The Executioner

Chapter 20: Scarlett

It had been almost a week since the shooting and Scarlett was finally getting back to some semblance of normalcy. Elliott had explained to her that the club was working on figuring out what the next step was but being that it was club business he didn't go into much detail. He had also spent the first couple of days camped out on her couch which she felt terrible about. She'd had a nightmare or two that he had to talk her down from but they had subsided after a couple of days just like Elliott told her they would. He'd gotten her car fixed quickly which she was eternally grateful for. Although he had been great through all of this, she could tell that even though she was affected, Elliott seemed to be even more so. He had been acting strange, distant really, since he brought her home from the clubhouse the day of the shooting. So when Tack came over to check on her after Elliott had left for work, she decided to ask him about it. But the explanation she got wasn't one she was prepared for.

"Well sweet pea, he'd probably kill me if he knew I was telling you this. But Elliott lost someone important to him a little over three years ago. Her name was Katie. She was a doll and the boy was head over heels for her. They had been inseparable. She was killed in a car accident and Elliott was driving. I think, if I had to guess, he's starting to care about you and that's new for him. He's been a loner since Katie passed so I knew, when I saw the two of you together that something in him was different."

"That's why he told me I scared the hell out of him after the shooting." Scarlett's heart broke, she was beginning to think this heartache thing was her new norm. "That's why he was so mad."

"Yea sugar." Tack laid a hand on hers. "Just go easy on my boy. He's lost a lot in a short period of time. It wasn't long after Katie that his mom passed. He's been through a lot more than most boys his age."

"Thank you for telling me. It makes sense now."

Scarlett spent the rest of the day with Tack at the diner going over the books and meeting all the employees. LC had been smart with his purchase of the place, it had a damn good profit turnover and the food was outstanding. The cook, Marcus, had made her sample a few of their most popular dishes and even packed some up for her to take home which she appreciated. Who needs to cook when you half own a diner?
When she returned home Elliott's bike was sitting in the drive and he was propped up on the front steps smoking a cigarette. She waved goodbye to Tack and so did Elliott. As she approached she couldn't help but appreciate all the man that was Elliott. Leaning back his T-shirt clung to his muscular stomach and his arms flexed as he drew the cigarette to his mouth. He'd showered and his shoulder length hair was wet and slicked back behind his ears. She couldn't help but smile as she approached him.

"Good day? I see Marcus hooked you up" he motioned towards the bags of takeout boxes she carried in one hand.

"The food is outstanding. I've been here this long and hadn't really eaten at my own diner." She stopped in-front of him noticing his Adam's apple bob as he let his head roll to blow out smoke.

"He's one of a kind. So are you going to share?"

"Absolutely not" she joked twirling the bags behind her back with a chuckle.

"It's that so?" Just as the words left his mouth he lunged from the stairs and jumped at her, grabbing he waist and tickling her until she was struggling to keep the food upright and weasel away.

"Uncle! Uncle!" She giggled "I'll share! I'll share!" She looked up at him and realized his hands were still on her. The realization seemed to hit him at the same time and his eyes grew softer. She felt herself leaning into him until they were chest to chest and she could feel his heart beating against her. His hand left her waist and brushed her hair away from her forehead. His eyes said he was struggling and now she knew why. His hand came back to her waist and circled around to her back. She told herself she was going to let him make all the moves. Whatever he was ready for she would take. A moment later he began to lean down to her, touching his forehead to hers first. He'd done this a few times the last few days and she realized the war going on behind his eyes was obvious.

"You have a beautiful laugh." He said and she could feel his warm breath dancing against her lips. They were closer now, she found herself mentally struggling with her resolve to wait on him to make any moves. She moved her free hand to rest on his side. That wasn't a move right? She smirked at the thought. His lips turned up slightly before his hand left her waist once more to touch her chin, tilting her head back. His tongue darted out to wet his lips and she knew whatever battle he'd been fighting had ended. His lips crashed down on hers, taking her breath away. He drank from her as if he had been thirsting for days. This kiss, their second kiss, was different from the first. Not because she was sober but because it was all consuming. The world around them faded and she felt him. All of him. He was giving himself to her completely in that moment and no one else existed but the two of them. She was drunk on him instantly and felt her knees weaken. His arm tightened around her holding her to him as he devoured her lips then moved to her jaw line and finally settling in the curve of her neck, nipping and sucking his way down to her collar bone. The kiss only ended when a car horn had them jerking back to the present. Both of their heads snapped around to the large red truck sitting in the driveway. They had both been so distracted that they had missed it pulling in.

"Shit. I forgot." He smiled down at her. "I invited Zac and his girlfriend Myra over. I hope you don't mind." He winced comically like he thought she would object. It took effort for her to speak again.

"Of course not, I have plenty of food." She spoke softly as he released her and turned to make his way over to the truck.