Page 20 of Brutal Titan

Elliot

Instead of waking from a nightmare, I feel pulled out of a fantasy only to realize it wasn’t a dream after all—Victoria’s slender body really is against mine, our limbs entwined so that I’m not sure where she begins and I end, and I don’t want to find out. She’s here. After she’d hummed the sketchbook at my head, I figured that was that for the night. Still, I’d watched for her the entire time at the party before finally turning in after doing my best to put up a cheerful front for everyone.

Trailing my fingertips up the silky skin of her lower back, she stirs, lazily opening her eyes as she rolls on her back, rubbing her face. Rotating towards her, I move my body over hers, hovering as her legs part. She grips my shoulders as I rest my elbows at her sides, pressing them into the mattress as I try to not put my full weight on her, but I can’t seem to get close enough. Nuzzling my face against her neck, I take in a deep breath. “That’s the best sleep I’ve had in weeks.”

Her body tenses beneath me though her arms wrap around my neck, hugging me tight. “I have to go before everyone wakes up.”

“Before Asher wakes up.”

She doesn’t respond because we both know he’s the one person neither of us wants to walk in here. Although, at this moment, a million ways I could explain run through my mind because the only thing I want less than letting her go is not holding her again. And for that reason and many others, I need to give some serious thought on how I’m going to explain this to my best friend before I screw up and lose both of them.

“I need to get going anyway.” Huntington wasn’t thrilled with my late arrival yesterday, and I doubt he would make good on his threat, but I don’t want to find out—repeating senior year would be shitty. He confirmed that my dad was on board, which doesn’t surprise me in the least—the longer I’m stuck in school, the more time he has to change my grandpa’s mind about the heir of Lawrence Bass Industries.

Taking in one last breath of her, I push off the bed before my dick overpowers my brain because it’s already standing at attention. She nervously slides off the mattress, all but tiptoeing to the door without looking to me.

“Hey,” I swiftly move behind her, clasping her hand in mine as I pull her against me. “You all right?”

When her eyes meet mine, all I see is anxiety and unsettlement as she whispers, “I just don’t want Asher to find out I slept in here.”

“Thank you for staying.”

She nods, looking to the floor.

Hooking a finger under her chin, I tilt her head up until her eyes meet mine, struggling to make the request that was almost impossible for me to get out last night. “Stay with me tonight.”

Tensing, she presses her hands against my chest as I bend down, feathering a kiss on her neck before continuing. “It’ll only be us, so there won’t be anyone to hide from. We can just sleep, that’s it.” Unless she wants more because it had taken everything I had in me not to bury my face between her thighs last night. But I hadn’t wanted her to leave … or throw something at my head again.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“I promise I’ll be good.” I skim my fingers over my chest, drawing an X over my heart. “I just want to sleep without seeing … or at least have someone to wake me if I do.”

Biting her lip, she agrees to my insane request, and I couldn’t be more thrilled.

“I’ll be home after my prison term, but you can head over whenever you’re ready.”

“Okay,” she whispers, stepping away from me without another word. I’m hoping the only cause of her uneasiness has to do with her brother catching her in here. She peeks into the hallway, then disappears through the doorway, closing the door behind her.

It’s understandable. The outcome weighs heavily on me because I know Asher well enough to know that finding me in bed with his little sister won’t do my life expectancy any favors and that’s only the beginning of the shit I need to sort through. And it’s all terrifying, perhaps impossible to work through, but not being next to her tonight seems dire in comparison. Am I really willing to put my friendship on the line—for her? I don’t want it to come to that, but the answer is obvious since I’m already gambling just by inviting her to my house. Lying to him and hiding it will only make things worse but I’m not ready to lose either of them yet.

Hurrying out of the house, I thank my lucky stars I’m able to avoid the last person I want to keep in the dark about anything.

The NSX comes to an abrupt halt in the nearly vacant parking lot. I swing the door open, jog into school, and spot Huntington standing at the threshold of the room that will be my prison for the day.

Glancing to his watch, he looks to me with disappointment. “You’re late.”

“I beat yesterday’s time though.”

“Elliot. I expect you here on time, accepting the responsibility for your actions. That’s the reason you’re here. It was your doing, therefore it’s your consequence.” He shifts, rubbing his hand across his face before taking a softer tone as he continues. “I can’t begin to imagine what you’ve experienced, but I won’t allow you to run rampant or evade accountability for your actions.”

Looking away, I regain my voice because what should be a lecture is actually a relief. I don’t want him to feel sorry for me or make the worst night of my life nothing but an excuse for future bad behavior. “Thank you,” I finally squeak out. “I’ll be on time from now on.”

He gives me an approving nod, stepping aside as he motions for me to enter the classroom. “My door is always open, Elliot, don’t forget that.”

Solemnly walking into the classroom, I can’t help but think of my dad. Why can’t he say something, anything to make me feel half as supported as my damn principal? It’s not like Richard had ever been father of the year, but recently I’ve questioned if he hates me because my grandpa picked me or if he’s always hated me and that was just the ultimate blow to keep him from masking his disdain. Dropping into a desk at the far end of the classroom, I glance over to see Grant looking over his shoulder to me with a smirk.

“Rough night?” he snickers.

“Blow me,” I respond, looking away from him. His taunts are minuscule compared to the jumbled mess in my mind right now, especially since I woke up with a gorgeous redhead in my bed and will be doing so again tomorrow morning. Picturing her in my bed is pretty much the only thought I want to keep in mind as the day slowly ticks by, one excruciating second at a time.