Under My Skin (Shady Falls Series Book 2) (2 page)

              The buildup was more than I could take, I pressed my forehead into hers, breathing her in before kissing her. When my lips were just a breath away from hers, I finally said what I desperately wanted to say, “I love you.”

              I realized after, she hadn’t said a word or responded to my declaration of love. I looked down into her eyes, searching for some indication of what she was thinking. Tears swam in her eyes as she gazed up at me. I moved from her gently, terrified I hurt her. “Are you okay?” I asked timidly.

              She nodded but didn’t say anything, a lone tear trickled down her cheek. I wiped it with my thumb, feeling my heart break. “What’s wrong, Mia? Did I hurt you?”

              She shook her head. “No,” she whispered in return. “I just…” She stopped and stared at me, awe and confusion in her face. She lifted up and pressed her lips to mine. The kiss was sweet and pure, even if she didn’t say it, I could feel her love.

Two Days Later

High school. The black hole that sucked everything it could from the people who were there. I hated most of the people and I hated being there. There was only one good thing about school: football. Football was a great distraction.

“What the hell’s wrong with you?” my identical twin brother, Cade, asked. He walked up next to my locker and stared at me like I was insane. The sounds of high school kids were all around, but I didn’t hear anything but white noise. I never paid attention to the idiots I was forced to spend my days with, but today was different. Today, I just stood there, staring into my locker lost in my thoughts.

              It had been two days since I was with Mia. I went all day Sunday without seeing or talking to her. She didn’t return my calls and she didn’t hang out with Cade and me when we met up with Toni. I wanted to see her, but I wasn’t going to hunt her down. I knew shit was going on with her parents, so maybe she just wanted to hang out with them when they got home.

              Snapping my head up to look at my brother, I slammed the locker door closed and turned to look at him. “Nothin’s wrong. Just tired.”

              “You seem pissed,” he said simply. “And you were quiet yesterday.”

              “I’m not pissed, I just don’t have anything to say. Leave me alone, bro.” I turned back to the locker, and fumbled with the combination. Cade was my polar opposite. Where my moods were more like a roller coaster, he was much more even-keeled.

              “Whatever.” I looked up at him, expecting him to be pissed, but he just smirked. Cade rarely engaged when I was short-tempered. But I could tell he was sick of my shit by the tone of his voice. He never liked to deal with my moods. “You don’t hide things well at all. If you want to know where the hell she was all weekend, ask her.”

              “What are you talkin’ about?”

              “Mia,” he pushed.

              “There ain’t nothin’ happenin’ with Mia,” I lied.

              Cade let out a low grumble. “Good thing, ‘cause I’m not sure what the hell’s goin’ on over there.”

              Craning my head around, I was met with the sight of the biggest dickhead in school, Gary, with one of the cheerleaders pinned against a locker. Gary was a complete ass to just about everyone. He was arrogant and he walked around like he owned the school. He partied hard every weekend, drinking and screwing every girl he could. Several girls said he forced himself on them, but none of them ever seemed to press charges. I wondered why they wouldn’t make him suffer if he truly forced them.  

“Get off me!” the girl said loudly. I instantly knew to whom the voice belonged.

Staggering backward a step, Gary let out a loud grunt, supporting himself with his hands on his knees. Mia stood, tears trickling down her cheeks, but she didn’t look sad, she looked furious.

“You bitch,” Gary growled. “You’re gonna regret that,” he said through a rough southern twang.

I was proud of her for standing up for herself but whatever she did to him, pissed him off. Eyes on fire, narrowed and crinkled at the corners, a huge frown marred his features. He was pissed. If he got his hands on her, he could hurt her, I was sure. Gary wasn’t the kind of guy that would tolerate a girl standing up to him. He seemed to like his girls to be submissive.

Without even thinking, I rushed him just as he was ready to grab her again. Pinning him against the lockers and planting my fist in his gut, I growled a warning in his ear. “Keep your fuckin’ hands off her, or you’ll deal with me.” My low snarl was meant only for him.

Backing off and letting Gary stand, I glared down on him. My much larger size usually intimidated people, but Gary was too stupid to know what was good for him. Too many hits to the head in soccer.

“Fuck you, Jake. The slut’s been askin’ for it for months,” Gary spat.

Anger flared from an untold place within my gut, like molten lava ready to burn me alive. A guttural roar erupted from deep inside my throat and it was Gary’s only warning. Tackling him to the ground, I saw nothing. I only reacted to the feel of my fists hitting flesh, and the sound of his grunts and groans. I didn’t stop until rough, strong hands gripped my arms and hauled me off the floor.

              “Fuck, man. What the hell’re you doin’?” Cade said next to my ear. He held me back against the wall, not letting me move. Cade was the only one who would be able to control me. My vision finally cleared, revealing the carnage.

Gary was crumpled on the floor, moaning. He lay there for a long moment before he attempted to pulled himself up to stand. Leaning on the lockers, he stood still and breathed hard, staring at me.

“Are you tryin’ to get your ass expelled?” Cade pushed when I didn’t answer. “Coach is gonna be pissed when he finds out.”

              “Let me go, Cade. I’m gonna end him.” Rage still rushed through my veins causing my entire body to quake. Nausea roiled in my gut but I swallowed it down, glowering at the fuckhead.

              “What’s going on here,” Principal Lloyd asked, pushing through the crowd gathered around us. He looked between Gary and me, his eyes narrowed and his face tense. “Mr. Miller, what happened?” His eyes flashed between Gary and me, but he didn’t direct the question to me.

              Gary just stood there, dumbstruck and unspeaking. He looked over at me and then to Mia. He knew if he told the principal I attacked him, Principal Lloyd would question me. Gary also knew, if I talked to the principal, I’d tell him what he did to Mia. He’d be fucked if anyone talked.

              “Nothin’ Mr. Lloyd. I just – I fell.”

              “Mr. Hanson, is that true?” Mr. Lloyd asked, probably taking in my tense posture and my red knuckles. I could easily admit what happened and force Gary to take responsibility for what he tried doing to Mia. I met Mia’s eyes and sent her a questioning gaze. She subtly shook her head and let me know she didn’t want me to say anything. But I couldn’t just let Gary get away with it. He shouldn’t be able to get away with the things he did to girls. So I wouldn’t tell Mr. Lloyd what happened, but I’d let him know Mia was involved. Let him figure it out – he was the principal after all.

              “He fell, Mr. Lloyd,” I explained. “He was talkin’ to Mia and tripped over her pompom.”

It sounded stupid, but Mr. Lloyd didn’t argue. He looked at the others standing around, silently questioning the crowd. When no one spoke up, Mr. Lloyd just sighed. The truth was there was little he could do when everyone agreed nothing happened, unless he looked at the school cameras, but even they may not show everything.

“Anything to add, Miss Slone?” Mr. Lloyd asked, looking to Mia as she adjusted her clothing. She shook her head, but didn’t speak. She glanced my way for just a moment, her eyes narrowed and dark. She was clearly pissed at me for not hiding the fact that she was involved.

Then he turned to the rest of the group. “Get to class!” He was obviously annoyed that everyone obviously lied, but there was little he could do. He stormed away, ready to deal with other “juvenile delinquents” or at least that’s what he called us.

The group started to leave since there was nothing more to interest them.

I narrowed my eyes at Gary as he turned to leave. Getting his attention, I snarled, “Stay the fuck away from Mia, you got me?”

A malicious smirk crossed his face. “I’ll stay away from her, but I can’t guarantee she’ll stay away from me.”

Walking across the hall, I approached Mia. “Are you okay?” I asked quietly.

“I’m fine, Jake,” she said, seeming annoyed. “You know, you can’t just beat the hell outta people. I can take care of myself.”

Shocked by her obvious irritation, I took a step back and stared at her for a moment. When I finally found my voice, I was both angry and hurt. “Why the hell would you think I’d purposely beat the shit outta someone? He was gonna hurt you or worse,” I argued. “Look, I know you can take care of yourself, I was just tryin’ to help. After all …” I tried to placate her hoping her annoyance would ebb, but she cut me off.

“I don’t belong to you, Jake. I don’t belong to anyone.”

Shocked, I stared at her. The girl I loved, who loved me, looked at me like I was a stranger. I had no idea what the hell happened in only a couple days, but the girl I loved had disappeared. How could she change so drastically?

As much as it hurt and as sick as it made me, I turned and walked away from her, sure I’d never trust another girl again.

Chapter One

Jake

Covering my head with a pillow, I grumbled trying desperately to block out the bright sunlight accosting me through my closed eyelids. The blaring sound of the alarm screeching near my head, forced me from my restless sleep. Pulling the pillow tight to my face, I stretched my tired back and legs out, popping the muscles back into place.

              As I spread out across the bed, I realized two incredibly important things. First, I wasn’t in my own bed. I never opened my black curtains because I didn’t want to be confronted with the morning sun the moment I woke up. And second, there was someone in the bed next to me.

              Thoughts of my drunken binge flashed through my mind. The drinks, the girls, and finally staggering out of there with some random woman. Ugh, I hadn’t gone home with a random woman for a long time. It was usually my friend Monique who took care of my needs.

              As I became more aware, I remembered what drove me to leave the gym pissed and in need of a distraction. Mia. It was always Mia. She was always there, but this time she wasn’t alone. This time she walked into
my
gym with some asshole cocksucker.

              If Mia coming into the gym with some punk-ass dickhead wasn’t bad enough, learning she was seeing the prick was worse. The asshole spent more time on his phone and flirting with other women than he spent working out or talking to Mia. What was worse, she didn’t even seem to notice.

              Women made no fuckin’ sense to me. Mia put up with stupid shit from every asshole she dated through high school and based on the douchebag she was dating now, she hadn’t changed at all. It pissed me off knowing she seemed to willingly date assholes. She was better than that, at least she used to be.

              The moment I could get the hell outta the gym I did. I tried to call Monique so we could get together, but she wasn’t around. I coulda gone home but instead, I went straight to my favorite bar. Seeing Mia all the time sucked monkey balls and seeing her with her newest cocksucker was worse. No matter how hard I fought it, I still felt something for her. It resembled annoyance more than attraction since she moved to Mooresville, but every time she was around I was drawn to her. I needed to stay the hell away from her.

              Last night was hazy but one thing was certain, I didn’t know where the hell I was.
Damn-it
! And now I gotta fuckin’ leave. The walk of shame. I was too damn good at the walk of shame. The chick next to me moaned softly and it was a voice I didn’t immediately recognize. “Come-on Jake, turn it off,” she whined. Her high-pitched voice made me cringe. It was worse than the alarm still blaring by my head.
Who the fuck did I go home with?

              Dreading what I’d find when I opened my eyes, I felt around for my phone so I could shut the damn thing off. I knew what time it was without even looking. It was time for my Wednesday morning training appointment. It was also my day to open the gym. Cade, who was my business partner, had an early class so I needed to get the hell outta here.

              A warm, soft body rolled over and sprawled on top of me, a leg hanging over mine, her head on my chest, and her hand on my stomach. I felt kind of bad not knowing who she was. I was sure she was nice enough, I just couldn’t make myself give a shit.

              “Oh, Jake, I love your muscles,” she sighed, skimming her hand from my pubic bone up to my chest and back down. “And your tats are amazing.” Her harsh, piercing voice sounded like nails on a chalkboard making me flinch with every word.

              She skirted her fingers around my groin like she was trying to arouse me. The sad thing was, she wasn’t gonna to do it for me. At least not sober. I didn’t need to get drunk to have sex but I knew without even looking, she just wasn’t my type. “You don’t have to go do ya?” she shrilled. Opening my eyes, I squinted into the morning sun to see a mass of bright, unnaturally blonde hair. A blonde?
What the hell am I doing?

              Looking around, I found everything was so… girly. It was definitely a chick’s place, not the dark, cave-like bedroom I slept in nightly.

              I needed to stop drinking. It’s been a long time since I slept with some random chick. I couldn’t believe I went home with her and passed out. I should’ve just waited for Monique. One of these days I was probably going to meet some stalker chick who would end up cutting off my junk because I pissed her off or something.

              The girl, no name coming to mind, continued to move her hand across my chest and abdomen. She traced the lines of my abdominal muscles, moving her hand across to my side.
Who the hell is this woman?

              Her fingers found my ribs and the words indelibly marked on my skin. She read the words with a questioning tone. “
It's not whether you get knocked down, it's whether you get up
. What’s that mean?”

              I took her hand and moved it to her side and forced her off so I could sit up. “It’s Vince Lombardi,” I said simply. I didn’t even know this chick’s name, I certainly wasn’t going to explain my tattoos to her, especially the one on my ribs. No one knew what those words meant to me, except Mia.

              “Who’s Vince Lombardi?” she asked, rolling toward me.
Good lord, I certainly could pick ‘em. Damn.

              Her large breasts flopped with the movement; her hair a wild nest covering her head and the pillow beneath. Black makeup was smudged around her eyes, making her look like a raccoon. She laid on the bed, completely naked, not showing any modesty whatsoever.

              She was a pretty girl, probably sweet and kind too, but I didn’t care. I wasn’t there to get to know her. All I wanted to do was get the hell outta there without having to say another word. These situations were always hard. I didn’t like hurting anyone’s feelings, and yet that’s exactly what happened almost every time. It was easier with Monique – there were no expectations.

              I swung my legs off the bed and rested my feet on the cold hardwood floor.

              “Where’re ya goin’?” Her voice sounded worried, tense. She sat up and pulled the blanket over her, covering herself up to her chin. “Ya wanna get breakfast or somethin’?”

              “I gotta go, babe. Got shit to do.” I pulled my pants on, noticing the used condom on the floor next to the bed. I sighed, glad to know I was responsible even when drunk, but how much did I drink last night? I picked up the condom, tied it, and slipped it into my pocket. It was some kind of fucked up that I could just whip the damn thing off and throw it to the floor. I was apparently the epitome of an asshole and there was no hope for me. I was more screwed up than even I wanted to admit.

              Her shoulders slumped, her eyes downcast toward the bed. “Oh,” she sighed. She sounded disappointed. A tinge of regret flitted in me for a moment, but then was instantly gone. I wasn’t out for a relationship and I certainly wouldn’t look for one with a chick who let me fuck her while I was drunk on the first night I met her. “Well, do ya wanna get together later? I could make dinner.”

              “I don’t think so. I have to work all night.” I pulled my shirt over my head and slid my feet into my shoes. “See ya around, babe.” I always called them babe, never anything else. I never remembered their names, didn’t care to.
I really am a dick.

              “Okay,” she mumbled. “See ya, Jake.”

              I rushed out of the house and realized I wasn’t far from the gym. Well, at least I didn’t end up somewhere miles away, even though it wouldn’t have been the first time.

              My engine roared to life and I slammed my foot on the gas, spun tire, and fishtailed a little on the damp pavement in my race to get the hell outta there.

***

“Where the hell’ve you been all night? Did you at least know her name this time?” Cade asked, smirking.

              “Nowhere,” I grumbled. “How do you know I wasn’t home?” I didn’t feel like listening to his bullshit again. I grabbed a clean shirt and shorts so I could shower and get the smell of the blonde off me.

              “I stopped by after class last night, you weren’t there.”

              “Why are you here? I thought you had a class this mornin’?”

              Cade and I shared an enormously successful business. The Hanson Gym and Fitness Center was doing great. We’d struggled for years, failing and building ourselves back up again, but we’d finally made it. We made a name for ourselves in Mooresville and the surrounding areas. We were known for our fair prices and our spacious facility, and through our affiliation with race car driver, Julius Fuller, we were becoming known in the world of auto racing too.

              When our friend Toni started school and brought some of the guys from class with her, we started looking into training designed for stamina and drills specifically for pit crews. That leap gave our gym a new realm of possibilities. Both of us sank every bit of time and energy into making the gym the best we could. The gym was what made Cade go back to school and finish the degree he’d put on the backburner almost three years ago. The idea of expanding our business drove Cade. He wanted to be the best, so he did everything he could to make sure we had the top equipment, greatest facilities, and most options to help people.

              “I do have class, but I had to stop in for a few things.” He paused and scowled. I knew the lecture was coming. “You know, you gotta quit actin’ like some drunken frat boy, Jake. You’re too old for this stupid shit.”

              “Too old?” I scoffed. “We just turned twenty-five two weeks ago, Cade. How am I too old? I ain’t hurtin’ you. I get here on time and I ain’t blowin’ our wad on these chicks. Hell, half of ‘em don’t even know where the hell to find me. What do you care?”

              If you asked anyone, Cade was the more responsible brother. His serious look and no nonsense commanding attitude were what kept him going. He was a planner. He planned everything in his life. He constantly wrote lists to help him make decisions. He even had lists and plans for girls he dated. He never did anything on a whim, unlike me. Everything I did was on a whim. Where he always wanted more, I was completely happy with what I had. Or so I told myself.

              “Don’t you get sick of wakin’ up next to random girls?” he asked me honestly. “Why not one girl? You haven’t had a steady girlfriend in years.”

              I tried that, a couple times. It didn’t work.
“I usually don’t stick around long enough to wake up to them, so no, I’m not sick of it. Besides it’s not usually a random chick, it’s usually Monique. I don’t want anyone thinkin’ she can control me and I ain’t ready to be with one girl. That ain’t even close to what I want anymore. Besides, when’s the last time you had a girlfriend?”

              Cade scowled at me. His brow furrowed and his mouth curved down into a frown. It had been over a year and a half since Cade had a girlfriend. Knowing him, he probably hadn’t been laid in a year and a half either. It was no wonder he was always so stiff. He needed to loosen up. He needed to go find some chick and get screwed.

              “You know, you could make a real relationship with Monique. She’s too sweet for you to just screw around with.”

              “Monique ain’t complainin’. Hell, she makes the rules. She don’t want a relationship any more than I do.”

              His scowl deepened. The stern and intimidating look would threaten most people, but not me. I knew I wore this same exact look frequently. Momma said our smiles were different, Cade tended to smile a half grin instead of a big toothy smile like I do, but apparently our angry faces were exactly the same.

              “You know, your pissed off look might work on most, but it don’t work on me. Can’t intimidate me with my own face.” I grinned at my aggravated brother and then gave him my widest, cheesiest smile.

              His crooked grin broke through. “Yeah. Just do me a favor and make sure you wrap that shit. I don’t wanna lose my brother to some funky slut with a nasty disease.”

              Remembering the used condom in my pocket, I pulled it out and threw it into the garbage. “See, I’m baggin’ it. My shit ain’t gonna fall off.”

              Cade shook his head and snickered. “You’re one messed up dude.”

              “Are you just figurin’ this out now?” Toni said, walking into the room. She laughed at her own joke.

              “Very funny, Toni.” I tried to sound pissed off, but I could never be mad at her. She was like my little sister and I adored her. I walked up to her and wrapped her in my arms. “Hey honey, how you doin’?”

              “Good,” she smiled. Her brown eyes had dark circles around them and she slumped her posture. She looked exhausted. “Just busy. Work’s kickin’ my ass. I almost can’t wait for the season to end so I can relax a little. These last couple weeks have been crazy. We’ve been so damn busy tryin’ to get everything ready for Homestead.”

              “How’re the nightmares?” Cade asked cautiously.

              Cade and I had known Toni Rizzo since birth. She was our best friend; our family. She was tall, about five feet ten inches. Her dark brown hair was long, but she almost never wore it down. As usual, her brown locks were tied in a messy bun. She wore a tight tank top and yoga pants on her thin, muscular frame.