Lacey

Chapter 33 - Matt

I couldn't believe it when Lacey had texted me last night, asking for my assistance. I loved that she was starting to trust me and thought of me as someone she could count on. The text had me preening like a peacock, to be honest. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face. I was not too fond of the fact that something terrible had happened to her to contact me in the first place, however. Life had been undeniably cruel to her, but Lacey had rolled with the punches, never giving up. I loved the fire within her and how she took every blow within her stride. Her fierce little shoulders back and chin held high. Lacey reminded me of an adorable little kitten, one with sharp as fuck claws if you pushed her too far. I loved that about her.

The second she sat down beside me in maths class all those weeks ago, my heart stopped beating for a fraction of a second. All the air was stolen from my lungs when I caught a glimpse of her emerald green eyes and long, sleek raven hair. She was stunning. A real-life brat doll with an alluring aura surrounding her that had immediately drew me in. I knew at that moment that no past woman could hold a candle to her. That no other woman would be able to make me feel like Lacey had. And holy fuck, she had only sat beside me for fucks sake, and I already wanted to declare my love for her and get down on one knee. I couldn't help the smug smile on my face when Lacey had squirmed her way out of Lawson's arms in class that morning and made her way to the empty seat beside me.

On instinct, my arm had automatically curled around the back of her chair, my hand finding the silky-smooth strands of her hair making me groan and shift uncomfortably in my seat as my cock hardened painfully behind the zipper of my jeans. Smirking at West was, in hindsight, a dick move. I saw how he and his friends had all behaved in her presence in the parking lot this morning. They were all vying for her attention. That was until Lawson picked her up, slung her over his shoulder and strode off with a struggling Lacey into the school.

But still, I wouldn't regret the look I had given him. It felt good to poke the beast when Lacey had chosen to sit beside me and not them. It had been worth the beating Lawson had given me outside of the classroom. If I doubted their intentions for pursuing Lacey, it had been squashed right, then and there. Lawson had warned me to stay the fuck away from his fluffy bunny and that she would be his wife by the end of the year. I nearly choked on a laugh which only served to piss Lawson off even more. He was dead serious and had already staked a claim on the poor, unsuspecting girl. I didn't give up, in any case. No, I wasn't about to let them scare me off when Lacey had firmly wedged herself into a small piece of my heart. One that was growing slowly, consuming my heart and soul with fervour.

Spending the first few hours of the road trip trying to watch the road and study Lacey as she softly snored in my passenger seat had been a trial. I wanted nothing more than to pull the car over, so I didn't have to take my eyes off her every few seconds. She looked like an angel as she slept, so peaceful and beautiful. Truly carefree. When she had woken up, we spent the remainder of the drive talking about anything and everything. I was overjoyed when she had swiftly accepted my invitation to come over to my house when she returned from Bales. It hurt to find out that she had never had a pet growing up. I couldn't imagine life without my partner in crime, Frenchie. He was not just a dog, he was family, and I knew she would love him just as much as I did. The thought made my heart happy.

I hadn't pressed Lacey about what she was doing in Bales or who she would be staying with while there, so I was surprised when the GPS had me pulling up outside of a rundown junkyard where she was met by an imposing guy wearing ripped jeans, a wife-beater and covered in grease. He looked like a gang member, covered in tattoos. But as soon as he had seen Lacey, his face lit up like a Christmas tree, morphing quickly from a heavy scowl to fierce love? Yes, I was sure this guy loved Lacey and judging by the tattoo above his brow with her name written in cursive, she meant a lot to him. Was this Dane? The guy she had once mentioned as being her best friend, the one she had grown up with? I couldn't help the jealousy that coursed through my veins, but I swiftly shut down the deep feelings. I had no claim to Lacey and knew he would never hurt a hair on her head. If Lacey had to run to this man to help her in the present, I would have to make sure I was there for her when she returned. I felt my chest swell when she openly embraced me in his presence. To his credit, his smile didn't slip. He was genuinely happy Lacey was here and wasn't jealous of her attention to me. The guy set the bar high for every man in her life, that was for sure. I was gutted when it was time to leave. Lacey's offer to stay the night had been tempting. I had almost agreed to spend more time with her but knew I had to get home and finish what needed to be done as soon as possible. Turning Lacey's phone on when I got home had me smiling like a loon at the thought of Ryder and co going crazy when her location pinged, and she wasn't at school. The idea had crossed my mind that I might be bringing the war to my doorstep, but I couldn't give a fuck right now. The thought of pissing them off after everything they had done to Lacey made it worth it.