You Saved Me

Fifteen

Scarlett's POV:

Taylor and I went to meet everyone else on the island and enjoyed our day together. We stopped at a small hole-in-the-wall restaurant for an early dinner. Everyone decided to get something they had never had before, which was interesting when Kaylee ordered fried octopus. Seeing her face squirm when she ate the tentacles made everyone laugh.

Just as we were walking down the dock to get back on the boat I felt an arm swing around my shoulders. "Thank you, Mom." My daughter said as she leaned her head against mine. "I'm really grateful for this."

"Of course baby." I kissed her temple and wrapped my arm around her waist. "Just wanted you to have a great birthday with the people you love."

Kaylee looked ahead of us at her best friend, chuckling at how she was now barefoot with her sneakers in hand. "I just hope T is having a good time. She's been acting different lately."

I squinted my eyebrows, confused. "What kind of different?" I was curious to know if I was the reason.

"Ever since you made the guest room hers. I don't know why. I think she feels like she doesn't deserve all this. I don't know... she's so hard to read sometimes." We both watched Taylor intensely. She was zigzagging around slower people, clearly her feet hurt from walking and I knew the wooden dock wasn't helping.

I felt another arm snake around my waist, which was weird because the only other person who would do that was in front of us. "Enjoying yourselves, ladies?"

I mentally groaned, hearing my ex-husband's raspy voice. "Where's your wife?" I asked.

"She is at a store getting a gift for her mother." I felt Jared's hand squeeze my hip.

"I'm gonna catch up to Taylor." Kaylee left us. Great.
I wiggled out of his grip, getting chills from his rough touch.

"You just left her in a foreign country alone?" I asked.

He moved his sunglasses from his face and onto his head. "Don't worry about it." We stopped in front of the ship, waiting in line to get back on. "You know I still love you, right Birdy?"

I rolled my eyes, "Jared, you have a full blown wife, who is surprisingly very sweet. Don't fuck that up."

"I know." Jared sighed, "But, you're my first love. We have a child together..."

"What are you getting at?"

"I'll leave her for you. I love you, Scarlett. I want our family together again." He pulled at my hand.

"Next!" The cruise worker yelled. Thank goodness.

I showed him my badge and I left before Jared was even finished getting his out his wallet. I stepped on the elevator, the doors began to close, but a hand was stuck between it, opening. "Fuck's sake, Jared!" I groaned.

"Dammit, Scar!"

I interrupted, "No, don't call me that. Nobody calls me that and especially not you." My mind went to Taylor. She calls me that...and I love when she does.

I felt his callused hands grab either side of my face, pulling me into him. "Stop!" I squirmed under his grip. He pushed me against the wall and smashed his lips against mine. I felt his teeth bite down on my lower lip, hard enough to draw blood. I yelped in pain. Eventually, I got an enough strength and pushed him off of me. "Dammit, Jared! Stop, what the fuck was that?" I yelled, bringing my hand to my mouth. The doors opened and I left, walking towards my cabin. "Fucking disgusting." I mumbled under my breath.

I spent the rest of the night relaxing in my cabin. I had a bottle of wine delivered and I took a nice bubble bath. I didn't realize how bad I needed this vacation. I had been nonstop working for a while and I was getting burnt out.

I laid in my bed, wrapped up in a white robe. Pouring myself another glass of wine, I laid back against the bed. "God this is nice." I moaned, rubbing my freshly shaven legs against another. There was a soft knock against my door. "Ugh!" I groaned, standing up and walking over to it.

Swinging it open I spoke jokingly, "Who's ruining my peace?" Immediately, I had hands cupping my cheeks, connecting my lips to the softest set I've ever touched.

"I can't take it any more." Taylor said, kissing me again. "I'm sober and I want you." I felt her hands slide down my waist and she lifted me. I wrapped my legs around her waist and the wine glass slipped from my hands, shattering to the ground. "I'll clean it up later." She mumbled, before throwing me onto the huge bed. Taylor hovered over me, her eyes scanning my face, then concern washing over. "Your lip is busted. What happened?"

I brought my fingers to my lip, touching the spot where Jared literally bit into. "Um, nothing." I lied, shaking my head.

Taylor sat on my lap, staring intensely. "I'm not stupid, Scar. What happened? It looks like you got hit..."

My hands went to her thighs, then wrapped around her waist tightly, scared she may move when I told her. "Jared." I sighed, holding her tighter. "He came onto me and then kissed me and bit the absolute shit out of my lip - I guess trying to be hot." Her legs started to move like she was going to stand up. "No, stay." I locked my arms around her waist. "Just talk."

"Another reason why I can't fucking stand that man!" She hissed, still trying to get up.

"Relax." I hushed. I didn't think my hold could get any tighter. "He's in my life for Kay. I know he's a piece of shit. Why do you think I divorced him?" My hand slipped under the hem of her sleep shirt, rubbing circles against her bare skin.

She examined my lip, shaking her head. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get upset."

A smirk grew on my face, "It's okay...you can just say you're jealous..."

Taylor flopped down next to me, trailing her finger across my exposed collar bone. "I think that's you. Don't want to claim me but sure as hell don't like it when I even speak to another female." I rolled my eyes.

"She was into you. It was obvious." I rolled my eyes, again. "You must have a thing for blondes."

Taylor stared at me, never breaking eye contact. "I do, but only one blonde."

There was that fire feeling again. Deep inside, that I hadn't felt for anyone since I was in high school.

My hand rubbed her cheek softly, then I pressed my nose against hers. "What are you doing to me Taylor..."