Never taking his eyes off mine, he leaned over with a mischievous grin and bit it right off my fingers. The second his lips touched my skin, I felt this jolt of what could only be described as electricity. This immediate spark that made my mouth dry and my face flush, a burning sensation all over my body. I had never experienced anything like it before, and yet I couldn’t wait to feel it again.
He cunningly smiled as if he knew exactly what I was feeling, thinking, wanting.
“Come on,” he chimed in, nodding toward his dirt bike. “Takin’ you for a ride, yeah?”
“Yeah.” I mindlessly nodded, swallowing hard.
He chuckled, enjoying the fact that I was dumbfounded by what just happened between us. Reaching up, I grabbed his hand and he pulled me toward him. Whispering, “You look good in that shade of red, Cutie,” into my ear. Causing sparks to ignite over every inch of my skin.
I thought he was going to kiss me and when he didn’t, I couldn’t tell if I was disappointed or relieved.
Disappointed, I was definitely disappointed.
He didn’t let go of my hand until he was helping me onto his bike. “You should just keep this,” he muttered while strapping me into his helmet.
“Then what are you going to wear?” I asked, already knowing the answer.
He winked and jumped on his bike, and we spent the rest of the afternoon riding around. He showed me all his favorite spots to do jumps and tricks, saying he and his brothers built a few of the obstacles for stunts themselves. But he quickly changed the subject when I asked how many brothers he had by simply telling me to hold on tight. Right when I did, he gunned the throttle and we went full speed into a course of jumps.
I laughed and screamed the entire time, begging for the next trail when we were done. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had that much fun, doing something completely out of the ordinary for me and loving every second of it. Being part of his world meant more to me than it should, and I was already counting down the days till we could see each other again. Shutting off the voice in the back of my head that kept trying to remind me I needed to stay away from him.
I just wanted a day to be free.
To act my age, to enjoy being outdoors, and be by Noah’s side. To not have to worry about tomorrow. Where nothing else mattered but living in the moment with him. I knew right then and there that Noah Jameson was my escape away from the life I always wanted, to another world I didn’t know I could have.
“You did not just bring me here,” I teased, grabbing onto his hand as he helped me off his bike. “You read that interview, didn’t you?”
“What interview?” he played it off as we walked side-by-side, still holding hands.
“The one where they asked me what my dream date would be, and I said a park so he could push me on the swing set.”
“Not a clue whatcha talkin’ ’bout.”
“Sure… you just want to try to see up my dress.”
“I’d prefer to see it on the floor next to my bed, but I’ll settle on the swing set.” He glanced over at me. “For now.”
“Ugh!” Letting go of his hand, I teasingly pushed him. “Tag, you’re it!” And I hauled ass away from him. Thankful that I was at least wearing Chucks for easy running. He wore combat boots.
He chuckled, “You better run, Skyler Bell. ’Cuz once I catch you, you’re mine!”
I ran as fast as I could, but it didn’t take long until I started getting tired. The sand only added to my exhaustion, ducking, dodging, moving out of his reach as quickly as I could. Noah’s reflexes were insane, and it took a lot of effort to avoid his advances. However, once we were on opposite sides of the horizontal bars, I placed my hands up in the air in a surrendering gesture.
“Truce, yeah?”
“Fuck no.” Like a lion attacking its prey, he threw himself under the bars and tackled me to the sand. “Mine!” he roared, landing right on top of me, but catching himself before he crushed my body beneath him.
I fell into a fit of giggles, laughing so hard it hurt my sides. It wasn’t until I caught Noah’s predatory glare that I stopped laughing. We were both panting profusely, suddenly looking deep into each other’s eyes in a much different way than we ever had before.
It was new.
It was exciting.
It was all him.
He caged my face in with his arms, devouring me with his eyes, consuming every last part of me. His fingers started brushing the hair away from my face until there was nothing left between us.
But wants and needs.
I wanted him to kiss me.
I needed him to kiss me.
“Imma kiss you, Skyler,” he stated as if he could hear my thoughts.
I think I nodded or moaned, or maybe I didn’t do anything but lay there like an idiot. Waiting, anticipating, licking my lips for my first kiss. Whatever I did made Noah groan, and when he leaned forward, I closed my eyes. My heart beating rapidly.
Feeling him almost there…
So close…
Just one more breath.
Just one more second.
Until I felt his lips on mine.
ELEVEN
SKYLER
“Well, lookie what we have here, you redneck motherfucker!”
My eyes shot open as Noah’s body jolted off mine, weightlessly lifting me onto my feet before I could even blink. I mindlessly tried to search for who had just said that and what was going on, when he protectively secured me behind him with one hand on my hip as I looked out in front of us. Coming face to face with the guy who must have interrupted us.
“Walk away, Billy. Not now,” Noah gritted through a clenched jaw, squeezing my hip. I glanced up toward the side of his face and saw his murderous stare aimed right at the six-foot-one brick house walking through the trees.
From the way they were both staring each other down, I knew there had to be something brewing between them. Something that went back months, maybe years. There was definitely history there, that much was crystal clear. The guy he called Billy cocked his head to the side, looking over at only me. I instantly recognized his heated stare, and if I noticed it, I knew Noah did too.
For some reason Noah’s words from earlier registered in my mind as if he was saying them to me right then and there.
“So who’s Keith? I got competition? ’Cuz I’ll tell ya, I fight fuckin’ dirty.”
“Walk away?” Billy mocked in a condescending tone. “Now where would the fucking fun be in that?”
Noah’s grip tightened further at my side.
“Does she know about your white-fucking-trash family? Probably not. I mean, it’s not something I’d go bragging about, but I’m sure she can already tell by how fucking stupid you sound when you talk.”
My stomach was in knots, knowing this wasn’t going to end well.
For any of us.
“Ever heard of the Devil’s Rejects, sweetheart? I’m sure you have, they’re on the fucking news enough. His piece-of-shit family is a bunch of motorcycle riding, fucking killers! Ain’t that right, Noah? And his daddy leads the pack. He’s the President, or how do you say it? Prez, right?”
My eyes shifted to the side of Noah’s face, who’s concentrated glare hadn’t moved from Billy’s. I’d heard about them, everyone had. They were the talk of Southport, outlaws you were either with or against. And if you went against them, you’d mysteriously disappear into the night like you never existed to begin with. Sometimes I’d even hear people on set gossiping about them, but I never paid it any mind.
“How many men has your daddy buried, Noah? I mean, besides your brother.”
Noah’s grip tightened to the point of pain, and I held back a yelp. I must have still made an expression because Billy didn’t let up.
Adding, “Ah, you don’t know,” he snidely chuckled. “Well, actually no one really knows what the fuck happened to his brother, Luke. I can without a fucking doubt tell you no one believes the bullshit story that he shot himself. Ain’t
that right, Noah? I think the Prez killed him, or maybe it was his dumb as fuck older brother… That would explain why their momma is suddenly a fucking drunk. Damn shame too, she had the nicest pair of tits in town. Now she’s just skin and fucking bones.”
With each word that left Billy’s mouth, I could feel Noah’s pulse quicken, and my heart broke a bit more for him. It would have been one thing if he had shared this with me, but hearing it come out of Billy’s mouth made it so much harder to stomach. Noah hadn’t moved, hadn’t made a sound. He just kept staring at Billy with those lethal eyes, and if it wasn’t for the fact that he kept tightening his hold at my side, I’d think Billy’s malicious words weren’t getting to him at all.
“By the way, how is your drunk ass mom these days? Word around town is she’s been seen coming out of bars with a different man every night. Fucking them in their pickup trucks for everyone to see. I guess it serves your daddy right, he’s been fucking anything that walks for as long as anyone can remember. Be careful, Skyler Bell, the Jameson men don’t have a faithful bone in their fucking bodies. You don’t want to look fucking pitiful on those tabloids, now do you?”
I narrowed my eyes at him, glaring.
“Oh yeah, baby. I recognize you. I know who you are, you see…” He stepped forward, and Noah stepped us back. Billy took one last look at me and then turned his full attention to the furious man beside me, sadistically spewing, “I watch her show, Noah, and jack off to her face like I used to with your momma’s tits.”
The last word didn’t even leave Billy’s mouth before I screamed, “Noah, no!” jolting out of my skin the second he charged Billy, ramming his shoulder into his torso. Instantly slamming him to the ground. “Noah, stop! Please stop!” I yelled, hovering above them. Frozen to the sand beneath me.
I couldn’t tear my eyes off the brutal scene happening in front of my eyes. As if I was watching a train wreck unfold and unable to look away. I’d never seen a fight in real life before, and it was as scary as I thought it would be. Noah didn’t hesitate, as soon as Billy’s back hit the sand, he was on him. Straddling his waist, repeatedly punching him in the face.
Right hook.
Left hook.
Upper cut.
“Noah, please! He’s not worth it! This isn’t worth it!”
He ignored me, growling, “You piece of shit!” Hitting him in the stomach and again in the face, continuing his assault on Billy’s body. One fist after the other connected with the guy’s mangled face, showing him no mercy. His knuckles dripping with blood, so much blood.
I couldn’t take it anymore, so I did the only thing I could think of. I grabbed onto Noah’s shirt and started tugging it as hard as I could. Desperately trying to pry him off Billy. Praying it would work. His rage was the most violent thing I’d ever seen.
“You don’t know shit ’bout Luke! If I ever hear you talk ’bout my brother again, I’ll fuckin’ kill you! Ya hear me, you motherfucker?!”
“Noah, enough! He’s passed out! That’s enough!”
Right punch to his face.
Left hook to his stomach.
It was like Noah was possessed, he wasn’t even there with us.
With me.
I didn’t recognize this guy beating on Billy, and that scared me more than anything.
“Don’t ever, ever, fuckin’ talk ’bout my girl, ’cuz I’ll put ya to fuckin’ ground, you fuckin’ pussy! Where are ya now, huh? Not so fuckin’ tough when I’m fuckin’ ya up!”
Jab to the side of his head.
Fist to his nose.
“Noah! Come on! Stop! Please! Stop!”
“If you believe anythin’ you just fuckin’ said about me and family.”
Blow to his throat.
Hit to his chest.
“Then you know what I’ll do if you ever fuckin’ try me again, motherfucker!”
I yanked as hard as I could on his shirt, stumbling backward and hearing the cotton fabric rip at the collar. With tears in my eyes, my fingers brushed the back of his neck, bellowing, “Noah! Stop! Please just stop!”
I don’t know if it was the despair in my voice or the touch of my hand that finally made him stop, but I didn’t care because he did. He stopped, sitting up, hovering above Billy’s knocked out body. He was panting, I was panting, it was a mess. Filled with questions and not enough time for answers.
“What the fuck, Noah?” I breathlessly cautioned. My chest heaving with tears flowing down my face.
It was only then that his murderous glare flew to my panic-ridden eyes. Almost like he snapped back to reality, finding his way back to me. The fatal expression on his face vanished just as quickly, replaced by nothing but remorse and shame. There were so many sides to Noah, so many truths to see hidden behind those captivating eyes.
“Fuck,” he rasped, peering from me to Billy, then back to me again. As though he just realized what he did.
Who he allowed to take over, controlling him.
“Cutie, I’m so fuckin’ sorr—”
The sound of police sirens echoing in the distance cut him off, and he sprang into action. Rushing to his feet, he grabbed my hand and ordered, “Whatever you do, don’t stop runnin’, yeah?”
“Noah, we can’t just leave him here to die!” I roughly ripped my hand out of his grasp. “We can just explain to the cops it was an accident. I saw it, I witnessed him provoke you!”
“Skyler, they’ll take one look at me and cuff me. Now unless you want me to go to juvie, we gotta go!”
“But he’s just going to rat us out to the police anyway, he knows who I am, Noah. Fuck!” I shouted, running my hands through my hair. “This is bad, this is really bad. I should have never… I mean… Fuck!” I paced back and forth trying to govern my breathing and my racing heart. On the verge of having a panic attack. Hearing Keith’s voice in my head about being irresponsible and risking my career for a foul-mouthed hothead from the wrong side of the tracks. “What was I doing? Why did I come here?” I questioned to myself, searching the woods for answers like they’d miraculously appear. That’s when my eyes connected with Noah’s, and a sense of something I couldn’t place fell over me.
Noah was over to me in two strides, sensing my panic. “The fuckin’ dick will be fine, he’s just knocked out. Now, look at me.” He lifted my chin with his calloused fingers to look up at him again. I did, this time with tears streaming down my face. “It’ll be alright, Cutie. He won’t be openin’ his mouth, and if he knows what’s good for him, he will forget about ever layin’ eyes on you. Yeah?”
I frantically nodded. “Yeah.” Knowing he was right, something told me this was far from over between them. With one last glance at Billy, I grabbed ahold of Noah’s swollen, bloody hand as we heard the sirens getting closer.
Noah didn’t have to be told twice, he started hauling ass, and I ran with him. Trying to keep up with his pace the entire time as we sprinted through the park toward his dirt bike. I swear I blinked and he was carrying me onto the back seat, throwing his helmet on my head, jumping on right after me, and we were off. He hit the throttle, kicking up debris behind us as the back tire skidded across the dirt. And before I knew it, we were riding through the woods at full speed in ten seconds flat.
I glanced behind us seeing red, white, and blue lights flashing through the trees in the distance, sirens becoming louder and louder. My arms snuggly wrapped around his torso, leaning into his back trying to shake off the horrific images of Billy’s bloodied face, while easing Noah’s pain that I felt radiating in my heart.
He was so broken.
“Noah!” I yelled over the motor, loosening my hold.
He dropped the speed, glancing over at me.
“Go to my house. Just go to my house.”
He hesitantly nodded, thrusting the throttle again. Taking unfamiliar trails until he was driving up to the back of my house, instead of the front.
I jumped off his bike just as fast as I did the last time he dropped me off, stopping him from
getting off too. “Wait here, please. I’ll be right back. I just need to tell my dad something.”
He simply nodded, still unsure of how to proceed with me. I think he was more shocked I still wanted to be with him after what I’d just witnessed.
I darted inside through the sliding glass doors by the pool, calling out, “Dad! Dad, I won’t be able to do dinner! Can we do it tom—” I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw his truck was gone from the garage. He left.
I checked my phone, it was after six o’clock.
Not one text.
Not one phone call.
Nothing.
I shook my head, disappointed in myself for believing in him when I knew better. I grabbed a piece of paper and pen and scribbled a little note but crumbled it up. If he didn’t have the decency to message me, neither did I. Ignoring the stabbing pain in my heart, I made my way back to Noah, knowing he needed me.
Probably just as much as I needed him.
“Skyler, I’m so fuckin’ sorr—” I placed my finger over his lips.
Lightly smiling, I assured, “I know.”
That was all that needed to be said between us. I jumped on the back of his bike again, and we rode around the woods for I don’t know how long. Both of us lost in our own thoughts, taking refuge within each other. My arms securely wrapped around his waist, his warmth, his skin, his scent comforting me in ways I didn’t know were possible. It was well past nine o’clock at night when he pulled up to what I assumed was his house. After what Billy shared about Noah that afternoon, I thought I knew what he must have been going through, but nothing compared to actually seeing it with my own two eyes.
Nothing.
Only making me fall harder for the guy…
I needed to stay away from.
TWELVE
NOAH
I cut the engine and hopped off my bike, nervous as fuck for bringing Skyler here. I grabbed her hand and helped her down, feeling leery of her presence standing in front of the shithole I called home. It was mind-blowing that she was still there with me. Choosing me after what she heard and saw at the park earlier. I couldn’t believe she didn’t run for the hills, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think she was going to when she told me to go to her house. I swear my heart paused for a beat when she stopped me from getting off my bike. The whole ride to her house, I was already contemplating what to say to her. How to explain myself. Do anything to get her to understand my life and how fucked up it was.