Wolf

F o r t y - S e v e n

"I can't believe we're leaving before the week ends!", Ash bounced on the spot, her blonde hair swished from side to side, and with her eyes bright with joy, she reminded me of a hyper-active bunny rabbit. 

I smile, well aware of it not quite reaching my eyes, as I watch her pick out clothes from my closet, holding them against her body, scrutinising herself in the mirror. "You've got to let me borrow your mom jeans.. they do wonders for my ass Val, you know I need all the help I can get in that department- unlike you, lucky bitch."

"What's mine is yours"

Ash turns to face me, one of my bras clad haphazardly to her chest. "What do you think?", she says with confidence. 

I snort at the sight, "Now that.. that's a look". 

I wasn't exactly 'blessed' in the upstairs department, it was a stark contrast to Ash who has had boobs, and a fair amount at that, ever since we were pre-teens. Naturally, my bra looked like the most useless thing in the world on her. It covered more of her collarbones than her boobs. 

"I feel sexy, do I look sexy?"

"If you ignore your other clothes, you look more like a stripper mid-performance"

"Ooh, we should take pole dancing lessons.."

We should what? I look at her in confusion, "and from which dark pit of your jumbled mind did that come from?"

Ash rolls her eyes, "You are not funny and why not? are you chicken?", she flaps her arms like a lunatic. 

"Yeah, yeah we'll see- you want a drink?-, I call out walking toward the door. 

"Vodka Ice!"

I laugh, "The others won't appreciate us starting without them"

"Well, thank god I don't care! get me my drink woman, pronto!" 

It was 3:00pm and seeing as I had the house to myself until tomorrow afternoon, I'd called everyone over to join Ash and I. By everyone, I meant the gang of us going on the trip. These 'bonding sessions' as Jack had described them, were a regular occurrence lately and the thought of having more than one solid friend made my heart warm. I felt like I'd overcome a lot, grown a lot in the past months and now the prospect of having a group, a support network, hell- just somewhere to belong and feel welcomed.. it was really lovely.  

So lovely that I'd almost forgotten about my little dilemma. He apparently hadn't if the ridiculous, cryptic text messages that kept lighting up my phone, were anything to go by. If this was another intimidation technique, I wasn't buying it. The way this man was blowing up my damn phone appeared as if he really didn't have a lot going on with his life. 

Speaking of the devil, my phone rang just as Cassie, Wolf and Jack burst through the door talking loudly about something I couldn't focus on with my heart beating so deafeningly. I feel a warm body sneak up behind me, a face buries in the crook of my neck, I let out a shaky breath shoving the vibrating phone deeper into my pocket. 

"I missed you", he mumbles between nipping at the sensitive skin. Reaching my free hand back, I tug softly on his messy hair, "yeah?". 

"Let's sneak upstairs and I'll show you how much", I can picture the grin he's sporting and can't think of anything better than do just that right now with the way his big hands feel on me, but the front door opens again to reveal the rest of the crew.

They all smirk knowingly at us. 

Wolf throws a box of tissues at Flynn after the clown yells-loud enough for the neighbours to hear, that we better not fornicate on the kitchen bench. The boy behind me retorts, also loud and proud, that he can't make any promises. I laugh until I glance up and see the hungry look in Wolf's eyes. My back to his front, I can just as well, feel the hunger.

My phone rings again. Wolf lets out a disgruntled sigh at the interruption. 

"You gonna answer that princess?"

I gnaw at my lower lip, looking at my pocket with unease. I'd rather not, thank you very much.  Wolf notices and raises an eyebrow, "Okay, what's going on?"

"Nothing", I say a little too quickly, too defensively. 

Wolf turns me around to face him, he holds up a finger as he adjusts his pants, before turning into Mr. Serious for interrogation time. Placing his hands on the bench, either side of me, he leans in. He smells faintly of cigarettes and spearmint, I want to kiss him and not think about my possible impending doom or whatever the hell it is. 

"You're going to tell me now Val"

"It's going to hurt you"

Wolf's eyes widen a fraction, surprise is evident on his face. He moves back a little, "Are you.. cheating on me?", he whispers it so lowly I almost miss it. 

"Oh god no, but uh.. you're probably going to wish it was something that simple though"

He relaxes, gripping my chin between his forefinger and thumb, he kisses me hard.It's over before it begins but certainly doesn't fail to make me giddy with want. "Fuck, don't scare me like that ever again. Whatever it is, we can handle it as a team alright? so start talking."

And I do. I keep talking even when Wolf's face turns a shade of white. He rests his head in his hands as he seeks support from the marble bench. I feel my heart squeeze because Wolf looks positively stricken at my words, personally, I'd come to terms with the fact that I owed a random guy some money. Wasn't that just life? I mean sure, it was an unnecessary financial stress but I didn't want any trouble. 

"It's not that big of a deal"

Wolf shakes his head again, remaining silent. 

"It's not...-", I repeat. My words sounding less and less sincere,"-right?"

He straightens, and with a look of fury that I've never seen before, walks from the room.  He returns clutching his phone so hard that I'm convinced it could snap it half. Pacing, he dials a number and puts it to his ear. 

The police maybe?  I didn't even know a name so calling the police was pointless for me. 

"I swear to god Giovanni, I don't know what you think you're playing at but-"

Wolf clenches the phone tighter.

"Do you take me for a goddamn fool?! this debt is no coincidence and you know it"

"That was a long time ago, get the fuck over it and stay away from her, or I swear to god fratello you'll regret it."

He cuts the call, and storms from the room in a frenzy for the second time, though now, I'm not so sure if he'll be back. 

Remembering last time, I chase after him. 

"Wolf!", he keeps walking. 

"You did not just ignore me Carter! you better turn around right now, I mean it!"

Oh god, what am I? his mother? No. A concerned girlfriend is what I am!

He turns around so quickly that I crash right into him, he doesn't seem to mind the clumsiness because his arms wrap around me and then he's kissing me like theres no tomorrow, with an urgency like no other. 

His lips trial from my mouth to my neck, hot and heavy with need and while I so badly want to get lost in this for him.. and for me.. I know he's upset and neither of us are in the right frame of mind for more, not now.  I pull my lips away and rest my forehead against his. I go to open my mouth but he beats me to it.

"I'm sorry", he says.

"Why? it's not exactly your fault Carter"

He smirks but I see right through it. I don't ask him if Giovanni is who I think he is, I don't ask him for his relationship with this Giovanni, I don't ask him why he was so furious. I just hope that it blows over.

I for one, was sick to death of all these damn plot twists.