Combust (Electric Series #4)

by E. L. Todd

  “You want to stay with us until school starts up again?”

  “No,” Clay said quickly. “I’ll leave today. I don’t want to cramp your style.”

  “You aren’t cramping our style,” I said. “We love having you around.”

  “It’s okay,” he said. “If I were in an apartment with a cute girl, I would want to be alone too…”

  Volt chuckled. “We really don’t mind, Clay. We actually wanted to see if you wanted to go ice skating with us.”

  “Ice skating? What the hell is that?”

  “You’ve never been ice skating?” I guess I shouldn’t be surprised since there were a lot of things he hadn’t done.

  “No,” Clay said. “I’ll pass.”

  “Want to go to the arcade?” Volt asked.

  “Hell yeah,” Clay said. “I love that place.”

  Volt and I just got back together, and I didn’t want to share him with anyone. I wanted us to lie around the house all day and look into each other’s eyes. But I knew Clay needed him more than I did. “I need to exchange Christmas gifts with Sara, so I’m going to do that this afternoon.”

  “You aren’t going to come with us?” Volt asked.

  “You guys will have more fun without me. Besides, I have a lot to tell Sara.” She didn’t know Volt and I got back together, and that was a long story.

  “You’re sure?” Volt asked.

  “Absolutely.” Clay deserved to be pampered for once in his life. All I really wanted was to sleep with Volt. When the door was locked and the lights were out, we did the things I craved the most. I got to have him—in every way possible.

  Volt saw the truthfulness in my eyes and dropped the questions. “Alright. We’ll be home later.”

  ***

  She unwrapped her present and screamed. “Oh my god! Where the hell did you get these?” She held up a pair of Gucci stilettos.

  “Well, I got them at an outlet store when they were on sale. Plus, it was Black Friday. And I had a gift card. Not to mention, I sold my soul to the devil.”

  She hugged them to her chest. “Oh my god, they are the cutest things ever.”

  “I’m glad you like them.”

  “I’m so wearing these to work next week. My ass is going to look off the hook.”

  “Hopefully, it lands you a cute guy. And a rich one who can afford all your expensive taste.”

  “I don’t have expensive taste,” she argued. “I just have classy taste.”

  If you say so.

  “Now open yours.” She handed over the box.

  I ripped it open and found a white gold necklace with a set of charms in a separate box. Each one had a different safari animal. There was a giraffe, a parrot, a rhino, and a hippo. “Wow. This is so cute.” I loved it. I would wear it to school every single day. I slid the charms on before I clasped it around my neck.

  When I saw it, I thought of you.

  I felt the charms with my fingertips, knowing Volt would get a kick out of it. “I think we did a pretty good job this year.”

  She hugged her shoes again before she placed the box on the chair beside her. “I love Christmas.”

  “What did you do?”

  “Went out with some friends. Couldn’t get the time off to fly home. My parents were upset, but they’ll get over it.”

  “It’s a long flight.” When we went to Washington for Thanksgiving, my ass was flat for days from sitting for so long.

  “And expensive. So, what did you do for Christmas?”

  Now was the best part of the conversation. “I spent it with Volt.”

  She stared at the grin on my face, still confused. “Meaning?”

  “We got back together.”

  “What?” she blurted. “What happened to never taking him back?”

  “Well…he gave me a good justification for his behavior. After that, I couldn’t stay mad at him.”

  “What was his excuse?”

  I’d guard his secrets just as much as I guarded hers. “It’s personal. But trust me, it made perfect sense.”

  “How do you know he didn’t just make it up?”

  “He hinted at it earlier in our relationship, but never talked about it. Besides, he wouldn’t lie to me.”

  “Did he sleep with anyone else while you were apart?”

  “No.”

  “Are you sure? He could have lied about that.”

  “He wouldn’t lie to me. If that’s what he said, then that’s what happened.”

  “I don’t know…three weeks is a long time to be single.”

  Now she was just pissing me off. She didn’t know Volt the way I did. She hadn’t even met the guy. “I trust everything Volt tells me. He wouldn’t lie to me just to save his ass. If that’s what he said, then it’s the truth.”

  “Okay, sorry.” She leaned back, picking up on my hostility.

  “Why aren’t you happy for me?”

  “I am happy for you. But…never mind.”

  “No, tell me.”

  “You don’t want to hear it. And if you’re happy, just keep being happy.”

  Now that the tension settled in the room, I couldn’t ignore it. I needed to know her thoughts. We told each other everything since we were little. Men weren’t immune to that. “I want to know.”

  “Are you sure?” she asked. “You aren’t going to yell at me?”

  “I didn’t yell in the first place.”

  “Okay, fine.” She leaned over the table again. “From what you said about him, it seems like he has anger issues.”

  “He flipped out, I admit that. But it was one time.”

  “But he really flipped out and said some unforgivable things.”

  “I know.”

  “It just makes me wonder if he’s emotionally unstable.”

  “He’s fine.”

  “But are you sure?” she asked. “He seriously went off the deep end. He turned into a man you didn’t recognize. If this happened once, who says it won’t happen again?”

  “It won’t happen again. And if it does, I’m gone.”

  “I don’t know…” She shook her head gently. “It took so long for you two to get together, and not long after you’re together, you break up. It just sounds like the two of you aren’t compatible. I’m sure he’s hot and has a nice cock, but maybe you need someone a little more tame.”

  There was no one else for me besides him. I understood how it looked to an outside point of view. Sara hadn’t met Volt and didn’t understand all the ways he was so blindingly romantic. She didn’t know about his sweet relationship with Clay. She only saw one sliver of him, a sliver that didn’t do him justice. I loved Sara like a sister, but she wasn’t as open-minded as I was. Once she settled on an idea, she stuck with it, stubborn beyond reason. “Volt is a lot more than a nice cock. The package underneath is what I care most about. It’s the part of him that I fell in love with. We hit a rough patch, like all couples do, and I don’t think that means I should just turn my back on him. I believe in him. And he believes in me.”

  Sara held my gaze, not flinching under my heated stare. If she was uncomfortable, she hid it well. She pressed her lips tightly together while her eyes remained glued on me. Then she leaned back into the chair again, surrendering. “Fine. You know what you’re doing.”

  I did know what I was doing. “Please keep an open mind when you meet him.”

  “I’m not as catty as you think I am.”

  “Yes, you are. And we both know it.”

  She rolled her eyes. “If you love this guy and you’re going to fight for him, then he must be special. I want you to be happy, so I’ll behave myself.”

  That wasn’t enough. “I want you to like him, Sara.”

  “I said I would be nice to him and keep an open mind. I’m not going to like him unless he gives me a reason to. So, he better step up his game because I’m a tough audience.”

  “So be it.”

  ***

  Volt and I enjoyed our winter break
together but it wasn’t as magical when a third person was always around. Clay did everything with us. Stuck to Volt’s side like his new best friend, they went everywhere together.

  And he slept over every night.

  I didn’t mind having him there because he was a good kid, but I hated being silent as a mouse when we fooled around. When Volt made love to me, he kept his moans in the back of his throat. I had to shut my mouth and use my nails to express my feelings. I ended up scratching him and nearly making him bleed. He had marks all over his skin but he didn’t seem to care. I had to remind him to wear a shirt around the house so Clay wouldn’t see my claw marks.

  By the end of the two weeks, I knew Clay had to leave. And I was dreading it. Because when he left, Volt had to do the right thing and contact social services.

  As the days drew closer, he became tenser. The fear was deep in his eyes. He didn’t want to go against Clay’s wishes, but there was no other option. He lay in bed beside me, not in the mood for sex like he usually was.

  I lay beside him and ran my hand across his chest. I tried to comfort him in the only way I could. My fingers weren’t enough, but at least it was something. “It’ll be alright.”

  “He’ll hate me.”

  “In the beginning, but he’ll understand eventually.”

  “No. He’ll just hate me.”

  “Give him more credit than that.”

  “You don’t get it,” he whispered. “I’m the only person he has. I’m the only person he trusts. If I do this, he’ll see it as a betrayal. He’ll look at me differently. I know exactly how he thinks.”

  “I’m sure he’ll come around eventually.”

  “I’m afraid it’ll make it worse. I’m afraid he won’t go to college just to spite me.”

  “No. He wouldn’t have come to you in the first place unless he wanted to pursue a better future.”

  “But he’s emotional. He’ll shut down if he has to. It’s a defense mechanism to him.”

  “Talk to him first. Maybe that will ease the blow.”

  “Yeah…but I have a feeling it’ll just make it worse.”

  “Why don’t you get social services involved but never tell him you were the one behind it?”

  “Clay isn’t stupid,” he snapped. “He’ll figure it out. And I’m not lying to the kid.”

  I leaned over his chest and pressed a kiss to his ribs. “It’ll work out, Volt. Don’t worry about it.”

  “How can I not worry about it?” He was immune to my kisses. “I know I’m important to him, but he’s also important to me. I don’t want to lose him. He means a lot to me.”

  “I know…” I rubbed his chest. “And he knows that too.”

  “But will that be enough?”

  “It will.” I pressed more kisses to his chest, trying to soften him up and redirect his thoughts. I wanted to fall in the throes of passion so he wouldn’t think about anything else.

  His hand moved into my hair, feeling the strands fall through his fingertips. “At least I have you to get through it.” His fingertips brushed against my cheek, feeling the soft skin. Longing flared in his eyes, telling me how much he adored me.

  “You always have me.”

  He pulled me onto his chest and forced my legs to straddle his hips. “I like it when you ride me. Feels good.”

  “Yeah?” I grabbed his large length and directed it at my entrance. I was wet without even realizing it. I slowly slid down, stretching apart as I took him.

  His hands gripped my ass and pulled me down his length. Once he was completely inside me, I felt his cock swell further, enjoying how wet and tight I was. “Ride me, baby.”

  I couldn’t move fast and hard like I wanted. I could only lean over him and give him slow strokes. His cock gently slid into me, moving until his length was completely sheathed. He rocked into me from underneath, slowly moving.

  He propped himself on his elbows and tilted his head back, kissing me as I moved harder. When his mouth was clamped over mine, it silenced my moans. I breathed harder into his mouth as I took him over and over.

  “You’re the best sex I’ve ever had.”

  I stopped moving and kept my face pressed to his. Was that just a line? Or did he actually mean it?

  He read the question in my eyes. “I mean it.” He thrust his hips up, wanting to keep going.

  I got swept away in the pleasure, and I kept riding him as he made me feel everything from the sun to the moon. I felt the explosion rise over the horizon, hitting me with more rays until I completely ignited in flames.

  He grabbed my ass and pulled me harder onto his length, digging deeper into me. He was about to come, about to follow me into the pleasurable abyss. He moaned into my mouth before he hit his trigger, releasing deep inside me. He loved claiming me like this.

  And I loved being claimed.

  ***

  A week went by, and school started up again. When my students filed into my classroom, it was obvious they didn’t want to be there. By the end of the week, they still didn’t want to be there.

  Neither did I.

  I wanted to marry Volt and be his full-time sex slave. That sounded so nice. It probably came with good hours, good pay, and excellent benefits. When we got married someday, I hoped he would be down with it.

  That Saturday was the SAT session that Clay signed up for. We agreed to drive him to the campus and wait outside until he was finished. It was a long test, taking up to five hours.

  We waited inside Volt’s apartment for him to arrive. It was early in the morning, about seven. No one should up that early on a Saturday.

  It should be against the law.

  Volt wasn’t affectionate with me while we waited. He kept to himself, his nerves getting to him.

  “You’re worried about how he’ll do?”

  “He knows the material. I’m not worried about that.” He leaned against the counter with his arms over his chest. He wore a dark blazer that molded to his shoulders perfectly. His chest fit tightly against it, the outline of his pecs visible through the fabric of his shirt.

  “Then what are you worried about?”

  “That he’ll get nervous. That he’ll panic. That he’ll see all the smart kids and start to question himself. That he won’t be able to focus.”

  “I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

  “Even if I could just sit in there with him, I’d feel better.”

  “Maybe you can.”

  “I don’t know. I guess I could ask. Just having me in there might make him more comfortable. But then again, every student would want their parent nearby so that wouldn’t be fair.”

  “Unless you say you’re there for some kind of research for your company.”

  “Hmm…that’s not a bad idea.”

  “It’s worth a shot.”

  Clay knocked on the door.

  Volt opened the door and fist-bumped Clay. “Ready, man?”

  “I think I got this,” he said with a shrug.

  “You’re going to do great.” Volt wrapped his arm around Clay’s shoulder. “You’ve got this in the bag. We’ll go to Mega Shake afterward to celebrate.”

  “Hell yeah,” Clay said.

  We got into Volt’s fancy car then drove across town until we found the university where the exam was being administered. Clay ate his breakfast on the way there, something Volt packed for him.

  After we parked the car, we walked him into the building.

  “I’ve got it from here,” Clay said.

  “It’s a big place,” Volt said. “Let’s make sure you get there on time without any problems.”

  We found the registration counter and checked Clay in before we stood in line to enter the auditorium.

  “I’ll be right back.” Volt walked away, probably to check with someone about sitting in.

  I stayed with Clay, seeing his body tense with anxiety. He kept shifting his weight back and forth, eyeing the other kids around him. “I don’t see anyone from my school.”


  “They might be in a different room.”

  “I’m the only poor kid here…”

  “What does that matter?” Volt was right when he said Clay might tense up. “When you submit your application to college, that doesn’t matter at all. You’re going to do great on this test. It doesn’t matter what your clothes look like or how much you have in your wallet.” I pressed my finger against his temple. “All that matters is what’s in here.” I pointed to his chest. “And there.”

  He rolled his eyes. “That was so cheesy.”

  “But true.”

  Volt returned, a disappointed look on his face.

  I silently asked for the outcome with just my eyes.

  He shook his head.

  The doors opened and people started to file in.

  “Alright, here we go.” Volt placed his hand on Clay’s shoulder. “Just relax and do your best. There’s no pass or fail. There’s just a raw score.”

  Clay nodded.

  “I know you’re going to do great.” Volt did something I’d never seen him do before. He wrapped his arms around Clay and hugged him. “No matter what that test score is, I’m so proud of you.”

  Clay hugged him back, pure emotion coming into his eyes. “Thanks for everything…”

  “You’re welcome.” He pulled away and ruffled his hair. “Now go kick some ass.”

  Clay smiled. “Does that mean I can cuss now?”

  “When you walk out of that exam, you can drop as many F bombs as you want.”

  He chuckled. “You’re going to regret saying that.”

  ***

  Volt couldn’t sit still, not even for a second. He paced in the hallway and kept eyeing his watch. The exam seemed to stretch on forever. I suddenly felt bad for putting my students through gruesome finals. How did they expect anyone to pay attention for this long?

  “Do you think he’s okay?” Volt ran his hand through the back of his hair, sounding like a concerned parent at the doctor’s office. He kept pacing back and forth, crossing his arms over his chest then running his fingers through his hair again.

  “He’s fine. Sit down.”

  He shoved his hands into his pockets but continued to stand there.

  It was sweet that he cared so much for Clay. Seeing their relationship grow and change right before my eyes was a privilege. Volt had the biggest heart in the world. When he told me he lacked compassion and love, I knew that was a lie. He had more love to give than anyone else I’d ever met.