. I’ll leave you to it!” I spin to run away before he can finish processing my request. The damn frustrating man is far too quick for that tactic to work.

  “Don’t even think about walking out that door, Lola.” I pause and consider just ignoring him, but I know that will do no good. So, I sigh and turn around.

  “Listen, I know that you’re still a little annoyed with me…”

  “A little annoyed with you? Lo, you answered my phone, you talked to my mother, and you interrogated me about my family and put your nose into my business. We made it very clear to each other we would just have sex, and go out on occasion when the situation called for it. Neither one of us wanted any of the complications or drama that comes with a relationship. And, sunshine, what you did had classic overbearing girlfriend written all over it.”

  “I already explained that to you. And reality check, Drake, I don’t have to be your girlfriend to worry about you as one human being to another would. Haven’t you ever had a friend before?”

  “We are NOT friends, Lola.” Drake challenges with one dark eyebrow raised.

  “I realize we don’t have a typical friendship…”

  “Yea, that’s an understatement.”

  “Would you stop interrupting me?” I shout. “You can’t tell me that if you thought someone was hurting me or my family you would feel nothing. That you wouldn’t care in the slightest? Because if so, then you’re not at all the guy I thought you were. I didn’t say that if we got into this arrangement there would be absolutely no feelings whatsoever, just that there wouldn’t be any romantic feelings.” I realize that as I’m saying this, I’m trying to explain- no convince not just him, but myself too.

  “You don’t know me, Lola.” Drake says softly after a few minutes.

  I huff and throw my hands up in exasperation. “You know what, fine, you don’t care. Whatever. How about this then, I already told them you were coming. They are expecting you, and they are the ones who own the business that is sponsoring you and Rugar. Not to mention the people who employ you and house your horse for free.”

  Drake’s eyes widen in surprise for a moment before he chuckles softly. “There she is. I wonder why you didn’t lead with that one.”

  “Yea, me too. So, you’re going?”

  “See you at six fifteen.”

  “Pass the gravy please, Drake.” I ask politely to maintain some form of civility. The tension is still present and my mother doesn’t seem to be affected by it at all. Her cool demeanor makes me even more edgy.

  I’m just getting ready to pop a slick of roast into my mouth when my dad decides to cut through the walls a little bit. “So, Lola, was that Nina’s car I saw in the drive last week?”

  “Yea, she stayed over for a couple nights last week.”

  “Oh, so she’s met Drake then, since he’s living there as well I assume she got to know him a little bit.” My mother chimes in, of course slipping in an unapproving tone when she mentions the part about Drake living in my house.

  “Yes, she’s met him, but Drake kept himself occupied and only came in to sleep after Nins went to bed, so she didn’t know he was there. She was having enough trouble of her own that I didn’t think it would be a good time to bring it up to her.”

  “She doesn’t know he’s living with you?” My mother chokes out. “You two tell each other everything.”

  “Well, she’s been pretty preoccupied lately. I felt it was best to give her a little space.”

  “Space?” My dad cuts back in, worry lacing his voice. My parents know about everything that happened to Nina. She doesn’t know how much they know though, and she never will.

  After Ricky took advantage of her the way he did, I went to my father about it. I knew the last thing Nina wanted was more scandal and calling the police would just lead to court cases and more unwanted attention; no doubt the news would dredge up her parents’ grisly death as well. My father agreed and set some things into motion. The power that money gives people usually disgusts me. However, in this one case, I was glad my father’s financial status was able to get my best friend her revenge. A couple phone calls and a dozen or so signatures made my father the benefactor of all of Ricky’s families assets once Richard Senior passed.

  It turns out, by some stroke of fate, that Ricky’s father has recently been diagnosed with tuberculosis. Once he’s gone, Ricky will lose everything. No inheritance, no trust fund, no money for college, nothing. No amount of money will pay for his crimes toward Nina, but it’s a start. My father plans on putting all of it in an account for Nina later on in her life.

  “Why would you think she needs space? Why was she upset last week? What happened?” I smile at my father’s panicked voice. If only that girl knew how much my family loved her.

  “She met a man, Dad. They had a misunderstanding last week. All is well now. I think he might be the one. He seems determined to be with her.”

  Both my mom and my dad’s jaws go slack at that l
ast statement. “A man?” My mother says at the same time my father says, “Who is this guy?”

  “I know, crazy right. But we all know it was bound to happen sooner or later. Nina deserves happiness too much for her to live her life alone. And no worries, Dad, he’s a good one.”

  My father smiles and Mom mutters an, “Oh that’s lovely news.”

  “So, it’ll be spring soon. Do you think Rugar is ready for some training?” My dad addresses a silent Drake.

  “Yes, sir, we are both more than ready.”

  My father nods approvingly then goes back to cutting his roast and slathering it in mashed potatoes. “Speaking of spring being only weeks away, Lola, your father and I wanted to speak to you about some things.” My mother chirps between sips of wine.

  Dad chokes on his food and takes a drink of water to clear his throat. “Caroline!” My father shouts mid cough, but my mother plows on.

  “You know your brother’s sentence is up next month. Did you remember?”

  I freeze at the mention of Nathan and blink at my mother then glance in Drake’s direction to see him looking at my mother and father puzzlingly. “No, uh, I didn’t remember. It’s already been three years then?” I manage and drain my glass of wine.

  “Yes, well, we were going to tell you in private.” My father grits out through his teeth glaring at my mother.

  “Oh, that’s right, I’m so sorry; forgive me, dear, it must have slipped my mind.” My mother apologizes insincerely. “Anyways, now that it’s out there I guess there is no hiding it now, and Lola obviously trusts Drake since he’s living with her right, dear?”

  “Uh, yea, sure.” I don’t look at Drake; sure there are all sorts of questions on his face that I’m not ready to answer.

  “That’s enough talk about that. Our stance hasn’t changed. He is no longer part of this family. End of discussion.” My father glares once again at his wife as he closes the topic of my brother.

  We finished the meal at my parents’ in silence, and then said our goodbyes and left. My mother’s face was shadowed with guilt, though I couldn’t pinpoint what she felt guilty over. She may have unearthed our family’s biggest skeleton in front of Drake but that shouldn’t make her feel guilty. Although, my father seemed particularly angry over it, so she’s probably just dreading the confrontation they are sure to have once they were alone.

  As soon as we get inside the apartment, Drake corners me before I can high tail it to my room. “So you have a brother, huh? Why haven’t you told me this before?” He asks and I let out the deep breath I was holding.

  “You heard my father, I don’t have a brother. Not anymore.”

  “I kind of caught that he was locked up. Three years isn’t very long, it couldn’t have been that bad.”

  “You’d be surprised how easy some people get off; especially first time offenders. In the eyes of the court, no, it wasn’t that bad. In the eyes of me and my family though, it was enough.”

  “What’d he do?”

  “He almost killed someone.” I whisper. “They were in the hospital for a long time.” That’s all I’m going to tell him so I move to walk past him.

  “My father is in prison.” Drake says softly just as my hand reaches the door knob of my bedroom. “He almost killed my mom one night.” I don’t turn around and close my eyes at the sadness I feel for Drake’s younger self. No child should have to go through something like that. “Anyways, I understand. I just thought you should know. There is no judgment here. Not from me.”

  “Thanks for that, Drake, but we both know it’s unnecessary for you to try to sympathize with me. You said it yourself, you don’t care about me that way.” I know I’m being harsh but Mother ripped the proverbial Nathan sized band aid off just mere minutes ago, and the sting was still present. I close the door softly behind me and pull my night gown from my dresser to dress for bed.

  My movements are robotic as I dress and pull my hair back for the night. As awful as the things my brother did were, losing Nathan wasn’t easy either. We were never really close, and he always had a sense of entitlement that came from my family’s financial status. It wasn’t until he hurt someone completely innocent in such a violent way that we realized he wasn’t redeemable.

  I crawl under the covers and close my eyes and try to clear my mind. The oblivion of sleep is more than welcome at this point. Just as I’m drifting off, I feel the bed sink next to me. “Drake? What are you…” Strong fingers press my lips together mid protest.

  “I never said I didn’t care.” Drake’s deep rumbling voice fans warm breath along my face, and he moves his hand from my mouth to tunnel under my hair and grasp my nape. “You don’t know me, because if you did you would run far away from me, but I never said I didn’t care.”

  His words are puzzling and comforting at the same time. “Why would I ru-…” Drake presses his lips against mine to stop me from finishing my sentence once again in a brief, fleeting kiss that spreads chills throughout my body.

  “This doesn’t change anything between us, you know that right?” He asks, and although I have a feeling it actually has changed, I need the distraction his body will provide me tonight, so I nod, brushing my lips against his again.

  “Kiss me, Drake, I need this tonight.” I confess and he complies with a deep hungry groan, taking my mouth with his furiously.

  My fingers tunnel into inky black curls as our tongues twist and turn together. Tension rolls off of Drake as he kisses me. I’m not sure where this side of him came from, or why he decided to add this level of emotion to our relationship, or if he even knew what this would mean to me. Either way, I’ve shifted. He’s made it more than clear he’s not going to go there with me, so dwelling on any amount of emotion I feel for him would be a mistake.

  My only saving grace is what is happening right at this very moment. Emotions may be off limits, but physical displays are what this arrangement is all about. So, I’ll show him with my body how much his comfort means to me. I’ll return the favor without him even knowing it. My feelings regarding commitment haven’t changed, but bone deep attraction has grown into an easy affection based on trust. I trust Drake with my body and maybe one day I’ll trust him with my secrets, even if I could never trust him with my heart.

  As usual, Drake is the most thorough kisser I’ve ever experienced. He seduces with ever part of his mouth. His kisses aren’t confined or restrained to lips and tongues, he nips and sucks and brushes, traveling across my chin and neck as well as my lips. It’s as though he can’t stand to do something the normal way, the standard way. That would be too predictable, too mundane for him. No, Drake has to make a meal out of kissing, and God help me if I don’t love being his sustenance.

  With a low growl, Drake hauls me out from under him and off the bed to stand in front of him. He impatiently rips my clothes from my body, and then picks me up to deposit me exactly as I was, completely naked.

  “Better,” is all he says as he drags his marauding lips down my body.

  “It would be if you would take those damn boxers off.”

  Drake chuckles against my breast and the sensation is strangely erotic. I clutch his hair tighter in my hands and an embarrassing moan escapes my lips. “You liked that?” He asks as though he has discovered some amazing new secret. Before I can come up with a sarcastic comment he takes the tip back in his mouth and hums deep in this throat causing a delicious vibration across my sensitive skin.

  My back arches off the bed when he continues his assault, the sucking and gentle vibrations sending warmth pooling throughout my body. As if sensing how close I am, Drake trails two fingers down my belly then circles them between my thighs. The tips of his fingers swirl around and around as if tracing a spiral. It’s as though he’s winding me up, tightening some unseen spring inside of me. My muscles clench and I pant and writhe under Drake, pinned by his large body to the mattress and unable to fight against the rush, not that I’d want to.

  I think I’m going to st
ay hovering on the edge of my climax forever until the maddening fingers change course and are thrust deep inside me. The pulsing release forces a cry out of my throat, and I barely register Drake sheathing himself in a condom before I feel him slide into me. Drake and I groan together as I clamp down on him, still in the midst of the longest orgasm of my life. My body is jostled with the force of his first thrusts, so Drake sits up on his knees and grasps my hip with one hand and threads the fingers of his other with my own to hold me in place as he continues to pump on relentlessly.

  “Drake, hurry I can’t take it anymore.” My body is still shaking and quivering and the feeling is as disconcertingly helpless as it is pleasurable. I want to hold him in me forever and push him away at the same time.

  “Hush, Lo.” He says softly, tangling his mouth with mine.

  I get lost in his kiss and run my free hand through his hair slowly. After a few seconds Drake’s lips start to lose their rhythm, his thrusts become faster and harder, and the hand at my hip tightens to the point of pain. I squeeze the hand encased in mine and his forehead drops to my shoulder as he finally shudders and groans his release into my neck.

  I run my fingers down his back to sooth him for a few minutes, and if it weren’t for his unsteady breath, I would assume he was sleeping. He lays on top of me completely still and silent for minutes before moving to discard the condom. I’m sure he’ll leave like usual so I roll over and let the sleep start to claim me.

  “Sweet dreams, sunshine,” echoes through my foggy mind before I’m engulfed in darkness.

  CHAPTER 9

  “Spending that many hours in the saddle gave a man plenty of time to think. That's why so many cowboys fancied themselves Philosophers.”