Page 13 of Ride or Die (The Shores #1)

CHAPTER

THIRTEEN

PERFECT

COLTON

When I turn back around, she is running down the street. I put my hands on my head, huffing out an aggravated breath as I stare after her.

Fuck. I shouldn’t have left it like that. How did I manage to fuck this up?

Of course she’d be sensitive and question everything if she overheard people gossiping like that, and I had to be a little bitch and make it about me.

She was into the idea of us until she came here and heard those lies.

I felt it in the way her body melted into mine, the way she kissed me so affectionately, her little moans…

Anger takes over me as I march back to the garage. Axel looks happy to see me, but his expression quickly changes to concern when he sees how angry I am.

I go to the speaker and shut off the music, getting everyone’s attention.

Then, in a fit of rage, I let out a roar and swipe all the bottles and cans off the workbench onto the floor, startling everyone.

Breathing heavily, I look around the crowded garage, hate coursing through my veins for these people. Fake fucking friends.

“First off, fuck all of you, especially you skanks!” I scream, pointing at the girls in the corner who look between each other, puzzled.

“How fucking dare you come into my house, use me for all the perks, to then turn around and talk shit about her? That’s my girl, and she left over some jealous bullshit lies!

If any of you want to continue coming around here, you better fucking learn to start respecting her! ” I boom.

Axel puts his hand on my shoulder. “Colt...it’s just a girl. A loser good girl, nonetheless,” he says, but I slap his hand away. I don’t care if I look like I’m acting out of character. Knowing they made her feel that way makes me see red, and I couldn’t give a shit how it makes me look.

“Fuck you! Don’t any of you ever call her that again!

And she’s not just a girl, she’s mine . Just a girl?

Go fuck yourself.” I glare at Axel, then direct my anger at everyone else.

“Get off my fucking property! All of you!” I scream.

They all look around, confused. Unsure if I’m serious. But the way these fucks treated Layla?

Nah, I won’t have it.

“NOW!” I slam my fists on the workbench. The girls jump, and the guys put down their drinks and start filing out onto the street. Axel stands there staring at me, shaking his head in disbelief before he follows suit. Good, because I'd have no trouble smashing his face in at the moment.

I’m so mad. I finally got the balls to talk to her, got her to open up to me, to see me for the person I truly am, and it all got fucked up because of these pathetic people I don’t even care about and their gossiping, bullshit lies. Because of some skanks, jealous I didn’t pick them to be my girl.

I understand why coming here is hard for someone like Layla.

She’s introverted and shy. She’s not exposed to this shit for a reason.

It’s toxic. All of it. Everyone here wants money and popularity.

I know I can’t say shit because when it comes to this crowd, I run things.

But trying to introduce Layla to this world will be a challenge.

As much as I want to leave this lifestyle, there is a way I have to go about it with Williams, so if she is going to be with me, she will have to accept me and this scene for a while longer, and I don’t know if she will.

Especially after tonight. That’s just another big X in the negative column for me. Fuck sakes.

I pull out my phone and send her a message.

Colt: Layla, talk to me. It’s just you and me again.

I put it back in my pocket, knowing she likely won’t respond to me. She’s probably convinced herself this is never going to happen. That it shouldn’t happen.

Frustration with myself and the situation builds as I desperately try to figure out how to fix what I let happen.

My fingers grip the edge of the workbench until my knuckles turn white, my breathing heavy as my mind spirals.

Just when I feel like I might crack under the weight of losing her, my phone buzzes unexpectedly in my pocket.

I sigh, knowing it’s probably Williams looking to send me out for a lift, which I am not in the fucking mood for.

I contemplate ignoring the message, but think better of it, pulling my phone from my back pocket again.

When the screen lights up, my heart stutters, pleasantly surprised to see it is from Layla.

Layla: I’m sorry I ran Colt. I really like you too. You are good enough. I just don’t know how to be around the people you hang out with. They made me question everything you’ve told me. I’m scared. I don’t know how to do this. Come over if you want to talk.

Her response isn’t exactly promising, but it's better than nothing. At least she still wants to talk to me. After a lifetime of dealing with assholes, she probably feels vulnerable and scared. And it kills me that I didn’t stop that shit when it was happening to her.

As much as ignoring her growing up was me protecting her, it was also because of the dumbass image I tried to maintain.

So now it’s my job to make her feel safe and build her back up. Show her how strong and beautiful she really is.

She didn’t run tonight because of me; she ran because of them.

I'm about to respond when a better idea comes to mind, so I grab my jacket and start walking to the corner store. Once I get there, it doesn’t take long to grab what I need and head back.

Halfway there, spatters of rain begin falling. I groan, annoyed. The one time I don’t drive and of course it starts to pour. Like a cliche, I find myself standing outside Layla’s bedroom window, sending her a text in a downpour.

Colt: I'm outside.

A few seconds later, her curtains pull back and her beautiful face looks out the window. I watch her struggle to find me in the darkness, so I send her another message.

Colt: I brought dessert for our date, as promised.

She opens the window, and her eyes finally find me, two small tubs of H?agen Dazs ice cream held up for her to see. Her smile is so wide I can see it from the sidewalk.

“Go to the door. I’ll let you in!” she yells down, and my heart skips a beat. I had a moment tonight, thinking this had all been fucked up, but maybe my little attempt at redemption will go over better than anticipated.

I run over to the door and wait for her to unlock it.

“Jesus, Colt, get in here. It’s pouring out! What are you doing?” She steps aside to let me in the house.

My eyes are immediately drawn to her cute little pink pyjama bottoms and white tank top. She’s completely unaware she’s not wearing a bra, her hard nipples poking through the fabric. What I would give to put those in my mouth and…

Down boy.

“I walked to the store after I got your message. Didn’t take my car. Then, of course, it started to pour.” I shrug off my wet jacket.

“What about your party?” she asks.

“After what they did to you? I kicked them all out. Are your parents home?” I look around the dark house to see if anyone else is here. She watches me, biting her lip nervously.

“Nope, just another night of me being alone. Come to my room.” My eyebrows raise, surprised she’s willing to have me in her room again.

“A smart man brings a sad woman ice cream.” She winks, stopping by the kitchen to grab two spoons while I try to hide my grin.

I follow her up the stairs, and she closes and locks the door behind me.

Her room is neat and tidy, a salt lamp glowing in the corner.

Her double bed is only uncovered on one side, the impression of her body still there, and a book and glass of water sit on her side table.

Something about the sight warms my heart.

She's just so uniquely her, and I can’t believe other people can’t see how amazing she is.

“Oh my god, Colt, your clothes are drenched!″ she says, looking me up and down.

She quickly goes over to the closet and pulls out a space heater, turning it on and positioning the desk chair in front of it.

“I’m not trying to be forward, but take off that wet stuff and we’ll put it on the chair in front of the space heater to dry.” She turns around, grabbing something from the dresser and tossing it at me. “You can wear these.”

I hold up the oversized joggers and shirt, hesitating for a second when she takes a tub of ice cream and sits on her bed. Popping the lid, she digs in, watching me as I start undressing in front of her.

My shirt comes off first, exposing my defined chest and abs.

I watch her as she watches me, her eyes cascading down my body as she takes her time licking the spoonful of cookie dough ice cream.

I’m enjoying this a little too much, so I remove my pants as well, leaving myself in only my black boxer briefs.

Her eyes widen and she slowly licks her lips as she gazes at me standing here almost naked, sending chills down my spine.

No girl has ever been capable of doing what Layla does to me.

I put my stuff on the chair in front of the space heater before I start putting on the clothes she gave me. Just to tease her a bit, I throw on the pants but leave the shirt off. She opens the blankets on the other side and pats the bed, gesturing for me to join her.

My heart races. I’m about to get into bed with the girl I’ve had a crush on for ten years. She has no clue the power she holds over me.

I slide under the covers with her, pop open my tub, and take a spoonful. We sit there, silently indulging while I do everything I can to not get hard. I know she's anxious, so I want to give her time to find the words she wants to express without feeling pressured.

When we are done, she gets up and takes our tubs, placing them into the freezer of her mini fridge. Getting back into bed, she faces me, finally ready to speak.

“I’m sorry I ran, Colt,” she says with remorse. “I guess it’s hard to believe that someone like you could ever like a girl like me, especially with all those beautiful women surrounding you at all times. I’m a loner, so hearing them say all those things…I believed it and freaked out.”

I turn towards her, cupping her cheek. “You have nothing to apologize for. I'm the one who's sorry they did that to you. I shouldn’t have brought you there. They’re all pieces of shit who have no idea what’s going on between us.

They have nothing on you, Layla. You are the most perfect, gorgeous woman in the world to me,” I say quietly. Her mouth pulls into a small grin.

“I doubt that.” She rolls her eyes and looks away from me. Catching her chin, I gently turn her so she’s looking at me again, noticing the slow roll of her throat as she swallows.

“Stop doubting it. I wouldn’t be here. I’m an asshole, remember? If I didn’t give a shit about you, I wouldn’t waste my time with you. I can have any girl, I’ve had them, but it was always you in the back of my mind,” I confess.

Her cheeks turn pink, and everything in me wants to cover her face in kisses.

“I promise you, I like you. So damn much. I’ve been into you since I was fucking eleven years old.

It’s always been you. I remember at the ‘see something, say something’ assembly in grade seven, you wore your hair in French braids with your white daisy flower dress and a blue sweater.

I was so hung up on you that I even held onto our plate tectonic group project from geography class just because I worked with you.

I still have the fucking thing if you want me to prove it.

” I point my thumb over my shoulder, ready to go back to my house to get it.

She bites her lip and looks away from me.

My poor girl is so insecure because of the assholes around here that she thinks I’m too good for her when really, she’s too good for me.

She thinks there’s no possible way a guy like me could ever like a girl like her.

And it’s bullshit. She’s fucking perfect.

I lift her chin up so she’s looking at me again.

“I want you so bad it hurts. I want you to be my girlfriend. Together we'll put all those assholes in their place,” I say, tracing my thumb across her plump bottom lip and gently guiding her to me. Her eyes light up, and she willingly leans into me.

Our lips touch, and it’s like fireworks set off between us. Her fingers drag through my hair to the back of my head, pulling me even closer to deepen the kiss. I moan loudly. I've waited so long for moments like this one.

We slip down further onto the bed, kissing for a while before I finally grow the balls to let my hands start roaming her body. I’m trying to go slow with her. After waiting ten years for this, I just want to bury my dick in her this instant and destroy that pussy, marking her as mine.

But I’m not going to push her. I know she’s inexperienced, and I’m elated that I’m going to be her first and only everything.

My hand slides down her body to her hip. I rub circles there before I continue trailing towards her ass, pulling her against me and lightly squeezing. She moans into my mouth and rolls her hips into me.

Oh my fuck. Think of cars, think of cars, control your boy.

She slowly slips further beneath me on the bed, allowing me to completely hover over her and take control of her delicate body. My hand grazes across her breast and she arches her back, pushing herself into me. Breathless, she breaks our kiss and looks up at me with those beautiful doe eyes.

I’m enthralled by her. Always have been.

Her hands move to her waist and I watch as she removes her tank top, exposing her breasts to me. My eyes widen at the sight of the voluptuous tits before me.

I knew they’d be perfect.

“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to,” I whisper reassuringly, my hand cupping her neck, thumb circling on her skin.

“I want to feel you, Colt. I’ve waited too long to be touched by you.” Those words alone make my semi-hard cock twitch. I’m the first man and will be the only man to ever touch her this way.

Now that I’ve had a taste, I’m never letting her go.

I lean back down, taking her mouth with mine.

Devouring her as I massage her beautiful breasts.

She moans as she runs her hands down my chest and abs, making me twitch under the touch I’ve desperately wanted to feel for so long.

Thank god I didn’t put on that T-shirt. Her hands feel so good on my skin.

We break apart again and she’s just staring at me. I can’t quite decipher what’s going through her head as her hands continue tracing my torso. She bites her lip and looks down at my package, and I anxiously await what she’s going to say.

Her eyes flick up to mine.

“Colt, I want you to make me come.”