Page 19 of Roses and Skulls

I’ve kept my secrets hidden for so long. Secrets of him, the cutting, my voice… the accident. Funny that one of those secrets was the first to discover another.

He reaches around to grab some toilet paper off the roll behind me. His chest brushes against mine. After he rips it off, he resumes his position and presses it against my thigh. We both stare as the paper turns crimson, then his gaze returns to mine.

Black pits focus on me as he presses his fingers into my soft flesh. No man has ever touched me there. I glance away, staring at the little window over the bathtub. It’s dark outside already. I wonder what mom fixed for supper. Is she still cleaning? Has dad discovered that she let me go to Lanie’s? Is he mad?

Draven’s thumb brushes back and forth over my skin. I try to focus on anything but him. His eyes don’t leave my face.

“There are other ways to feel good.”

His hand slides up my leg, his fingertips reaching the edge of my panties. My hand shoots out to halt his advance. I grab his hand and hold it still. “Stop,” I say quietly, my voice rough from unuse.

Neither of us move.

Great, another little secret reveled to my biggest one.

When I finally look at him, he slowly leans forward and presses his lips to mine.

I let go of his hand, pressing mine against his shoulders. He digs his fingers into the tops of my thighs, pulling me closer.

The fact he tastes like sweet tea is all I can think of as my mind scrambles to find a safe space.

Suddenly, the bathroom door swings open, and a loud screech comes from my best friend. Draven pulls his lips off mine but stays where he’s at. I cover my mouth, tears springing to my eyes.

“You have to have everything, don’t you?” Lanie’s voice quivers but she continues to berate me. “You have everything I ever wanted and when I finally get something of my own, you have to go and steal it from me. You’re nothing but a spoiled, fucking brat.”

When neither Draven or I say anything, she storms out and I hear the front door slam shut.

I shove Draven away from me, making him stumble back on his ass. Shit, I need to talk to her. I need to explain. I’m buttoning up my pants as I rush out of the bathroom, headed for the front door when it swings open and in storms my dad.

I skid to a stop, my eyes wide. My dad glances around the room, stopping on the table, food still on our plates.

Draven steps around the corner. He pauses for a moment before stepping around me, holding his hand out to my dad. “You must be Billie Rose’s father.”

My dad stares at it like it’s covered in shit, his eyebrow cocking to a level I’ve never seen. He looks past Draven to me. “I just saw Lanie run out the front door crying. Why?”

Draven answers for me. “Oh, the girls had a little disagreement at dinner. You know how women can be.”

Dad’s eyes cut to his and he cracks his knuckles. A big part of me hopes he puts his fist in Draven’s face but part of me wants him unharmed… I want to be the one to hurt him.

“Lanie is moving to New York, to go to school. She wants Billie Rose to go with her,” Draven says, not the least bit fazed by my dad’s murderous glare.

My dad shows no emotion whatsoever. He holds out his arm, snapping his fingers for me to go to him. Normally, this caveman type behavior would piss me off, but I need a lifeline and right now he is my ticket out of here.

I practically run towards him and place my hand in his. He wraps his fingers around my hand, engulfing it in the safety of his own and tugs me close to him. He hugs me, pressing his mouth to the top of my head. I’m not sure what kind of looks are passing between the two of them and I don’t care. Right now, I just want my daddy to shelter me from the world. Just for a minute.

He keeps me tucked to his side as he ushers me out the door. I glance over my shoulder. Draven is leaning against the wall. He holds up his index finger and I notice it’s covered in my blood. Slowly, he sucks it into his mouth. I turn around, realizing that this little dinner gave Draven way too much ammunition.

If I’m going to fight him, I’m going to have to become someone else. Someone tougher. Someone who knows how to protect what’s hers.

Chapter Four

Dirk

The day the midwife put Billie Rose in my arms, I knew what my sole mission in life was. And from that day forward, I vowed to protect her. I wasn’t going to let her grow up like Jesse had, bouncing from home to home. Just trying to survive but getting knocked down and abused every step of the way. I didn’t get to save that little girl, but I was damned sure not going to let anyone hurt her daughter.

Jesse didn’t know her father until she was a teenager, so she made sure that Billie Rose and I were close. Were…

I glance over at my dark-haired, little girl. We aren’t close anymore. She won’t let me in. I know she’s angry that I failed her. I let her get hurt. I didn’t protect what was mine.

---