Shift OR Drift

Killian

I avoid the question and stuff Amberly in my car. My groin still throbs from the way she danced on me in the middle of the floor. My mind still spins about how she wanted me to take her even if it was in a room full of people. The whole drive to Amberly's house was quiet agony. Neither of us talks. She must have taken the hint of not wanting to talk to her about my father because when I did not answer her, she did not ask again. She rests her head in the palm of her hand, her elbow propped up on the door of the car and she stares out at the signs and lights as they pass by the window. We left Lexy back at my father's club but AJ reassured me several times, he found her and is taking her back to our place. I look at the two-piece outfit Amberly has on and place my hand on her bare thigh. A sensational burn scratches beneath my fingertips.

There I was convincing myself to stay away from her and even convinced my father the same and yet here I am driving her home and unable to resist the touch of her skin against mine. It has nearly been a month since I met the small brunette. A month where my brain has not stopped thinking about her green eyes, sassy tongue, and the way we first met. Nothing has crossed my mind since. No one has crossed my mind since. Everything seems out of place when she is not around. Part of me thinks she likes to avoid me and play this little game of 'catch me if you can' yet, my control is slipping more and more as I am around her and the fear of scaring her with the beast who hides deep within my soul is the only reason, I have not shattered into a million tiny pieces. It tried to claw its way through while we were dancing. Had my father not interrupted and one more soft moan escaped her lips, I would have taken her right then and there on the dance floor in front of all of the men who raked her body with their eyes. Not giving a care in the world who watched as I made my unmistakable claim. But no, of course not because, the once in a blue moon my father does come to town, he manages to ruin those perfect little moments. His timing is impeccable.

Thanks to Lexy texting AJ who forwarded the messages to me, it was easy to figure out exactly which club they were in. It was a club I spent a lot of time in before my father moved me. He hates to make appearances in the club but, I should have known when I told him to go back to New Jersey he would refuse. He views our disagreements, arguments, or tiffs as unfinished business, and as a businessman, nothing is left unfinished, or at least that is what he thinks. I think our business is concluded and he can fuck right out of my life. He never cared before. Not about the woman I brought home. Not about sticking around. Nothing. All he cared about was when mother was coming home and how his businesses were holding up. He does not even like owning the Darkside Dungeon, the only reason he does is because it is an easy place to conduct his true business. He has never told me the direct dark trades he has a place in, but I am sure there are a few accurate guesses I could make.

Amberly's light breaths tell me she is dead asleep on her side of the car. Thank you, alcohol. At least it is good for something; sleep. Now, she cannot harp on me about my father anymore. Those would have been even more complicated to avoid especially since her tongue seems to be quite loose under the influence. Although, everything she called my father was accurate. Maybe not the idiotic part but, the rest were spot on. I know she could feel the tension rising between us when she grabbed my hand. Enough of it was in there, she willingly reached for me and asked me to take her home. Throwing me for a complete loop as that was not the Amberly I was used to seeing nor is drunk Amberly. Drunk Amberly is fun. Makes me wonder how exactly she will react in the morning. I am sure there will be more father questions followed by the "how did you know where I was" question. I am not looking forward to basically explaining that her best friend sold her out. There is a good chance I could get away with a lie but, I have enough secrets I am keeping from her, I do not want to add any more. Besides, she is cute when she is frustrated.

Lightly shutting my car door, I open Amberly's side and catch her before she falls out of the vehicle, I pick her up bridal style and close the door behind us with my foot. Leave it to me to try and act like a gentleman even though everyone knows I am far from it. I carry Amberly into the house and walk up to her bedroom. She stirs a little but remains sound asleep. I manage to carry her up the stairs and into her room, placing her on the bed. Sitting at the end of the bed, I grab her leg propping it up on my thigh, and slowly untie the rather complicated straps to her shoes and pull them off one by one. Despite my best efforts to not snoop, I begin opening drawers looking for some form of night clothes to put on her. She may freak out in the morning but, undergarments compared to the swimsuit she was wearing the other night, is nothing.

Jackpot. I pull out some gray sweats and a t-shirt from her closet, I pull her tight skirt down her thighs and fight every fiber to my dark side to not lose control. I slip on the sweats as fast as I can, trying not to jolt her around too much or she will wake up. She stirs a little and flips onto her stomach leaving the tie to her top accessible. I pull the strings and release her breasts. Facing her back to me, I prop her up and slide on the sweatshirt being careful enough not to graze her breast. Fuck. This is complicated. Laying her back down and covering her with the blankets, I go to leave.

"You're a good man Killian. You just don't want others to see it," her exhausted voice echoes through the room, "stay with me," she falters to a whisper as her light breaths and sleep pull her under again. Without hesitation, I slip under the covers with her on her double-sized bed and struggle not to fall off. Note to self: Get her a bigger bed. The note passes through my mind. Her light breaths echo around the room as silence falls between us. She wraps her arms around my torso and lays her head on my chest as my fingers comb through her messy hair diligently working to not get caught in any of the snarls. My breathing steadies to match hers and sleep grabs onto me and takes me under with the warmth of her touch.