Page 34 of Greased

“No, Star,” I say, shaking my head, “I don’t deserve a single thing from you right now. Not with the way I have hurt you. I have along way to go in earning your forgiveness.” I chuckle and pull my hand that isn’t wrapped around Scarlett through my hair, “This is irrevocably the worst time to confess my feelings for you but I never claimed to be smart. I just had to be honest with you. I need you to forget even for a moment the pain you have been through because that’s what you deserve.”

I move my hand to her face, caressing her cheek, “You deserve a love that consumes you. When you are ready; when I have proven myself to you, I hope that you will allow me to give that to you.”

“You are too good for me, Dacre,” she whispers. I can tell a part of her fights with that revelation. Like it hurts to admit it in the state she is in.

“No baby, I’m really not,” I say. How can she not see what I see? She is fucking perfection. There and then I vow to make sure she knows just how perfect she is for me every day for the rest of our lives. Call it what you will but she is end game.

She rolls her eyes at me, making me laugh.

“Come on. You should head inside and get an early night. We’ve got school tomorrow.”

“Ugh. I forgot about that,” she groans, running her hands through her hair. She slowly composes herself. I watch, feeling immense pride as she pulls herself together. This woman is stronger than I ever gave her credit for.

“Come on, you will love it. You will have the best study buddy in me,” I say as I wiggle my eyebrows at her, earning a little chuckle.

“I don’t know. I think you will be more of a distraction than anything.” She raises one eyebrow, that defiance slipping through slowly.

“No chance, Star. That would be the other pain in the ass, Sonny.”

“Oh god, I’m already behind and I haven’t even started,” she groans, rubbing her hands over her face.

“Don’t stress. I’ll be here to pick you up at 8 tomorrow morning. I won’t let you go in there alone.”

“Okay,” she sighs in relief.

I stand up and let her legs fall down off my waist. I don’t let her go too far as I capture her soft lips in mine, even only for a moment. I know I’m stealing this from her. I’m unable to not be selfish. I want to take everything she has to offer me. I’m not too proud to get down on my knees for it either when the timing is right.

The Captain Morgan I taste on her lips might have been her choice of poison for the night but she is mine. And god, is it sweet. Exactly as I remember. There's a slight saltiness too from her tears but it just adds to her appeal. I force myself back before I get too carried away. She is way too easy to get lost in.

“See you tomorrow,” I say quietly.

“See you tomorrow, Dacre.”

The sound of the alarm on my phone wakes me up from a deep sleep. I groan as I smack at my phone trying to turn off the ear piercing noise.

After going inside having said goodnight to Dacre last night, the overwhelming fatigue finally set in and I crashed the minute my head hit the pillow.

Going through a tidal wave of emotions and realisations these past few weeks has made me incredibly tired. Normally I can survive on an easy six hours sleep, but I’m now exhausted from the moment I wake.

I blink my eyes open begrudgingly. The memories of last night filter in painstakingly. I allow myself a moment to process them, something I haven’t done whatsoever; but this is something I need to do.

Each interaction I look back on makes me furious. Those memories of our time at the beach, wandering hands across sweaty skin and whispered promises, all shattered. I shake myself at how naive I was. How could I possibly believe they were everything I had hoped for?Why am I allowing myself to be broken by men that didn’t give me a second thought. Dacre believes there is a good reason for what they did? What could be worth it? A moment of remembrance flickers in my mind of Dacre telling me that the club was in a mess when they got home but my brain doesn’t allow myself to focus on it. At least not right now. There's too much pain and heartache to focus on anything at all. Why turn your back on someone all just to be ecstatic when you see them again? Well, apart from Dawson that is. It makes me question what is real and what's fake? Who do I believe?

Was our time together all just a lie?

Banging from the other side of the door startles me out of my thoughts. The noise rattles my brain. Groaning, I roll over and bury my head into my pillow wishing for just a moment of peace.

“Go away.” My voice is muffled but I don’t care.

“Up and at ‘em sunshine. It’s a new day, the sun is shining and it's time to get ready for school.”

“Ugh, why did I ever think a twin brother would be a good idea.”

Nothing would have prepared me for the weight of Rhodes jumping onto me and squishing me. I don’t know when he managed to slip through the door when I’m sure I locked it last night.

“What was that? You like being annoyed by your baby brother?”

Rhodes launches straight into a tickle attack. A laugh is ripped straight from me as he keeps me pinned to the bed. His attack is relentless. I feel like I can’t breathe. No amount of kicking around and pleas to stop make him quit.

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