Reckless Play | ✓

36. Retribution

a/n: Two chapters have been updated. Make sure you read chapter 35 before this one.

***

Of course it had to be football.

"They play too?" I ignorantly asked.

Ryan nodded. "Reed is captain of the team, Dylan is quarterback."

I frowned, trying to place the rough tattooed guys I've seen in a football field. Surely the oposite players willingly moved out of the way with just one glare from them.

"It started Freshman year. Our schools were scheduled to play against each other. Reed, Dylan, Owen and me were the only freshmen that got a spot on the game. We won because of a fool mistake they made and I was able to score those last points that made all the difference. I was young and stupid so I rubbed it on his face. Reed was furious. I still remember how red his face was as he promised he would get back at me." He paused, his unfocused gaze moving to the window. "When he didn't retaliate I thought he was all bark and no bite. Later I realized he was just planning for the perfect opportunity. It came a year later on our junior year. I was dating a girl, Kim," I tried not to react when he mentioned an other girl but it was hard to control the jealousy building up inside me. "She was the only girl I dated for more than four months. She was funny and I liked her. He must have thought she was the real thing for me so he made a move. It happened during one of Taylor's famous parties. Anyone got in those days, it wasn't exclusive for members of our school. We'd gotten there together but then she disappeared with Emily and I turned to the guys. Hours later Emily came back asking if I had seen Kim, that she had gone to the bathroom for a minute and couldn't find her. We started searching for her everywhere and I finally found her."

I braced for what I knew he was going to say next.

"She wasn't alone."

I took a sharp breath through my mouth. Ryan kept going as if he hadn't noticed my reaction.

"He was there with her and it was obvious they had just finished their business. I was mad. I told her we were over then I punched Reed under the jaw and got out of there. Later I found out he had been messaging her long before the "incident". The worst thing was that he had slept with her to rile me up, he didn't even care about her. I felt like I was the one to blame for it. I'd been the one who pocked the bear after all."

"What happened to her?" I asked.

"She moved away. Said she couldn't take his rejection, that she would never be able to look me in the eyes again. All this happened on Junior year and I never saw her again after that."

"Did you retaliate?" I asked knowing what the answer would be.

"Hell yes." His eyes flashed. "He took the virginity of a sixteen year old girl without stopping to consider her feelings. Of course I retaliated."

I shook my head.

This looked like the never ending story. They dealed with a blow by throwing a punch. It was the boomerang that kept coming back.

"You can't keep doing that. It will always end up hurting people around you. Is that why you think Dylan is using Charlotte?" I wondered.

Ryan's mouth flattened. "I can't know for sure if he is but what other reason could he have for going after her? I have the feeling Reed is in on it and he has recruited his brother to help. I can't let him hurt her. I won't."

I took his jaw in my hand and made him look at me. "I know you care about your sister, but you have to promise no matter what happens you won't retaliate. He will keep stringing people along if you do."

I had a feeling I was already in on it.

Ryan shook his head. "I can't. I won't be able to keep myself from wringing his neck if he ever touches a hair on her head."

"You have to."

He sidestepped me and turned to the cold coffees on the counter. "I won't. You can't ask me that. She's my sister."

He threw the contents of the cups in the sink and started brewing new coffee.

I bit my lip as I considered everything Ryan had said. He didn't sound like he was still caught up on Kim as to get a girlfriend that reminded him of her. On the contrary, he seemed glad he never got to see her again. What Reed said to me at the mall must have been a lie. A perfect made up lie to pull me away from Ryan.

After the things I learned I wouldn't put anything past him.

I moved forward until my forehead touched Ryan's shoulder and my hands clutched the sides of his jacket.

He stilled.

"I'm sorry." I said.

"For what?"

"For pushing you, for telling you what to do, for ever doubting you---"

He didn't let me finish. In the blink of an eye he had turned me on his hold, my back against the counter and he was kissing me. His right hand cupped the back of my head as his lips worked on mine, hard at first then he slowed down, savouring each stroke, caress and bite as if he couldn't get enough. I clung to him desperately, the taste of the chocolate cookies still present in his mouth. His hands moved up my legs over my jeans then he lifted me onto the counter. I wound my legs around his waist pulling him closer as I kept kissing him back. He came willingly,  his hands clutching at my butt and pulling me tighter against him. A moan escaped my lips when he brushed against me.

"Ryan." I pleaded. Though I didn't know what I was asking for. My mind told me this was going too far, but my hands clutched at his hair pulling him to me.

He tore away from my mouth to drop kisses along the side of my neck. "You smell so good."

I wiggled my body closer searching to satisfy the fire that started burning in my core. "Ryan" I sighed again.

"Fuck."

I tugged at his hair, pulling his face back to mine. He gave me a hot wet kiss that made me seek for more. My hands started traveling down the sides of his neck, the line of his shoulders, his broad back and in under the hem of his T-shirt until they spread over his abs. He shivered under my touch.

"Kalley." He warned on a ragged breath.

I ignored him, my fingers exploring every dip of his tonned stomach. His skin burned under my touch.

His hands finally moved from my hips on the way up. Slowly, slowly, slowly. Then they dipped under the hem of my sweater tugging it upwards until they found soft skin.

Ryan burried his head against my neck. "Hell."

I was panting. "Ryan."

"Shit." Was the last thing he said before lifting me into his arms and carrying me up the stairs.