Facing The Enemy Page 3

  My car had been another bone of contention between us. It was a disaster, plain and simple. But it ran and that’s all that mattered. Constance had offered to buy me a new car, but I had put my foot down. The car was one of the few things that had belonged to my mother and I was not going to part with it. The two suitcases I came with consisted of very few of my personal belongings and the rest of whatever I could salvage that belonged to my mom.

  I was not getting rid of that car.

  “You know, you really fucked up Friday night,” Bailey’s voice broke the silence in the kitchen. “You do know that, right?”

  I turned around to face her. This uppity bitch did not scare me. I crossed my arms over my chest and arched a brow at her. “Is that right?”

  She smirked as she sat on one of the barstools of the kitchen island. “Yeah, that’s right.” She folded her arms on the counter and leaned forward. “No one talks to Ramsey Reed like that and gets away with it. No one.”

  I let out a humorless laugh. “You think I give a shit about Ramsey Reed? Do you think I give a shit about any of you?”

  Bailey actually had the grace to flush at the reminder of her callus attitude on Friday. “You don’t understand the way things work around here, Emerson.”

  I uncrossed my arms and gripped the counter behind me. “Oh, I understand how things work here just fine,” I corrected her.

  She lets out a frustrated huff. “No, you don’t. If you did, you’d have steered clear of Ramsey Reed.”

  I could feel my blood start to boil at hearing his name. “You’re acting as if I went out of my way to interact with him,” I reminded her. “You were standing right next to me when he approached us.”

  Ashely waved away that point. “It doesn’t matter. He leads, and you follow. Those are the rules.”

  I laughed and turned my back on her to resume making my lunch. “He might lead you, Bailey, but I’m not a follower. And if the day ever comes where I am following someone, it won’t be someone like Ramsey Reed.”

  “He leads this entire town, Emerson,” she replied, sounding completely exasperated. “There is nothing he can’t do. Whether it’s legal or illegal.”

  I turned back around to face her again. I wanted her to be able to look at my face and see how serious I was. “I don’t care if Ramsey Reed is the goddamn Pied Piper and his flute is made of magic. I’m not some mindless minion and I’m not about to hand over my free will to anyone.”

  Bailey shook her head. “Ramsey Reed isn’t just anyone,” she pressed again.

  “And neither am I, Bailey,” I threw back. “Oh, I know everyone here believes I’m a poor, little nobody, but I’m not. And once all you spoiled sheltered kids start having to live outside of this town, in the real world, you’re going to see you guys aren’t as special as you think you are.”

  Her face started to take on a pinkish hue, and I knew she was offended by my view of reality. She stood up. “I’m going to love having to tell you I told you so,” she sneered.

  I stepped away from the counter until my stomach hit the kitchen island, and I glared at her. “Well, if I’m remembering Friday night correctly, Bailey, it was Ramsey Reed who followed me outside, not the other way around.”

  And there you have it.

  Her face turned a full red telling me everything I needed to know. Bailey was after Ramsey and, whether she’s had him before or not, evidently, it wasn’t enough.

  “You know what, Emerson? You’re nothing but trash,” she spewed. “And you’re out of your mind if you think Ramsey Reed will ever be into you!”

  I smirked just because I knew it was going to piss her off more. And just to pour salt over the wound, I said, “I don’t care if Ramsey Reed likes me or not, Bailey. But it seems like I’m the only one in this room who doesn’t.”

  She was so livid, she couldn’t even respond. She walked off, her feet stomping on the tile so hard I’m surprised she didn’t snap off a heel. Because, yes, Bailey Stevens was the type of girl who wore heels on a Sunday afternoon in her own home.

  I let out a sigh and turned around to finish making my sandwich. After I was done and put everything away, I sat on the same stool that Bailey had occupied earlier and quietly ate my lunch.

  Halfway through, my mind started replaying our conversation. Now, while I wasn’t scare to stand up for myself, my mind kept going back to what Bailey said about Ramsey having so much power that he basically had permission to even commit crimes.

  That ability took intimidation to a whole different level. Most bullies danced on the line of legal and illegal for fear of going to jail. But if you had a bully who was free from that fear, who knows what they’d be capable of. Did Ramsey Reed really have that kind of power or was Bailey just exaggerating because she was mean spirited and jealous?

  And, sad to say, bullying wasn’t even the biggest issue here. My biggest problem was the obvious attraction I felt towards Ramsey. I mean, I might be damaged and confused, but there was no denying that Ramsey Reed was gorgeous, built and all fucking man, even at the tender age of 17 or 18…however old he was.

  The fight in him had turned me on and that was all kinds of stupid for a girl like me. And, Sweet Baby Jesus, when I felt what he had packing pressed up against me, ready to go, I had been seconds away from ripping his clothes off.

  While I’ve never had sex, I did fool around with a couple of boys in my lifetime. My 7th grade year, my first boyfriend, Josh Brex, had been my first kiss and my first second base. I had developed early, and his eyes had lit up like Christmas when I had let him touch me for the first time.

  Josh and I hadn’t lasted long. He was a year older than me and, when went off to high school while I stayed back in middle school, he had discovered the phenomenon that was the high school teenage girl. It had been a sweet break up though and we had remained friends.

  My second experience had been in my sophomore year when Alex Crane had invited me to a Senior party, and I went. We had gotten along well and had gone out on several dates before I finally let him get to third base. But when I made it clear that he was never going to hit a home run with me, he had ghosted me, and we phased into casual acquaintances.

  Neither experience had left me bitter or hurt because I hadn’t really felt any true emotions for either boy, but it had made me familiar with lust and yearning.

  I’ll never forget the feeling of Alex’s fingers first entering my body for the first time. It was the best kind of pleasure. It was a miracle I hadn’t turned into a full-blown slut chasing that feeling of pleasure. Alex had also been the only boy to ever make me orgasm. His fingers had been skilled, and I had no doubt that he was making whatever girl that was in his bed a happy camper.

  But all that paled in comparison to the lust and yearning that had swept my body by just being near Ramsey Friday night. His anger and forcefulness were dangerous, and I found myself craving it.

  I had no idea what could have happened in his life to make him wear his anger like that, but Ramsey was angry about something. His personality was bigger than money and power. It was bigger than being a bully just because he could be.

  He had rage pumping through his life’s blood, and my sick, damaged soul longed to have him take it out on me. That was another sin I could lay at my father’s feet. Had he been a caring, loving husband and father, I wouldn’t crave brute force like I did. And even though my mind knew exactly what my damage was, it had no control over how my body felt about the topic.

  I wasn’t lying when I told Bailey I didn’t want Ramsey Reed to be into me. It would be stupid and reckless if he was.

  We’d destroy each other if we ever met in the middle.

  I stared down at my empty plate and wondered how I was going to avoid him tomorrow. Hell, avoid him for the next nine months. I needed to graduate to have any kind of chance at life, but something told me I’d be running away from here in a measly two months on my birthday.

  Chapter 5

  Ramsey

 
; I was sitting on the hood of my Range Rover, my feet on the bumper, my knees supporting my elbows as I scanned the parking lot for Emerson.

  It was the first day of school and I had shown up early to browbeat the school counselor. Truth be told, it hadn’t taken much. I had walked into his office and demanded to see Emerson’s schedule, and after a half-ass feeble attempt to talk to me about privacy, he finally handed it over.

  When I had seen that we only had four out of seven classes together, I tried to force him to change her schedule, but he had held steadfast on that refusal. It wasn’t until he explained that she couldn’t graduate if he changed her schedule that I finally relented and made do with the four classes. And one of the four classes we shared was first period.

  I waited in the parking lot for her because we were going to walk into that class together.

  After Liam and Deke had left my house yesterday evening, I sat up most the night deciding how I was going to play out this insane attraction I had towards Emerson. I knew she wanted nothing to do with me, but I wasn’t going to give her a choice. She was too fun a game not to play.

  I looked over when a dull, rusted grey Pontiac pulled into the parking lot. Hell, everyone looked over. The car didn’t belong; just like the girl who opened the driver’s side door and got out. Emerson was dressed in the school’s mandatory uniform, and the image of her screamed in contrast to her car.

  She had her chocolate locks pinned up on the top of her head in a lazy looking bun, and while I couldn’t make out the details of her face, I would bet my left nut that she wasn’t wearing any makeup again. Something told me Emerson showed up here today with a big ‘fuck you’ outlining her body.

  I watched as she walked towards the school’s entrance and I knew it probably irritated the fuck out of her that she was going to have to pass us to enter the school’s building. But I was loving the view regardless of the attitude in her stride.

  The school’s uniform for the girls was made up of a light blue collared button up with either short sleeves or long. Emerson was wearing the short sleeve version even though the air was a little crisp this morning. The girls had an option of wearing a dark blue pleated skirt, or dark blue slacks. The slacks were unflattering, so most of the school’s female population opted for the skirt even in cold weather. Emerson had chosen the skirt and my dick took notice. She polished off her look with the same white sandals she was wearing Friday night.

  I almost jumped off the hood of my car and rushed her. That’s how fucking insane her pull on me was. I wanted nothing more in this moment, than to flip her skirt up, rip off her panties and fucked her until she couldn’t live without me inside her.

  Emerson had just passed in front of me when I jumped off the hood of my car and called out to her, “Hey, Charity!” She kept on walking, but not without raising her hand and lifting her middle finger towards me first.

  If my dick hadn’t already been twitching, well, it was rock hard now.

  And, then, I ran after her, not giving a fuck about waves of gasps and whispers that followed afterwards. I knew everyone was engrossed by my fascination with Emerson, but I didn’t care. I didn’t answer to them. Hell, I didn’t answer to anyone, not even my parents.

  Emerson had made it just inside the building when I came up behind her. I grabbed her by the arm and pushed her up against the nearest wall. I flattened my hands up against the wall on either side of her caging her in.

  And, then, I really overstepped when I pushed the front of my body against her back and pinned her trapped between me and the wall. I made sure my hardened cock was nestled against her lower back, letting her know just how hard I was for her.

  I leaned down and, instead of biting into her neck with all the access her hair pinned up gave me, I traced the outline of her ear with my breath. “Not even going to say good morning?” I asked, mockingly. Her chest was heaving, and her body sank into mine with each breath. I honestly didn’t know how I was going to get through the day without just fucking taking her.

  “Get off of me,” she seethed through clenched teeth.

  I chuckled. “You have no idea just how badly I’d love to get off on you, Emerson,” I whispered in her ear. Her breath hitched, and it made the tip of my dick leak. The school entrance hallway was filled with students enraptured by the scene being played out. No one was in a hurry to get to their first class of the day and that was the only reason my hand wasn’t already up her skirt.

  In an unexpected move, Emerson threw her full weight back against my chest and it created enough space for her to turn around and face me. She looked up at me and her grey eyes had darkened to weathered pewter. She lifted her chin and retorted, “I already told you, Ramsey. I’m not interested in what you think is a good time. I prefer men to boys.”

  I smiled. I couldn’t help it. She could stand there all day and tell me she was unaffected by me, but I knew better. While her face gave nothing away, her body spoke for her. I reached out and placed both of my hands on her hips and pulled her body to mine. She gasped, but I ignored it. “Make no mistake, Emerson, every inch of me is all man. Something you’re going to find out soon enough, baby.”

  Emerson narrowed her eyes. “If you want to go slumming, Ramsey, might I suggest the girls whose parents make only ten million a year. I’m sure they more your fit.”

  I wanted to laugh. God, this girl had balls.

  Instead, I reached down, grabbing her backpack with one hand, while my other hand intertwined with hers. I didn’t give her time to protest. I just tugged on her hand and left her to either walk beside me or trail after me. I didn’t care which.

  To her credit, she tried to snatch her hand out of mine. “What are you doing?” she screeched. “Where in the fuck do you think you’re taking me?”

  The hallway parted, and everyone stood around gawking. It was like Emerson and I were in a goddamn parade walking down the hallway with all the spectators around. “To class,” I replied, not giving her anything more.

  “Wh…what? How do you-”

  I stopped and pulled her towards me, peering down at her again. “I know every fucking thing that goes on in this school, Charity,” I inform her. “That means I know your schedule, where your locker is and even your fucking locker combination.” I turned away from her and continued pulling her behind me until we got to class.

  We walked into the classroom and I headed straight for the back of the room, still pulling Emerson behind me. The classrooms were designed college style where there was stadium seating. The second I sat down, Emerson took the opportunity to bolt and try to find a seat up front. I jumped up and reaching out until I had the back of her neck crushed in my hand, I yanked her back and forced her to sit next to me.

  “Get your fucking hands off me, Ramsey!”

  I tightened my hand around her neck until I saw her wince. “My fucking hands are going to continue to be all over you, Emerson. So, I suggest you get used to it,” I snapped.

  And then she really fucked me up. “Oh, really?” she asked, right before she spread her thighs open and let me inhale her scent. “And where exactly is all over, Ramsey?” she whispered, leaning into my neck.

  This girl had no idea who she was dealing with. I had no problem spreading her pretty thighs wide open and fucking her in front of the entire class. I wasn’t insecure about the size of my dick and I knew I could fuck, so I had nothing to be embarrassed about.

  I leaned down farther until she was almost laid out with my body covering her. “Be careful, babe. I have no problem sinking into your tight, little pussy right here in front of everyone,” I threatened.

  Her chest was heaving, and I could smell her arousal, but she didn’t back down. “I wonder how disappointed you’d be to know that my pussy isn’t all that tight,” she smirked back. “Men, Ramsey. Remember, I like men.”

  This. Fucking. Girl.

  I couldn’t stop the snarl at the thought of her being fucked by other guys. I might not be her first, but I was go
ing to be her best if it killed me. God, she had me so pissed. So pissed and worked up, I seriously contemplated fucking her right here and now. “I can’t wait to shove my cock in your mouth to shut you the fuck up.”

  Emerson laughed. She, honest to God, laughed in my face. She placed her hands on my chest and I let her push me back to a seated position. When she was done laughing, she shocked me, yet again. “If the day ever comes where you have your dick in my mouth, Ramsey, the last thing you’ll be thinking about is shutting me up. You’re going to be begging me to have mercy on you,” she smirked.

  The teacher finally addressed the class and so I ignored her comment. And not because I gave a fuck what the teacher was saying. I didn’t respond because a small part of me believed her.

  I was teetering on the edge of insanity as it was. There was a good chance that she was right and if I ever got my dick near her in that capacity, I would be begging.

  The fact that she wasn’t a virgin clawed at my inner caveman. Now, it wasn’t that I cared if a girl gave up the goods to every boy she’s ever met or was waiting until marriage. As far as I was concerned, females had every right to explore their sexuality just as men did. Emerson’s lack of a hymen wasn’t a problem for me. No. My problem was the added pressure of making sure I was going to be the best she ever had.

  Emerson’s personality was so large, there was no way this girl laid like a dead fish in bed. It was going to be a fight for dominance once I got her naked and I had every intention of being the one on top.

  Chapter 6

  Emerson

  The day had been nothing but specialized Ramsey Reed torture all day long.

  After the ambush this morning, I found out we shared four classes together and that he somehow managed to make sure my locker was next to his.