Sliding (The Stone Series) (26 page)

When he sees Asia he says, “Hey babe. Glad you’re here. Hey Brook. Wow,
you look fucked up, what happen to you?”

Asia smacks him in the chest and tells him to shut up then she tells him
about Tate and Tracie DelRicco.

“Yo, dude, that’s rough. I just saw him when he got here. He looks super
pissed off, can’t say I blame him after getting ratting out” Tommy says.

His friend Lance comes over to me when Tommy nods to him and hands me a
beer and offers me a hit off his joint. I accept both and we sit down on the
lawn. I have no interest in Lance, his presence prickles my skin and not in a
good Tate kind of way.

Asia and Tommy take off to hook up no doubt and I don’t realize that I am
alone with Lance. He’s got his arm around me and is trying to get me in a prone
position on the ground before my body’s flight reaction tries to kick in. I
feel as if things are suspended in time, barely moving until I hear the door
slam and Tate’s voice rings out through the night, “Get your fucking hands off
my fucking girlfriend you motherfucker.”

The next thing I know Tate has Lance on the ground delivering blow after
blow. Bobby finally rips Tate off of him at the same time Asia and Tommy come
running over recently climbing out of Tommy’s backseat. Asia’s hair is a fright
and Tommy’s jeans are still undone. Bobby notices what’s happened and asks
Tommy, “How are my sloppy seconds, asshole?” and then he’s on top of Tommy,
Asia is screaming and on Bobby’s back. Tate’s eyes set on me still sitting on
the grass and he comes over, picks me up and practically carries me into the
house. I am too drunk and stoned to resist, I can barely walk, if it wasn’t for
Tate supporting my weight and pushing me along I would be slumped in a heap on
the ground.

Tate pushes me into the house and in Danny’s room where he locks the door.
“What the fuck was that?” Tate demands to know but I refuse to answer him. “Fucking
answer me right now Brooklynn or I swear to fucking God I am going to lose my
mind on you and believe me you do not want that to happen” Tate threatens me
but I still ignore him. He runs his hands through his hair and sighs knowing
he’s lost this battle of wills with me and not happy about the lack of control
he has over this situation.

“Let’s go, we’re leaving and going somewhere where we can talk and I can
fucking hit shit before I destroy Danny’s house. Stand up, now.” When I don’t
move he throws me over his shoulder and carries me to his car kicking and
screaming.

“Put your seatbelt on, Brooklynn” Tate orders as he rips out speeding
away.

We go to the high school parking lot and Tate gets out of the car and
slams his door. He comes around to my side and pulls me out of the car. I have
yet to say a word to him even though he screamed at me the whole ride here.

“He was about to fucking rape you on Danny’s front lawn. Why the fuck did
you run away from me at the gym? I don’t understand why you were talking to
that loser. Are you drunk, Brooklynn? High? What the fuck?” is all I hear over
and over until finally he gets out of the car. I really thought he was going to
punch something but then I remembered it was basketball season and Tate Taylor
the star of the team can’t be hurt.

All of a sudden I feel sick to my stomach; I bend in half and start to
vomit. Tate comes to my rescue and holds my hair back and rubs my back while I
throw up for what feels like an hour straight. When I finally stop throwing up
Tate sits down on the pavement next to his car and pulls me into his lap. I
moan and place my head on his shoulder, exhausted and half asleep. I start to
cry and finally break my silence. I tell him about Tracie DelRicco and the
Jagermeister mixed with pot. I tell him as much as I can remember about Tommy
and Lance and then I try to get away from him but he holds me on his lap.

“Brooklynn, this shit has to stop. Look, I know the girls all like me, I
know I’m good looking but I don’t care. It means nothing to me. They can all
get wet over me all they want. I don’t want them, not any one of them. I have
the only girl I’ll ever want right here in my arms where she belongs safe and
sound. I have never cheated on you; I don’t want anything to do with another
girl. I was a virgin until my birthday when we lost it to each other and I gave
you this necklace…“First, Last & Only” remember.”

When I remain silent Tate continues, “Tracie has had the hots for me
forever and she knows she doesn’t stand a chance against you, she’s trying to
break us up so she can have a go at me. Don’t let her do this to us.”

I look at Tate but I still can’t talk to him.

“Why did you let yourself get so fucked up tonight? You cannot do that
again, promise me. It’s not safe Brooklynn. I’m serious do you think that
fucking asshole was going to stop if I wasn’t there? He wouldn’t have, he would
have fucked you right there on the front lawn and so help me God I would have
killed him with my bare hands.”

At this I start shaking and crying all over again in his arms, clinging
to him. I feel scared for the first time tonight even while in Tate’s arms. He
rubs my back and smoothes my hair out of my face.

“Shh, enough, it’s all right. You’re with me, you’re safe. I love you,
baby. Shh, stop crying” Tate comforts me before I start throwing up again.

I feel much better once I’m done and I agree to go back to the party with
him. When we get there it’s almost midnight and the party is in full swing. We
walk into Danny’s house, Tate has his arm around me keeping me steady on my
feet and I am clinging to him. Tracie DelRicco is the first face we both see
and Tate lets me go. He beats me to her and is screaming in her face, scaring
even me. As mad as he gets at me at times like tonight, I have never been
afraid that he was going to hit me but right now I am afraid for Tracie.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing? Why did you lie to my
girlfriend? I have never fucked you and lose my virginity to you? Please, not
in a million years. I want to be perfectly clear with you and you should tell
every fucking girl you know, everyone here listen up” Tate yells. “I love my
girlfriend. I am not going to cheat on her. Just because you all think I’m hot
or whatever doesn’t mean I’m a fucking dick. Leave me alone and find someone
else’s dick to lust after because you will never have mine. Stop spreading lies
about me and upsetting my girlfriend. Stop trying to break us up because it is
not going to work. Just leave me the fuck alone. I don’t want you, any of you.
I love my girlfriend. Do you understand me, I love my girlfriend” and with that
he leads me up the stairs to Danny’s brother’s room and he locks the door.

Tate pounces on my like a caged animal and I start to cry, he rocks me in
his arms until it turns into a dance. Tate reaches over and hits the power
button on the radio knowing that music has always been a connection for us.
“Never Tear us Apart” by INXS is on and we look at each other and start to
laugh. I tell Tate that I’m sorry for running away from him and getting wasted,
for talking to Lance and putting myself in danger, and for not trusting him.

“Don’t ever run away from me again, promise. If something upsets you or
you’re pissed off at me, tell me. I’d rather you scream at me, hit me, kick me
do whatever just don’t run away from me. Promise”

I nod and Tate continues, “No more getting so wasted you can’t protect
yourself either. You don’t even remember what happened. You cannot do that
unless you’re with me so I can keep you safe.”

I promise I will never allow myself to be that fucked up again. Once I
started sobering up it really scared me to think I had no idea what had
happened or what could have happened to me.

Tate kisses me and says, “I love you, you need to trust me. I am not
going to leave you; I am not going to cheat on you. You’re going to have to
deal with other girls liking me, wanting me, looking at me. It’s a fact of
life, I’m good looking but baby I’ve got news for you. You are every bit as
attractive as I am and then some. The guys leave you alone because I have made
it clear that you are off limits. But you don’t hear the shit they say. I am
constantly hearing about your “tight ass” your “perfect tits”, what a “good
fuck” you must be. Believe me if I wasn’t like I am with you, they would be all
over you. Girls just don’t respect each other’s limits like guys do. It’s this
bro code thing we’ve got going on. But see what happens the minute I turn my
back? Some guy is right there to jump on you. You are hot and you could have
any guy you want.”
 

************

Back in the present Tate laughs, “I remember, we used to have some great
fights back then. I always loved that you would challenge me; I don’t think you
really gave in to me that often. Most girls were doing anything they could to
keep their boyfriends happy, but not you. You use to give me a fight over
everything. Hell, how many times did I get slapped across my face for shit I
didn’t even do. But if I remember correctly we always had mind blowing make up
sex. Remember that night at Danny’s house?” Tate asks.

“Yes, I remember. That was the first time you called me a “bad girl” and
took me over your knee. It was very hot if I remember correctly, started up
something very erotic between us even when we were that young” I reminisce.

************

In Danny’s brother’s room Tate surprises me as he sits on the bed and
pulls me over his knee in one motion. He laughs and it makes me do the same. I
love when he’s being playful with me, when he holds me down and tickles me but
this feels a little different and I love the feeling that’s rumbling in my
core. It’s much better than the earlier feelings of betrayal and abandonment
followed by my violently vomiting.

“You were a very bad girl tonight young lady. I’m afraid I am going to
have to punish you, you need a spanking. Lay over my lap.”

When I pause he says more sternly, “Do as I say Brooklynn, do not upset
me more tonight, it will only be worse for you.” I obey and lay across his lap
feeling a warmth creep between my legs. I expect a soft tap but what I get is a
hard smack that stings.

“That one was for running away from me. How many more do I need to give
you?” Tate waits for my response but then continues when none is forthcoming. “Answer
me, how many more do you think you deserve for what you pulled tonight?” Tate
commands.

I am still unable to speak. I’m a little freaked out that he’s kind of
playing but sort of serious with this. I’m also freaked out because I don’t
think I have ever been this turned on before. My body is begging for more and
it gets just what it’s asking for when Tate spanks me again, harder this time.

“That one was for drinking. So let’s see that leaves hmm maybe three
more” he informs me as he rubs my quickly pinking ass. I never protest or
squirm; I just stay still and wait for the next sting to come and the pain to
ripple through my body with the same surge as the pleasure. Tate smacks me
three more times.

“This one is for smoking pot without me. This one is for not speaking to
me. And this one is going to be for being near another guy. Are you ready for
this one baby? It’s going to hurt you as much as it hurt me to see you sitting
there on that fucking lawn with that guy trying to get on top of you. Trying to
have what is only for me, only mine.” And with that Tate snacks my ass the
hardest he has yet tonight but I am distracted away from the pain because my
focus is on my surprise over my building pleasure. He hasn’t touched me yet
other than to spank me and yet I think I might explode right here over his
knee.

“Ahh…Tate” I scream not really sure if from pain or ecstasy.

Chapter 8: The Restoration

The day has finally arrived for us to close on our new home. Tate has
asked Lucas from the Malibu Beach Inn to work for us and coordinate our home
staff and he happily agreed. He will mostly be in charge of things when we
entertain. He will coordinate the cleaning staff and help me organize various
functions held at our home. Dominick of course will remain our security leader
and Heidi and he decide that they will share a section in our house instead of
each having their own living quarters. Things between them have heated up very
quickly, I’m happy for them and I hope it works out.

It turns out to be an even better day than I thought possible when I take
a pregnancy test and it shows a plus sign. I am in the bathroom at our hotel
after we sign the papers on the house and Tate is in the sitting area listening
to a new group seeking his representation. I can’t believe what I am looking at
and I want to tell Tate in some amazing way he’ll never forget but I just can’t
wait even a second. I barely pull my yoga pants back up before I go rushing out
to him. He sees me running at him and stands with a startled look on his face,
“What is it baby? What’s wrong?” he asks as I leap into his arms still holding
the pee covered stick in my hand. I can’t speak because I am in full hysterical
mode so I just hand him the stick and watch his face. He slowly puts me down
and I am worried that he’s not happy but then he falls to his knees and places
his cheek on my still flat belly and wraps his hands around my body. He gently
lifts my shirt and plants light sweet kisses over the exposed area. He is
crying as badly as I am now, tears of joy and tears of sadness mixed together.

“Is it sick that I want to make love to you right now, right here on this
table?” Tate asks.

“Not any sicker than all the other places we’ve done it” I answer as I
take my shirt over my head and unhook my bra. Tate lowers me to the table with
one hand as he undoes his pants with the other.

“I feel like you’re made of glass all of a sudden, I’m afraid I can break
you.”

“You’ve always had the ability to break me, you came close a few times
but I’m fine, it’s fine. Make love to me” I beg “And you don’t have to be
gentle.”

************

It is the summer before senior year and I am at the beach with Asia and
Wendy. Wendy is home from college and I only have one week until I leave for
cheer camp so we decide to meet at our usual spot on the beach for a day of fun
in the sun, girl style. Tate’s a little pissed off at me that I’m not spending
the day with him but I promised to spend the night making it up to him.

When Asia and I get to the beach we discover that Wendy has made other
arrangements. She is there with four guys, one of which is draped all over her.
She is never going to get a tan with his body covering her like that. She
introduces us to Mark and his friends. He apparently is some guy she “hooks up
with” at school and he decided to take a road trip to see her today. I guess it
was silly of me to think that she would get back with Danny now that they’re
home again. I wonder if Danny’s even home yet, maybe there still is a chance as
long as this Mark guy’s not planning on hanging around too long.

We all lay out together on two big beach towels. I am next to Wendy on
one side and on the other side of me is one of Mark’s friends. Asia ends up
next to Mark on the other side of Wendy somehow. Asia and I tell Wendy all
about school and cheerleading. She’s psyched for us that we won 1
^st
place again. Asia tells her that she’s back with Bobby and Wendy asks about
Tate and me.

“What do you mean you guys have been together since freshman year? That’s
so fucked up!” Mark says.

“You mean you’ve never been with another guy? I bet he’s been with plenty
of girls. There is no way some dude is staying with one girl and not sampling
around a little. You can’t fault him, it’s in our DNA” says Mark’s friend Tony
as a cloud rolls over blocking my sun and making me cold.

I start to defend Tate but Tony cuts me off offering, “I think you should
do a little sampling yourself and I’d be happy to offer my services.”

I hear Tate’s voice spit out, “She’s fine dude, she doesn’t need your
services” and I look up to discover it’s not a cloud that’s been blocking my
sun but Tate with Bobby and Danny. None of them look any too happy right now.

Tony looks at Tate and apologizes, “Sorry dude, your girlfriend’s fucking
hot. You can’t blame a guy for giving it a shot though.”

Tate just kind of growls at him and puts his hand out to me, “Come sit
with me” is all he says.

Bobby makes Asia come sit with Tate and I on a towel near Mark and his
friends but with a little buffer space. Danny has asked Wendy if he can talk to
her a minute and the two of them have taken a walk somewhere. When I roll over
to get sun on my back Tate gives me a stern warning, “If you even consider
undoing your top right now be prepared to be taken over my knee right here on this
beach in front of everyone. Understand?” Not knowing if he’s serious or playing
I around, I choose the strap line over the red ass.

After the beach we all go home to shower. We are heading to the carnival
that is set up on the pier at the beach. Tate and Bobby pick up Asia and I and
when we get there Danny and Wendy are together, Mark and crew are nowhere in
sight. We ride the rides and eat cotton candy and candy apples. Tate wins me a
stuffed bunny and when Asia complains about not having one, he wins her one
too. Bobby doesn’t look thrilled but Tate doesn’t seem to notice.

When we are alone on the Ferris Wheel Tate asks, “So I remember a little
promise you made me earlier about making it up to me that you were going to the
beach without me.”

“Yes, but you came to the beach anyway so I think that makes that promise
completely void” I respond dripping with sassiness.

“Huh, do you now? Well then I think that maybe you need to be punished
for your behavior today at the beach. If I didn’t know you so well I might have
assumed you didn’t want me at the beach today so you could hang out with those
college guys” Tate retorts. “When we get off let’s get out of here and go
somewhere where we can be alone.”

“Are you going to spank me again?” I ask appalled and excited.

“Do you want to be spanked? I think you need to be and I’d be more than
happy to accommodate you.”

“Maybe.”

The ride comes to an end, Tate opens the door of the Ferris Wheel car for
me, “After you, baby. Let’s slide.”

Bobby and Asia agree to go home with Danny and Wendy so Tate and I can
leave. Tate drives me to the high school parking lot and we pull around the
back so no one will see his car. He gets out of the front seat and I follow
him. He opens the back door for me and I climb in only to receive a playful
smack on the ass. Tate pulls me to him and starts to kiss me gently at first
but he quickly intensifies the kiss separating my lips with his tongue. I am so
afraid someone is going to find us but at the same time it’s kind of risky and
sexy and it’s getting me hot.

He flips me onto his legs and says, “You were a very bad girl today,
Brooklynn Adams and you need to be punished.” He slaps my ass lightly the first
time but it still sends a surge through me instantly causing me to become
aroused. The second slap makes me yell, “Argh.”

“Next time yell my name” Tate orders before he slaps me the third time on
my now pink ass.

“Ahh…Tate” I obey and call his name.

“Mmm…that’s it baby.

He slaps me hard five more times in succession without stopping in
between. I know my ass must be red by now by I can care less. I am so close to
the finishing line that is all I can focus on and then Tate and I are
breathless minutes later as we collapse in each other’s arms, both well sated.

I went off to cheer camp again for six weeks and Tate spent two weeks at
football camp then two more weeks at basketball camp. Once again we wrote to
each other every day about our experiences. I told Tate all about Molly and
Adam and how great it was to see them again. He told me all about the guys he
met and how they all said they should try to get into the same college so they
could play together.

When Tate came back he had two weeks home without me around and he
started partying hard with Bobby, David and Jeff.
 
Tate, Bobby, Jeff or David would pick the
other three up and they’d go to a package store in the next town over and wait
outside until someone would agree to buy them alcohol. They would then go to
the beach and drink until they couldn’t see straight. In the letters Tate sent
me at camp he told me all about it and said it was the only time he felt like
he was seeing straight. His father was putting so much pressure on him about
college and his grades, about scouts coming to watch him and his sports. Tate
was cracking under the pressure and everyone but his father could see it. I was
worried about him but I was also on the other side of the country, I wasn’t
witnessing how bad it was getting.
 

The drinking soon became common place and they looked for a bigger high.
They added smoking pot to their nightly ritual and when that wore off they
added cocaine. They didn’t have to look hard to find it, we live not twenty
minutes away from a college campus and you can get anything you like there.

By the time I arrive home from camp Tate is like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
He spends all day with me being this super sweet and attentive boyfriend but
then as the night rolls around he ditches me for the guys, booze and drugs.
When we are together some days he just crashes because he’s been up all night
doing lines. I try to talk some sense into him but he warns me to leave it
alone. I even consider breaking up with him to scare him enough that maybe he’ll
stop.

The last Saturday before school starts back up there is a huge party in
the woods. Tate and I go together in his car and I am finally happy that he is
spending time with me instead of his friends. When we get there Bobby and David
have come in Jeff’s car and they are already completely wasted and clearly coked
up. These two girls who are a year behind us are throwing themselves at Jeff
and David. They are begging them for some of their beer and they keep asking
them if they can score them some weed.

Bobby and Asia are sitting together talking, looking close and friendly
for the first time since they broke up long ago. At one point I even see them
kissing then they disappear into the woods for a while. When they resurface
they are holding hands and clearly back together. It warms my heart to know that
maybe they’ve worked things out. I always felt like their relationship was cut
short because of Asia’s pregnancy. Maybe this time around they’ll survive.

Jeff and David leave with the girls even though I have repeatedly asked
them not to drive; they are both drunk and high. Tate is too fucked up by this
point to talk any sense into them so he is of no use. I have no idea how Tate
and I are going to get home unless I drive and I don’t have my license yet. I
tell Bobby that he better sober up and he promises that he’s sober enough to
drive and won’t drink anymore.

About two hours after Jeff and David leave they are still not back and
it’s getting late so we decide to go home figuring they scored with the girls
and are having a good time. Bobby drops Asia and I off at her house and he
takes Tate home with him, knowing what will happened if Tate’s father sees him
in the condition he is in. Asia is a little tipsy so we are very quiet when we
go into her house. We sneak up stairs to her room and lock the door behind us.
Before I can find out what’s up with her and Bobby she is sound asleep.

Only a few hours later we are woken up by her mother banging on her door.

“Girls, get up there’s been an accident” she says.

“Mmm, my head” Asia moans as she tries to focus on where she is.

“Girls, are you awake, you need to open the door right now. Brooklynn,
your parents are here. Let’s go. Open up now and come out here” she demands.

When we walk into the living room and I see my mother in tears I collapse
to the floor. Oh my God, no not Tate. It can’t be him that was in an accident.
This is not happening. I can’t breathe. The room is closing in on me and
everything is going black. I assume that I have died from a broken heart, that
Tate must be dead and that I cannot live without him so my body must have just
died right here in Asia living room.

I come to and few minutes later to find that I am on the floor in Tate’s
arms and he is a sobbing mess as are Bobby and Asia. Our parents step out of
the room holding hands with one another. Tate and Bobby’s parents are there
too. I am so confused.
 

“What…what happened? I died? I…Tate? Oh my God. You’re all right. Asia’s
mom said there was an accident and I saw my mom crying and I just thought it
had to be you. I thought you were dead. Oh my God Tate, I thought you were
dead” I say as I punch his chest and he accepts my blows like he deserves them,
like he’s asking for more to feel something, anything. When I calm enough to
listen to him he takes my face in his hands and simply says, “Jeff and David”
through his tears.