In the Heart of Forever (8 page)

"Rave, I'm sorry for snapping on you."

His lips parted as he skimmed his fingertips along my jaw line. "I'm sorry for pressuring you. I just want you to talk to me."

"I...just...please...kiss me again," I didn't have to ask him twice. I pulled him towards me as he crashed his mouth to mine. If we were standing, I would have crawled up him. I wanted to feel him everywhere.

My heart beat loudly in my chest and shivers ran up my spine. My lips parted at the impact causing my tongue to peak out. The kiss was gentle at first but when my tongue touched his lips, it was like an explosion.

His lips opened, his tongue pushing its way into my mouth.

“Rave.”

A soft moan bubbled up from my throat as our tongues touched.

His hand moved to my nape, pulling me towards him. Our mouths moved together, massaging, dueling for ownership. The kiss became faster and hotter. More intense. I needed him.

They say when you’re a teenager, you don’t know what you want or need but I knew. I needed Rave Black. I fisted his shirt in my hands. I never needed something so bad in my life I wanted him to take control. Devour me from inside out. I wanted to give myself to him.

He ran a hand down my back, his hand brushing under the hem of my shirt as his fingers grazed my skin. A shiver of warmth ran through me but then he released me.

My eyes fluttered open and I looked up into his deep green eyes. They were glassy and dark with hunger. I did that to him. Knowing I had that kind of control, made pleasure course through my body.

Rave's gaze heated, blazing with desire. He licked his kiss swollen lips. "Let's go before we both do something that...well..." he smirked and ran a hand through his shaggy hair. “Regret isn't the right word."

I giggled, my face heating.

We both left the car and Rave held my bag for me. As we walked to the entrance of the school, Rave put an arm around my shoulders and kissed my head. My heart swelled and I sighed, happily. Maybe this was the beginning to a new chapter of my life where I would be free of pain and finally have my own happily ever after.

In the Heart of Now

Part 2

Jesse Dawson

Chapter 10

Rave’s fingers were warm in mine as we walked hand in hand towards the school. Kids milled about but since there was still a half an hour until homeroom, not a lot of people were there yet. We trudged up the steps, not even noticing anyone around us.

“Hey four eyes.”

My stomach clenched at hearing my nickname. I turned my head and saw Melanie headed towards us with her posse and a couple of guys from the football team.

Rave kept walking, ignoring the impending crowd.

“Rave.” I tugged on his arm.

“Ignore them, Jesse,” he grumbled, pulling me along behind him.

“Four eyes, don’t be rude. I just wanted to say hi,” Melanie added. The Triple M’s continued following us with the football players hot on their heels.

I turned back to Rave and ran a hand down his arm. “Rave?”

He looked down at me and then over my head. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and we continued walking down the hall to my locker. “I haven’t been here for long, but I hate this damn school already.”

We ignored the catcalling coming from behind us but it was hard. Thankfully we reached my locker quickly. “I’ve had to put up with it for ten years.”

Rave leaned against the joining lockers and crossed his arms under his chest, watching. It was like he was waiting for something to happen. He shoved a hand through his shaggy black hair, his dark green eyes going cold. “I don’t like how they treat you.”

I opened my locker door and grabbed my books. “They’ve always been mean to me, Rave. I’m used to it.” I shrugged.

He cupped my cheek in his hand and leaned down and kissed me softly. A spark ignited between us making me jump. He laughed. “Electrifying.”

I giggled and slapped his arm lightly when I saw the Triple M’s headed our way. They stopped in front of us, looking between Rave and I. The football players laughed as they walked by. The one known as Alex “Tank” Archer, dropped his gaze over me, making my skin crawl.

My heart beat loudly in my ears. These girls made me nervous.

“What do you want?” Rave asked Melanie as she sidled up to him.

She looked down her nose at me and glared. “We just wanted to see if you were free this weekend?”

“Why?” he bit out, taking a step closer to me.

“Melissa’s parents are out of town and we’re throwing an epic party. We wanted to know if you’d come.” She ran a finger up and down his arm, pushing her chest into him.

Jealousy flared through me and I had to look away.

“Is Jesse invited?” he asked, shrugging out of her grip.

My eyes shot up at Rave’s question. There was no way that I was going to one of their parties. “Rave, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

Melanie scoffed. “You cannot be serious.” She looked back at Melissa and Miranda and they laughed.

He didn’t answer and grabbed my hand. He linked his fingers with mine and ran his thumb over my skin.

Melanie saw the movement and frowned. Her blue eyes turning cold. She no doubt wanted to dig her claws into him but there was no way that I would ever let that happen. “No, of course she’s not invited.”

“Then I’m not going,” Rave stated matter-of-factly.

Melanie’s eyes widened, like she never expected him to say no. Her mouth opened and closed like a fish and with her gloss-injected lips, I had to stifle a laugh.

“Rave.” I gently tugged on his arm. He looked down at me. “You can go if you want to,” I mumbled.

Rave shook his head. “Not without—”

“Fine, she can come.”

We both turned to Melanie’s voice. The Triple M’s were glaring at us. Melanie licked her full lips and placed a hand on Rave’s shoulder, whispering something into his ear.

Seeing her that close to him set my blood boiling. My cheeks heated and my lips pursed.

Rave’s cheeks flushed with color and a moment later, Melanie winked at me and walked away, the rest of the trio following.

Chapter 11

After the Triple M’s left us, we headed to the library. Mrs. Johnson was sitting at her desk, typing away on her computer. She looked up as we walked by and smiled brightly.

We said good morning to her and headed to the corner. When we neared it, Rave threw my book bag on the ground. The whole walk there, I could sense something was wrong.

He ran a hand through his hair and sat on the floor.

I joined him and placed my hand in his. “What’s wrong?”

He looked down at me and ran his fingers down my cheek before kissing my forehead. “I don’t think we should go to this party.”

I frowned. “I wasn’t planning on it but what did Melanie say to you?”

“Nothing important.” Rave continued to stare at me, his eyes glancing down at my lips every so often.

My neck heated and I rose to my feet, searching through the books that I had read many times before. Unable to ignore the intense attraction I felt towards Rave, I closed my eyes when I felt his warm body come up behind me. I looked up at him. “Rave.”

He smirked and cupped the back of my neck.

I tilted my head to meet the impact of his warm lips. No matter how many times he kissed me, it would always be like the first time.

He pressed his body into me and pushed me up against the stack of books, not caring in the least that we were in public. A tantalizing thrill ran down my spine at the thought of someone seeing us at any moment.

Our tongues danced and dueled as he ran a hand down my back.

I gripped his shirt, pulling him against me, deepening the kiss. He pressed his lower body into mine and the feel of his thigh against my core excited me.

He released my mouth and trailed kisses down my jaw as he squeezed my hip. “I’ve never made out in a library before.”

My cheeks heated and I breathed deeply, easing my racing heart. “I’ve never made out with a boy, period.”

A smug grin formed on Rave’s face as he ran a thumb over my kiss-swollen lips. “Seems like I’m your first for a lot of things.”

My breath caught and the sound of my phone interrupted our heated conversation. I walked back to my bag and saw that it was Allan. My stomach dropped and I thought of ignoring it but decided I’d better not. “Hello?”

“Where are you?” Allan growled, slurring his words.

I frowned. “Are you drunk? I’m at school.”

“Just making sure you actually went to school today. I’ll be home late so I expect dinner when I walk into the house, brat.”

“Fine.” God, I hated it when he called me. “Good bye Allan.” I disconnected the line and turned off my phone. I tensed when a hand touched my back and relaxed when I realized it was Rave. “I almost forgot you were there.”

“Why?” The circles he ran on my back soothed me.

“You’re so quiet.” I turned my head to him.

He smiled softly. His lips were darker from our passionate kiss and knowing that I wanted to do that again made my body heat with an unexpected desire.

“Who was that?”

“Someone I wish would leave me alone.”

Rave gave an understanding nod and lightly stroked my forearm.

“Don’t you sometimes wish you could just run away?”

His features hardened. “All the fucking time.”

I sighed, shaking my head.

He grabbed my hands in his and brushed his lips along my knuckles before kissing each one. He sat behind me and pulled me against him, wrapping his arms around my shoulders. “Whenever you’re ready to talk, I’m here, baby.”

Tears pricked my eyes and I nodded. “Thank you.”

The feel of his warm body enveloping mine, made all of the problems that seemed to have lasted forever, shatter around me.

The sound of people approaching interrupted our conversation.

“I don’t know. I don’t really talk to her anymore since she’s been hanging out with the new guy.”

“Oh yeah, I’ve seen them walking the halls together.”

Rave tensed behind me and I sat up, listening to the voices that were headed towards us. I knew one was Jake but the other, I didn’t recognize.

“Yeah, they’ve gotten pretty cozy I hear, too,” Jake said suggestively.

My head whipped to Rave’s and his eyes darkened. I looked back at where the sound was coming from. My heart started beating hard against my chest. I had a feeling that this conversation wasn’t going to end well.

Through the book shelf, in between each row, I could see Jake and the other kid standing on the other side.

Rave tapped me on the arm to get my attention. He lifted his finger to his lips. I nodded. I didn’t want to hear anymore but I was curious as to what lies Jake and his friend were talking about.

“I thought you and Jesse were close?”

“I thought so, too. I don’t know how many times I hinted at wanting to go on a date with her. I then asked her if she wanted to go to the Valentine’s Day dance with me and she turned me down. Probably because of that jackass, Rave. I bet she’s going with him,” Jake replied, a bitter edge coating his voice.

My eyes widened. He never once hinted. I couldn’t believe him. He just asked me to the dance not that long ago but never hinted before then. I had assumed we would go as friends if I did decide to go with him.

“Well, I think you could do better. She’s kinda boring, anyways.” The other kid laughed.

“Not to mention moody,” Jake added.

A lump formed in my throat. Jake was supposed to be my friend. My best friend. Where did he get off saying this crap about me?

“What did you hear about Rave what’s his face?”

I turned to Rave and whispered. “Rave what’s his face?”

He rolled his eyes and bent his knee, resting his arm on it. He was calm and collected while my nerves were jumping around in my body, like they were on drugs. “Apparently Black is hard for these douchebags to remember.”

I curled my arm around his bent leg and linked our hands together. I kissed the back of his hand as we sat there and listened.

“I heard that he was in juvie,” Jake told his friend. They sounded just as bad as the Triple M’s.

“Did you hear about his sister?”

I gasped. How the hell—

Rave snarled behind me and pushed out of my grasp. He rose to his feet and stormed up to Jake and his friend. “What the hell did you hear about my sister?”

Simultaneous yelps erupted from the other side and I had to smile to myself.

“Hi Rave…I…uh…” Jake stuttered.

Rave took a step towards him and fisted his shirt with both hands, pulling him towards him.

Oh crap.

I rose to my feet and rounded the corner just as Rave stuck his face in Jakes. Jake’s eyes widened when he saw me. “Jesse.”

“Well Jake, I see you got this covered. Later.” The other kid ran down the aisle.

“Nice friend you got there,” Rave growled.

I placed a hand on his tense back. “Rave.”

“What did you hear about my sister, Jake?” Rave asked him. His nostrils flared, the veins in his neck straining against the skin. His body was shaking under my hand. He was holding back. I knew he wanted to beat the crap out of Jake right then and there.

“I…I didn’t hear anything.” Jake looked at me, his eyes wide, begging me to help him.

Should I? I didn’t want to. A part of me wanted to let Rave pound him into the ground for the hurtful things he said about us. I gripped Rave’s arm and wrapped my other hand around his, attempting to release his grip from Jake’s shirt. “Rave, it’s not worth it.”

Jake looked between us, his lips pressed flat.

Rave’s gaze met mine, his eyes going warm. He released Jake and ran a hand through his shaggy hair.

I stepped in between them and glared at Jake. “What did you hear about his sister?”

“No…nothing,” he stammered, taking a step back.

“How do you even know about his sister?” I asked him. The tension from Rave flew around me and I grabbed his hand.

“Rumors…that she was in the mental hospital. Clearly, crazy runs in the family.”