Page 31 of Serena (Shattered Queens #1)
“Hi, pretty girl. We’ve been looking for you.” I’m groggy, but I need to stay awake. My phone, where is it? I need to call my Yuri; I need to call someone.
“Looking for this?” he says, waving my phone in his hand. “Come on, pretty girl, let’s have some fun.” He smells strange. What’s that smell?
“Please let me go?” I feel his arms grab me tight. I can feel the wetness on my cheeks from the tears. It’s so hard to move and stay awake. “Please let me go,” I beg.
I’m trying to get away, but I feel so weak. He’s too strong. “Please.” Someone is holding me tight, but I need to get away from him. I need to run away.
“Serena.” I hear someone call my name. “Serena.” I hear it again. Is that Ian? I open my eyes. “I-I-Ian?”
“Yes, Hermosa. You were having a nightmare. I’m right here.” His hands are on the side of my face. Forcing me to look at him. "Take a deep breath, baby.”
I do as I’m told. My eyes catch the crimson running down his arms, which have deep, red markings on them. “Did I do that to you?” My hands are clammy, and sweat is trickling down my forehead.
“Yes, but don’t worry about it. It was worth it. I was holding you.”
“You were holding me?”
“Yes, and I’ll do it again. You did scare the shit out of me.”
“I’m-I’m sorry.” I don’t know what else to say.
“Don’t be sorry.” He pauses. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“No.” Just the thought of talking about it makes me lose my breath.
“What can I do?”
“Can you lie down with me, but no cuddling?”
“I can do that.” His tone is so soft, but I see the worry on his face.
I want to tell him about my nightmares, but I’m too embarrassed.
What if he judges me or thinks I’m making things up?
Others have thought so. I lie in bed facing him; he caresses me without holding me close.
God, how fucked up am I? I don’t know when, but sleep overtakes me. This time, no nightmares.
The smell of pancakes wakes me up. I remember eating pizza at Ryan’s birthday party, but I’m starving.
I head into the bathroom and wince when I look in the mirror.
Damn, I look like shit. After a quick shower, I head to the kitchen.
Ian’s standing by the kitchen island, chopping up some fruit.
Is he wearing sweats? I watch him drink some of his coffee while trying to chop up a pineapple with my small kitchen knife. I can’t help but smile.
“Need any help?”
“Nope, if I can manage a pocketknife, I can manage this.” He laughs. I grab his coffee and take a sip. The man does have a sweet tooth.
“It smells delicious.”
“You were missing some ingredients, so I had Augustus pick up some things along with some clothes for me.”
“I’ll have to thank Gus for the groceries.”
“Don’t be a brat, sit down and eat.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good girl,” he praises, then leans in and kisses my neck. Such a simple act, but it leaves me wanting more. More of his touch and his praise.
“My girl has a praise kink. I wonder what else she’s hiding.” I don’t miss the double message behind that.
“None of that. Today is a lazy day,” he tells me as a matter of fact. I’m okay with that.
After yesterday, and all the sexual tension between us, I need to reset.
“Action movie marathon?” I suggest.
“Why am I not surprised?” he says with a laugh that helps ease the tension I’m feeling. I don’t know when, but I fall asleep on the couch again. When I wake up, Ian’s on his phone with a look of concern on his face.
“Is everything okay?”
“It will be. I have to go check on my mother. Would you like to join me?”
Meet his mother. I don’t even know what this is. That’s too much, too soon.
“Next time. One day at a time, remember?” He sighs, and I see his disappointment.
I can’t do this. “Ian, I think we should cancel the date and stop whatever this is.”
“No, but I’m glad you’re admitting that this is something. That’s progress.” He smirks.
“What the fuck does that mean?” I retort.
“There she is. Welcome back, baby.”
“You’re an asshole, you know that?”
“Yes, your asshole. It’s settled. You won’t meet my mother today, but you will meet her soon, and my sister as well. Although I’m nervous about the latter. Another thing, Hermosa, I want you to get comfortable with knives, and I’d like to help.”
That’s not what I expected. I know he’s right. He walks over to the kitchen island and grabs the pocketknife he gave me weeks ago. He hands it to me, and memories of how I touched myself with it come flooding back.
“Here, we’ll start slow.”
I take it from him, inspecting it closely. I hadn’t noticed the initials engraved on the handle. IKB. He takes it from me and demonstrates how to properly hold it. How to flip the blade. “You’re so comfortable with them.”
“Well, my grandfather was a collector. He taught me all about them and got me into collecting as well. When he passed away, I inherited his collection. My siblings never cared for the hobby. This is the first knife he gave me.”
I look down at the small weapon. Shocked. He gave me something that held so much meaning for him.
“Ian, why did you give it to me?”
“Stop asking questions you don’t want the answers to. Or truths you’re not ready to hear.” I don’t know what to say to that, so I focus my attention on the lesson he’s giving me. After a while, I manage to follow his lead.
“I hate to go—”
“Don’t worry, I’ll see you tomorrow at work,” I say, cutting him off. He doesn’t owe me an explanation.
“Ian, go see your mom. I’ll see you tomorrow at the office. And I promise not to put up a fight about Gus taking me to work.” He tilts his head, waiting for more.
“Can I ask about Saturday? The dress code? I’m horrible with surprises, so I may pester you with questions about it.”
He laughs, and it’s beautiful. His perfect smile with those dimples. If he doesn’t leave soon, I may not let him go without fucking me. He notices me starting. In his sexy as sin voice, he tells me, “Ask away, baby, but I’m a vault.” He gives me a kiss on the forehead and heads out.
Fuck. I need to talk to someone about Ian. Honestly, I’m surprised Theo hasn’t blown up the group chat or gotten to Yuri yet. I can’t remember the last time I went on an actual date without the assistance of a dating app or being set up. I need help.
Serena
Hey, can you talk?
Yuri
Of course. Finishing up a class. Call you in five.
I told Yuri that I needed help because I had a date coming up. That’s all it took, and she was at my front door within twenty minutes. She’s sitting down on my couch, basically bouncing with anticipation.
“So, who’s the lucky guy?” She is practically salivating for a name.
“You first have to promise not to start planning my wedding or anything extreme?”
“No, but tell me, I’m dying to know.”
Shit. Okay, here we go. “Ian Kayde.”
“What!” she screams. Then jumps and claps her hands. “Serena!”
She shrieks and throws herself at me, causing me to fall back onto the couch.
“I knew he was into you. That man was practically devouring you the night of the concert. I was drunk but not blind. Theo and I actually talked about it the day after. We knew it was a long shot though.”
“For me or him?” I ask.
“For him. You’re a catch.” She pauses. “Wait, isn’t he engaged?” The reminder of Mila sours the moment. “He explained that. Short story, no, he isn’t.” I can see her concern; my best friend is very protective of me, as I am of her.
“Okay, tell me everything.” And I do, of course, leaving out some details.
“He seems obsessed with you. I mean, it can be hot, but also intense. Are you ready for that?” She voices one of my fears. What if this is just a temporary, heat-of-the-moment thing?
“That’s why I’m trying to keep him at arm’s length. Tengo miedo,” I tell her.
“Being scared is only going to hold you back. If you want to see where this goes, you need to let him in. Not all at once, one inch at a time.” She hugs me and then pulls back. “If he hurts you, we can use the knife he gave you to chop off his dick. Now, let's go shopping.”
Yuri and I head to her favorite boutique, with Gus driving us.
This girl knows me because as soon as we arrive, her usual stylist is waiting with a couple of selections.
Since I have no idea what the date entails, I stick to a sexy, curve-hugging pair of jeans and a black lace top that accentuates my breasts.
“I’d do you in a heartbeat,” Yuri says.
“Good to know I have options.” I wink. Although I think Ian would have an issue with that. But I don’t tell her. I don’t want to take his threats seriously, but my gut tells me the opposite. I have my secrets, but they don’t compare to killing.
“Are you excited?” Yuri interrupts my thoughts.
“To be honest, yes, I am. But I’m going to take things one day at a time.” I let her know what happened with Byran and my mother, and because she keeps looking at my hand, I tell her a portion of what happened there too. I exclude the part where Elias came to my rescue and my apartment was damaged.
“Serena, why didn’t you call me?” she chastises.
“Because I thought I could handle it, and I did.” A lie.
“You are so stubborn. You know I’m here for you.”
It’s true, she’s always been there for me, but she already has so much going on. “I promise I’ll be better about asking for help.” Gus and I drop her off, and within minutes, I hear my phone vibrate.
Yuri
Serena is getting that Ian Kayde dick!
Theo
I knew it! There was some serious tension there on my birthday. And what was that at your apartment?
Theo
Big dick energy?
Yuri
Theo, aren’t you with my brother?
Theo
Yes, and he definitely has big dick energy.
Yuri
Gross.
Serena
I hate you both.
Yuri
Any clues on the date?
Theo
A date?
Serena
No clues, and Theo, go back to your trip.
Theo
Mandatory brunch when I return.
Yuri
Deal.
Serena
Deal.
I’ve been trying to get a hint regarding our date this weekend, but that man is a vault.
Serena
So what are we doing?
Mr. Bossy
Still a NO for clues.