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Chapter 16
Remy
Remy climbed out of the tent. Mikel had the telescope all set up, pointing towards the meteor shower. Butterflies tumbled drunkenly in her belly as she inhaled the brisk night air until her lungs were full. She relished the solitude. Her heart was racing; tonight would be different.
Her legs wobbled as she walked over to the fire to warm herself. The cool September air rustled through the trees, causing some of the leaves to fall. The fire pit was surrounded by a few overturned logs turned into makeshift seats. They had pitched a small tent, complete with two sleeping bags and pillows. Their camp was perched on top of the Black Cliffs. Far below them, the ocean quaked and crashed against the rocks.
The campfire smoke rose with sparks of embers towards the midnight sky. The new moon was hidden. The black sky was splattered with millions of stars and planets out in the cosmos.
“Wanna see?” Mikel asked, beckoning her closer.
She walked to sit by him on the blanket he’d laid on the ground. As she exhaled, her hot breath came out like a puff of smoke in the cold air. She shivered as she drew closer.
He wrapped his arm around her as she peered into the telescope. Shooting bursts of light darted across the dark sky.
“It’s pretty cool,” she said, turning to face him. “What got you so interested in all of this when you were younger?”
He squeezed her closer and kissed the top of her head. “You really wanna know?”
She turned to look up at him. “I want to know everything about you, Mikel. I want you to feel like you can trust me with your secrets. I meant it when I said I loved you.”
He cleared his throat and nodded. “You know my childhood was different than yours. My dad was a drunk, and he used to smack us around and stuff.” He turned to face the fire, seeming to become distant in a moment of silence. His breathing increased in pace.
She laid her head on his chest against his pounding heart. “I’m listening.”
He blinked rapidly a few times as he adjusted in his seat, appearing jarred. The rumble of his voice continued. “He was a monster. He did horrible things. I tried to protect Jasmine as much as I could from him. Bently took the worst of it. If I was about to get into trouble, he did something to turn the man’s rage on him. When he wasn’t there, I did the same for Jasmine.”
Mikel took a deep breath, frowning at his hands in his lap before he explained, “When Mom killed herself, it only got worse. I did things to survive. Things I’m not proud of. I’m not a good person.” His body shook, quaking as long-held secrets erupted from the depths of his soul.
“Why did you ask me to keep the bruises I saw a secret?” she asked, wrapping her arms around him and climbing into his lap to face him.
He sighed. “Because if CPS did manage to come, we might have ended up worse off. We’d been taken before, and they separated us. Sometimes the foster families liked to smack us around, so it didn’t make a difference where we were. But it was hell not knowing if Jasmine was okay and not being there to watch over her. We were eventually returned, and we made sure not to tell anyone. It was easier knowing the devil you lived with; we could avoid him most of the time. We thought we could protect Jasmine from him.” His eyes grew darker. “But we were wrong.”
She wanted to ask, but it seemed he was nearly at his limit—teetering on the edge of the precarious cliff that could send him crashing in the wrong direction. He had poured his heart out to her, painting her a picture of a horrific childhood existence. It was no wonder he wanted the drugs to dull the memories.
“Thank you,” she said.
He looked at her in confusion. “For what?”
“For trusting me enough to show me that piece of you.”
He looked at her in awe. “What did I do to deserve you?”
She searched his eyes before she leaned in and spoke against his lips. “You deserve so much more than you think.” Maybe if she said it enough times, he would believe it someday.
His mouth slanted against hers, hot and demanding. Strong hands dug into her hips, forcing her tighter against his growing hardness. His tongue darted and danced with her own. Heat blossomed and filled every cell of her body with lust and longing. She was aching to become one with him, to show him just how much she cared for him, how amazing he was. Fear wound around her with questions of uncertainty.
What will this feel like?
Will it hurt or will I bleed?
What if I do something wrong or I’m terrible at this?
A hot blush crept up her cheeks.
“Are you okay?” he asked, pulling away.
She nodded, her voice locked in her throat, too shy to ask for what she wanted.
