Billy won't leave my side. He also won't outright ask me what happened tonight, and I think I should be grateful for that.
And I would be if it wasn't grating my nerves down to little nubs. I know we'll have to talk about it no matter how much I don't want to, and I know I'll probably get in huge trouble with the cops when they figure out that I killed Mark. Drawing out the inevitable will only torture me more than the consequences themselves.
After I shower, he helps me change into clean clothes. My clothes from earlier disappeared from the bathroom floor, and I can only assume I have him to thank for that. He quickly steered me down the hallway before I got a good look at my bedroom, but I saw enough to know that he shut the door at some point during my shower. We end up on the couch, my legs draped over his, before he puts on the first animated movie he can find and snuggles in closer. His strong arms encircle me in a hug that only he can give. I hadn't realized how much I missed his presence until sitting with him this way. It reminds me of the hours we spent on Ray's couch bantering, him pressing my buttons and me, pretending that I hated every second of it. Yet at this moment, I couldn't be more grateful for the brute of a man who is certifiably off his rocker. His strength during this is making me feel stronger, too. Like I didn't just destroy my entire life in a split-second decision. He makes me feel like this isn't the end for me, and that's more than I'm capable of doing for myself.
One movie rolled into another, and somewhere along the way, I dozed off on Billy's shoulder. When I wake, there is a different movie playing, and the morning sunlight is peeking through the gaps between the curtains. I inhale a deep breath and feel Billy move underneath me. "Good morning, little Doe. You woke up just in time for breakfast." I lift my head and look at him quizzically. I know I must look like I've recently taken a nap because his eyes run over my features before a small, heart-stopping smile tips his lips. One of his hands comes up to rest on my cheek, and I feel his thumb brush lightly over my cheekbone. My eyes fall to his lips, the ones I haven't kissed since the day I left him behind. They're full and begging to be bitten or ridden, I can't decide. His smile burns brighter as I watch him, and thankfully, he has less self-control than I do. Our lips crash together in a lusty haze of need, like two lovers who were forced apart.
The only differences being that we were never lovers and I was the one who left him. The past and future seem to melt away the longer our lips stay locked together, fighting for dominance, and my horny mind can't seem to remember why I left him in the first place.
He deepens the kiss as his hand slides from my cheek to thread his fingers in my hair, and I give in to him almost immediately, letting him take control of the kiss the same way he's controlled every other that we've had in the past. I missed the feeling of being so wrapped up in him that I'm unable to think about anything else. I've missed him. He tugs on the strands at the nape of my neck and I moan, giving him further access to my mouth. His tongue in exploring mine when there's a sharp rapping on the door. I startle and try to climb out of his lap, but his hands find my hips before holding me in place. "It's okay, Doe. I called in a surprise for your birthday, but first and most importantly, you need to eat." He picks me up before settling me back down on the couch gently, then he stands and strides over to the front door like he owns the place. "You ordered food delivery?" His smirk makes my heartrate jump into hyperspeed. "Something like that."
The second he turns the doorknob, I hear them and jump out of my seat so I can race across the living room to the entryway, as fast as my hobble-run will take me, at least. "There's our birthday girl!" Lee's toned arms snake around my waist, and he lifts me off the ground before spinning me around. "Hey, no hogging, man. I've missed you 'round the house, darlin'. Things have been very boring since you moved out." Ray plucks me out of Lee's arms like a ragdoll before giving me a giant bear hug. I have to catch my breath for a second before I look up at him, unable to hide my broad smile. "I missed you guys, too."
A flash of blue is all I see in my peripheral before I'm lifted by my waist and spun around a few more times. "Miss me?" I'm shaking with laughter by the time my feet touch the floor, and I immediately spin around to find Rome beaming down at me.
"I guess I'll carry all of the food in by myself, guys. No worries!" I turn to see Antoine lugging what looks to be at least five plastic sacks full of takeout containers. "What is it with this state and their love of breakfast foods? Town this small, I assumed there'd be one diner. We passed four on the drive over from the one we actually ordered from. What the hell's that about?" As I hurry over to help him I feel a strong arm wrap around my waist and pull me against a hard chest that I know all too well. His deep voice reverberates through my body as he mutters against my ear. "He wasn't meaning you should help him, Doe. He's talking to the rest of these asshats." But none of them do help him. I watch as he stumbles into the living room before dumping the bags down on the coffee table and turning back to me, dimples showing. "How are ya, Dorothy?" I give him a weak smile in return, because I don't have the composure to honestly answer that question. I'm not good and this surprise is somehow making me sadder than I was before.
It's reminding me of everything I left behind. Everything I'll lose all over again when I go to prison for what I've done.
Billy seems to sense my discomfort, because he scoops me up into his arms and deposits me on the couch cushion next to him before digging through the food containers until he finds whatever he's after. He hands me a white styrofoam container full of pancakes and I don't look up from my food until there's none left. By that time, the guys are all sitting around the room looking at Billy and I. My eyes scan them a few times over before anyone breaks the silence, and it's Billy.
"You don't have to tell us anything you don't want to, baby, but I want you to know that you can trust us. We're gonna clean this mess up and nobody will ever be the wiser." I feel the blood draining from my face as he speaks, no doubt making my fair skin even paler than usual. "What do you mean you'll clean it up? I killed him, Billy! I think his parents will notice when they never see their son again!" I'm practically yelling at him by the end, but I don't care in the slightest. I'm afraid.
"Doe, you know what I do for a living. A clean up this size'll be nothing compared to what we do. Please, let us handle it. We can help." His dark eyes are pleading and hesitant, like he's afraid I'll deny him. I scan the faces around the room to gauge their reactions to the conversation they're hearing, but they are all stoic and unmoving. I turn back to the man next to me and my voice comes out in a whisper. "I couldn't live with myself if you got into trouble for something I did." His eyes soften at that and I watch the creases in his face smoothen out as he visibly relaxes. He entwines our fingers together before leaning down to meet my eye line. "I can't tell you how much that means to me, Doe, but the only trouble I'm gettin' into is the fun kind." His smile is lighthearted, like he's doing his best to alleviate the weight of the situation. I hate him for it, rage bubbling low in my gut, because it's sort of working. For the first time since I killed Mark I start wondering what my life would be like if I let the guys handle this for me.
I don't even want to know what handling it entails, but the idea of a life after this seems impossible and too utterly enticing to pass up. I don't want to involve the police and I certainly don't want to end up in jail or worse because I defended myself. I can feel the warm tears making trails down my cheeks before I even realize I'm crying. I'm terrified, unable to hide my visible shaking any longer, when I finally nod my head.
YOU ARE READING
Stalking the Dancer || 18+
RomanceONGOING /// She's an injured dancer trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered career. He's a broken man with an addictive personality. Like oil and water, they don't mix well. When watching isn't enough, he gets much more than he bargained for...
