Hitting the Taco Guy for lunch is always a good plan. Levi and I put down the bed of my truck like two lovers and have a picnic in the bed listening to the sound of traffic and Spanish words being thrown around faster than we could comprehend.
“When I snuck out this morning, I ran into Grant.” Levi finishes his bite, looking over to the bridge passing through the town.
“What’d he say?”
Setting down my burrito, I look at what caught his eye. “That he was looking out for the neighborhood, some kids up to no good down the road… then he said, I should work better on sharing his kids.” Finally, his eyes drift back to mine.
“I hate him. I can’t wait to take him down, make him pay for what he’s done. You know, I’ve always been ready to run, but my mom never wanted to. So, I decided that the minute Scarlett graduates, we would run. Now I've got a new plan, because we’re both finally somewhere we don’t want to run from.” I can feel the pressure of his words, the weight they hold on him.
“You aren’t alone in this fight anymore. You don’t have to run, and if you take your sister from me, I’ll have to take action, and I'm not against kidnapping her, just so we’re clear.” Levi laughs because he knows I’m serious.
Levi folds up his taco wrapper and tosses it in the bag next to us. “Thanks, man, I really don’t know what I’d do without you. Anyway, what are you and your family doing for Christmas?”
“We usually spend the day in our pajamas baking and wrapping gifts, nothing crazy or big, just being together. You guys can come. I actually had a question of my own.” Levi looks in my direction, waiting. “I want to take Scarlett on a real date, like you did for Maddie. She deserves a real date, but I wanted to get your permission first.” A smirk falls across his face.
“She’d like that a lot. When are you thinking? You guys could go this weekend, coming up? Then we only have two weeks before Christmas?” That is actually a really good plan. Take her on a date and gather ideas for Christmas gifts before I rush to find something that screams, 'I love you, my everything.'
“Yeah, I think that is a good idea. Plus, that’s when winter vacation starts at school. Are you off work for those two weeks?” He drinks his Dr. Pepper and nods.
“Yeah, so we have two weeks to cause mischief.” He winks and laughs, knowing he means drifting in the snow, if it comes, and driving too fast, because it’s Levi, what else could he be talking about? He’s locked down with Maddie, so the days of him chasing skirts are long gone.
“Sweet, I’ll ask Scar tonight.” We jump down from the truck bed and head back home.
Arriving home, I find that my parents have gone grocery shopping, and Grant must be at work, because his car isn’t there.
Levi and I walk upstairs, where we find Scarlett sitting on her bed, still in her yoga clothes. Damn, she’s beautiful. “Hey, baby.” She looks at me as I stand in the doorway with Levi. He gives Scarlett a quick wave before heading off to his room.
I can feel the heat from my core radiating, begging me to embrace her body in mine. She’s like a drug; I am completely addicted and can’t get enough. A sense of urgency rushes through me, driving me to her like a starving man.
“How was yoga? All stretched and ready for your next workout?” I whisper into her ear as my body now lies on top of hers. Feeling her warmth radiating from her yoga pants, it lights a fire in my core. “You need to make a choice, Scar, because I can’t stop myself from taking you right now, exactly how I want you, naked, under me, and moaning my name. So tell me, baby, am I taking you here, or to my house?” She smiles into my needy kiss.
“Well, for starters, you left my door wide open, and Levi is shitting his pants right now standing in my doorway.” Spencer jumps up, taking in a big breath, before laughing like a madman.
“Seriously?! I leave you two alone for less than five minutes, and ya both about to rip each other's clothes off! With the door open! With me in earshot! How can you go from brother to jack rabbit in seconds?” He is completely flabbergasted, making Scarlett and me laugh even harder.
“To be fair, I told her she needed to decide where we were going. I was being a respectful best friend. If she had said here, I would have shut the door and made her be–” Levi cuts me off.
“Nope, do not even finish your words. I’m leaving before I dismantle my best friend.” With that, he turns and walks away. “I’m running to Maddie’s,” He hollers as he runs down the stairs.
Rolling over onto Scarlett’s bed, we lay with one another. “I want to take you on a date. A real date. Will you go on a date with me, Scarlett?”
“Yes. When?” She smiles from ear to ear before drifting her leg over mine.
“This weekend. Let's do Saturday, five sharp.” Pushing the hair behind her ear, she steals a kiss and agrees. “Perfect, now, I’m going to shut this door, so I can make you come all over me, while I fill you up, so tomorrow at school, all you think about is me, dripping down your leg.” Sliding off of her, I run to close her door.
Chapter 46
Letters From a Ghost
Levi
Idon’t like to lie or keep secrets, and yet that’s all I have ever done. All of those lies and secrets, they ate me alive from the inside like a virus, only there was no cure, until now.
The plan we have is solid, except that Spencer doesn’t know that he and Scarlett will not be part of it. What kind of brother would I be if I allowed them to stand in harm's way? What kind of protector would I be? This weekend marks the beginning. I looked at Grant’s work schedule to see that he would have thisweekend off. It’s time to make him pay. It is time he takes what he has dished out all these years; only I’m going to win this time, or I’m going to die trying.
Getting through the week is easy when you have lied as much as I have; you become accustomed to the feeling, the way the words should roll, the way your face shouldn’t shift, you catch on to cues that would give you away. So, whenever Spencer or Scarlett asked about the plan and when we were going to implement it, the lie rolled with ease. ‘After Christmas’ was my answer, the one they believed to be true. Little do they know, today is the day. Their date, the one night I have alone with the devil, and I’m going to make him dance.
Scarlett went shopping for new clothes for her first date tonight, and Grant is finishing his last shift for the weekend.
