Always and Forever (27 page)

 “Just give it to me, I’m going to call one of your
friends or your mum to come and get you.”

“No! I don’t want you to call anybody. Just take me home
with you. I miss being at your house, I miss spending time with you in your
room. God, I miss everything.” She started to cry and I forced myself to turn
away. A woman’s tears have always been my weakness, it twists me up inside to
witness any girl crying and I knew that if I started to comfort her she would
read too much into it and think it meant something.

“Look, I really have to be somewhere so I need to call one
of your friends to come and take you home, ok?”

I made a grab for her purse and started searching for her
mobile. I scrolled through her contacts and stopped when I reached the name of
one of her friends, I didn’t waste any time and dialled the number. Sarah’s
friend was somewhat reluctant to come and pick her up but when I explained that
she was in no fit state to be left alone and that she didn’t want me calling
her parents, her friend agreed.

My next plan was to text Bethany so I could let her know
that I was going to be a little late. In my message I tried to reassure her
that nothing was wrong and that I’d be there as soon as I could. I suppose I
did wonder why she didn’t reply to any of my messages but I was also a little
preoccupied with making sure Sarah got home safe before I left her.

After a few minutes I decided I would call her. Sarah was
leaning against the entrance to the bar so I walked away from her to make sure I
had some privacy. By that point I was starting to worry, I couldn’t understand
why Bethany hadn’t texted me back and whenever I tried to call her it would go
straight to voicemail.  

“Who is she, Jake?”

 I startled when I heard Sarah’s voice close behind
me. She had crept up on me when I was trying to phone Bethany and I noticed
that she was sobering up by the second. I almost wish she had stayed
intoxicated, I couldn’t be doing with probing questions or her acidic words.

“That’s none of your business, Sarah.” I snapped.

“She must be pretty special for you to keep on protecting
her like this.”

 I chose not to respond to her baiting and I kept my
gaze locked on my phone, waiting for Bethany’s reply.

“Just drop it, S.” I told her, feigning boredom.

“You know I’ll do to her if I ever find her, don’t you?”
She whispered salaciously.

“And what’s that?” I asked, breaking my gaze away from the
screen of my phone to challenge her.

My pulse was quickening and I tried to remain calm by
focusing on my breathing. I wasn’t about to let her get the best of me, I
needed to stay in control.

“I’ll ruin that pretty face of hers. By the time I’m
through with her you’ll be begging me
to take you back because you’ll
have no use for her anymore.”  

“I swear to God, Sarah! If you push me one more time I
won’t be held responsible for my actions. If you weren’t a woman you’d be on
the floor and semi-conscious by now.” I threatened her, meaning every single
word.

When I took a step towards her, the grin on her face
disappeared. She knew she had pushed me way too far.

“Sarah, you ok?”

We broke apart at the sound of a female voice.

“I’m fine, what are you doing here?” Sarah snapped,
accusation lacing her voice.

“Jake called me; I’m here to take you home.”

I vaguely recognised Sarah’s friend. She was the one who
had finally managed to convince Sarah to leave after we had that blazing row in
front of my house.

“Jake, please don’t go!” Sarah wailed.

I chose to ignore them both and turned to walk in the opposite
direction.

“Make sure she gets home ok.” I called over my shoulder,
deliberately ignoring Sarah.

I had done my duty, I needed to make sure that she was safe
and that’s what I’d done. My main priority in that moment was Bethany. She
still hadn’t responded to any of my texts or phone calls, I couldn’t understand
what the hell was going on but my mind kept on taking me to a dark and twisted
place, a place where something was wrong and something horrifying had happened
to her.

 I ran all the way there, making a journey that
normally would have taken me half an hour only ten minutes. I noticed the two
of them as soon as I rounded the final corner. It was Bethany who I saw first
and the relief I felt to see that she was ok was indescribable. I stopped walking
and just stared, taking in the starling scene before me. Bethany was standing
way too close to someone I didn’t know, someone I didn’t want her to know.

 I quietly approached them; I needed to hear
everything they were saying. It was clear that they were in the middle of a
heated discussion but what infuriated me the most was the fact that she seemed
to be so familiar with the guy, it was as though she knew him and it fucking
sickened me. They had no idea that I was watching them… which was my precise
intention.

Every single instinct inside of me was yelling at me to
beat the shit out of him. I seriously wanted to hurt him for being so intimate
and familiar with her. They were centimetres apart and I wanted nothing more
than to drag him away from her, I somehow found the strength to remain calm
because I desperately needed to find out what they were saying. It was only
when I heard him refer to me as thoughtless and insensitive that I decided to
finally make my presence known. I made sure that my voice sounded threatening,
this fucker was about to find out exactly who he was dealing with and he needed
to know his place.

It was unbelievably hard to control myself and my temper,
having Bethany so close and not being able to touch her was absolute torture.
She looked amazing; like she always does but tonight she looked breathtakingly
beautiful.

I knew within those first few moments that I had to make it
clear who Bethany belonged to. I was about to put on a little show that neither
of them were going to forget anytime soon. I got my opportunity when Bethany
flung herself on me, making it really obvious that she was pleased to see me.
It took all of my restraint to not return her embrace but I can be really
fucking stubborn and I somehow managed to stop myself from giving into her
affection. It was only when she tried to pull away from that I made my move.

To make it work I had to make it look convincing. I know
Bethany and she’s far too modest and self-conscious to get intimate with
someone in front of an audience. I had to find a way of making Bethany
compliant and willing. That’s all I needed from her and I was determined that I
was going to get it.

The feel of her body against mine was exquisite, I never
expected to find myself getting turned on I can’t help it, whenever I’m around
her that’s exactly what happens. I caressed Bethany’s skin with my lips and
then went on to stroke her with my tongue, it was agonisingly erotic and I
don’t know how I managed to control myself. I felt her every tremble and I felt
her every intake of breath. It left me starving and desperate for so much more.
I no longer felt like I was the one in control, she was taking that away from
me. My intention had been to make Bethany submissive and yet I was the one who
would do absolutely anything to keep this woman in my arms.

I purposefully fixed my cold stare onto the nameless douche
behind her. He narrowed his eyes at me and I scowled right back at him. He was
about to learn just who my girl belonged to. My actions were intentional and
their soul purpose was to let him know that she was mine. Mine. Mine. Mine.
Mine. MINE. I don’t share with anyone and I’d rather die than giver her up.

When Bethany finally introduced us I think it made things
worse, to know that she had a history with that guy, to know that he had known
her before me was like a knife in my fucking heart. I was jealous. My jealousy
was crazy; it was irrational and it fucking hurt. I hated every second of it
and didn’t know how to handle the agonising pain in my chest or the thirst I
had to rip this guy’s head off. I was seconds away from beating this guy and I
had no intention of stopping, not until he was a pathetic, bloody mess.

Things got even worse when he gave her his number. What the
fuck did Bethany expect me to do? I deserve a damn medal for not crushing every
single bone in his hand when he handed her that scrap of paper with his digits
on it. When she accepted it from him it felt like she had torn my heart before
spitting in my face. I couldn’t believe she had just done that to me and that’s
why I tried to stop her from taking it. I needed to remind her of my existence;
she had to understand what seeing her with someone else was doing to me. Surely
she had to see the desperation in my action and the pain behind my eyes?

When he called her beautiful, I inhaled sharply. Hearing
him call her that felt like a punch to the stomach and when I saw him moving
towards her to give her a hug, I saw red. Without even thinking, I grabbed her and
dragged her behind me. He had pushed me too far and I didn’t even want him
looking
at her for another moment longer.

I was breathing heavily and I fixed my ferocious gaze
entirely on him. He finally seemed to get the message and looked fearful of me.
Good
. I was more than ready to hurt this fucker.

It was only the thought of Bethany who was trembling behind
me that made me change my mind. I needed him to leave because I wanted some
time alone with my girl, I was aching to comfort her but I wasn’t prepared to
lower my defences whilst he was still around.

It took some persuading on her part but I eventually
started to believe her when she kept on insisting that there was nothing going
on between them. I believed her when she told me that her feelings for Callum
were purely platonic but I still wasn’t so sure about him. To know that he had
tried to make contact with her over the years was enough to convince me that he
still wanted more from their relationship than what he said he did.

My main concern soon switched to her. All week I had been
struggling with that God awful feeling that something terrible had happened to
her and I was determined to find out the truth. I still had my doubts, even
when she told me everything was fine. I studied her closely, searching for any
sign of her hiding something. It was like her mouth was telling me one thing
but her eyes said something different. I pulled her closer towards me; I needed
to feel her body against mine. Her presence alone is the one thing that can
calm me down and quieten the racing thoughts inside my head. All of the
jealousy, the rage, the frustration and anger were silenced as soon as I held
her in my arms. It would have been so easy to admit defeat; to give into my
urges and desires. The last few weeks have been absolute torture for me. I want
her so badly; I want to drive myself into her so hard and so fast that she begs
me for more every damn day of the week. It took a lot of my restraint earlier
to stop things when we did, fuck the fact that someone was watching, I didn’t
care. All I wanted was her. I want her wet, frantic, desperate and aroused,
pleading with me to be inside of her.

The compulsion that I feel to put my mark on her is
indescribable. I remember gently stroking her hair and watching her reaction
with fascination. I wondered how she would react if I pulled on it a little
harder. Would she like it? Would she fight back? The thought of that really did
turn me on. Rough sex with Bethany is my ultimate fantasy. God, the things I
could show her, the things I would do to her… just the idea of it makes me
hard. That’s why I decided to be completely honest with her; I couldn’t keep it
in any longer. I needed to hear her admit the truth, I needed to hear her say
that she belongs to me and that she really is mine. The only thing I care about
in this world is Bethany, the fact that before tonight we weren’t officially
together has been the biggest mind fuck for me.

I no longer cared about her reaction. I knew I must have
looked fierce as I continued to glare at her like a madman. My only excuse for
it is my own frantic despair.  I can’t describe how badly I needed to hear
her admit that she was mine. I wanted to stop all of the pretence and just make
us official. I have never, ever wanted to be exclusive with someone in my
entire life so the fact that I was practically begging Bethany to be my
girlfriend did leave me feeling a little desperate.

I can’t even begin to explain the joy that I felt when she
agreed. It was like all of the anger, all of the rage and the unbearable
tension I had been carrying was magically lifted from my shoulders. Bethany was
mine, she had made a commitment to me and for the first time in my existence I
knew what it was like to be blissfully happy. I know that I lied to her earlier
about the reason I was so late and there’s still my past with Sarah that needs
to be talked about but I really need Bethany to trust me before I reveal
anything to her. I can’t risk my relationship with her… not for anything.