Page 18 of Resurrecting the Enemy
The Reed Family was like fire. They were beautiful, intriguing, and fascinating to look at. But anyone with any kind of common sense knew that you stayed away from fire. You admired it from afar. You didn’t go near it. You stayed away from it because, while it was entrancing, it was also unpredictable. And that beauty could turn into an unimaginable force of destruction in a blink of an eye.
That was the Reed Family. And Ramsey Reed Jr. was every bit the destructive fire that could and would burn you to ashes if you crossed him.
No fucking thanks.
Only, how did I get rid of him?
I could admit I wasn’t sure how much longer l could fight the good fight. I was stupid beyond stupid to be attracted to him, but I hadn’t been too worried about it when I thought this had all been an intimidation tactic regarding Sunday night. But now that he’s made his intentions clear, I honestly wasn’t sure I was strong enough to keep saying no to him. If ever there was a guy to lose your virginity to, Ramsey Reed would probably turn reality into a steamy romance novel. Ramsey was the type of guy who made you believe those sex scenes in movies like 365 Days and Fifty Shades of Grey were real. But at the cost of my soul? Hell to the no.
As much as it annoyed me that he’d text me, I still had to call Eden. While I had texted Ramsey that everything was fine, I hadn’t called Eden yet. I was biding my time, trying to figure out what to tell her when I wasn’t even sure what was going on, but I knew my time was up.
She answered on the first ring, and I felt like crap. Eden had been waiting by the phone, and I had been hiding out like a coward.
“Oh, thank God,” she exhaled dramatically, and I chuckled. “I thought I was going to have to gather the villagers and storm the castle.”
“Watching Game of Thrones again?”
Eden snorted. “Tell me my analogy is wrong?” she challenged.
“It’s not,” I admitted dryly. “He is a prince, after all.”
“The crown prince,” she corrected.
“The crown prince,” I agreed.
“So,” she said, her voice serious, “are you going to tell me what’s going on?”
“I’m not sure I know,” I replied. “But I can tell you what’s happened.”
“Hit me with it,” she said, and I could totally see her straightening her back and shoulders and preparing herself for what was to come. Eden was loyal like that.
“Soooooooooooo…” I went on to tell her everything that’s happened from Sunday night until when Ramsey had dropped me off earlier. I left out witnessing Ramsey beating up Ashton Childress, and the only reason I had known it was Ashton Childress was because rumors had spread like wildfire that he was in the hospital because he’d been ‘mugged’. Apparently, Ramsey had beaten him so badly, the story had been easily believed. No one could believe that just one person could have done that much damage, but I guess not many people have been on the receiving end of Ramsey Reed Jr.’s angry hands.
I told her about the photos. I told her about his claims. I told her about the threats. And I even told her about how I found myself attracted to him.
Her reaction was no less than I had expected. “Holy crap, Lake,” she whispered, stunned.
“Yep,” I agreed. “Holy crap.”
“What…what are you going to do?”
Now, there was a question. One I’ve been asking myself since Sunday night. All I wanted to do was live a normal life and get lost in my photography. I wanted to get through high school, graduate, and get into a photography program, even if it wasn’t college. While my parents had saved for college, I still applied for scholarships and knew I’d have to work while going to school if college was what I chose.
And that was another thing, who in their right mind got into a serious relationship their senior year of school? That made no sense. Lives were going to change after graduation and long-distant relationships were very rarely successful. So, did that mean Ramsey just wanted a casual hookup? Was he just looking for something challenging, yet temporary? And like hell I would ask him. I didn’t need him knowing I was tempted. Talk about giving your enemy the edge.
“Stay away from him?” I suggested because I didn’t have a plan.
Eden snorted. “Yeah, I can see how well that’s working for you.”
“What can I do, Eden?” I asked. “Call the cops? File a restraining order? Never mind Ramsey Jr., could you imagine what that family would do to me if I went after their precious son? We’d have to leave the country.”
Eden let out sad sigh. “I want to accuse you of over-exaggerating, but I don’t think you are,” she said. “Rumor has it that his father would light a match in a heartbeat if his mother asked him to burn the entire world down. And if you went after her baby boy, I could see Momma Reed not taking too kindly to that.”
Of course, we didn’t know any of them personally, and this was just all rumor, but why gamble with that kind of power. Sure, they could be lovely people, but something told me you didn’t get the reputations they had because you were lovely.
“Maybe he just sees me as a challenge,” I reasoned. “Maybe if I…I don’t know. Maybe if I just sleep with him, he’ll let me be.”
Eden laughed. “Are you sure that’s a sound plan, or is that just your hormones talking?”
