by Rachel Leigh
My heart twinges at his words. I was far from a good brother. I was awful to that little boy. But Colby didn’t see it that way. That sweet little boy didn’t know any better. He always wanted to play video games with me, but I always gave him the dead remote. Never once let him try for real.
“He was a good kid,” I say. He really was a good kid.
Breaking the tension, Dad wipes his tears away and straightens up. “So, a baby? This is a big change, Lars. You sure you’re ready for this?”
“I am. I’ve had a lot of time to think about it and I’m ready to step up to my responsibilities. It also helps that I’m pretty drawn to the baby’s mom.”
“So, what? You been hiding this girl somewhere? She better have consented or I’ll kick your fucking ass.”
“She just needed some time alone to think about things. She never actually ran away. And no, she has nothing to do with that Josh kid’s disappearance.”
“Willa Mack, huh? Never would have guessed that one. After that whole scandal that you took part in, I thought for sure the girl hated your guts.”
“She did. But, we’ve moved past it.”
“Pastor Jeffries sure as hell hasn’t. That must be why he stopped by the other day looking for the two of you.”
Not surprised.
“Madison is just jealous. You can’t take anything that girl says seriously.”
Dad slaps a hand to my back. “I believe you.”
“You do?” I question, feeling my forehead wrinkle in surprise. Dad’s actually taking my side over Madison and Lynn’s.
“She came onto me a few different occasions. Caught her naked in my bed once and told her that if it happened again her and her mom were both out on their asses.” He snatches some papers off the desk and looks them over awkwardly, like this entire conversation is making him uncomfortable
“Holy shit.” I laugh. Though, it’s not funny.
He drops the papers back on the desk. “I’m walking them both out this afternoon. Lynn and I were never in love. It was all her own fantasy. Much like Madison's with you. Lynn is planning to take Madison to her dad’s in Colorado where he’s enrolling her at some academy. Apparently this isn’t the first time she’s had an unhealthy obsession. Of course, Lynn will place most of the blame on you, because that’s how Lynn is. But we all know that Madison needs help.”
“Be prepared for an all-out war in the courtroom.”
Dad chuckles. “I’m the best divorce lawyer on this side of the country. I covered all my tracks before I even proposed. She won’t get a penny.”
There’s a long pause while I try and figure out how to tell Dad that I’m leaving Redwood. In the end, I play it safe for the time being and tell him I’m just leaving for a few days and he gave me his blessing.
Today was good. I’m walking out of this house feeling like I can finally fully breathe.
Now, I just need to haul ass and get back to Anderson’s to see Willa before she goes on her secret mission for Zed.
23
Silence engulfs the vehicle as I sit inside. Once again, I borrowed Anderson’s SUV. I make a mental note to thank him for all of his help this week. He didn’t have to agree to let me stay in his home, but he did. Although, I’m pretty sure it wasn’t just a kind gesture like I want to believe it was.
I shoot Lars a quick text and tell him I left early and I’ll be back soon. I really didn’t want to see Lars before I came here because I knew there was a chance he’d follow me just to make sure I’m safe. Zed is parked directly across the street from me and I made a promise that I’d keep everything between us. These guys might play dirty, but I don’t.
His eyes bore into mine as I stare back at him. He’s sitting behind the wheel of a black Escalade, wearing a pair of sunglasses and a black beanie on his head. Zed wears so much darkness and although rumors have it that his heart matches the shade of his clothes, I truly believe that he has the ability to feel very deeply. He’s just chasing monsters like the rest of us.
When he gives me a thumbs up, I open the driver’s side door and feel like I’m stepping out into the gates of hell. It’s been over a week since I’ve been in this house and to say I never wanted to return is an understatement. I don’t even want my belongings inside. Nothing in there is of any value to me.
One step after another, I find myself at the door. My fingers wrap around the old, rusted handle of the screen door and when the familiar scraping sound of the bottom hits the metal of the frame, my stomach turns. I push open the main door that is never locked, nor latched, all the way and step inside.
The smell immediately brings back traumatic memories and I realize that I need to make this quick or I’ll be leaving empty-handed.
With my phone gripped tightly in my hand, I pay close attention to make sure it doesn’t vibrate. Zed said he’d text me if I needed to hurry and get out. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that because I panic under pressure.
Zed said there is a box somewhere in here, but I have no idea where this box could be. The house is only about twelve hundred square feet, so it can’t be too hard to locate.
I start with the kitchen, opening and closing cupboards and drawers, but I find nothing.
My heart rate excels when I eye Rick and Mom’s room. Well, Rick’s room now. The door is closed and if Rick is hiding anything, that’s where I’d expect it to be. I turn the handle and push the door open. It looks the same as it always does. Full-size bed in the middle of the room against the wall. A floral comforter laid on top with decorative throw pillows that match. His dresser sits on the right side and holds different biblical figurines such as a candle that he lights during his prayers. I pull open the top drawer and shuffle through his endless amounts of socks. Nothing.
Second drawer, just folded T-shirts. Nothing.
Third and fourth drawers, more clothes. Nothing.
Next, I try the closet, but that also leads to a dead end.
“Where could it be?” I mumble, beginning to feel anxious and agitated. I turn my phone on and text Zed.
Me: I can’t find anything. Are you sure there’s a box? Maybe he got rid of it.
He immediately responds.
Z: It’s there. Keep looking.
“Damnit.” I spit out. I rarely swear, but I’m finding that the use of swear words does actually help to relieve stress.
I head out of the room and an unwanted realization sweeps over me when I eyeball the basement door. If I had my way, that whole basement would be filled with cement and cease to exist. There are so many awful memories of that small space. Rick would only go down there when he’d take me with him to catch a feel or relieve some of his own pent-up tension. It’s pretty empty, aside from some old boxes and shelves.
The clear plastic handle feels cold against my skin. The edges digging into my hand because I’m gripping it with enough force to snap it off. Taking in a deep breath, I open it. The musky aroma immediately hits me, but I hold my breath and take a few steps down the old rickety wooden staircase.
It’s damp and pretty much what you’d expect to find in any old basement of a house built in the early nineteen-hundreds.
Still standing on the steps, I scour the room, hoping I don’t have to go any farther. I really don’t want to see anything worth checking out down here because I can already feel sweat dripping between my boobs.
I swallow hard when I see an old bookshelf perched against the very back wall of the basement. Just ignore it, Willa.
My phone vibrates, causing my body to jerk.
Z: Hurry up.
“You come down here and I’ll tell you to hurry up. Asshole.” I should send that to him, but I don’t. Instead, I creep farther down. Standing on the last step, I lean forward to try and get a better look, but it’s too dark, so I flip on the flashlight on my phone and shine it over toward the shelf.
It’s packed full of dusty old books. If I run over, skim through them quickly, I can be out of this basement in two minutes tops.
So, that’s what I do.
With my flashlight on, I tear the books off the shelf, one by one, letting them fall to the floor. There are at least a dozen different Bibles. Christian books. A few old romance novels that were probably Mom’s.
Once the first row is cleared, I move onto the second, pulling books and dropping them over and over again, until one drops with a hollow sound against the cement.
Bending down, I pick it up. It looks like a book, but it’s not. It’s a wooden box with a small clasp on the side. The spine looks like that of a Bible and on the top it reads, ‘but if you do not forgive others for their sins. Our father will not forgive you for your sins.’
This is it! I send Zed a quick text telling him I have it and then I bolt to the stairs, making no attempt to slow my steps. Once I’m at the top, I push the door open and don’t even bother shutting it.
Gripping the box tightly to my chest, I go back outside and stick to the promise of not looking inside the box. As curious as I am, I get the feeling that looking inside would be a death wish that Zed would grant me.
His vehicle begins creeping down the road and his arm is stretched out the driver’s side window. I jog over to him, place it in his hand and with his eyes set straight ahead on the road, he doesn’t say a word, then he’s gone.
I sure hope whatever is in that box brings him peace and not more war.
Lars' car is parked in front of the garage, blocking the entrance, so I pull up behind him and turn the ignition off.
Going through the side door of the garage, I flip the light on, so I can see, then enter through the mud room. I kick my shoes off before opening the door and I'm immediately hit with the overpowering and ever so satisfying aroma of garlic.
Lars is standing over the stove, wearing an apron, while the heavy metal lyrics of Slipknot blast through the speakers in the kitchen.
I'm pretty positive that he has no idea I'm here, so I make no attempt to be known. Taking soft baby steps behind him, I pull out a stool and sit down. Resting my chin on my fist with my elbow pressed against the marbled center island, I observe his cooking skills. Once he starts jamming out, I observe his singing skills, too.
He's got water boiling in a pot while he browns meat in a pan, and if I had to guess, he's making spaghetti.
"I'm impressed," I say loudly, so that my voice carries over the music.
He spins around quickly and grabs his chest. "Shit, you scared me."
"I didn't know you got scared. It's enlightening." I smirk. "Whatcha making?"
He walks over to a deck placed under one of the cupboards and stops the music. "I call this my 'don't be mad that I have to leave for a while tonight' offering."
"Ahh, so you're leaving me again?" I tease. I already know that there is some party that he has to attend. Marni and Talon had mentioned it yesterday. My feelings aren't even hurt that I wasn't invited because they all know that I can't go. Aside from this circle of people, everyone assumes I've run away. Which, I prefer because come tomorrow, I am running away. I'm technically an adult, so I'd prefer to call it moving.
"It's just for a couple hours and you won't even be alone. Marni said she'd come keep you company."
I've grown pretty used to being alone, and being the introvert that I am, I actually prefer it. But I do know that Lars' friends are important to him and recently Marni joined that list, so there is no harm in trying to get to know her a little better. "That's nice of her."
"Yeah, I figured you two could watch some chick flicks, paint your nails. Ya know, all that stuff chicks like to do."
I've never done those things. I don't even know how to paint my nails without them looking like a toddler took a bottle of polish and slopped it on my fingers. Marni is going think I'm this sheltered girl who just lives in the church and has no life. The truth is, that was my life. I am that girl.
Water begins bubbling over the pot, causing the burner to sizzle. I jump up to help, because one thing I can do is cook. It’s sort of a gift Mom left me when she fled. The responsibility of tending to her soon-to-be ex-husband's needs and desires. Anger begins to boil inside of me, much like the pot of water. Snatching up the box of spaghetti noodles, I push the thoughts from my head. I snap a handful in half and drop them into the boiling water, while Lars stands next to me draining grease into a can. "I'm pretty impressed that you know how to cook. Don't you have people who do that for you?"
"Well, yeah. But it’s spaghetti. Everyone can cook spaghetti and garlic bread. Shit." He snatches an oven mitt off the counter. "The garlic bread." He moves me to the side and pulls the oven open, only to find some burnt bread sitting on the rack. "Ok, everyone can cook spaghetti." He closes the oven back up and shuts it off. "Who needs garlic bread anyways." He gets behind me and nuzzles his face in my neck, tickling me with the short stubble on his face. "I can get used to this. Cooking with you. Kissing you."
His hand sets on my stomach and he turns me to face him. "Everything I want in life is in this room right now."
My eyes widen. "You're surprising me again. I had no idea you could be so sweet."
His neck stretches, and he sets his chin on top of my head. "I'm surprising myself. You make me wanna be better, Willa."
My head presses to his chest, snuggling in and feeling so safe and protected in his arms. This is my happy place. "I'll never understand why you want to be with me. I'm a mess."
"From one mess to another, we've got this." He kisses my forehead and I believe him. Everything is going to be ok. This fairy tale might not last forever. No one falls in love and keeps it at our age. It would be a rare gift that I'd gladly accept, but I have to be realistic. This life isn't going to be easy. We have a lot of bumpy roads ahead. But for now, I'm living in the moment and holding on tight.
24
"How hungry are you?" I grumble into the crease of Willa's neck. Now that she's mine, I can't keep my hands off of her. Pure perfection, inside and out.
"Not at all."
My hands cup underneath her ass, and I hoist her up. With her legs wrapped around me, I carry her into the living room, slightly nervous of how this could play out. She has scars inside, naturally so. She's been tormented by a lion who bared his teeth and threatened to feed on her soul. It's going to take a lot of time and patience on my end before she ever fully lets her guard down.
But the way she's kissing my neck as I carry her through the living room leads me to believe she wants this just as much as I do. "Are you sure?" I ask her, taking the steps upstairs. Her grip around my shoulders tightens. "I won't let you fall." I chuckle.
"If you drop me, so help me God."
"Listen girl, I work out for a living. I've been on break for a couple weeks, but there is no way I'm dropping your one-hundred pound ass down the stairs." When we get to the top, she sighs in relief. "Did you seriously doubt me?"
"Not one bit."
"Liar." I kick open the door to the room she's been staying in and lay her down on the bed. "I don't like to be lied to." My lips slam into hers as I seduce her tongue. Her legs bend at the knees, inviting me between them. I take the empty space, without putting my full weight on her, grinding my throbbing cock at her entrance through her pants.
Gripping the bottom of my shirt, she rips it over my head and flings it to the floor. "Take my pants off." Her voice is grating and full of demand. I do as I'm told. Who am I to argue with a pregnant girl. I have yet to see mood swings, but I'm sure they're coming at some point. I only hope her stamina doesn't decrease because I'm loving this wild side of her.
Pushing myself off her, I slide her pants down, along with her panties, while she takes her hoodie off. Her bra follows suit and her perky breasts and hard nipples greet me. Her silky smooth skin is entrancing and does indescribable things to my insides. I drop my pants in one swift movement. With her legs dangling over the edge of the bed, I push underneath her knees and bring them halfway to her head, taking care not to squish her belly.
My tongue co
vers her pussy, licking in long strides and tasting her sweet juices. “Mmm,” I hum against her entrance. She’s so fucking wet. I drop one foot down, but she grabs ahold of it and pulls it back up herself, spreading her legs wide open for me. Circling my fingers at her entrance, I flick my tongue against her clit, causing a vibration that has her shuddering. My eyes skim up and I see her watching me, watching us.
Curiously, her mouth forms an O. Suddenly, the shy girl is gone, and I'm staring into eyes full of wonder and lust. Taking her into a whole new world of consensual pleasure where shame has no business being present.
I slide one finger inside of her, twisting it around like a key in a hole. Then another, spreading her open wider and feeling the warmth of her walls around me.
My eyes return to her pussy and I watch as my fingers slide in and out of her. Her arousal runs down her ass, and I dart my tongue out and lick her clean. Dragging it up to where my fingers press inside of her, I pull them out and flex my tongue muscle inside, while my fingers caress her sensitive nub. When she quivers and whimpers, I know that's the spot she likes.
"Lars." She moans. "I'm—" She begins crying out in heavy breaths of pleasure. "I think I'm gonna come."
"Don't fight it, baby." I stick my fingers back inside of her. Gliding them deeper and in quick movements. When I feel her clench around them, I know she's close. Taking her to the height of her orgasm, I dart my tongue repeatedly at her clit.
"Oh God," She bellows, followed by a drawn-out breath. Evidence of her orgasm spills around my fingers. I ride her out until her body relaxes on the bed. She jolts like her body is being zapped by a current and slaps a hand over mine. I pull my fingers out and climb back between her legs.
My cock finds her entrance like he knows right where to go and I slide inside. So tight and dripping wet. Being inside her is what I would imagine heaven is like. I glide in and out from the tip of my head to the full length of my cock. Our pelvic bones collide then separate in a continuous motion.
