The Best Bad Boy (Chapter Fifteen)

Author's Note: *From here forward what you will be reading will be both fact and fiction. While before only some details were slightly off most things were quite accurate. Unfortunately, alone, without a memory trigger, I cannot remember clearly the exact unfolding of events.

I held onto Lee memorizing the feel of his arms around me and drowned in the dark spicy scent of him. Eternity could pass and I would have been content to remain just like this.

A brown low riding car with a tan top pulled into the drive. Lee withdrew stepping forward protectively. He eyed the vehicle like a threat.

Chelle came out, the screen door banging behind her. Her eyes passed over Lee and for a moment her face brightened with some thought or emotion.

I glanced back to the car and noticed the knife in Lee's hand. To anyone else the small lip of metal that protruded from his palm would have been insignificant. Lee had naturally hidden the rest of the encasement beneath the sleeve of his jacket.

An older woman got out of the car and hands Chelle a package. "It's for your mother sweetie, don't open it."

Chelle gave the woman a hug while the woman exchanged a look with Lee, as though they know each other. In the driver's seat, a large man sat letting the car idle.

Lee didn't say anything to the woman and the woman didn't say anything to Lee.

The woman returned to the passenger seat and the car spit out dust reversing. Lee didn't relax until after the car was long gone.

"Who was that?" I asked.

Chelle approached holding the package which looks heavy. Lee doesn't offer to take it from her. He looks at it like it might bite.

"Oh, my aunt." Chelle hefted the package as it began to slip and Lee's hands went into his pockets.

Was he hiding something? Did he sleep with Chelle's aunt? I wanted to ask but whatever went on, it didn't seem like he wanted to talk about it.

Chelle carried the package inside.

"Stay away from those people," Lee whispered pulling me back into his arms.

I tilted my head back to raise an eyebrow at him. "What do you mean?"

Lee's arms fell, he stepped back and turned away as though afraid I wouldn't want him to touch me.

"They're friends with my mom. She's a cocaine dealer." He sighed looking back at me waiting for accusations and judgment.

The pain behind the mask of tough crumbled my heart. He expected me to reject him. Expected me to turn away.

I stepped forward to take his hand. "Oh." I didn't know what to say. I'd never even been around that world and couldn't fathom it.

His eyes dropped to my hand holding his. He stared for a long time. I began to grow uncomfortable and wondered if I should let go.

Then his eyes met mine before going to my lips. He wanted to kiss me. He wanted to consume me.

For a moment the air swirled around us as though binding our souls together. Another moment came. A memory of lifetimes before when we'd first held hands like this. Trees towering over us, a river playing with the sunlight and shadows and Lee's face broader then, was streaked with blood, in his other hand he held a sword that dripped red. A large creature the size of a bear but wolf-like lay dead.  Lee was Fenris then and he'd just saved my life.