Part 7 (1/2)
Pure satisfaction slides through my body when he shouts, ”Andrew!”
The sound of him calling my name almost has me shooting my load on the shower floor. It's music to my f.u.c.king ears. That's one thing I know with certainty I'll never get tired of hearing.
Jase ”What's your favorite color?” Andrew asks me.
We're sitting outside Joe's garage at the picnic tables eating lunch. Andrew called about an hour ago and informed me he was on his way here with lunch from Maggie's. This is the second time this week he's brought me lunch at work. It's only been a few days since I finally gave in to Andrew, and I love every single minute of it. We haven't really gotten the opportunity to get to know each other much. Instead, we've been spending our time f.u.c.king. While those times are hot as h.e.l.l, we both decided to play the generic get-to-know-you game.
So, here we are. Andrew eating his roast beef sandwich, me eating my Philly cheesesteak, while we play silly, girly games. I feel ridiculous, but at the same time, I'm enjoying learning about him.
”Gray,” I answer. ”You?”
”Green. What do you like on your pizza?”
”Chicken bacon ranch.”
”Jase, man, that's f.u.c.ked-up. Pizza is supposed to have red sauce, not white,” Andrew says with a full-body shudder.
I chuckle at his overdramatic reaction to my pizza topping choice. ”Not my kind of pizza. That red s.h.i.+t can stay the h.e.l.l away from me. What's yours?”
”Plain old pepperoni, with extra pepperoni and light sauce.”
After taking a bite and a swallow of my water, I tell him, ”Okay, my turn. How old were you the first time you had s.e.x?”
”Fourteen. It was with a fifteen-year-old boy from the next town over. We were friends of a sort. He was visiting his grandmother who lived here in Jaded Hollow. I was h.o.r.n.y all the d.a.m.n time, but it was always the boys that turned me on. One day, Michael caught me looking at his junk while we were skinny dipping in Jaxon's lake. He asked if I was into boys, I said yes, and then we were going at it like jackrabbits.”
An irrational bout of jealousy hits me at Andrew's story. It's stupid to think, but I don't like the thought of him with anyone else. I want to pummel any f.u.c.ker who's ever touched him. He's mine and should only ever have my scent on his skin.
”What about you?” Andrew asks, pulling me from my ridiculous thoughts.
I shake my head to clear it. ”Thirteen. My first time was with a girl three years older than me. The thoughts and feelings running through my head scared the s.h.i.+t out of me. My family is the type that doesn't take being different very well. I knew my dad would have a fit if he knew I was attracted to guys. I rebelled against the feelings and f.u.c.ked whatever girl that would have me, trying to force the thoughts away. Obviously, it didn't work.” I smirk at him.
”And thank f.u.c.k for that,” Andrew says.
That particular time in my life isn't something I'm proud of. When I told him I f.u.c.ked any girl that would have me, I wasn't lying. And a lot of girls did. It didn't matter the age either, so long as she was my age or older. I was fifteen when I f.u.c.ked a twenty-eight-year-old woman. She was a neighbor of ours. She was married but her husband was gone all the time. She would always watch me out the window when I was in the backyard mowing the lawn with my s.h.i.+rt off. Even back then I was fit and tanned.
My parents and Chris were gone one day while I was tr.i.m.m.i.n.g the apple tree we had out back. The neighbor lady came over with a gla.s.s of ice water. We ended up in my bed s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g. Each time I had s.e.x with a girl, I was never satisfied. I was able to finish, but I had to work hard at it.
Finally, at sixteen, I said f.u.c.k it and didn't try anymore. I officially moved my attempts to guys. After my first time with a guy, I knew that was it, there was no going back. And I haven't been back since.
”Have you ever been with a girl?” I ask Andrew.
”Yep. Once. Years ago.” That's all he says, but I can tell by the softness of his eyes there's more to the story. I won't push him to tell me more if he doesn't want to, but it leaves me curious.
Our conversation is interrupted by the ringing of my phone. I pull it out of my pocket and look at the screen. I don't recognize the number but know it's from back home.
Thinking it may have something to do with my parents, I answer. ”h.e.l.lo?”
”h.e.l.lo, Jase. Long time, no see,” comes a voice I never wanted to hear again. ”Where you hiding at these days?”
My body goes stiff, and I immediately get up from the bench. I take a few steps away from Andrew to stand beneath a tree. I really don't want him to hear this conversation. It's s.h.i.+t he doesn't need to know about yet. There've been a couple times he's asked me about my life back in Georgia, but I always deflect the questions.
”What the f.u.c.k do you want, Damien?” I hiss quietly into my phone.
I peek over my shoulder and see Andrew's eyes glued to me. He hasn't gotten up from his seat yet, but his body is tight, likes he's ready to pounce at the slightest provocation.
”Oh, you know just what I want. And I'm coming to get it. How are you enjoying your last days of freedom?” Damien laughs in my ear and it grates on my nerves.
”f.u.c.k you, Damien. It's a wasted effort. You won't find me.”
”Oh, see, that's where you're wrong, baby. When I want something, I get it. How's that pretty redheaded sister of yours?”
My blood runs cold at the mention of Chris. He has no reason to believe I'm with her. Unless he already knows. The whole time I was with him, I only mentioned her a couple of times. I purposely kept it that way, because I knew he was into some f.u.c.ked-up s.h.i.+t. I didn't want him to think Chris and I were close, and therefore, a bargaining tool if it went bad between us.
Not sure which direction he's going, I feign ignorance, hoping he's not implying what I think he is. ”I have no idea. I haven't seen her in almost two years.”
”Come on now, Jase. You don't think I'm stupid, do you? I know you just saw her yesterday.”
Son of a b.i.t.c.h!
”You stay the h.e.l.l away from my sister, you motherf.u.c.ker,” I snarl into the phone. ”She's got nothing to do with this.”
I hear his chuckle on the other end and it grates on my nerves. I want to reach through the phone, wrap my hands around his throat, and squeeze the f.u.c.ker until his head pops off. What the h.e.l.l did I ever see in this guy?
”I think it's quite fair, don't you? An eye for an eye,” he says, the laughter in his voice replaced by venom. ”You took something of mine that I loved. Now it's my turn. Emilio isn't happy, either.”
f.u.c.k Emilio. f.u.c.k Damien. f.u.c.k every last one of them. I don't give a s.h.i.+t if they're happy or not. I just care about protecting my sister.
”I'm warning you, Damien, leave my sister alone. That b.a.s.t.a.r.d brother of yours deserved what he got and you know it,” I tell him in a deadly calm voice. I'll do anything to keep Chris safe. The f.u.c.ker better realize that before he does anything stupid.
”My baby brother had to get his kicks off somehow or another. His way was just a bit more messy than others. You took him from me when you had no right.” The hard edge in his voice should worry me, but instead it just p.i.s.ses me off even more. ”What are you going to do, baby? I've got twenty guys at my back on this. How many you got in that podunk town you're living in nowadays? It's best you give yourself up now, or maybe me and that f.u.c.kable sister of yours will have a little fun before I snuff her out. I've never had a brother and sister before.”
The hand holding my phone clenches. I barely hold in the scream trying to force its way out. I feel sick to my stomach that I let this sick f.u.c.k touch me. Frustration crawls through me. I've got no f.u.c.king choice but to leave. No way will I allow this a.s.shole to come near Chris. For that to happen, I've got to give myself up. Rage surges throughout my body. I won't give up easily, I'll put up a d.a.m.n good fight, but if Damien has the backing of Emilio like he claims, then the chance of me coming out of this alive is d.a.m.n near nonexistent.
Before I get a chance to reply to Damien's threats, he continues, ”We'll talk later, Jase. Give you time to come to terms with your fate. Who knows, maybe I'll keep you around for a while. We had some fun times together.” And with that, the line goes dead.
s.h.i.+t! f.u.c.k! Son of a b.i.t.c.h!
My hand drops to my side and I hang my head. The thought of leaving Chris, Andrew, and everyone else in Jaded Hollow weighs heavily on my shoulders. Anger like I've never felt before courses through my blood and my whole body starts to shake.
”What the f.u.c.k was that?” a deep voice growls from behind me. I completely forgot Andrew was here.
My hand grips the phone tighter, and I squeeze my eyes shut. I really don't want to leave Andrew, but I know I don't have a choice. Keeping Chris safe is my number-one priority. Leaving and going to Damien instead of waiting for him to come here will draw his attention away from her. The things Damien will do to her to get back at me, even the strongest person would have a hard time handling.
I hear the crunch of leaves from behind me and brace myself for his touch. When it comes, my emotions finally let loose. I'm not only going to have to leave Chris, but Andrew as well. We haven't known each other long, but in the short time we have, he's come to mean a lot to me. There will be no more touches. No more jokes. No more heated glances. No more taking in his scent. No more running my fingers through his hair. No more feeling the warmth of him at my back.
”Jase-” he starts, but I don't let him finish.
As soon as his fingers graze my back, I throw back my head and give an almighty roar. I ball the hand that still has my phone in it into a fist and slam it against the tree. The pain I know I'll feel later from the bark that's now embedded into my knuckles doesn't register. My phone breaks into pieces in my hand, and I'm sure bits of the plastic have sliced into my palm. I bring my hand back to punch the tree again, but I'm stopped by Andrew grabbing it and pus.h.i.+ng me back a few steps.
He gets in my face. ”Tell me what the h.e.l.l's going on.”