The Scars of Us (26 page)

Kaiya came back into the room before grabbing her purse. A smile lit up her face. “Nori’s in. I need to go home and get ready, then we’ll meet you there, okay?”

“Yeah. Text me when you’re on your way.”

She stood on her toes to kiss me. “Okay, baby. See you later.”

Once she left, I decided to head over to Drew’s to wait until they were ready. We drank some beers to pass the time and when Kaiya finally text me, it was quarter till midnight. I didn’t know what took women so long to get ready, but the end result was usually worth it.

This time was no exception. When Kaiya walked up to us outside the club, my pulse raced as the blood rushed to my cock.

She was wearing a tight, black one-shoulder dress that stopped right above her mid-thigh. She bit her lip as our eyes locked, her cheeks flooding with color as I admired her. I doubted I would ever get tired of looking at her; everything else paled in comparison to her stunning beauty.

Peering up at me with those captivating eyes, she smiled shyly. “Hey.”

I leaned down to kiss her. “Can I just take you home now? I don’t think I can wait with you looking like that.”

Her grin spread as she laughed. “Then, all my hard work to look this way would be wasted.”

“Oh, it won’t go to waste. I’ll make sure of it.”

She rolled her eyes playfully then slid her hand into mine. As we walked to the entrance, Drew draped his arm around Nori, who was already giggling flirtatiously.
Yeah, he should be getting some tonight.

We had to wait a few minutes in line before we were let into the club—the place was packed wall to wall, and the heavy bass of the music vibrated the air as we squeezed through the throng of people to get to the bar.

Decorated in various shades of gray with splashes of reds, the club was long and narrow, like its namesake. Rows of lights ran overhead, and they pulsed to the music as the colors fluctuated, taking on every hue of the rainbow. Couches lined the walls of the VIP area, but there was only standing room everywhere else, so we chose a spot close to the dance floor after taking a shot and ordering our drinks.

Kaiya sipped her cocktail as her eyes scanned through the crowd before settling on mine. A shy, yet seductive smile came over her lips as she glanced away.

Nori started pulling Drew towards the dance floor, but he resisted. “I’m not drunk enough for that yet.” He chuckled.

Nori pouted. “Please. I promise I’ll make it up to you later.”

Drew conceded, letting Nori pull him out to the floor. They soon were lost in the sea of bodies as I directed my attention back to Kaiya. “You wanna dance, baby?”

Eagerly nodding, she threaded her free hand with mine and pulled me into the dancing crowd. Swaying to the beat, Kaiya pressed her ass into my cock, and my hands automatically went to her lithe hips as she moved against me.

Leaning into me, her body undulated rhythmically against mine, making me want to take her home early even more. My dick began to stiffen from her sensual movements as my mouth found her neck. Tilting it, she allowed me better access to taste her as my tongue traced along the slender flesh.

Pushing my erection against her, I caused her to bite back a moan as she turned her head to connect her lips with mine. Our tongues tangled along with our bodies, the sensual movements making our skin heat from a combination of body heat and arousal. I was on the verge of hiking up that dress and slipping inside her right in the middle of everyone—that’s how crazy she made me, making me want her unlike anything before.

“Kaiya?” someone shouted over the music, interrupting us.

Kaiya broke away from me, her fair skin flushed and those full lips slightly swollen. My head followed hers as it turned in the direction of the voice, and anger began to simmer under my skin once I saw the source—Bryce.

Kaiya stiffened nervously as she uncomfortably said, “Hey, Bryce.”

He stepped towards us, causing me to instinctively move in front of Kaiya. His eyes hardened as they met mine, and I knew he was pissed about her being with me.
Too fucking bad. She’s mine.

He looked around me, focusing back on Kaiya. His eyes softened some as he spoke to her, “You haven’t returned my calls—I wanted to talk about what you said. I—”

“She obviously doesn’t want to talk to you about it, or she would have answered your calls. Why don’t you take a hint and leave her alone?”

Bryce moved toward me, coming right up in my face.
Brave, but stupid.
“I don’t remember asking your opinion.”

Clenching my fists, I snarled, “Back the fuck off before you get hurt.”

“Guys, stop,” Kaiya pleaded as she squeezed between us, pushing Bryce away from me. She put her back against me as she faced Bryce, keeping her hands on his chest. I growled low as I put my arms around her waist and pulled her away from him.

Kaiya gave me a look over her shoulder, but didn’t say anything until she redirected her attention to Bryce. “Look, Bryce, I’m… Ryker and I… we’re together now. Like I said in the text, I can’t see you like that anymore, but I still want to be friends.”

Glaring between me and her, he patronizingly remarked, “Really? After everything we’ve been through, you’re just going to drop me for some… some… meathead that you just met?”

Meathead? Did he really just call me a meathead? What are we, in middle school?
“This meathead will beat your ass if—”

“Stop!” Kaiya yelled, gaining both of our attentions, as well as some of the people’s around us. “Look, Bryce, I’m sorry, but I can’t help the way I feel. Ryker and I just connected, and—”

“Save it, Ky. I’m glad to finally see where I stand,” Bryce spat before pivoting and disappearing into the crowd.

Shoulders slumping, Kaiya gazed sadly in the direction he went and sighed. “I didn’t mean to hurt him.”

“I know, Warrior. Try not to worry about it,” I said as I rubbed my hands up and down her arms, hoping to comfort her. I knew from some of our talks about him that Bryce had provided stability for her when she needed it, and that she cared for him. I could tell that Bryce felt the same for Kaiya, too, maybe even loved her. How could he not? I was falling hard for her myself, and there was nothing I could do to stop it, even if I wanted to. I should’ve wanted to, should’ve been more concerned with protecting myself from being hurt again, but Kaiya had found a way to slip past my defenses, making me let my guard down.

Turning around, she wrapped her arms around me, hugging me tightly. I returned her embrace, enjoying the warmth it stirred in my stomach. I’d only felt this way once before, but it was already becoming stronger than it was back then.
Holy shit
,
I think I love her.

Being the coward that I was, I pushed the thoughts away. Neither of us was ready for that, and I couldn’t bring myself to say the words yet. I wasn’t prepared for the repercussions of speaking them, especially if Kaiya didn’t feel the same way, even though I was pretty sure she did. When she thought I wasn’t looking, I caught the way she stared at me sometimes, that look of love—the one that was so evident on both of our faces in that picture we took at the aquarium.

Even still, I couldn’t voice my feelings, too afraid of her rejection. I didn’t want to push her away, unsure of how I would deal with not being with her anymore. The idea twisted my stomach uncomfortably, and I quickly pushed it away and focused on something else.

“Ready to go, baby?”

“Yeah.” She scanned the dance floor. “Where’s Nori and Drew?”

Looking around the club, I searched for them, finding them making out on the dance floor. Pointing them out to Kaiya, I joked, “I don’t think they’re ready to leave yet.”

“I need to tell her we’re leaving—she gets pissed when I leave without telling her,” she replied before walking toward them.

When she came back, I linked our hands and led her through the crowd to get to the exit. The fresh breeze that hit us once we stepped outside was a welcome change from the hot air inside the club.

Once we got to my apartment, I was on Kaiya as soon as we walked through the door. Our mouths collided as I lifted her, my hands gripping her exposed thighs as she hooked her legs around me. I slipped her dress up further as I headed for the couch, unable to wait any longer. I had been waiting all day to have her, and now that we were finally alone, I was taking full advantage.

Kaiya straddled me once I sat down. Her hands immediately found my jeans and she hastily unbuttoned them, as eager as I was for me to sink inside her.

As she pulled my cock out, I moved her panties to the side, and then she was lowering herself down on me. Filling her inch by inch, I groaned as she cried out in pleasure until she took all of me.

Slowly, she moved her hips into me as I removed her dress. Pulling her flush against me, my mouth found her tits as she continued to ride me. I teased her nipple with my tongue before nipping and sucking it lightly, causing her to moan over and over again.

Kaiya’s pace increased as my hands caressed her silken skin and my mouth consumed her. I traced my teeth and tongue along her collarbone to her neck, then brought her lips to meet mine, needing to taste her sweetness. Our tongues threaded together as her hands knotted in my hair and pulled tightly as she rocked harder on my dick, bringing us both closer to ecstasy.

Grasping Kaiya’s ass, I began to thrust upward, meeting her movements stroke for stroke. I could feel myself nearing release, so I broke my mouth away from Kaiya’s, breathing heavily as I spoke against her lips, “I’m gonna come.”

She didn’t stop as she replied, her voice full of desire, “Come inside me.”

Fuck me.
“Are you sure?” I asked before biting her bottom lip.

“Yes,” she moaned. “I’m on the shot.”

I didn’t know what that was, but I figured it was some form of birth control. I didn’t really care, plus I was sure that Kaiya wouldn’t let me come inside her if she wasn’t on some type of contraceptive.

Rolling her hips, Kaiya’s snug walls continued to perfectly caress my cock. I pounded up into her, jetting my cum inside her after only a few more strokes. Her pussy pulsated around my dick as her body shuddered her orgasm against me.

We stayed like that until our breathing evened. Then, Kaiya reluctantly sighed, “I better get going home. It’s late.”

I brushed her hair out of her face, then caressed her cheek with my thumb as our gazes met.
Here goes nothing.
“Stay with me.”

Her eyes searched mine. Framing her face with my hands, I pulled her to me, pressing a tender kiss on her lips before softly saying, “Please.”

Silently, she lay her forehead against mine as she exhaled a deep breath. She remained quiet, and the longer time passed, the more I was sure she would say no. My pulse pounded as I waited for her response, and after what seemed like hours, she finally whispered, “Okay.”

Abruptly pulling back, I looked at her in surprise. “You’ll stay?”

She smiled softly at me. “I’ll stay.”

Grinning back, I stood and carried her to the bedroom. After getting ready for bed, I slid under the covers as Kaiya stood nervously on the other side. “This is the part where you get in with me,” I teased with a grin.

Toying with the hem of the shirt I let her borrow to sleep in, she bit her bottom lip nervously as she looked at me. “I’ve never spent the night with a guy before.”

“Never?”

“Never,” she repeated.

Sitting up, I scooted to the edge of the bed where she stood, framing her between my legs. I linked both of my hands with hers as I pressed a kiss to her stomach, then tilted my head up to look at her. “Are you afraid of me, Warrior?”

Her brows furrowed as she firmly responded, “No.”

“Do you trust me?” That was the million dollar question.

We stared at one another as she contemplated her answer. My heart pounded in my chest waiting for her response, wanting so badly for her to trust me, needing her to. “Yes,” she finally replied, barely above a whisper.

The tension in my chest faded away from her answer. I moved back on the bed, pulling her with me as I lay down. Facing each other, I brought her into me as I covered us with the blanket. Pushing some hair behind her ear, I gently kissed her lips, then her forehead before wrapping my arms around her. “Goodnight, Warrior.”

Sighing, she rested her head on my bicep as her arms draped over my bare side. Her stiff body relaxed as I rubbed her back, and she snuggled closer to me. Burying my face in her neck, I inhaled deeply, enjoying my smell still lingering on her skin. Closing my eyes, I loved the feel of her warm, delicate frame against my much larger one. Even though our bodies were so different, hers was perfect for mine in every way.

Tangled with the girl of my dreams, it didn’t take long for me to surrender to sleep.

My eyes fluttered open to Ryker’s sleeping face. Once the fog of sleep lifted, realization sank in.
Holy shit, I spent the night.
Anxiety attempted to trap me in its clutches, my heartbeat and breathing starting to speed up as panic tried to set in.

Focusing on Ryker’s handsome face, I took deep breaths as I studied his features.
You’re with Ryker. You’re safe. He won’t hurt you.
That warm, fuzzy feeling that he gave me so often began to set in as I stared at him, melting away the anxiousness building inside me.