Spark (11 page)

By the time I was eighteen, Aiden was twenty-six and living on his own. He’d stop in for the occasional visit, but I could never look at him. I never wanted to. I tried to act casual when our parents were around, but I despised them as well.

The night of my Senior Prom, Aiden had two dozen long stem roses delivered to the house. He sealed the note so my parents didn’t read it…
There’s a rose for every month I had you.

Sick.

Twenty-four months…

Two years…
of pure damned torture.

The moment I realized
Eric wasn’t behind the rose petals, I immediately knew they were from Aiden. I didn’t know why…why he was back…or what he wanted. But I immediately tense up just from the thought of him.

“
He’s back,” I whisper to Carissa. I curl up next to her in her bed long after I left Eric in my room.

“How do you know?” she whispers back.

“I can just feel it. It’s like the roses he sent me before Prom. Why does he have to ruin everything?”

“If he’s back, and that’s
if
he is…I promise to not let him anywhere near you.” She curls up to my side, wrapping her arms around me.

“Thanks, Riss. I love you.”
As we lie in her bed, we eventually fall asleep. As soon as Eric leaves, Carissa cleans up the rose petals and tosses them out. The way I leave Eric
again
is heartbreaking and depressing. I hate doing this to him. It has to stop before we both get hurt.

“I could get use to this.
” Eric’s voice resonates through Carissa’s bedroom. I startle from the sound of his sexy voice, and jolt up as I cover myself with the sheets. He’s leaning up against the doorframe, arms crossed, and smirking as if he just walked into every man’s fantasy.

“What the hell?” Carissa mumbles, slowly rolling to her elbows.

“My running partner never showed up.”             

“Oh, crap!” I yelp. “I’m so sorry.”
I push the covers back and lean to get off the bed. Eric approaches me, holding me steady as I soon realize I’m light headed.

“Easy,” he mutters. “You okay?”

“Yeah, I just got up too fast.” His arms are wrapped around my waist, but he doesn’t let go. I move my eyes up to his face. He’s looking at me with such passion, such desire…it hurts knowing I can’t be right for him. “You can let go of me now,” I whisper.

“I don’t ever want to let go of you, Velaney,” he whispers
in my ear. His lips brush against my neck as he brings his eyes back to mine.

“Please, don’t, Eric. This is hard enough for me as it is,” I beg, hoping he hears the desperation in my voice. “I can’t run with you anymore.”

He places his hands on my shoulder and pushes me slightly. “What do you mean you can’t run with me? Why not?”

“Because it’s just not a good idea. I can’t focus with you right next to me
, staring at me.”

“What if I promise not to stare?” he smirks, making me laugh.

I contemplate for a moment before responding. The ache my body feels for him is too much to control…too much to handle. I still don’t understand why he’s trying so hard with me when he could easily have so many other
willing
women.

“Fine,” I finally blurt out. He lets me out of the tight grasp he held me in
, and lets me walk to my room to change.

This is a bad idea…this is a bad idea
…
I murmur to myself as I put on my running shorts and sports bra. I wash my face and throw my hair up in a high ponytail. I do a few stretches before leaving my room. Eric is sitting on the couch with one leg over the other as I walk to grab my running shoes.

“Ready?” I ask, keeping the mood light.

“You have no idea.” I roll my eyes as I turn to face away from him.
This is a bad idea.

We hit the pavement side by side in silence. We run two miles, and I finally feel good again. The tension between us is no longer there
, and running has cleared my mind.

“Working this week?” I ask, making light conversation as we slowed down to a walk.

“Doing a 72 this week. Today thru Friday,” he answers, looking directly at me as we walk side by side. “What’s your schedule like?” he asks, looking out to the sidewalk again.

“I work at the University thru Friday, but I have to go to the hockey game Friday night. But Saturday I have off.”

“Maybe we can meet up for a drink or something Saturday night?” I turn to glare at him. “Just as friends,” he insists, holding his hands up in surrender.

“I can’t.”

“Come on. Why not?”

I inhale before continuing. “I’m going out with Alex.” I chew my lip as I wait for his reaction.

“What’s that guy have that I don’t?” he asks, grinning.

“I’m not having this conversation with you.”
I begin to sprint the rest of the way, hoping to dodge the question. The truth was, Alex didn’t even compare to Eric. Alex was sweet. He made me laugh, and it makes me smile every time I think of it. Eric on the other hand…he makes me feel. I want to rip my clothes off entirely when I’m with him, explore his mouth with mine, dig my nails into his muscular torso…things I’ve never wanted to do to any man before in my life. And that’s what scares the crap out of me.

I bend over catching my breath
as I place my palms on my knees. I hear Eric’s shoes run up behind me, but instead of slowing down, he speeds up and runs right past me. I can tell he’s frustrated with me. I hate that I keep turning him down, but I can’t get the image out of my head of being just another girl in his bed. Eric was gorgeous, and it was no secret. After seeing him with a couple girls already, I don’t think I could handle it if we didn’t work out and then I saw him with another girl after that. It’s just a recipe for disaster.

I walk back into my apartment sweating and exhaust
ed. I assume Carissa is still asleep in her bed, so I quietly take a shower and get ready for work.

“
What in the…” I gasp, clenching my hand to my chest. I turn around from grasping the towel tighter against me and see Aiden in my bedroom doorway. “How did you get in here?”

“That
’s none of your concern, Princess.” He flashes a smug smile across his face that makes me shiver. I clench the clothes in my arms and back up as far as I possibly can before I hit the dresser. He closes the door, and leans against it, bringing his arms up across his chest. “I’ve missed you…I’ve been searching for you.”

“I am not your
Princess.
You need to get out,” I demand, begging my voice to stay strong.

“Oh, you’ve gotten feisty, haven’t you? That’s okay, I’ll enjoy this even more now.” He closes the gap between us and rubs his palm over my cheek.

“Stop it, Aiden,” I plead, but even I can hear the weakness in my voice.

“What are you
going to do about it,
Princess?
” He presses his body against mine. I push him back, but he’s much more muscular than I remember. “Didn’t you like my flowers?”

“No. Why would I?” I spit back in his face, pressing harder against him now than before.

He brushes a hand up my side, brushing the towel against his fingertips. “You smell amazing after a shower,” he says, brushing his lips on my collarbone.

“Get off me!” I yell, pushing him back as hard as I can. I hope the yelling wakes Carissa, but he muzzles my mouth with his hand.

“Shh, Princess. I won’t hurt you,” he whispers, clenching his body tighter against mine.

“You’ve already hurt me,” I mumble as his hand backs off me.

He ignores me, and eyes me up and down. “Let’s take this off, shall we?” He grins, grabbing at the towel.

“Don’t.
Touch. Me.” I clench between my teeth, not willing to back down like the helpless child I once was. I had no idea what he was doing here. I haven’t been home in four years. The moment I left for college, I never looked back. My parents begged me to come home, and even after confronting them about not protecting me, all my mother could do was ask for forgiveness.

“Oh, Princess, I will do whatever I want to you.” His words were serious, full of amusement.
His dark hair was longer now. He brushed a hand through it, slicking it against his head. His dark brown eyes were fierce and intense. If I thought he was scary back then, he was a monster now.

He gripped my shoulders with his hands and pushed me back, hitting the dresser once again. He held his grasp as he brought his lips down to my neck, suckling and moaning. My stomach turns at the way his voice rumbles across my skin.

“Stop!” I yell as loud as I can, begging for Carissa or anyone for that matter to hear me. “Aiden, get off!”

“Fuck, Velaney…you taste better than I remember
, if that’s even possible.” It doesn’t take but two seconds for the F bomb to rattle me as the adrenaline pulsates through me.

I jerk my knee up and slam it as hard as I can against his groin. I can tell he’s aroused which makes the impact that much harder.

“Fuck!” he yells, releasing me, and hunching over. “Don’t you fucking think about it!” he screams, pushing a hand against me once again. I take my free arm and elbow him in the mouth as hard as I can as he hunches over, getting him square in the jaw.

He finally collapses on the floor yelling and swearing. I tighten my towel and run out of my bedroom. I go to look for Carissa, but she isn’t in her room.

“Riss!” I yell, searching for her in the bathroom and kitchen. “Where are you?”

“She’s not here. I wanted you to myself, Princess.” Aiden
limps toward me, one hand on his junk, the other rubbing his face. “It’s just you and me.” He cocks a smile, making me furious that I don’t know where my best friend is.

“Where is she?” I demand, keeping as much distance from him as I can.

“Don’t worry. She’s fine.” He winks, sending chills down my spine.

“Get out or I’m calling the cops,” I threaten, but even I hear the uncertainty in my voice.

He tilts his head back as he lets out a loud laugh. “Good luck doing that, darling.” He hits the side of his pants where my phone must be. “You aren’t calling anyone.”
Damn bastard stole my phone.

I take a moment to figure out what I’m going to do. The door is too far away and no matter where I run he’ll catch me. I decide to run to Carissa’s room and lock the door until someone comes to find me. I knew the plan was pathetic, but it was all I had.

I quickly dart toward her room, but he catches up to me and grabs my wrist, turning me around to face him. He smacks his body hard against mine, rubbing his hard-on over my thigh.

“Stop it! You are one sick mother fucker!” I belt out. I gasp as I realize I just swore out loud. Either it was the adrenaline or finally someth
ing in me turned. He backhands me across the face, making blood gush from my lips.

“Don’t you fucking talk to me like
that! You fucking bitch! You were a worthless lay anyway…” Before he can spit out the rest, he’s being grabbed from behind. I gasp as he releases me, and the view of Eric behind him startles me.

“Eric!” I yell, worry taking over my voice.
Eric right hooks Aiden’s chin, and jabs him in the gut. Aiden falls to the ground and lets out a groan as Eric climbs over the top of him, and continues punching him in the face. “Eric, stop!” I yell, but not for Aiden’s sake. I see the fire in Eric’s face, and I can’t let him go to jail because of me.

“Take my phone,” he throws it at me from his pocket. “Call the police and get dressed,” he orders as he
takes one more jab with his fist hitting Aiden’s jaw again.

I do as I’m told, begging the police to come right away.
I lock myself in my room and dress as fast as I can. I wash the blood off my mouth, wincing at the pain. I open the door to see Eric’s hands covered in blood, and sweat covering his body.

“Oh my god, are you all right?” His expression doesn’t give way, and I stare at him with the deepest sympathy I can manage. He places a palm on each of my cheeks and without saying a
word, he leans in and places his mouth over mine. I don’t resist, but rather I welcome him in with my tongue while I run my fingers through his hair. He intensifies the kiss, pressing his body harder against mine. I can tell he’s being gentle, but it feels absolutely incredible being in his arms. The way he tastes and moans against my lips is something I never expected. He squeezes me closer to him, and he gasps for air. He leans his forehead on mine as we both try to even our breathing.

We don’t speak. He never says a word to me after our kiss. He walks back to Aiden and makes sure he doesn’t get off
the floor until the police arrive. I sit in the living room as I give my statement to an officer as they cuff Aiden, and take him to jail. One officer is speaking to Eric while a couple of others stand around shaking his hand and patting him on the shoulder like a hero.
My hero.
I glance over and smile at him, but he doesn’t smile back.