Lastly (L.T.)

Chapter 18

His lips were feverish hot and they obliterated every thought in my brain so all that was left was him. He led the kiss slowly at first, but it began to get more heated as soon as I threaded my fingers into his hair, pulling it at the back of his head so that he grunted against my mouth. His hands went to my sides where he pulled my hips against his, his thumbs digging hard into the skin above my hip bone.

His tongue slipped into my mouth so I could taste him. Whiskey and cigarettes and something sweet molded into a flavor that I could only describe as him. Our bodies were pressed together so that heat from his bare torso flooded through the thin material of my tank top. The air around us was thick and hot, and I could feel his sweaty forehead brush against mine. Every angle of him was pressed up against me and he felt amazing. I let him lead without a second thought, my body turning to putty under his hands.

We both pulled back at the same time, inhaling thickly. His icy eyes darted between mine, waiting for me to say something, but I had no words. I didn't know if he was drunk or what he meant by it or how I felt. All I knew was how he made me feel.

I knotted my hands tighter in his hair and pulled him back to me. He gasped against my mouth, kissing me harsher, and running his hands up my body to my back so that I sighed uncontrollably against his mouth.

We pulled back for a second time after several minutes, panting lightly. Neither of us said a word as he let me go and I detangled my hands from his hair. I didn't know what to say and I didn't think he did either. I felt a strange twinge of sadness as soon as the heat from him vanished, leaving me feeling cold, even though he was right in front of me.

We headed back to the cavern without another word. The constant electricity between us had dampened slightly but was still present. I knew he was smart and liked to be in control of things, hell I did too, but I knew I hadn't planned for anything like this, and I could easily tell that he hadn't either. The chemistry between us was an anomaly, and I had no idea why I was so drawn to him. I had never had a real relationship or a real family. My parents were long dead, I had been in foster care until I was 13; at which point I had run away from a particularly bad home and joined the gang where I had met Andrea and Dallas and Jay had taken us under his wing. I had never had feelings for anyone. I didn't know if I had feelings for Louis, but I did know he had more control over my decisions than one single person had ever had in my life.

The cavern was loud and bright, compared to the tunnel we had just been in, and as soon as we entered, Louis's wild eyes were dancing across the room looking for Harry, Liam, and Niall.

"I have some plans to go over with you." Louis said professionally as he searched, without meeting my eyes.

"Okay," I responded, the awkwardness building until Niall stepped out from between two burly men, holding Louis's jacket.

"Oi! Where have the two of you been?" He shouted, gesturing at Louis and I to follow him, and tossing Louis his jacket, which he slipped on.

Louis led the way after Niall, as we followed him through the crowd. Liam and Harry were waiting by one of the tunnels on the opposite side of the cavern. Two men were fighting in the center, though most people didn't seem to be interested in the fighting anymore now that Louis was gone. The air was thick with the smell of weed and alcohol, and it reminded me of my own gang headquarters.

"We should head back to the club to talk." Harry said darkly over the hubbub as soon as we approached, running his fingers back through his thick curls.

"We'll need to change," Liam added as he turned, heading back through the tunnels.

I could find my way to the cavern from the grate above that I had taken by myself, but the routes that the boys took through these tunnels were impossible to track. We followed Liam through the tunnels and I was able to remember two rights and a left before I was completely lost, relying on the four boys to lead me out of this labyrinth.

They seemed much quieter now then they had before. Liam and Niall were no longer joking around and they all looked lost in their own thoughts. After a few minutes of walking, we arrived at a metal pronged ladder up the side of the tunnel wall that led up to a metal trapdoor, different than either of the two entryways I had seen before. Our headquarters had plenty of entryways and it was just in a building; this place was a maze. There was no telling how many ways there were in and out of here.

Liam went up first, swinging the trapdoor open with a screech and clambering out. Harry and Niall followed him, and Louis gestured for me to go before him.

"Thanks." I muttered, reaching for the ladder and placing my feet on the bottom rung. It was slicker than I expected, and I gasped as I almost slipped, but a pair of scalding hands reached out to my hips to steady me as I placed my foot on the next rung. He let me go as soon as I steadied, but I couldn't help feeling like his palms had just burned my skin through my leggings.

I was able to climb the rest of the ladder with no problem, doing my best not to glance down at Louis as he followed me up. I clambered out of the tunnel and into the room above, and my mouth dropped open.

We were in the club, or at least, a room that looked quite a bit like the club in color. There was no bar or dancer stage or tables, except for one in the center of the room. Instead, it was a square room and every wall was covered in small vaults labeled by number; by the size of the room, there must have been thousands. Where were we?