Page 29 of Drowning

No longer able to bear the weight of these thoughts, I get up from the table and walk out of the kitchen, stepping onto the back porch and into the hot sun.

My head is spinning with all the confusion and fear that’s been gripping me since my parents died. But I'm determined to let go of the pain that I've held for so long.

First, I need to figure out how, though.

Outside, the fresh air hits my skin and the sun warms my face, a wave of peace washing over me as the ocean waves wash against the shore. Maybe taking a bike ride with Seven wouldn’t be such a bad idea after all. It’s my escape, my way of feeling free—even if just for a little while.

And he is too.

But deep down, I know it won’t be easy. The secrets, the danger, and the forbidden allure of men like Kane, Seven, and the others have too tight a grip on me. And knowing that as much as I crave the serenity and the light, the darkness will always have a fucking suffocating hold on me.

But I refuse to let it consume me any longer.

The warm wind rushes through my hair as it blows, and as I gaze at the calm ocean and the slow, rippling water, I smile, thinking about one thing in particular. My bike is calling out tome, and I already know that Seven's soothing presence might bring some peace to my racing mind, and a ride along the coast will bring some clarity to my scattered thoughts.

Right?

sixteen

Riding the Bike & the Biker

S e v e n

While listening to Eli and Emerson talk downstairs, I stand at the top of the hall, rolling my morning blunt. Hearing how broken Emerson is and how worried her brother is crushes me on the inside, but I know they can both overcome it.

I roll the weed into the wrap, lick the edge, and fold it over, making it nice and tight. I tuck the blunt behind my ear and quietly descend the stairs, barely missing Eli on the way in.

Like every other morning, I make a cup of coffee and take it out to the back porch, where Emerson is hunched over the railing, staring at the ocean below. My hungry eyes sweep over her juicy ass as I walk up behind her, stopping only feet away.

Clearing my throat and attempting not to startle her, I watch as she gradually stiffens her body and turns around, meeting my smiling face with a nervous grin.

"I figured you were sleeping." She bats her eyes and moves her head, beckoning me to come closer.

So I do.

"I was, but once the sun is up, so am I." Standing beside her, I playfully nudge her arm with mine, and she instantly relaxes in my presence.

I slide the blunt out from behind my ear, light it, and take a rip, holding the smoke in my lungs while she watches. As she goes to speak, I grab her chin between my thumb and pointer finger and press my lips against hers, blowing the thick smoke out of my lungs and deep into hers.

Then she kisses me, wielding her tongue as a weapon with each lash, brush, and stroke she makes against mine.

The fire between us grows brighter and hotter with every passing moment, and I feel a deep, stirring passion rising within me. We pull away, breathless, and I look into her eyes, noticing the turmoil and sadness that still linger. I know I can't fix everything for her, but in this moment, I want to give her some respite from the storm.

"So, how did your night with Kane go?" I ask in a deep tone, watching my words make her body shudder.

"It was... interesting. I had fun," she chuckles, giving me a knowing look that answers every single question I was going to ask her.

"Good, then today you're all mine, aren't you, Princess?" I take another hit off the blunt and expel the smoke into the air, the sun blinding my vision.

"I was going to ask if you wanted to join me on a ride anyway." She takes the blunt from me and hits it, my gaze drawn to her lips and how they seal around the wrap.

"Are you talking about a ride on the bike or the biker?" I wink, inching closer until our chests touch, longing to reach out and hold her.

"Both." She smirks, handing the blunt back to me, taking it upon herself to give me a shotgun this time.

She grabs the back of my neck and pulls my head down, our lips touching as she blows smoke from her mouth into mine. She slips her hand underneath my shirt and runs her nails down my stomach, sensually tracing over my muscles. I groan into her mouth, refusing to pull away until I have tasted as much of her as possible.

But we both know that we have to get ready for the day, as much as we'd rather stay in this moment forever. Pulling away from her, I take a deep breath and smile. "Let's go for a ride then, Princess. I'm all yours today."