I apologize because some of you didn't understand the last chapter. Completely my fault, I am sorry.
Let's look back at the months that followed after last October 3rd.
It started with a girl, just like every other highly idiotic story with an predictable plot and even more predictable characters.
I met a girl.
I spent some time with Aleandra Raven.
I thought I would never see her again but her best friend became close to mine and we met again and again.
Till one time Em begged us to drive with her to another party, picking up her best friend because she wasn't feeling well. I didn't know if I had found it more embarrassing for Ray, Harvey and me that we obviously gave her the impression that she needed to beg us. Or if I was mad at all those male friends those two had before that always wanted something in return.
It almost seems like I am telling you a fairytale.
I wish it was.
Back to the main topic, the girl who needed a ride was Aleandra, a girl who was in much distress and in obvious pain that she tried to hide desperately. Where Emmabell obviously never had friends that were helpful, her best friend clearly lacked people who would take her seriously and whom she could trust.
Fast forward, she confided in us. At least a little. As I promised her just a few minutes ago, I dealt with her harasser. I fought this guy. The bastard who made her feel like lying about her wellbeing was an option.
We weren't friends. Far from it. I liked teasing her and I liked seeing her squirm and get feisty. I wanted to push her. I wanted her to stand up for her worth.
Then like in a cliché highschool movie from the nineties I realized we are project partners. For a year we are supposed to get closer to two kids.
A little girl named Valeria, who came from Colombia without any parents. She just appeared. That's what documents about her tell us. A girl not much older than 10 who didn't speak a word of English, whispering the words Colombia and Mami under her breath was abandoned in front of the institution. She doesn't communicate a lot, the words that she speaks are directed at Elias. A troublemaker, 14, with a mother who was a prostitute and a father who was her pimp. In foster care his entire life. 12 families to be exact.
Yeah, he is a guy who can complain. He has the right to be angry, he has the right to be depressed. Not you, little rich boy.
And that's why I am here right? That's why I walked after her, after her brother told me to stay away from her. Due to the fact that we have only met with them three or four times. Val and Eli are barely acquaintances. We are behind schedule. We should talk about it.
I love you, I do with my entire fucking heart and that's why I give you this advice. Stay away from her, I mean it. I want the best for you, and I want the same for her. Don't touch her, don't talk to her.
Otherwise I will have to take this away from you. I made you, Kaden but as brutal as it may sound for you and for her I would take it all away from you and I wouldn't feel guilty. Say goodbye and then go home. You can have everyone, just not her.
Dorian's voice rings in my head like needles piercing through my skull.
Next, the conversation seems blurry, but it appears I told him about the project in a certain way. I told him the truth. I don't want her. She is a nice girl. I cannot back out because even though we don't fit I respect her. I respect her too much to let her down. We will do this together.
Only for this project... if I see you otherwise. If you-
If I touch her you will ruin everything that is dear to me... I understand.
Don't see this as a challenge, I warn you.
"Why are you here?" She brings me out of my thoughts and there is a relief that I hear her voice once again and it isn't broken and no tears in sight.
"To kill you." I whisper under my breath.
The only thing that makes me believe time doesn't stand still is the howling of the wind.
She lets out a laugh, louder than probably intended, but oh does it make my lips twitch.
"Ha. Ha. Ha. You are so funny."
"I am aware that my presence has caused some ladies to smile at me before. I am grateful."
My smile widens as she rolls her eyes.
I take the bottle and put it to my lips before I step forward. She eyes me suspiciously as I stretch my hand out. She lays her hand in mine and my palm closes around her dry skin that is etched with cold. I automatically rub my thumb over the arid spots, causing me to bite my inner cheek in regret.
Blame it on alcohol tomorrow, Graham.
There is warmth spreading through me as I lead her away from our current position.
Seeing the familiar bench, I know where my unconsciousness led me even as I take one step after another.
"You have any idea where you want to go or should I start praying that we don't end up in the woods getting tattered by wolves?"
"I just want to sit here and don't worry, my mother grew up in Bavaria. She didn't have much money and wanted me to stay down to earth. I spent many summers in her childhood home and if I could describe the most sheltered place it would be that one. Believe me, I know how to survive under a few trees. Come on, this is America. Wolves are our smallest problem." I explain, ending my sentence with a huff.
"That might be true. In high school I was selected for a scholarship in a finance project in Frankfurt. It may be a big city but goddamn it I have never seen so many trees and mountains as on the way there. I adored it." She replies, clearly reminiscing.
"We have two properties in and around Frankfurt. If you like it we could go back there together one day."
"What?" She frowns at me, obviously thinking I am joking.
"Nothing, forget it." I fake a smile, trying to get away from the topic.
She obviously doesn't want to let go of it but she forces herself to get her head away.
"We are behind schedule. You and I only met twice alone and only a handful of times with the kids. It would have been better if we had already created a real relationship with them and the foster parents, and had dinner with them. We have nothing." I hold my bottle out to her, offering a drink.
She thanks me and lifts it to her lips.
"That's why you are here? After nearly killing somone, nearly being killed you run after me to tell me we are behind on a college task? Unbelievable." She looks me in the face, studying my features. Don't try to figure me out.
I don't react to the hint there was a possibility the guy could've beat me. We are both well aware that this isn't the case.
"Of course, why else would I be here? You wouldn't get over your head and think I followed you, for you." I spread my legs a bit farther, moving my body closer to her.
"Right?"
I am forced to watch as she bites her lip, trying not to let the smile take over her face before she looks at me.
She shakes her head in amusement, following with her also leaning closer towards me.
"Don't speak to me in such a way. I am not stupid and one of my finest virtues is realizing why people do the things they do. You tried to kiss me on so many occasions, boy, and you think I would believe your excuses? Should I remind you that not even an hour ago you called me "my girl"?"
She slides further towards me on the bench until we are only a couple of inches apart. This distracts her from the thoughts her pretty head can't let go of. Her evil smile glistening over the dried tears.
"I did it to provoke my old friend, your brother by the way."
"Behind every joke lies some truth."
"Mhm, okay, then please enlighten me. Tell me more about the things you have noticed about me, smartass. I cannot wait to hear what you have found out."
"Ok, but I have to warn you. Maybe I hit too close to home and you will start crying."
"Give me your finest shot. I don't have a problem with you making me cry out."
I rest my head on my hand that gets support from the bench and let my lips twitch as the woman gives me a playful glare.
"You get what you want, baby." She teases me, sitting now cross legged on the bench and with stretched out arms she rests her palms on the wood.
"Enjoying boxing or fighting doesn't necessarily indicate any specific personality trait, but how someone behaves and approaches these activities could give an insight into their personality traits. You burn for it. I have never seen you more relaxed than when violence came towards you but you are anything but a sadist.
You don't want to hurt people, you don't necessarily get off by causing harm to innocents. That's why you are here beating up people who want it as much as you do. For you it's not them lying on the ground gasping in pain. Instead it's trying with every punch to get demons out of you that are hiding in there." She says, running her hand through my hair that is covered in almost dried blood. She ruffles through it till strands fall over my forehead.
"You are smart and you are scared to show it. You have an incredible vocabulary, but you hide it until it is absolutely necessary to show your dominance. It seems you are a bragger because you are willing to talk about money but hide your intellectual talents. Because if people hate you you want them to be superficial. It would sicken you to be labeled a nerd. An outcast.
Your communication skills are exceptional... but not with me. Because I make you nervous. Because you like me too much. And I can tell you something. You will push me away now because of my brother you have a valid reason to do so. But I will tell you something about me... I will push back. Oh, and that I don't forget it's an honor that you start opening up to me. You don't do that a lot." She flashes me a proud wink after she finishes off her sentence.
There are quite a few moments we spend in silence where I just study her expression and she mine.
"Correct."
Surprise flashes across her face and I know that she didn't expect this reply.
"About some of it." I add my grin widening at her eye roll.
She does that a lot. I like it.
I lean over to her, our thighs pressing against each other, our faces so close, I could almost kiss her.
My gaze remains fixed on her eyes as I grasp the bottle from her hand without erasing it from my gaze. A small trail of blood covers the almost invisible wounds on her lips which are red from nervous biting.
"I want to talk about what happened back there." She whispers her voice hoarse and almost comes out as a whisper. Her chest rises and falls and I wonder if her heart beats as fast as mine. If they are in line.
„It would be nice to see you tomorrow. We should meet Eli and Val."
"I want to talk about the fight." She repeats and I almost give in as her warm breath brushes against my lips and she starts to close her eyes.
"We are human beings. We want a lot and the more we have, the more we crave."
"I could report to the police. I could tell everyone. My mother would make sure your lawyers couldn't play foul." She runs her hand from the back of my neck into my hair. She grips me tight. I groan as she pulls me closer to her.
We both know she is bluffing.
I grab her lips and pull her towards me, causing her to lean into my kiss. Our lips crash against each other but even though I am hungry for her, starving for those soft, silky lips there is a careful side to this kiss. There are two parts inside of me fighting for dominance as I lean over her and she wraps her legs around me, pushing my cock into her core. I try to stifle the moan leaving my lips as I remove my mouth from hers, biting her lower lip with my teeth. She grins and again tightens her grasp on my hair pulling my mouth against hers. I go deeper, wanting her to feel as intense as I do.
That intoxicating taste.
"Goddamn it. What are you doing to me?" I groan as she grabs me by my belt bringing us closer.
"You are not too bad yourself." She smiles as she leans back, our mouths parting.
We are both panting and I just know my eyes must be more dilated than they have ever been before. My heart is beating wildly in my chest as if it's racing with hers. I want to lean in again, getting another taste of my alcohol on her tongue.
With an innocent expression that screams evil underneath she rejects me and I laugh.
Her wanting eyes bring me back to reality.
This was goodbye to that idea of her and me. I had a kiss... this was it. Don't be greedy. If you hurt her or you love her won't make a difference. Dorian will take the fights away from you.
"No, you won't turn to the police. Actually, you won't tell anyone." My voice echoed through the silence of the fields.
"And why is that? I could tell on your little club. What you are doing is illegal. I cannot believe that I would ever say this but well, oh well I think the FBI would be interested. The people I saw in there... you could be in a lot of trouble."
"No sweetheart, you won't because then your brother will be in trouble too."
"No." She huffs out a laugh.
"Nobody cares about visitors. They want the people who are behind those illegal activities."
I study her features as if this face is the last one I would want to remember as I am waiting for her to realize what's going on.
At least the big picture, she would never know everything. Her brother would bury me... and I would let him.
Her lips part in shock and I tilt my head to the side.
"You are a liar, Harrison."
My last name sounds so sweet coming from her. Only from her.
"No, I am not. If you are telling on me, you will bring your big brother down too. Because Ally, he owns those clubs and he owns so much more."