Escaping Trouble

by Dee Bridle

  Bracing himself, he slowly entered me, keeping his lips on mine. The feel of him inside me, stretching me, made me moan in unmasked delight. His fingers caressed my face as he moved inside me, his eyes keeping hold of mine.

  I became lost in his eyes and the feel of him, only hearing our rhythmic breathing together in the silence. I wrapped my legs around him and he drove deeper inside me. I ran my hands over his back until I started to feel the sensations in my body slowly deepening. I trailed my fingernails up his back and moaned, my head going back into the bed.

  He thrust a little harder as he kissed his way down my neck, tasting my skin. He drove into me, over and over, our bodies rubbing against each other. I raised my hips to match him, breathing hard, caught up in the passion.

  Each thrust of his took me higher and higher until I felt his fingers brush me, and I exploded into stars of deliciousness. He soon followed, groaning his sweet release, before his lips were on mine once more, tasting.

  I tried to catch my breath, feeling like my body was still floating as he dropped his head into the crook of my neck and let out a deep satisfied breath.

  I hadn’t freaked. I didn’t have the memories darkening everything. I had even laughed. I lay there, and for one sweet moment, I felt untouchable, happy and deeply satisfied. I kissed his shoulder, my hand stroking his muscles that were still taut as he kept himself upright so he didn’t crush me.

  “We’re staying inside here for the next two days,” he said, his words muffled against my skin.

  I laughed. Again.

  I’d like nothing better.

  Noah

  We all sat around a fire on the sand that night, drinking and laughing. I watched Ivy walk back over towards us after getting more drinks with Ava, knowing I would never look at another girl the same way again. I watched her laugh with Ava, her tattoos prominent under the moonlight. She was beautiful and I would never get enough. I wouldn’t let her go. I’d talk to the boys later and figure something else out. My father always had his own agenda and this entire situation was his checkmate. I would no longer play along in his game.

  I watched her long legs walk towards us, remembering how they were wrapped around me only an hour ago. I was very well experienced in that department, but she was, hands down, the best I’d ever had. Her body, covered in art was delicious and I couldn’t wait until this bonfire was over so I could have her again.

  “We doing that thing we planned?” asked Will, eyeing Ivy as she sat down next to Ava.

  They were doing shots of tequila and still laughing together.

  “Yeah, let’s do it,” I said standing up and walking away back to the house.

  Ivy

  As Ava crawled over to Zac and sat in between his legs, I turned to see where Noah had gone. I couldn’t see him, so I turned back to the fire and watched the flames dance. This right now, was what I had always wanted. Friends. Fun. The love of an incredible guy. For this moment in time, life had been almost perfect.

  I had been in his bed today and he had somehow made everything normal. We had mutual burning lust for each other and couldn’t get enough. I hadn’t been dragged down into the murky depths of my past, and I knew it was because of him. He had made everything okay. I had discovered a scorching desire for a guy who made me tremble and hunger for more. I craved that feeling, even now, as I waited for him to return to the fire. I wanted to touch him, smell him, and hear his deep voice. Everything he did, from making me come undone to watching him laugh with Zac and Will was innately sexy.

  But all these new feelings would soon come to an end. I knew our time was limited, and I hated how my father had continued to ruin my life when he wasn’t even in it. I hated how one person’s selfish, disgusting needs had changed everything all those years go, making me the person I am right now. I wanted to enjoy the moment, but he had never failed to demolish any possible goodness. For a fleeting moment, I had felt worthy of having Noah beside me, in me, and around me.

  His legs suddenly appeared on either side of me as he sat down behind me and I let out a sigh of relief. His arms held me against him and we watched the fire together until he started to plant kisses behind my ear.

  “I’ve got something for you, a surprise,” he murmured into my ear.

  I smiled and leaned back further into him. I knew he had something for me, and I would never get enough of it.

  “Look up,” he said next.

  I looked up for a moment, the sky black, my eyes unable to focus on any stars, because they still had the brightness of the fire dancing in them.

  There was an explosion and I jumped. His arms held me tightly in place as bursts of color hit the sky. Another explosion. This time green bursts of fire.

  “Noah,” I said sitting up, watching another burst of color, this time red.

  I loved fireworks. I hadn’t seen them for years. They were one happy memory from a handful I had when I was very young. I turned to him, looking at his smiling face, which was watching me closely.

  “I love fireworks,” I exclaimed, happiness dancing in my eyes as another burst of color hit the sky.

  Zac and Ava cheered as another one lit up the sky. I turned to see Will further down the beach, lighting them up. I got up from the sand, stepping away from the fire while watching the colors. Some went off with a burst of air, and others squealed their way up to the sky.

  My eyes were suddenly watering as I became lost with the fire colors. They were wonderful, like everything else that was Noah. I was truly being spoilt. This was just one of the many special moments that I would never ever forget. I soaked in the magic, storing each burst of memory deep into my once cold heart. It was now pumping with excitement, spreading warmth throughout my body. I heard laughing. It took me a moment to realize it was coming from me.

  Arms came around me again. The only arms that I would ever want around me for the rest of my life. I turned to face him and saw the guy who had changed everything. He was the one perfect piece of my life that I knew I wasn’t allowed to keep.

  “I love you, Noah,” I said, kissing him before he could respond back to me.

  I didn’t want to hear his answer. I just needed to lose myself in him. I was enjoying the happiness while I could. It was the first time I had said those words to anyone in my life and the moment was perfect.

  Noah

  I left her sleeping in my bed as I pulled on my shorts and headed downstairs. It was close to 3:00 a.m., and Will and Zac were still awake, sharing a joint in front of the television.

  “Hey, fuckers,” I said rubbing my hand over my face as I sat down on the adjoining couch.

  “I guess the fireworks caused even greater fireworks,” said Will with a dirty chuckle.

  “We need to talk,” said Zac sitting up on the couch.

  “I know,” I said with a sigh.

  “So what are the asshole’s terms?” asked Will, taking a drag of the joint.

  “He’ll pay him off, so he doesn’t press charges. He’ll make the whole thing disappear and request Ivy’s freedom for her silence.”

  “For what in return?” asked Zac, knowing how my father operated.

  “That I take an internship at his place while I continue college,” I said with a sigh.

  “Fuck that! You’ve never wanted to do that,” said Zac seriously.

  “I also have to…date…Rachel.”

  “Jesus, he’s a dirty son of a bitch,” murmured Will with a shake of his head.

  “And I have to give up Ivy, for good,” I said, almost visibly wincing from my words.

  I wouldn’t do it.

  “Fuck,” said Zac, his mind already whirring.

  “You won’t have to give her up. What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him,” said Will.

  “He’s got his people following her. One fuck up, and the deal would be off.”

  “There has to be other ways,” said Zac. “I’m getting dirt on her father. We can use that to force him not to press charges without any payoff. I
can ruin him.”

  “Doesn’t fix my father’s requirements. I won’t have a place to live or a car to drive. He’ll play fucking dirty.”

  “You will be cashed up after your big fight. After that, you can do whatever the hell you want,” said Will.

  “But don’t you see? That all may help my situation, but it doesn’t help Ivy. Her father will still try to kill her again. And this time, he’ll probably succeed. The whole situation is fucked.”

  “So I dig deeper and deeper until I have something on him that sticks and make him realize how serious we are about him leaving her alone. Guys like him have secrets, big ones that can do some damage. The richest ones always do. I can fix this, Noah,” said Zac with determination.

  “He’s fucking ruthless though. I mean, he killed off his own daughter and wife. How do we compete with that? It could all fail. Then you’re implicated and everything turns to shit for everyone,” I said.

  “I can do this,” returned Zac. “Trust me.”

  “What does Ivy do in the meantime?” asked Will.

  “I organized a new identity for her, and got it delivered to Nick’s place. Birth certificate, passport, driver’s license, and everything she needs to become a new person. It’s all over there on the table. She can start fresh. It will throw him off her trail at least for a while.”

  “Thanks,” I said gratefully.

  “So, we get dirt on him and then state our terms. No charges for you, and he forgets Ivy exists,” confirmed Will.

  “But I can’t just see him forgetting her. He’s too big, and she’s too much of a threat for him to agree.”

  “I can take him. Yes, he’s fucking huge, owns a shit load, and controls a lot of things and people. But I can link him to some incriminating stuff. There will be no other choice than to agree.”

  “And while you do that, Ivy fucking dies,” said Noah. “I have no doubt he has people sniffing around and looking for her right now. I can’t risk her life.”

  “But you, in turn, are risking yours with everything you have rebelled against since I’ve known you. Once you agree to your father’s terms, you’re done. Finished, Noah. He will completely own you,” said Zac.

  I gritted my teeth and said, “I know. But it’s all I got. Everyone will be safe this way.”

  “How do you know that? How do you know that he might agree to your father’s terms, and then try and kill her off anyway?” asked Zac angrily.

  “There are ways around this, Noah,” said Will. “Fuck, move in with me, move in with Zac. I’ll fucking get you a car. We go to ground and fucking hide Ivy.”

  “And then what? Hide for the rest of her life? I know it’s the worst idea possible, but my father’s way just may set her free,” I said. “We give her a new identity, and if she stays away from me, he won’t find her.”

  “Which solves shit, because you won’t be together,” said Zac. “You prepared for that?”

  I stood up and started to pace.

  “Of course not! But fuck, I don’t know what else to do! She means everything to me, and I need her safe.”

  Ivy

  I had heard everything. Every word from Noah had slowly crushed my heart like a vice. His father’s demands were real and everything that I expected from someone like him. He would always use a bad situation to further himself. I heard a pause between them and stopped breathing, hoping they hadn’t realized I was sitting on the stairs listening to them.

  Zac said something else, and I knew he was clearly angry with Noah. I hated that I had caused unrest even within their group. I quickly stood up and softly padded back up the stairs and into the bedroom. I looked around the room, running my hand through my hair.

  I knew what I had to do.

  With my heart pounding, I got my clothes ready and then heard footsteps. I jumped into the bed and closed my eyes. I heard Noah walk in and quietly close the door, a resigned sigh leaving his lips.

  The sound reverberated within my soul. He was giving up everything for me. I had to put a stop to it. To everything. My happiness was over. I had my fun. I had teased myself with perfection long enough. It was time to leave and let him get on with his life.

  My whole body ached as he got in beside me and put his arm over me. I waited, trying to fake my calm breathing. I ached for him, for his care and total disregard of his own life to help me. This guy was the best thing that would ever happen to me, and I would have to be strong and let him go.

  He eventually fell asleep, and I slowly and gently moved out of his embrace. I put my clothes on and looked back at him before I left. This was the only way, to make it easier on everyone. Without me, life went back to normal.

  I took another long look, drinking him in while he slept. I ran my eyes over his face, his kissable lips, his strong arms, and perfect abs. I tried to implant in my memory the way his tattoos called out to me, like we were kindred spirits.

  The pain of leaving him was indescribable.

  I would happily go back to my old life and go through it all again, instead of feeling what I felt right now. I felt wretched. I was leaving my heart with him and it fucking hurt.

  Grabbing my bag, I opened the door and quietly clicked it shut behind me before I would be tempted to chicken out and change my mind. There was nothing I wanted more in the world right now than to climb back into bed with him and be within his safe and warm embrace. I took a deep breath. It was time to go.

  I went down the stairs silently and headed over to the dining area to get a glimpse of the documents that Zac had organized. I picked them up and shoved them into my bag, noticing Noah’s sweater on one of the chairs. I needed that. Not only would it keep me warm when I went back to my world, but I wanted to have it as a reminder of his smell and what I had.

  I put it on and headed toward the front door.

  “Sliding door would be quieter,” said a voice in the darkness.

  I froze and swallowed a gasp of air.

  Will appeared out of nowhere, his hands in his pockets.

  “What are you doing, Ivy?” he asked quietly.

  “I leave and then his problems disappear,” I whispered.

  “He’d rather have every problem in the world than not to have you,” he returned.

  “I don’t want him to have any problems. He deserves the best. He can have that if I disappear.”

  “You think he’ll just accept that you’ve gone? He’ll lose his mind, Ivy. You disappeared for twelve hours, and he lost his shit. You can’t do this to him.”

  “Please, Will, just let me go. He means everything to me.”

  “So much that you’ll leave him?”

  “I’m leaving because he means so fucking much,” I whispered with emotion. “Everything goes away when I do. No threats, no payoffs, and no hiding.”

  “So you heard everything that was said?” he stated.

  “Just let me go,” I pleaded.

  “Fuck, Ivy, I can’t just let you do this. He’ll have my balls. What type of friend am I if I let the only thing he loves leave?”

  “Because you know he deserves to be happy and not be under his father’s control, doing everything he hates. That’s why you’ll let me go.”

  He stared at me for a while, contemplating.

  “How the fuck are you going to leave from here?” he asked. “There’s no transport at 5:00 a.m.”

  “Hitchhike I guess. I just know I have to go now. If I see him again, I won’t have the strength to leave.”

  His eyes narrowed on me.

  “I’ll help you leave, but on my conditions.”

  “Which are?”

  “I’ll organize one of my family’s drivers, who will take you to my place, where you will stay, hidden, until we work something out permanently.”

  “But Noah will find out.”

  “He won’t see you. You’ll be hidden. No one comes to my place.”

  “Why would you do this?” I asked.

  He typed something in his phone and I watched hi
m warily. Was he contacting Noah right now? Stalling for time?

  “Because he’ll kill me when he finds out I let you leave. But at least I’ll drop off this mortal coil knowing I helped you survive. Go out front. My driver will be waiting for you in ten minutes,” he said pulling out his wallet.

  “How?” I asked, still wary.

  “Ivy, just fucking trust me. I have a driver that I never fucking use because I’m not an uptight wanker with a stick up my ass. I also have a place in the city for me to stay in when I feel like being a trust fund wanker. Just take this,” he said passing me a card that looked like a hotel room key. “The driver knows where to go. Use that card to gain access to everything. I will come and see you when I can. Leave your phone.”

  I pulled it out of my bag and before I placed it on the table, I quickly typed a note on there.

  I love you Noah, but it’s better this way for everyone. Please forget me xx

  “Stay inside. Those documents might change your identity, but your sick fuck of a father will be on the lookout. Stay inside until I come back to see you. Do you understand how important this is?”

  I nodded, feeling sick at the decision I had now made.

  “Go,” he said. “Before I wake him up and get him to stop you.”

  I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek and then ran out the sliding door, into the night.

  It wasn’t long before a limousine pulled up at the front gates and my heart pounded in my chest. Was this the right thing to do? Could I trust Will?

  “Ms. Ivy,” said the driver, coming around to open the door for me.

  I climbed in and closed my eyes as the door shut behind me with finality.

  * * *

  An hour later, the limousine had come to a stop outside a city building. I looked out the window nervously at the formal entrance and the guard, now opening my door.