Part 48 (2/2)

”Keira!” Draven said my name as a warning.

”Look, I'll explain later,” I whispered gently trying to get him to calm down.

”You mean you haven't told him yet, you've known for weeks!” At that point I had lost my patience with my destructive cousin and I couldn't stop my reflex motion in kicking the back of her chair. Hard.

”Ouch...excuse me!” She moaned.

”Oh sorry there, did that hurt?” I asked feeling both childish and triumphant at the same time.

”No it didn't,” Hilary huffed and crossed her arms looking like the victim here and I couldn't help but say ”Pity” under my breath which only Draven heard.

”It is indeed, such a pity that you didn't explain these plans of yours to me sooner! I will let you go now, but Keira, you and I are going to have a little chat later.” Draven sounded utterly hacked off and in some ways I couldn't blame him. I mean, I had so many opportunities to tell him but every time I chickened out. He even asked me once what I usually did at Christmas.

It was one of those blissful mornings when we lay in bed together, entwined limbs and softly spoken words. He had asked me questions about my childhood and about holidays I had had, places in the world I had seen and where I would like to go. All these had been easy to answer but when the conversation turned to my weeks off college I had known all along that everyone but Draven expected me to be going home to England for the holidays.

”I will see you later then.” I said deflated and for once, not looking forward to that later. I don't think he actually said goodbye but only repeated ”Later” And then hung up. The car was filled with an awkward silence which I was perfectly happy with enduring given the mood I was now in.

”I guess he wasn't happy about hearing that news.” RJ stated the obvious and I had to drag my glare away from the back of Hilary's head to respond.

”Something like that.” I muttered.

”Well it wasn't my fault, you should be more honest with your boyfriends, shouldn't she Jack?” Hilary really didn't have a limit on the b.i.t.c.h 'o' meter, it just kept getting higher and higher, until one day, my guess is that someone will kill her and her meter will be no more. I was still holding out for that day. Ok, so I wasn't really, I wouldn't actually want someone to murder my cousin but I could settle for a d.a.m.n good a.r.s.e kicking!

Jack didn't respond and I was more than thankful for that. RJ made me smile as she rolled her eyes at my cousin's statement and started talking about something my cousin couldn't contribute too, the dreamy drummer from the band Acid Criminals. RJ continued on about how they were coming back to town and were playing at Afterlife once again but I just found myself nodding and ”Oooing” and ”Ahhing” at the right times.

This was all my fragile mind would allow. There wasn't much room for anything else besides the screaming inside my head that half wanted me lash out at Hilary with a stiletto heel in hand or repeatedly keep slapping myself on the side of the head! I didn't know who to blame the most...I mean, I know who I wanted to blame but I couldn't. It had been my responsibility to tell Draven sooner than later and with only a week until I was supposed to leave I knew that I was cutting it fine. I guess deep down I didn't want to admit it to myself. I didn't want to leave Draven but I was torn between what I wanted and what I should want. I should want to go back home and be a family for Christmas. I should want a little s.p.a.ce from all the craziness my life had been enduring since I met Draven. All these thing I should want, but I didn't.

All I wanted for Christmas was Draven.

My Draven.

Chapter 50.

New Mistakes, Old Moves.

To everyone in the theatre I had seemed like the hardest, non flinching girl in existence. I had sat through two hours of evil robots ripping the limbs of humans and mutilation so great that it sent a few people running from the movie with their hands held firmly over their mouths. Of course when you live a life seeing some of the most gruesome beings that walk the earth along the same path, it is very difficult to get skirmish at movie blood and special effects. The real thing is so very different. The smell, the sound and of course the sight your eyes take in is everlasting and unforgettable.

However these were none of the reasons that I hadn't reacted to the scenes on screen. No, the reasons all started with the letter D. The sound of disappointment in his voice was such a regular occurrence in my case, it made me wonder if I could do anything right in his world. Well, I was soon to find out because coming out of the cinema, the first sight I saw was a s.h.i.+ny, sleek looking black Ferrari.

I was no car freak but even I could tell that there was a h.e.l.l of a lot of zeros parked on the side walk, and so could everyone else for that matter! Everyone coming out of the theatre was now struck down and staring at the black car like a s.p.a.ce s.h.i.+p had just landed! I went bright red...Ferrari red.

”Oh... My... G.o.d!” Hilary said very slowly.

”You lucky b.i.t.c.h!” RJ said elegantly and Jack...

Well Jack just whistled.

I watched on in horror as people started taking out their phones and snapping pictures. Some even rang their friends to tell them about the car they were seeing. Words like ”Ferrari Enzo”, ”Over two hundred miles an hour” and ”Carbon fibre” filled the air. There was one guy surrounded with a group of friends all listening to him reel off stats and figures, like he was Ferrari obsessed but the one figure that everyone started whistling at was the price tag, ”A cool million dollars easy” he said while fis.h.i.+ng around his bag for what was to be a digital camera.

As much as I love seeing Draven, this was one moment when I just wanted to walk away. The windows were tinted as black as the body was but that soon wasn't going to be enough to conceal the car's owner. The driver's side door open upwards giving the car the appearance of having wings...which was very befitting to Draven's character. He unfolded his body in a surprisingly graceful way considering his size. The little crowd gasped and it now gave something for the girls to gawk at in awe.

He straightened his frame to reveal grey denim covered legs, a tight black T-s.h.i.+rt underneath the world's s.e.xiest jacket. It was maroon colored leather that fitted him like liquid skin. It molded to his perfect structure in the style of a biker.

Round the neck was a thin collar that curved down with the zip that was off to one side and the whole jacket was framed with a tan colored piping. The sight of his arms made me gulp down the feelings that his body was causing to my own. The leather strained over his biceps and just before the crease in his elbow was a thick line of piped maroon leather that went the other way round his arm like a band. The material went low down his arms and flared out at his wrists thanks to the zips that were loose at his forearms. Oh my G.o.d, he looked s.e.xy! I was close to hyperventilating, that is, along with every other female that was also having improper thoughts about my boyfriend.

Most striking of all was the face. Set in a honey colored stone of flawless skin was the deepest, darkest eyes anyone had ever witnessed. A strong jaw flexed when our eyes met and I knew he was angry. Draven did broody better than anyone I knew and now was no exception. I knew this was coming and that was evident while I sat un-nerved by the two hours of body mutilation without flinching. Killer Robots from s.p.a.ce had nothing on Draven's wrath!

Draven only took a few steps before he reached us, with his long muscular legs a few strides was all it took. As habit, one look from the owner of the prestigious nightclub Afterlife, the crowd dispersed and avoided his unhappy gaze. I wished I could have joined them. Meanwhile, Hilary had pushed in front of RJ so that she was next in line for when his look returned.

”Dominic, what a surprise, Kizzy Cat didn't say you were meeting us.” The nickname I loathed made its way past her lips having an effect on me like barbed wire across a blackboard. I even winced, which Draven didn't miss. He never did.

”I am here to pick up Keira, We have a date...don't we?” After emphasizing my correct name, he made it very clear this was an order not a request, that I was to agree too. I first had to clear my throat before answering.

”Umm, Ye...yes, I guess we do.” I couldn't help speaking unsurely and this softened Draven's features slightly.

”Oh, well I guess you want to get as many dates in before she leaves you!” Hilary's acid tongue whipped out and I wanted to growl but Draven beat me too it. Everyone looked shocked and Jack took a cautious step closer to me. Draven didn't like this one little bit.

I decided to try and defuse the situation before a real life reconstruction of the movie we just saw was to happen. I took a step closer to Draven and looked up at him with big sloppy eyes that hopefully resembled a puppy. I just hoped he liked puppies.

”Hilary, you know I haven't yet decided anything about Christmas, I told you that earlier.” Although I was speaking to my cousin this was really aimed at Draven. I didn't really give two hoots about what my cousin thought, but h.e.l.l if she was going to use me to get closer to my man then I would do the same.

”And remember you saying that it would be nice if my parents were to finally meet my boyfriend and how Christmas would be the ideal opportunity?” I said smoothly which was amazing considering what a bad liar I was. Of course Draven would know this was lies but the others didn't.

”Hey RJ, we gotta get going if we're going to meet the rest of the gang but hey Kaz we will probably catch you later, at the club.” Jack commented while edging his sister away who hadn't yet spoken a word. She was still staring at Draven like a starving wolf would to a giant T-bone.

”That's cool, I will see you later, but is it alright to give Hilary a lift home?” I said.

”It's ok, why doesn't Dominic give me a ride and you go with Jack?” Hilary said shamelessly flicking her hair back and I wasn't the only one that looked utterly shocked. I turned to Jack and saw his face had numerous more lines, which looked out of place on Jack's ”happy go lucky” features. He was looking at Hilary as though he was seeing her for the first time and he didn't like what he saw there. I couldn't help but feel for him, I mean there was a small part of me that wanted to scream out ”I told you so” but I was not the type that would have ever followed through with that impulse. It just made me hate her even more! She could hurt me all she wanted, I was close to being immune, but not Jack. Not my friend.

I was fuming but in the end it was Draven that cut her down into pieces and finally put her in her place. He leaned into her and lowered his head slightly to get to her ear. I was next to him so I heard every sharp edge to his words.

”It is only Keira that I want and I will take her now. I suggest you leave, while you still have the kindness of others that are prepared to put up with you. I doubt your degrading act will hold much longer!” She had been holding her breath in the hopes of something else a close proximity could mean but she was oh so wrong. I couldn't help but try and hide the biggest grin I had ever felt.

For the first time since we were young children, Hilary looked like she wanted to cry and for the first time I couldn't find any sympathy for the emotion. She deserved far worse and I think way down, on some deeply buried level, she knew it too. She huffed once and turned away to follow Jack and his sister to his truck. I couldn't help but notice an action that looked like she was wiping a tear from her face, which stopped me smiling.

”Keira, get in the car please!” Draven's cool tone was direct and precise. It made me shudder. I turned round to realize he was no longer next to me but by the car door waiting. I was torn between giving in or making a run for it.

”I wouldn't even try....if you please.” He finished by nodding to the low bucket seat.

”Fine!” I surrendered and stormed over to the curb. I felt like I was bending over to such a degree that I was about to sit on the floor. It was the lowest car I had ever been in and no doubt the most expensive. I think if Draven ever sold his car collection he could have bought Brazil with the funds received.

I jumped at the sound of the door slamming home and thought he had closed it with a little too much force for such an expensive car. I watched as he walked slowing around to the driver's side which reminded me of home as it was on the UK side. He slid into the seat that was positioned further back than my own, allowing for his impressive leg span. He didn't just start up the beast and let us go roaring off like I thought he would. He just sat there and lowered his head like he was trying to find the best way of dealing with this.

”Draven I...”

<script>