by K. Walker
Oh God. My knees almost gave out on me as the heat bolted through my body.
"Mmm," he murmured.
My knees weakened again and I moaned at the sensation of his finger grazing my wet folds and then my breath hitched as he dipped a finger inside my core. I gasped at the feeling and excitement filled me. I wanted this just as much as he did. Arousal welled up in my body and took over as I let out another moan feeling his finger slowly glide out and back and forth over my slit. I was soaking wet.
My hands came up and grabbed Chad's shoulders to steady myself. I felt lightheaded as his finger slipped inside my core again. It made me hold my breath and I licked my lips.
"You feel so good. You're so wet, Sophie," he whispered into my ear and I felt his tongue dart out and lick the outer edge.
My head fell back against the wall and my tongue ran over my bottom lip when I felt Chad's lips crash into mine in one passionate kiss. He claimed my mouth like no other boy had done before.
Jesus, he would be my undoing.
I returned his kiss, not able to resist any longer as my hips pushed down against his fingers. The pleasure shot through every nerve ending in my body and I lost all control as he sent me over the edge. My nails dug into his arms as I my body tensed up and the ecstasy rolled over me like a tsunami. I had finally let out the breath I had been holding and opened my eyes a few seconds later.
"That was so intense," I murmured as my body quivered uncontrollably. He was watching me and wore a wicked grin on his gorgeous face. I closed my eyes again and tried to slow my breathing down. That was the first time a boy had made me come and it felt like heaven. I could feel the smile slowly spread across my face and then I opened my eyes and licked my bottom lip.
"I could watch that all day long." He grinned. "You looked so sexy squirming every which way. That was the first time you let someone touch you, isn’t it?"
I looked up at him and nodded. My face felt flushed and I finally realized what we had just done.
In my foyer.
In my house!
Shit!
I tried to straighten and compose myself but we were still entangled.
“God, I want you so bad,” he whispered again.
“Chad, please. You don’t have to say that,” I said as I tried to detangle myself. “I know you don’t care much for relationships. You told me so. And that’s okay. I’m not asking for one.”
His eyes sparkled, and he lowered his head again. “Maybe you should ask for one.” He pulled back and opened the door, the smile on his face expanding, while my open mouth kept inching closer to the ground. “See you later.”
He walked backwards down the drive, pinching his lips as he did, until he got into his car and drove off. I was speechless, for the first time in a long time.
Did Chad Minor just ask me to be his girlfriend?
I couldn’t wrap my mind around it, but when I pressed my back against the door and sighed, it was out of contentment.
I was back into boys again full-force, I thought as I pushed off the door and raced to my room, my heart as full as a kid’s the night before Christmas.
Chapter 18
She was making me do and think all kinds of shit I would prefer not to be thinking about—like having a fucking relationship. How could I not think about that girl. She was so damn addicting and she didn’t even know it.
Callie was my last attempt, and it was a weak one at best. But Sophia – oh, she was a challenging one.
The engine purred as I rolled over the speed bump that led to the garage that I visited most weekends. The other cars told me the guys were already there. I switched off the engine and stepped out.
“Hey, check this out,” Jake said as he got into his Chevy Corvette ZO6 and revved the engine. He held the door open and poked his head out. “Sounds good, huh?”
I rapped my knuckles on the roof and grinned. “Sounds about ready. Think you can beat me now with this?”
“Definitely,” he laughed and got out. “They won’t see what hit them.”
“We all set?” I checked as I circled the other cars – Cody’s red Chevy, the one he raced that was exactly like Jake’s, Brody’s white Honda NSX with the yellow and green streaks running around the middle of the car, and Zeke’s Honda Type R. I raced my car, and I was yet to lose.
I wasn’t even sure why Cody raced when he didn’t even want to drive his Audi at all. It spent more time in the garage than on the road. But it was as though, if he wasn’t flooring the pedal, he didn’t consider it driving. It was his pet peeve, but I still wasn’t going to be the one to take him around all the time.
Sooner or later, he would have to get used to being his own chauffeur.
“I think I want to head to the beach for a couple of hours first,” I told them and walked back to my car. “Coming?”
“Yeah,” Zeke, Jake, and Deven replied unanimously.
“I’ll meet up with you later,” Brody said with uncertainty.
I glanced back and raised an eyebrow. “Where are you going?”
“Just something I have to do for my mom,” he replied and grinned sheepishly. “Leave some of the waves for me.”
“Alright, man,” I replied and got behind the wheel. I watched him closely, and I could tell he was up to something. I had known him since he was five – he couldn’t lie to me so easily. We were like brothers. But it was his life. Not my place to pry.
I backed out of the garage, and I watched him rub the back of his neck and deliberately wait for all the cars to exit. I wanted to ignore it, but something in my gut told me he was up to no good. And it wouldn’t be the first time.
I drove for about five minutes and pulled off the road. It was another two minutes before his car sped past mine. I crawled back onto the street, keeping my eyes on the white Chevy three cars down. It didn’t take me long to figure out where he was going.
I grimaced and tightened my fingers around the wheel. A couple of months ago, he had almost been busted for getting involved with Lin, the sleazy Asian dude off of Main. He ran an underground drug ring, and the cops had cracked down on it, except they didn’t catch Ling, or find the base.
I had roped Brody into going to a bonfire party that night, and he had been on edge. It wasn’t until it came over the news that he realized he had missed a bad rap. And now, he was back at it.
I sped up and pulled my car up next to his. The shock on his face was unmistakable, but so was the angry scowl on mine. “Pull over!” I barked, though he couldn’t hear me through the rolled-up windows.
“Fuck!” his lips formed as he slowed down and stopped. He got out and started walking towards me. “Chad, listen, I…”
My fist connected with his face, knocking the words right out of his mouth. “What the fuck is wrong with you? You want to get killed or something?”
“Chad, it was a one-time thing. In and out,” he argued.
“What do you have with you? Huh? Give it!”
“Chad, I can’t do that. Lin is going to take my car if I don’t deliver,” he pleaded and rubbed his jaw that was beginning to redden.
“Brody, you’re done!” I shouted and walked back to my car. “This ends today!”
“Chad, you can’t go down there,” he begged and gripped the door. “Please.”
I was seething and I shot him an angry look. “Why do you do this? All the damn time?”
“Look man, we weren’t all born rich, okay,” he spat and pushed the door down before walking off.
“Don’t feed me that bullshit line!” I shouted and got out again. “You know you can come to me for anything.”
“Yeah. Like your bitch, right?” He stopped and stood his ground.
“What? Did you really just say that?” I asked as I walked up on him. “When have I never had your back, man? When? In all the time you’ve known me?” I asked and shoved him. “You’re like a fucking brother to me for Christ’s sake! You don’t have to get involved with these assholes.”
; “I need money, Chad.”
I sighed. “How much?”
“I don’t want you to keep giving me money like a fucking allowance.”
“HOW MUCH?!” I yelled back and stared him down until he caved.
“Ten grand. I lost some of his products and I have to work for him until I make it back.”
I clenched my jaw. “Give me what you have for him.”
“Chad…”
“Now, Brody,” I demanded. He wasn’t getting out of this one.
He reached under his seat and pulled out a clear plastic bag with something looking like coke, and some rolls of cash. I clicked my teeth and walked off.
“Go back to the beach. I’ll handle this.”
“Chad!”
I knew Lin. And he knew me. And this would end now. Maybe I would have a chat with Dad. Let him take care of this asshole once and for all. The tires skidded on the street and the smell of burning rubber followed me the rest of the way. I swerved between cars, my heart racing and my nerves frayed. I pounded the steering wheel as I raced faster through the streets.
I knew he didn’t always have money. His mother worked as an admin assistant at the college, which meant she couldn’t afford everything he wanted— especially not on her own. His father was in prison – locked up since he was ten for running a stolen car ring. Zeke was pretty much the same. They hustled to get money in, but they always kept things simple – way below the radar.
Usually they sold pot, or raced but Brody was getting careless again and I’d be damned if I would allow him to end up in a fucking jail cell like his old man. His mom would be devastated.
The car screeched to a stop outside the warehouse. I grabbed my wallet and got out. I banged on the metal door before the slit opened and dark eyes peered at me.
“Where’s Lin?”
“What’s the code?”
I narrowed my eyes at the prick and held up the bag. “This is the fucking code. Now open the door.”
He closed the slot again and the door creaked open. I pushed it in and stalked past him.
“Well, if it isn’t the millionaire’s son.” Lin grinned yellow teeth at me.
I narrowed my eyes and tossed the bag at him. He was maybe five six with short black hair and beady dark eyes. I glanced around, and nothing had changed since before his men were arrested. Tables were hidden behind tarps that hung from the ceiling toward the back of the space. In front, it looked like a regular garage, with mechanics, ramps, and all.
“What is this?” he asked and eyed me suspiciously.
“What does Brody owe you?”
“Ah,” he said and shook his head. He walked up to me. I could smell the stale smoke on his breath and I grimaced. “You think it’s going to be as easy as walking in here and handing me the bag back? He fucking owes me more than this.”
“How much?”
He sniffed and rubbed under his nose as if he was trying to contemplate something in his tiny brain. “The way I see it, he has to buy his way out.”
“How much?” I asked again, harsher this time.
“Twenty grand,” he replied and rocked from side to side as he stared me down.
“I thought he owed you ten.”
“Yeah, that was before you came in here. Now it’s twenty.” He grinned.
“I’ll get you your money,” I said and turned around.
“Twelve hours. That’s all you have, or little old Brody won’t have a car, and maybe an arm the next time you see him,” he called out.
I turned and pointed my index finger at him. “You lay a fucking hand on him and you’ll be ten feet under. That’s a fucking promise!”
The anger I felt clouded my vision and I closed my eyes and breathed deeply when I got back to the car. I saw several missed calls from Brody. I backed out onto the main road and gunned the car down the asphalt.
I drove home, and walked into my Dad’s study where he kept his safe. I knew the combination – as much as he tried to hide it from me. If it had been a week day I could have gone to the bank, but I wasn’t left with an option.
“What are you doing?” Cheryl asked from behind me. I closed my eyes and tried to ignore her. “Chad?”
“What does it look like I’m doing?” I asked as I closed the safe and waved the money at her. “Don’t worry. There’s more for you to swindle.”
I walked past her without another word. I knew by nightfall the combination would change again once she told dad, but they couldn’t keep anything locked up from me. There was always money somewhere in the house – even if I had to sell something.
I drove back to the warehouse in record time and pounded on the door. The burly man didn’t ask for a code that time. I walked in and tossed the paper bag at Lin. “That’s twenty. You and Brody are done.”
He grinned as he peeked inside the bag. “Pleasure doing business with you.”
My head swelled with anger still, all the way to the beach. I needed something to take the edge off, and the water, at that moment, was the best thing. I didn’t even look around for the others. I grabbed my board and headed for the turquoise ocean.
It was the only thing that could calm me—that and being behind the wheel of my car as I crossed the finish line first. That would come later.
“Hey!” I heard Brody calling to me as I paddled out of the shallow waters.
He caught up to me and touched my shoulder. “What happened?”
I turned and grabbed his hand. “I just had to give that fucker twenty grand. You’re out, and if I hear that you’re back, you and I are done!” I chided and waded out further into the blue ocean.
“Thanks, man,” he said softly before I heard the splashing behind me as he followed.
When I looked back, I saw her, Sophia, on the beach, just standing there watching us. And instantly, something inside me softened.
“Come on, man. Let’s not spoil the rest of the day.”
Brody grinned as we headed towards the reef. She was still staring before I hopped onto the board, rode the wave and let the anger subside.
Chapter 19
I knew I was early, but I wanted to get to the beach where I could relax a little before the game. And think about what had happened back at the house.
What happened that morning was nothing short of amazing and confusion all wrapped up in one little neat present. I didn’t even realize he would be there when I arrived, but my heart raced when I saw him wading in the water with his surfboard. I had to suck in a deep breath just to calm my heart rate.
I longed to go back, but the fear of entering the blue ocean paralyzed me. I couldn’t face something like that again. I rubbed the back of my neck where I still carried her, her name inked in Mandarin.
“There you are,” Amanda called. “Thought you were gonna wait for me.”
“Yeah. I couldn’t go back to sleep and I didn’t want to stay home, so…”
“I hear you. So, are you ready?” Amanda turned and waved her hand at me indicating to follow her.
I stretched and stood, barely stifling the yawn. She giggled. “Yeah, as ready as I’ll ever be.”
“Come on. They’re getting ready to start.”
I hadn’t played in months, and I was excited to be back behind a net. The sun beat down on us, even though it was coming onto evening. But I didn’t care. My hair was caught in a ponytail at the top of my head, and I wore a bikini top with skimpy jeans shorts.
“I’m all set,” I said as I trudged through the sand and to the volleyball area. I was excited and let the smile spread across my face like the sunrays on the horizon. Right before I saw Callie, and my smile dipped into a frown.
“Wait, is she playing?” I pointed to Callie and asked Amanda.
“Yep.” Amanda frowned. “It’s a free beach.”
I wanted to just walk away and call it a loss. But Callie wasn’t going to win. Not this time. Not ever again. So I stayed.
The game started, and it felt like every ball she smacked, she a
imed right at me. I found myself ducking a few times to escape being hit across the face. Her smirk was visible as she deliberately attacked me with her volleys.
“Don’t let her get to you,” Amanda warned.
“Too late,” I replied as I served, right at her head.
“Ow!” she cried and her hands went up in the air.
“What? Did you break a nail?” I scoffed and got back into position.
She narrowed her eyes at me. “Game on, bitch.”
“Girls, girls,” the moderator called. “None of that or you’re both out of the game. Your serve,” she said to me.
I groaned and lifted my hand. I tried to aim the ball where she wouldn’t be, but she was a determined little twat, and she kept hammering the balls at me.
“Okay, you’re out! Both of you!” the moderator shouted.
“I didn’t do anything,” I cried and pleaded with the woman. “She’s the one who…” I glanced over at Callie and saw the pleasure on her face. She wanted to spite me. She wanted me out of the game because she knew how much I loved it. She had still won.
I threw my hands up in the air as the frustration overtook me. I then turned and walked down the beach as the sounds of the other girls playing drifted further away. I dropped down onto the beach and let my feet dig into the soft sand before pulling my legs up underneath me. I placed my chin on my knees and stared out at the horizon in front of me. It was so beautiful. The waves were a deep royal blue that slowly crept toward me before rushing back out to sea. Then it would repeat the process in a cycle that caused droplets of salty water to spray onto my bare, sand-encrusted feet.
My mind drifted to that day —the day that had ripped my heart in two as I watched my best friends casket be lowered into the cold dark earth. Her parents sobbed and our friends were grief stricken. Rachel didn’t belong there. She belonged here among us, the living. She was only sixteen, for Christ’s sake.
My eyes welled with tears as they spilled over onto my cheeks and I finally whispered, ‘I’m sorry,’ to the ocean as if she was there with me. I wiped the tears from my cheeks with the back of my sleeve and looked out at the sunset. It was a picture of beautiful smudges of lavender, coral, turquoise, and a fiery orange that blended together to create a sight so astounding it swept me away from my worries, just like the waves creeping over the sand and washing back into the depths in a matter of seconds.
