Chapter Eighteen: Lucky & Beautiful
"cant remember what we did last night.
kinda blurry but it all felt right,"
~ walker county
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I was rolling my lanyard keys on my hand as I strolled on the pavement, turning the corner where my dorm building was.
My headphones were playing Black Coffee by Madisyn Gifford, which made me chuckle under my breath, since I'd just returned from getting coffee with Cyrus.
It's Thursday, so he asked if we could meet up after my exam to make a plan about heading back home together. But I finished my exams a week after him, so he'd be going alone next week while I just take the bus.
I was crying inside, though. I hated bringing luggage into the bus.
I scanned my card and opened the door moments later, yawning as I took my time making my way to my room. Time was slipping closer to seven at night, and all I wanted to do was sleep. It wasn't long until I was nearly dragging my feet on the carpeted floor, but after rounding the corner, I tensed up.
In front of my door was Jared, who was about to knock on the door. But as if he sensed my presence, he tilted his head in my direction, his knuckles stopping from meeting the door.
His hand dropped as he spun his body, fully facing me. I took slow steps toward him, not peering away from his tired gaze and messy hair.
"Hey, Jay." My smile wobbled. "Your bruise is still looking intense." His left eye was still purple, but the outside of the mark was beginning to fade into a red, I noticed standing closer to him.
"Yeah. I barely feel it anymore," he admitted hesitantly, his eyes roaming around my face.
Feeling flustered, I dropped my focus to the small space between us, biting my cheek fat from the inside. It wasn't until I saw him holding a bag with his other hand, did I lift my head again.
"What's that?" I asked pathetically, pointing to the bag without peering my gaze away from him.
He smirked playfully as his hand rose. "Taco Bell, Lucky. You told me today was your first exam," he explained, shrugging loosely. "Think of it as an you're almost done reward."
God, the one thing I love just as much as breakfast food was tacos. More specifically, Taco Bell.
"You're in luck. I'm willing to eat with you," I teased before stepping to the side to unlock my front door. I heard him mumble something behind me, and I glimpsed over my shoulder. "What?"
"Nothing," he almost chirped, his body jolting back tensely as he displayed a playful smile. "Open the door, Lucky. I'm hungry."
I rolled my eyes and did as he told, but one more glance at his eye made my heart sink. I remembered what Liana told me two days back, and I hated even hearing her voice after all these years.
"I'm tempted to go slower." Saying this, I began to slow my pace at twisting the lock, making him groan impatiently behind me.
His chest was pressed against my back, but before I could focus on his body, his arm snaked around me and held the back of my hand before turning the key.
I rolled my eyes and cracked the door open, but he didn't make an effort to move right away. My body craved to lean into him, but before the effort was made, a voice screamed from inside the room.
"Coco, you fuckin' high? What's takin' you so long to open a door?" Tilly shouted, and I jumped away from Jared as I fully opened the door.
My roommate was sitting in front of her desk as she studied, her back to me. But her head was twisted, almost unnaturally as she watched me stroll inside.
The second she began to smirk slyly, I knew she caught a glimpse of Jared behind me. "Well, hello mal'chik," she drawled out before her eyes landed on me again. "Roomie, you didn't tell me we'd have company."
"Tilly," I hissed, only for her to hear.
She only laughed, clearly enjoying the torture she's inflicting. "I'll leave you deti alone. Maybe I'll stay at Michelle's." With that, she stood up and packed up her things while Jared got busy behind me, putting the bags on my bed.
When she was just about done, she slipped next to me and went on her toes, so her mouth was aligned with my ear. "If I'm gonna leave, it better be for a good reason, Coco." She pulled back and tapped my ass. "Get some," she mouthed and winked before grabbing her jacket from behind her desk chair.
I ignored how my cheeks flushed at her words as I walked her out. But as I inclined my head forward, so I could watch Tilly leaving, she grinned and took backwards steps before humping the air in front of her.
Without thinking, I flipped her off before sliding back into the room, resting my head on the door as I slowly closed it.
Taking a few breaths to relax myself, I could hear my bed squeaking from whatever Jared was doing. At this point, I was nervous to see what he was up to.
So, forcing my muscles to push me away from the door, I whirled on my feet, only to gape at the sight in front of me.
Jared was sitting now, and I watched as he leaned his back against the wall my bed was pressed against. He reached for the hem of his sweater before tossing it over his head and onto the floor, right next to my feet.
He saw my expression and smirked, flexing his muscles. "What are you doing?" I swallowed once I managed to close my mouth.
"Taking off my shirt," he explained longingly with an amused smile. "I wouldn't want it to get dirty, do I?"
I forced myself not to drop my gaze on his chest, or the faint bruises sprinkled around him. "Jared," I warned.
"Lucky," he sang, not sparing me a glance as he opened the two bags and displaying its contents on my bed.
Seeing him in my bed... he looked huge. Especially because the bed itself was a twin, and it appeared as if it could barely fit him. His legs were spread out wide, and I forced myself not to drop my gaze any lower before pressing my lips together.
"Why are you... What are you doing, Jared?" I crossed my arms, trying to seem tense.
He easily read through me and widened his smirk before playfully cocking his head to the side. "I just told you. Come on, Lucky. I thought you were smart."
"You're annoying," I deadpanned.
He wasn't offended. "And you're being frustrating." He tapped the seat on his right, regarding me with amusement. But eyes told a different story. "Come to me."
I shook my head, but my body betrayed me when I stepped closer to the edge of the bed."I have to... I'm just gonna change my pants."
"I'm not complaining." His gaze darkened as they dropped to my joggers.
I shooed him away before spinning on my heel. I ended up pulling a tennis skirt out of my closet, not wanting to be confined by pants. But before taking off my clothes, I kept an eye on Jared as he focused out the window.
My movements were fluid, and it wasn't long until I was rounding my desk again before sitting on top of my ivory duvet. The empty bags were now on the floor, with all of the food between his legs or on the left side of him.
"You better use a napkin this time," I deadpanned, reaching for the chicken soft taco I knew was meant for me.
He chuckled and picked up his crunchy beef taco supreme. "But they're for—"
I quickly reached over him and picked up the first napkin I saw before using it to close his mouth, my hand pressing against it so it wouldn't fall.
His eyes flashed, but not with anger. More with entertainment, if anything else. "Napkin," I warned before dropping my hand away from him, only to point a finger. "If my blanket gets dirty, you're washing it."
"I have a kick ass machine in my apartment, Lucky. Your string blanket will be in good hands," he smirked before taking a bite of his taco, clearly amused by my glare.
"They're tassels," I defended, leaning my back against the wall before throwing my right leg over the other. "You annoy me beyond belief."
I took a bite of my taco, but when I didn't hear his response, I peeked in his direction and followed where his gaze was. On my legs—no, my bare legs.
Clearing my throat, he turned to me and swallowed before taking a bite from his food. I watched him hesitantly before doing the same.
"You wanna talk about it?" He mumbled minutes later, when we were close to finishing our food.
I nearly got whiplash when I turned back to him, only to see his eyes trailed down. "About what?"
"Friday," he spoke assuredly.
For a moment, I swallowed and lowered my head, thinking cautiously. But then I remembered what Liana said two days ago, and I couldn't filter out my next question.
"Did you get into fights in high school?"
When he didn't answer right away, I forced myself to face him, only to see a frown taking over his expression as his brows pulled together. "Where'd that come from?"
I coughed. "It's just... Liana mentioned you getting into a fight at a party. When you were a senior. I just wanted to see if you fought often."
Another pause. "I don't remember you getting into—"
"I didn't," he stopped me from my upcoming rant, his eyes staring deep into mine. "I mean, when I didn't need to. But sometimes, I needed to."
It was my turn to frown, slouching slightly. "And you needed to that night?"
"Yes." His lips tightened before dropping his focus to his spread out legs. I watched his jaw pop anxiously before he spoke again. "This guy came to a senior party. He was a junior. Started mouthing off about girls he wanted to fuck."
His eyes rounded to mine again. "You were on that list." He rubbed his hand against his chest, and he began to present fury all over again. "He went off about what he wanted to do to you, so yeah. I fucking hit him. A lot. But he never ratted me out. He knew he fucked up."
"Oh," I managed to choke out before checking out Tilly's messy bed. What a lovely bag of Takis. Oh, and a pack of cigarettes hidden under her pillow. Fun things.
"Yeah." In the corner of my eye, his lip pursed. "I only started fighting more after my dad... you know. And then Adrianna..."
I closed my eyes, hanging my head low.
"It was my fault," he whispered so quietly I could have sworn it was the wind.
But when my eyes snapped open, I concentrated on how his eyes began to redden slightly, glancing off to the distance as if he was in his own world. "I let her drive my fucking car. It was her first time driving in the winter, I shouldn't have let her..."
He swallowed after a moment. "So, I fight now. It helps me forget my sister died because I was a fucking idiot."
We sat in silence, long enough for me to hear a group of girls screaming and laughing loudly from the hall. I managed to find my voice, not too long after.
"It's my fault we were in the car at the first place," I whispered, feeling my face shattering with utter despair as I forced my eyes to him. "Adrianna wouldn't have given you the keys, Jay. It's not your fault. She's just stubborn."
His eyes flashed with emotion. "It was black ice, Lucky. I didn't even see it. The whole street was covered, no one was safe." He shook his head with determination. "And she wanted to leave the house anyways, to go to the mall. It's not your fault."
My throat closed up and I closed my eyes, remembering her last words to me before the car crashed. Clover! I can't stop the—
Silence.
The darkness was lightened when I felt a hand cupping my cheek, drawing circles slowly. "It's not your fault, Jared," I forced myself to choke out before fluttering my eyes open.
Our eyes immediately locked, and I shivered at the intensity of emotion coming from his crystal blue ones. He opened his mouth and took a shaky breath. "It's not your fault either."
I leaned my head forward and exhaled, his thumb still moving around my cheek before slowly, he inched me upward.
"Lucky," he mumbled, but I didn't respond as I parted my mouth. I felt his lips fluttering against mine, taking his time before he applied a small amount of force.
We both inhaled, and I sagged into him as he slowly parted my lips. I felt his hand wrap around the back of my neck, keeping me still as he continued his slow pace.
His musky scent filled all my senses, and I reached out to hold onto his burning shoulder. But as he began to lick my bottom lip, about to tangle his tongue with mine, I pulled away, grasping for air.
"I... we can't, Jay. " I curled my swollen lips inward, holding his shoulders tighter. "It's not right. Adrianna didn't want this."
He didn't argue at first, so I forced my blurry eyes open before pulling myself back to where I was sitting. I was leaning against the wall again, but glancing to Jared made me stop breathing for a moment, seeing him watch me intensely.
"You really don't remember," he muttered disappointingly, mostly to himself before he scrutinized the wall across from us. Access to his side profile allowed me to focus on his sharp nose, and how his Adam's apple bobbed.
"Remember... what?" I pondered hesitantly.
He cocked his head slightly, watching me longer in silence before dropping his attention to my lips. His gaze rose to mine as quick as it dropped. "The party we went to. At the lake."
"What about it?" His expression worried me.
"Shit," he laughed, but his lips were tight once finished. "I... we kissed."
My lips separated, so I was gaping. But he continued, ignoring my reaction as his fingers ran through the tassels on the end of my duvet. "Anyway, she noticed something was up that morning. I talked to her that day about... us."
Faintly, I touched my lips, trying to force my brain to recall any memory from that night. But I had been plastered. Nothing was coming up.
"My mouth is illegal, Lucky?"
I inhaled sharply as the words echoed in my thoughts. The familiarity wasn't lost in me, and it wasn't from when he spoke it all those months ago.
"What do you mean, you talked about us?" My mouth felt suddenly dry, and I rapidly searched for a bottle of water.
I could have groaned with relief when I spotted it on my desk at the end of my bed. With a quick reach, I grasped it and brought it to my mouth before glancing to him again.
He was watching me the whole time. "After you went upstairs to change..."
Adrianna was grinning, her eyes on Jared for a moment before focusing on her best friend, who was already standing up from the couch. "Get ready, pussies. I wanna eat ice cream."
Clover chuckled and gave her friend a nod before walking around Jared, who was glaring at his sister. "Give me the keys," he warned, opening his palm in front of him.
She didn't move an inch. "Suck my toe, Jer."
"Fucking hell, Adri. You're not driving. You—" Jared stopped when he heard the floor creak, and he glanced to his right, Clover nearly at the top of the stairs.
His eyes lingered on her, even after she disappeared around the railing. He wasn't sure what to do, or even how to act. Did she want to forget it ever happened? He wasn't sure if he could do the same.
Suddenly, the feeling of a sharp metal scrapped his cheek before a loud thud rang through the first floor. Jared twisted his head at the same moment he cupped the left side of his face, feeling a sting.
"Are you fucking crazy?" He bit out when he saw an extra copy of their mom's keys on the floor, right next to his feet. She threw keys at his fucking face.
Adrianna didn't have an ounce of remorse as she stepped froward, pointing an accusing finger in his direction. "What's wrong with your face?" She hissed loudly, probably so Clover wouldn't hear. "I don't like that face, Jer. Remove it. Now."
"Nothing's wrong with my face," he smirked cockily, crossing his arms.
Instead of answering right away, her eyes narrowed in on the small table next to the front door, probably searching for another thing to throw. Jared could see her eyes lighting up when her gaze landed on a full can of coke he brought home last night.
She took a step toward it, but he quickly locked his arms around her. "You're fucking crazy," he clenched out in pain as she stomped on his feet to release her.
"Don't make me hurt you, Jer. I've got two years of self-defence classes under my belt," she warned.
Fuck. He's seen Clover in action, and despite her loud personality, she was a sweetheart compared to his sister.
He released Adrianna and stepped back. "Don't throw."
That didn't stop her from shoving him. Hard. "I—" Shove. "Can't—" Shove. "Believe—" Shove. "You!"
"What did I do?" He struggled to walk away from her, because she was right on his tail.
Somehow, they ended up in front of the couch. He quickly moved to the opposite side, so they were separated by the furniture.
"You're looking at my friend like another one of your fuck buddies!" She almost screeched.
"Was not!"
"You totally are, you pussy!" She stomped on her foot. "No. Not her, Jared. I like her. If you break her heart, she'll never be around anymore. No. No. You will stay away from her."
"You're being dramatic, Adri," he drawled, but she only flung the couch pillow at him. He surprisingly dodged it before meeting her glare again.
"I. Am. Not! People become my friend because of you, and then you sleep with them. Clove is immune. You're not touching her."
"You're being possessive again."
She flipped him off. "Hell yeah I am! Go find someone else to screw around."
"Who says I wanted to screw around with her?" He bit out, harsher than he meant to. But he felt defensive. He never saw Clover that way. Someone to fuck and dump.
Adrianna said nothing, taking her time to read her brother. But the longer she watched, the more she had the urge to laugh. "You've got... you've got to be kidding me," she gasped out, slapping her knee as she laughed. "You're into her? Since when?"
"I don't... know," he rubbed his face, just as confused as her.
But then he remembered his lips on Clover's, and all the fogginess faded. Her moaning his name with forever haunt him, but he needed to pull away. She was drunk—apparently drunk enough to not even remember them kissing.
He considered being offended.
Adrianna didn't say anything, but she considered what he was saying. "Well, I don't blame you. Clover's awesome. She also makes the best candles."
He knew. She'd given him one a few days ago, and he's been lighting it since then. It smelt like her, and she smelt fucking amazing.
"Plus, it wouldn't hurt for her to be my sister-and-law. So then we could forever talk shit about you." She grinned, loving that idea. "Yeah. You have my go ahead. Date her. She'll get info on you and I'll have even more blackmail."
"What makes you think she'd tell you?" He asked, smirking.
Adrianna watched him blankly. "Duh. I'm her best friend. Best friends tell each other everything."
Slowly, she began to smirk, scrutinizing him. He groaned. "You didn't."
"I totally did."
"Stop telling people the clown story!" He hissed.
His face was reddening with anger, but she laughed at his pain. "Stop being a pussy. You're not the first person who peed and then vomited at the sight of a clown. For... multiple seconds."
"I was six," he defended.
"Six, shmix," she shrugged, twirling his keys on her finger. "Should warn you though, bro. If you hurt her, I'll gut you while wearing a clown mask."
They bickered for the remainder of the time before Clover finally strolled downstairs. But this time, while Jared was watching her silently, Adrianna watched her brother, smiling. Maybe he would find someone she liked, after all.
Jared finished his story, but I was on my feet, pacing in front of me bed in thought. Adrianna was okay with... What?
I couldn't stop my feet from moving. But I almost fell on the floor when Jared suddenly jumped off the bed, standing in front of me. I nearly collided to the floor, but he reached me reflexively, holding onto my upper arms while I steadied myself.
My wide eyes snapped to his patient ones, but he didn't release his hold on me. "Clover," he whispered, his voice deeper than normal. "You... you make everything better. You make me want to be better."
I couldn't breathe, but air didn't feel necessary the longer I stared into his eyes. "Adrianna saw that too," he breathed out, his hands slowly moving down my arms before wrapping them around my waist.
I tilted my head up, barely a breath of air between us. "Jared—" My words were cut off when he brought his lips down to mine, swallowing my words.
okay you know what's happening next.
beware of the sexual content below
My body responded to his touch, and I couldn't stop myself from groaning before digging my hands into his shoulders. I jumped up, and he easily caught my legs, wrapping it around him before he dropped us onto the bed, him towering over me.
Having the advantage that his shirt was off, my hands moved over his chest, paying attention to every bump of muscle that flexed after my fingers grazed over it. Jared trembled but kept moving, his mouth slipping off mine but still kissing and sucking parts of my jaw before dipping to the nape of my neck.
My feet pressed hard into his back when he sucked the spot over my pulse. A pool of wetness between my legs followed as I held him tighter. "Jared," I shook.
He stopped, and the sound of him breathing next to my ear was enough to get me ready for him.
"Clover," he mumbled, his hand moving underneath my skirt, so he was holding my upper thigh. "Tell me what you want."
His fingers glazed over my pantie line, but never made full contact. I nearly cried with aggravation. "You. I need you." I gasped when his left hand stopped on top of my heat.
He pushed my panties aside and found my clit easy, rubbing it at a tortuous pace. I pressed my head against the mattress and moaned, almost stabbing my nails into his shoulders. "Fuck, Clover. That sound..."
Instead of waiting for my response, his right hand gripped my jaw, kissing and nibbling my neck before moving to the scar on the right side of my head. I shivered while his hand went to work, rubbing and pinching my protruding bud.
Another sound left me, and he groaned, dropping his forehead on my shoulder. "Clover," his voice sounded low and strangled. "You need to tell me to stop. I don't know if I can—"
This time, it was my turn to silence him.
I cupped his cheeks and brought his mouth to mine. That was the only amount of control I was given, because after that, he pressed himself harder against me, his tongue invading my mouth—not that I was complaining.
My back arched off the bed when he inserted two fingers inside me. "You're so wet," he rasped, thrusting and withdrawing them while rubbing my clit.
"Jared," I gasped. "More. Please."
He pulled himself off me, and I cried from the loss of his connection. But when I sat up, I nearly came, watching him shove off his pants, standing in front of me with just his boxers.
"Take it off," he muttered, his eyes lingering on my skirt—which has risen enough for him to see my panties. He didn't have to tell me twice.
I threw off my sweatshirt, and since I hadn't worn a bra today, my nipples were out and sensitive, desperate for his touch. "Fuck," he groaned, staying rooted in his spot.
"That's your favourite word today," I joked my fingers curling on the the waistband of my skirt and panties before standing, so they could drop straight to the floor.
"You're my favourite everything," he breathed out, a hint of humour in his gaze. The laughter died in his throat when his gaze dropped. "Fuck."
I chuckled, my cheeks heating up. "Point made."
Without another word, he stepped forward while I sat on the ledge of my bed. Jared bent and met my lips while his hand laced into my hair. I felt him lowering, and when my blurry eyes opened, I saw him on his knees in front of me.
His mouth moved to my jawline before latching to my nipple, using his teeth to gently tug. Due to its sensitivity, his touch felt heightened before his hand returned to my heat.
"God," I threw my head back and groaned as he lowered to my stomach. My hands were clenched on either side of me as I kept myself upright.
He pulled away slightly. "No, Jared."
"Stop being cocky and—oh," I cried when his mouth suddenly circled my clit, sucking.
I fell back on my bed and widened my legs, but he had other plans when he hoisted my thighs up, so they were hanging on either side of his head. "You smell so fucking good," he groaned against me before his tongue ran through my slit, then flickering against my nub.
My head bent back as a shock wave of pleasure shot through me. I grabbed his hair and kept him between my thighs as he went to work, his tongue darting in and out of me before plunging inside. I couldn't breathe, feeling it curl upward, stroking my inner walls.
"Jared," I sounded pleading. "Please."
He withdrew his tongue and inserted his finger inside, and my breathing deepened when he found my g-spot. White stars filled my gaze when his mouth returned to my clit, and with both spots stimulated, I cried, arching my back as I came against his mouth.
He didn't pull away until seconds later. I forced myself to open my eyes, but it took a few seconds to focus on Jared, who was standing between my parted legs, watching me.
"You're so beautiful," he mumbled.
I sat up, my muscles feeling loose before grabbing his cheeks. He chuckled against me but bent down without a fight, kissing me.
He gripped my waist and twisted me, so I was laying on the bed with him over me again. "Condom," I breathed, but he pulled away, cringing.
"I don't... I didn't think we'd..." He couldn't finish.
My left arm swung out and tried to find the handle of my nightstand. I gripped it seconds later and yanked it open before finding the small box inside. He was straddling me, gaping as I gave him the box of condoms.
"Should I want to know why you have this, Lucky?" He arched a brow questioningly, but his eyes darkened.
I was amused. "I bought it. Obviously."
"For who?" He challenged, his fingers pinching the box harder.
"My lovers," I joked with a small chuckle, and he pounced.
With a gasp, I felt his hand land on my heat, his mouth next to my ear. "Should I be worried, Lucky?" He muttered, his teeth scrapping against my pulse. "I thought it was obvious by now."
"What's obvious?" I mumbled before he pulled away.
His head was above me, not even a second later, eyes drawn into mine with lust and desire sketched out on him. "You're mine."
Without waiting for my reply, he opened the lid and pulled out a condom. He stood up and shoved his off boxers, and I gasped at the size of his length. The package was ripped and rolled on before he was above me again, breathing slowly as he stared into my eyes.
He didn't make an effort to move, so I wrapped my legs around his waist, arching against him. "Jay, you're such a tease," I groaned.
"Now you know how I've felt," he muttered before lowering his mouth to mine.
I pushed my back off the bed again, craving him. And he finally fulfilled my desire when he lowered himself, pushing a few inches inside. I felt my clit throbbing as he seated himself inside me seconds later, and I felt my walls clamping around his wide girth.
"Fuck. You feel so good," he gasped dropping his forehead onto my shoulder. My fingers laced in his hair, breathing him in and feeling him throb inside me.
"Jared. More, please," I begged.
He pulled his head back and slammed his lips to mine, just as he pulled out, leaving just the tip in. My body shivered with anticipation just as his hips moved, bottoming out again.
His tongue began to match his thrusts, which only elicited a moan from me as he continued, speeding up after every stroke. He angled my hips upward, and I cried out when I felt him rubbing against my clit.
"Jared," I moaned. "I'm gonna come."
"Come for me baby. I want to see you come," he rasped against my lips, and that was all I needed to let go, gasping for air as I while my vision filled with stars.
"Fuck," he grunted, and not even seconds later, he found his release, ejecting into the condom.
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I was woken up the next morning by a blinding light aimed right at my eyes. But the moment that source of light rose my consciousness, my senses were filled.
The first thing I whiffed was the familiarity of Jared's musky, sweet and strong scent, followed by his hard body pressing against my back as he spooned me.
After our third round finished last night, we ended up slipping into our undergarments, but the didn't stop me from feeling his erection rubbing against my back. Not that I minded.
The small bed managed to squeeze us in, mostly because we were stuck together the entire night. The blanket was scrunched up at our feet, but Jared's body was enough to warm me up and more.
Behind me, I felt him nuzzling into my hair, inhaling softly. "I know you're up," he mumbled just as his fingers fluttered over my waist.
I jolted at the movement, just as his arm circled around me. Within seconds, I was on my back, giggling when Jared slipped above me, tickling my waist.
"Jay, I will hurt y-you! Stop," I gasped, my body trying to move away from his touch before laughing loudly when his nose ran up the curve of my neck.
My head instantly lowered to stop the sensation, but that didn't stop his assault on my waist. "J-Jared!" I couldn't stop laughing, and it took all my effort to wrap my legs around him.
He seemed pleased, but his satisfaction quickly disappeared when I pushed myself off the bed. He was gaping when I landed on top of him, seconds later, smirking smugly.
"Self-defence classes," I sang in reminder, making him groan longingly.
I chuckled when his hand suddenly snapped up, cupping the back of my neck before bringing me down to his lips. "I love when you get all tough on me," he muttered against my mouth.
"Equality," I mumbled, closing my eyes when his hand moved down my stomach.
He hummed. "I love equality."
When his fingers tapped the outside of my panties, I pulled away and smiled in disbelief. "God. How do you still have stamina?"
"Lots of practice," he teased, and I tensed up, freezing. He noticed and quickly rephrased, "From fighting! Not anything..." He cleared his throat, now holding my waist. "I have a lot of stamina from fighting."
"Uh-huh." Still, I pulled my face away from his, sitting up on his lower stomach. He kept his eyes on me as I did so, but began to furrow his brows when he focused on my expression.
His hands tightened their hold. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing! It's just..." I closed my eyes and exhaled. "I know. I know it helps. But what happens if you get seriously hurt?"
"Lucky, I know how to protect myself," he mumbled comfortingly, but that didn't ease my stress as I locked gazes with him.
To try to emphasize my point, my hand reached over and grazed the bruise surrounding his left eye. "It got really bad last time. Because you got distracted by me."
"Almost bad," he rephrased, moving a hand off my waist to cup my cheek, stopping me from glancing to the side. "And I recovered. I always recover."
My heart clenched. That was the same thing Armando said.
"You can't say you'll always recover. You can't predict the future," I regarded, almost tensely before slipping off him, landing on my feet.
I head the bed squeaking behind me as I searched for a loose dress to wear. I managed to find a dark green tee-shirt dress that ended in the middle of my thigh once I wore it.
Turning, I saw Jared sitting on the ledge of my bed, his shoulders back as he watched me. "Where's this coming from, Lucky?" He mused, parting his legs.
I stood in front of him, but that wasn't enough. He reached out for my hips, pulling me in so I was between his thighs. The longer I stared into his shiny blue eyes, the more I felt lost for words. "You could have gotten seriously hurt, Jay. And you're not taking it seriously."
His hands slowly rose to my waist as he smiled. "I guess you could say I'm lucky," he tried to joke, but seeing that I didn't laugh, he sighed. "I do take it seriously."
"But you don't," I breathed out in distress. "And I would never forgive myself if something happened to you because of me."
"Nothing will happen to me," he defended, holding me tighter.
He showed confidence that he believed what he was saying, but I shook my head. "You can't say that," I emphasized, a wave of anxiety rooting deep inside me. "Don't make me lose you too."
"It helps me, Lucky," he explained, but there was a certain edge to his tone now. "It's how I deal. Not everybody can hear Adrianna like an insane person."
My lips instantly parted as I silently gasped. I withdrew from his hold and clenched my jaw once I was free from him. "Okay."
He flinched at my tone before shooting up on his feet. "No, I didn't mean that Lucky—" He jerked back as a result of the sweatpants I threw at him.
He caught it, barely, but kept his eyes on me as I stomped to his shirt—which was on the floor. He twisted his body, so he was fully facing me. "Clover—"
"I don't want to look at you right now, Jared." I threw the shirt in his direction and crossed my arms as I leaned against the wall next to my closet, leaving no room for discussion. "Leave me alone."
His eyes flashed with stubbornness, clenching his hold on the shirt. "No."
My chest rose from the sharp intake of air. "Leave now, Jared. I'll call my floor supervisor, don't test me."
"Fuck, Clover. Let me apologize."
"I don't want your apology right now," I clenched out pushing myself off the wall before turning the small corner to open the front door. "Go. Let me be insane in peace."
He shoved his arms into his shirt and moved in front of me, crowding my space. My eyes met his crystal ones as they roamed around my face, clearly distraught. "I didn't mean it." He reached forward to cup my cheek, but I pressed my back harder against the door before twisting my head to the side.
"But you thought it. Otherwise you wouldn't have said it." I paused, waves of emotions rising inside me. "I want you to go, Jared," I mumbled, feeling my reserve cracking the longer he stayed.
I avoided his gaze for a few moments, knowing he was trying to make me look his way. He surprised me when he finally stepped away from me, cussing under his breath in defeat.
Closing my eyes, I kept my back against the door as I took a few steps back, locking it shut moments later. Only to be finally alone, with my thoughts and the smell of Jared still filling the room.
━━━━༻❁༺━━━━
this chapter is L O N G
but nonetheless I hope you
enjoyed it!
sooo I ended up getting on
crystal tiktok, and made a
purchase for some cause
~ manifesting ~ right?
anywho I'm gonna go watch a
horror movie and eat food, I'll
see you lovelies next week, enjoy
your weekend! xx