Resurrecting the Enemy

by M. E. Clayton

  Finally, he said, “Your mother forgives me because we have an unhealthy co-dependent relationship on top of being in love with each other. She has to forgive me because she can’t be without me just as much as I can’t be without her.” That didn’t sound good at all. “However, if it ever got to the point where one of us did walk, your mother would survive it. I, on the other hand, wouldn’t.”

  “So, you don’t get her to forgive you, she just does because she loves you,” I surmised.

  He glanced over at my mom before looking back at me. “Ram, from the first moment that I ever laid eyes on your mother, I have never looked at another female. Even at our worst, I never threw another female in your mother’s face.” He ran his hand through his hair. “Christ, son, you know better.”

  “I know,” I told him. “And that’s why I didn’t get any sleep last night and look like shit.”

  “Regret doesn’t go away, Ramsey,” he said. “Even if this girl forgives you, the regret stays with you.” He looked serious and remorseful. “You can’t damage someone you care about and not pay the price for it. Forgiveness doesn’t absolve you, son. Nothing does.”

  I let out a dark laugh. “So, what the fuck am I supposed to do? Just sit back and let it destroy me?”

  Dad shook his head. “No,” he said. “You do your best to make sure she doesn’t regret forgiving you.”

  “And if she doesn’t give me the chance to do that?” I asked.

  “Then you don’t give her the choice,” he said. “Anything worth your love should be worth the fight.”

  I looked him straight in the eye when I asked, “Even if it lands me in jail?”

  He speared me with a look. “First off, I’d never let you end up in jail,” he automatically replied. “Your mother would kill me. Second, fuck yeah, even if it means you could end up locked up.” Dad glanced back over to where Mom was sitting and said, “I’d fucking murder an entire city for your mother, Ram, and happily spend the rest of my life in jail for it, if that’s what it took to make your mother happy.”

  I shook my head. “That’s some twisted shit, Dad.”

  “Doesn’t make it any less true, Ram.”

  Before we could say anything more, I noticed D.J. making her way towards us. Dad’s hand came down on my shoulders and said, “Just let me know if things get really out of hand, okay?” I just nodded, and he went on his way.

  D.J. smiled at him as she passed him on her way to talk to me. When she stood in front of me, her amber eyes narrowed on me. “I heard a rumor,” she started off.

  “Oh, yeah?” I teased. “And which rumor would that be?”

  “I heard Ashton Childress was in the hospital with numerous injuries,” she replied.

  I widened my eyes in mock exaggeration. “No, way?” I winked down at her. “What a shame, no?”

  D.J. shook her head. “You didn’t have to do that, R.J.”

  I scoffed. “The fuck I didn’t,” I argued. “Besides, if I hadn’t, your dad would be fighting murder charges right now.”

  The girl smirked. “Only if he’d gotten caught.”

  We really were a deranged bunch.

  I reached out, wrapped my arm around her, and pulled her to me. When her arms automatically went around my waist, I kissed her on top of her head. “How are you holding up, kid?”

  “I’m good,” she said. “You guys taught me well, R.J.”

  “Doesn’t matter,” I automatically replied. “It’s our jobs to look after you, Maggie, and Lennon.”

  D.J. snorted. “Lennon’s going to end up so blood thirsty, no one will ever dare mess with that girl.”

  I chuckled. “You’re probably right.”

  We were quietly holding each other for a bit before D.J. said, “I also heard another rumor.”

  “Oh, yeah?”

  “I heard you’re in love with a girl who can’t stand you and wants nothing to do with you.”

  “Goddamn Chance,” I muttered.

  D.J. laughed as she pulled out of my arms. Looking up at me, she said, “Dash is actually the one who ratted you out.”

  I was surprised. Dash wasn’t one for gossip. “Really?”

  She winced. “Okay, maybe he didn’t rat you out, so much as I might have been eavesdropping a bit.”

  I bopped her nose. “Brat.”

  D.J. grinned. “I overheard him telling Crew you guys were going to have to retain the best criminal lawyer in the country because you were going off the rails over a girl who wanted nothing to do with you.”

  “Worried about me, D.J.?”

  “Happy for you, actually,” she corrected. “Well…provided Dash wasn’t exaggerating, and she really doesn’t hate you.”

  “She might hate me a little bit,” I told her truthfully.

  She snorted. “No doubt you probably deserve it.”

  “I do.”

  She eyed me before saying, “I have no doubt you’ll find a way to fix it, R.J.”

  I didn’t want to talk about how Lake hated me. And I didn’t want to sour the mood because we didn’t get together like this often, with everyone in attendance. So, I threw my arms around D.J.’s shoulder and said, “Let’s go party, kid.”

  Chapter 22

  Lake~

  Dressed in my favorite black hoodie, black jeans, and black sneaker, I felt at peace for the first time in a week. I hadn’t been out to take pictures since the night I met Ramsey, and this was just what I needed to ground me.

  Taking pictures wasn’t a collection of photos for me. When I was behind the camera, nothing existed for me other than whatever I was focused on. I wanted to tell stories with my picture, and in order to do that, I had to block out everything else around me and listen to what my subject was trying to tell me. Did it want to shine or remain hidden? Was it expressive or timid? And, most importantly, could I do it the justice it deserved?

  And it didn’t matter if it was a picture of The Pope or a random rock on the ground. Everything had substance. Everything existed for a reason. Behind the camera, I searched for those reasons. I wanted everything to matter, and I wanted to find beauty in what others might not see as beautiful.

  As I snapped my millionth picture, it was no secret why I’d chosen this place. I was in the same place where I’d first met Ramsey. Their little nighttime mafia move last Sunday had ended my plans early, so I was back to try to recapture whatever I may have lost that night after Ramsey had chased me down.

  Lost in my passion, I hadn’t heard him approaching, but I felt him soon enough, and that’s when I knew, with absolute certainty, that it was over for me.

  I didn’t bother turning around. I kept right on taking pictures. “Are you lost?”

  His answer came automatically. “No. I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.”

  Still not bothering to turn around, I asked, “How’d you know I was here?”

  “Do you really want to know?”

  I thought about that. “No,” I told him. “I don’t.” However he knew I was here, however he got into my social media accounts, however he did what he did, I didn’t want to know. The details didn’t matter.

  After taking another round of pictures, I finally turned around to face him. His gaze was powerful enough to pin me in place, but I still asked, “What do you want, Ramsey?”

  He jerked his head behind him. “Why do you ride the bus when you have a car?”

  I looked down at my feet and huffed out a small, sad laugh. Of course, it would never occur to Ramsey Reed Jr. that some households might have to share one vehicle. In my case, we had two vehicles, one for my dad and one for my mom.

  I looked back over at him. “That’s my mom’s car,” I replied. “She lets me borrow it when I want to do some night shots.”

  “You don’t think it’s dangerous to be out here at night?”

  I made sure to look him in the eye when I answered, “I know it is.” And I wasn’t referring to strangers or any animals that may be running around.

&n
bsp; “Dressed for diamonds again, I see.”

  Remembering how he had called me a diamond thief the first night we met, I asked, “Why did you call me a diamond thief that night?”

  He jerked his head my way. “Black hoodie, black jeans, and black shoe, you reminded me of Thomas Blood.”

  “Who’s Thomas Blood?”

  Ramsey stuck his hands in his pockets. “He was a sixteenth-century colonel who attempted to steal the Crown Jewels of England and Scotland in 1671. When I first saw you Sunday, my first thought was that you looked like you were dressed for a diamond heist.”

  I didn’t comment because I really didn’t think there was anything to say to that. That night felt like so long ago, even though it’s only been a week.

  “What are you doing here, Ramsey?” I asked. “What do you want?”

  “I want to know if you’ve calmed down yet.”

  My heart skipped and my stomach threatened to revolt.

  He wasn’t here to apologize. He wasn’t here to admit any wrongdoings. He wasn’t here to assure me that he’d never have anything to do with Erica or any other girl. He wasn’t here for anything other than to lay blame at my feet for losing my shit.

  I looked back down at my feet, took a deep breath, and pulled my camera up over my head. I was done here. I wasn’t going to find peace here anymore. Not with Ramsey invading my space again. Not with him standing there, so commanding, that everything else around us began to fade in beauty.

  I turned my back to him and started making my way back to my mom’s car. He wanted to know if I’ve calmed down, but I honestly didn’t know what I was feeling anymore. Was I calm or was I conquered? Was I over it or was I conceding defeat? I didn’t know anymore.

  However, I wasn’t able to give it much thought when a strong arm came around me from behind, wrapping around my waist, and halting my steps. My entire back was enveloped in heat and I closed my eyes in my utter, complete downfall.

  My arms hung limp at my sides, my left hand barely holding onto my camera. I opened my eyes, and all I could think was that my car was just beyond that cluster of trees over there. My escape was right there.

  Right there.

  Ramsey’s breath was hot on my ear as his free arm came around my front, and his hand slid up my stomach and chest, to cup my jaw and push my head back. It’d been slow, seductive, calculating, and destructive. Destructive to everything I’d been fighting all week.

  He didn’t utter a word, and neither did I, as his other hand went to work on the button of my jeans. I closed my eyes in resignation because my body was screaming for this.

  For him.

  His lips pressed against the skin behind my ear as my ponytail gave him access to everything. My eyes fell closed, and the second the flat of his hand slid into the waistband of my panties, the heated sensation ripped a deep, low moan from my chest.

  The camera fell from my hand as Ramsey’s lips and tongue tasted my skin and his hand slid further south until his fingers were spreading me open. My head fell back against his chest, and I gave this to him. He didn’t deserve it, and I was probably making the biggest mistake of my life, but gave in.

  My hips bucked as Ramsey played with my wetness. My breathing turned into full-blown pants as he slipped a finger inside of me, making me feel full. While Ramsey wasn’t the first guy to ever do this to me, he was the first who had me almost begging him not to stop.

  Losing myself to the sensations, I could hear Ramsey’s breaths beating a rough tattoo against my skin. I could also feel the hard ridge of his erection pressing into the small of my back. His left hand was tightening around my neck as his right hand continued to play with my body. Soon, another finger joined in with the first, and Ramsey was stretching me so deliciously, I knew I’d let this damaging boy behind me do anything he wanted to me.

  I no longer tried to disguise my moans, and they quickly joined the sounds of the trees, birds, and winds surrounding us. Ramsey’s rhythm was one of absolute confidence and experience and I knew it wouldn’t be long before I exploded all over his hand and fingers.

  When a third finger joined in, the painful pinch sent me skyrocketing, and my hands latched onto the forearm rubbing against my stomach, and I held on as my body trembled and shook with the blinding sensations of pleasure ricocheting all throughout my body.

  I wasn’t embarrassed by the cries ripping from my throat or the way my body was trying to pull him in deeper. I wasn’t embarrassed that I gave in so easily, or that he hadn’t even been made to apologize for what an asshole he’d been. I was embarrassed about nothing.

  Forgetting how bad he was for me, I let Ramsey bring me to the edge a second time, only, this time, it was his name that echoed throughout the trees surrounding us, and the growl he let out against my ear was the sexiest thing I’d ever heard.

  As my body quaked and shuttered, the hand around my throat tightened painfully, while the fingers of his other hand kept running softly up and down through my folds. Ramsey’s voice sounded angry and violent as he whispered in my ear, “I will never let you go, Lake.” My body twitched as a finger rub against my too-sensitive clit. “I will never fucking let you go,” he repeated. “I don’t care if you’re mad at me. I don’t care if you hate me. I don’t care if I have to fight with you every single day for the rest of our fucking lives.” He removed his hand from my pants, brought it up, and smeared my release all over my lips. His voice turned into a vicious snarl as he said, “You are mine, Lake. You are mine, and I am yours, and there will never be anyone else, for either one of us, ever fucking again.”

  My body collapsed against his in relief because, now, I knew what this was.

  This was his apology.

  This was Ramsey’s way of apologizing for what he’d said about Erica. And it was his way of letting me know that cheating would never be an issue between us.

  And I had to be the stupidest female on the planet because I believed him.

  Chapter 23

  Ramsey~

  It wasn’t enough.

  I held Lake compliant in my arms, her scent on my fingers, my dick rock hard, and my mind falling over the edge.

  I hadn’t been sure what she was going to do when I had invaded her privacy again, but when Maddox had told me he’d done some more snooping, and he had informed me that her parents had reservations in Rosario this coming weekend, I knew I had to find her and talk to her.

  The plan had been to give her some space, but that all changed with the possibility of having her all to myself for three days. According to Maddox, her parents’ reservations were from Thursday through Sunday, so that gave me Thursday night, Friday night, and Saturday night with her. And even if I couldn’t wrangle Thursday night out of her because we had school on Friday, that still gave me Friday and Saturday with her.

  So, armed with that information, I’d had Mad immediately track her locations on her phone, and had sought her out. When I pulled up and saw her car, I had honestly expected another fight. I had expected her to yell at me and tell me to leave her alone again. I had expected anger, fire, and a little bit of violence, truth be told.

  I hadn’t expected indifference.

  I hadn’t expected Lake to look at me with tired emptiness.

  When she had turned to walk away from me, I knew if I had let her go, she’d be lost to me. So, I used the one advantage I had.

  My touch.

  I knew Lake was attracted to me, and that had been the only card I had to play. And because Dash was right, and I was a manipulating bastard, I had played it. But my plan had backfired because now I wanted more.

  I needed more.

  Turning Lake around in my arms, I ran my hands up her neck until I was cradling her perfect fucking face. Her eyes were lidded, her face flushed, and she looked like she wanted more.

  So I gave it to her.

  My lips came down on hers and I could taste her cream I had smeared across her lips. Her flavor had me harder than I’d ever been.

&n
bsp; I wanted to devour her.

  I wanted to brand her.

  I wanted all of her.

  I didn’t care that she was going to drive me crazy. I didn’t care that she was becoming something beyond obsession. I didn’t care that she was probably going to be my downfall.

  The only thing I cared about was that Lake was kissing me back.

  She was fucking kissing me back, and my body was on fire for it.

  For her.

  I broke off the kiss, and as my lips skimmed down the column of her neck, my hand came down before sliding back up underneath the shirt layered beneath her hoodie. I grabbed a handful of tit, and even though it was over her bra, I could still feel the pebbled feel of her hardened nipple, and I wanted nothing more than to wrap my lips around it.

  Pulling back, I looked down at her, and I knew it would never been enough. A thousand lifetimes would never be enough. It was on the tip of my tongue to tell her, but I didn’t want her thinking lust was what was making me say these things.

  Instead, I did the one thing I’d sworn I wouldn’t. “Forgive me, Lake,” I demanded.

  “Ramsey, I…”

  Fuck this.

  I reached down and grabbed her camera as I laced my fingers in hers and pulled her towards our cars. I was literally pulling her, and she was practically tripping over her feet to keep up. Once we got to our cars, I pulled her towards my Range Rover, setting her camera on the top of my car, my lips coming down on hers again as I had her back up against the driver’s side door. When her arms came around me, it was all I could do not to bust my zipper wide open with the steel pressure behind it. I didn’t know if Lake was a virgin or not, but our first time was going to be anything but gentle, no matter if she was or not.

  There was no way I was going to be able to help myself.

  I stared down at her and told her the honest-to-God truth. “You should be scared of the things I’m going to do to you.” Her eyes immediately went wide. The haze of her orgasm fading. “I’m going to fucking ruin you, Lake, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”