Chapter 5

Five

Regan

S tupid.

That's me wrapped up in one word. Stupid.

But it wasn't enough to make me not find the man threatening my ex while eating a cookie attractive.

And it wasn't enough to stop me from considering if I should push my new rebellious ways and ask for a few more things than only a ride on a motorcycle. He leaned down, his hand gripping my hip harder.

It wasn't like I would have a boyfriend anymore. Elliot would get one text, and then his number would be blocked.

Rook's lips brushed up my neck, and for one second, I thought about giving in. About being laid out on his bike and finding out exactly what he thought he would give me that Elliot couldn't.

"I thought you said you weren't going to touch me?"

"I lied."

"Well, then, so did I," I said, grabbing a cookie. I brought it up, shoving it in his mouth. "I don't want to be a rebel."

I held my breath as he took in what I had done. For one beat of my racing heart, I remembered we were alone in a dark alley and I was physically rejecting him. I stayed frozen, waiting for whatever type of retaliation would come.

He stood up straight, pulling the cookie from his mouth, laughing. "I wondered if you were going to share more," he said, taking another bite. "You were holding on to them like they were your prized possessions."

"You're…not mad?"

"For this?" he asked, holding up the cookie. "Not at all. It's cute you think you don't want to be a rebel, though. I think I could change your mind really fast."

"I think you should take me home."

He shook his head, swinging onto the bike and waiting for me.

"You really aren't mad? And still taking me home? Alive ?"

"Strangely enough, I don't feel the need to kill people for not fucking me in alleys. Is this something Elliot does? I mean, I knew the man's morals were low, but this one is surprising," he said with a laugh.

I rolled my eyes. "Forget I even asked," I said, but still hesitated to get on.

My mind raced with doubts and more questions. But the thrill of something new and exciting seemed too strong to resist. I took another deep breath before I grabbed the helmet, shoving it on as I got on behind him. Luckily, I didn't stumble off this time, which was great since my legs were currently useless from him being so close. His fingers trailing up my sides had set me on fire, and as much as I knew I wouldn't be doing anything with him, part of me wanted to.

I was a good, non-rebellious girl. Rook definitely wasn't my type, so why did I feel so excited to wrap my arms around him?

He revved the bike, and I grabbed onto him, trying to keep my hands firmly on his stomach, but each jump of the bike had me going further down until I felt his belt, and then a little lower. He hadn't been lying when he said I would feel something if I went lower than the belt. My hand grazed his jeans, feeling the hard length once before I pulled away. There were only so many places I could touch, though. I moved higher again, running over his hard stomach.

Maybe I didn't have to completely stop being a rebel. My fingers trailed back down again, and I grew more brave. I pulled up the hoodie and shirt underneath, splaying my fingers against bare skin. Heat pooled, my body suddenly aching as I leaned on him for more.

When I realized we were close, I pulled my hands away and pointed down the next road. It wasn't the road to my house, but it would be one annoyingly long walk through two backyards and I was home.

And letting Rook know where I lived seemed like one more stupid decision I could make tonight.

He jumped the bike again, making me fall onto his back and cling to him one more time before I started frantically hitting his shoulder to stop in front of a random house.

I wasted no time getting off and handing him the helmet. "What is it when you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Make the bike jump."

"I pop the clutch a bit and it makes it jump."

"I don't like it."

He smirked, and his eyebrows went up. "I do."

I shook my head, trying not to smile back. "Thanks, I think," I said, adjusting my skirt and spinning on my heel to head down the driveway. I knew the older man who lived here, and he wouldn't care if I cut through. "See you…never again, probably."

"Hey," he yelled. "What if I do want to see you again?"

I already shook my head. Not only did I feel too embarrassed, but I still really didn't know anything about him, and the few things I did know didn't lead me to good assumptions.

"You don't."

I made it into our neighbor's backyard before I heard the bike take off, the sound of the screaming engine lasting forever until it finally faded away.

I waited a few more seconds before continuing. It was a hike to get to our house from here, but at least I felt a bit smarter for not giving a stranger directions to my house.

The mansion rose up in the night, the lights on it a beacon of home. Unlike the other homes around us, ours sat tucked away, with a long driveway and acres of land keeping everything private compared to the few neighbors we had.

My heart hammered as I opened the door, part of me feeling like my forehead had a brand of what I had done, the other part remembering no one cared what I had done or where I had been.

My part of the house stayed empty. Six bedrooms, one office, a giant kitchen, living room, and dining room. Endless rooms on this side and not a single person in them. Our house had been split up. One side belonged mainly mine now, the bedrooms, this living room, the kitchen. The other side had been built later by my father. It had his bedroom, an office, a formal living room, and a small kitchen, which was only used when he had someone come prepare meals for him.

Okay, more like every day. Not a single person here to care what happened to me.

I huffed as I headed up the ridiculously big staircase to my bedroom upstairs, already pulling a cookie out of the box and hitting Harper's name on my phone.

"Hey. Elliot didn't lock you in a basement?" she asked.

"Nope, but I think he might have done something a hell of a lot worse. I might have, too," I said, locking my bedroom door behind me and getting into bed, telling Harper everything.