2956 Words (shortie)

Hey everyone, so quick AN or disclaimer, whatever, before this chapter starts -

I know the last chapter was short and pretty rushed, but that was mainly because I was under a lot of pressure on getting some sleep in on that day lol. My personal life is very hectic and trying to fit a chapter with each of my books in is very difficult for me, especially when can't decide which one I want to freaking update! So, please just bare with me when I dissapear XD

However, with that said, enjoy :)

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Your fingers were held hesitantly over your phone screen as you re read the message Tom had sent you. Your mind continued to advance to the thoughts of what Tom could be suggesting, and the pure thought of him sitting behind an office desk, temptations slowly meeting their ends, was driving you crazy. However, the scratching of the wooden nubs of the chair across the floorboards brought you back down to planet earth, seeing Jake sitting back down in front of you with two drinks. You shot him a smile, taking yours with a murmured 'thank you' before your eyes ventured back down to your phone screen.

'I'm actually out right now, you'll have to come get me when your home ;)'

You could feel every part of your interior blistering from the hot desire that was running through your veins, but a formal cough brought you back to your senses, yet again. You put your phone down on the table, drawing your hands to your coffee which warmed your cold skin, slowly descending through the tough outer edge of your shell.

"So, Y/N, tell me a bit about yourself" Jake smiled, leaning over the table, with pure novelty burning through the pupil of his eyes, right down into your skin. You shifted lightly in your seat, angling yourself to face him head on. "Well, like I have already said I moved here just a couple days ago and i'm living out here with a friend" you grinned, drawing out the personal information and personally wondering how long he would go before he cracked. "I grew up in the countryside, not having a wide range of the social integrity so I use my instincts before the internet" you continued, taking a longing sip of your coffee. "Tell me something about yourself" you sipped the hot beverage, feeling the steaming liquid pour down the back of your throat as you desperately edged the conversation onto a different topic other than yourself.

Jake sat back, a tug endearing at the side of his cheek, his lips perking into a small smile. "Well, I was born in town actually, just a few blocks from here. But, my parents moved back to L.A to start a new life, because my father was starting a new business. I was maybe one or two, so I grew up thoroughly in America" he smiled, yourself nodding as you inhaled the information. "Hence the accent" he gestured to his lips, announcing the elephant in the room. You nodded with a grin, holding the remaining liquid in your mouth while you placed your drink down before swallowing.

"So what does your dad do?" you asked, crossing your leg neatly over your knee and getting comfortable in the wooden chair.

"Well, that information is classified"

"What, is he some kind of dealer?" you teased, lips perking into a pretentious yet sarcastic scared look. Josh just shot you a raised brow, almost enough to confirm the stupid accusation.

"Your not far off, but he has businesses all around town" Jake gestured out the open window. You smiled, nodding. "Just some private stuff, but he makes a living off of it, so.."

"Yeah" you sympathised.

"So, how are you enjoying London?" He asked comically, his bright eyes shining as the dim lighting hit them perfectly. You hummed from the back of your throat, shrugging lightly. "It takes a- getting used to, I guess, seeing as I'm so used to the countryside. But then again, I have Tom" you kept your eyes focused on the streets outside, watching people pass by swarmed in their own daily life.

"Tom?"

The repetition of the name made your head snap back towards Jake, who had his brow cocked up slightly. You rolled your eyes, your cheeks softening into a smile; "He's the guy I moved in with" you said as a matter- of- factually. Jake nodded apologetically, making your mind maunder around why he was so keen on knowing so much about your love life. "What's got you so on edge, huh?" you asked, as if walking into dangerous territory. Jake's eyes scanned your face and paused for long enough on your lips to know that something was going on here.

"I-I'm not that interested" he lied, and you knew all too well the game he was playing. You'd seen it a million times before and been shoved around enough to know what kind of game the male gender liked to play on the innocent female. Just like a hunt, they shoot you a smile before pulling out the real gun and putting a bullet right through your heart. You just couldn't believe after all these years, it was happening again. Putting your empty cup down, you shot him a weak smile, before averting your eyes to where your hands were running to. Because hell no, where you playing that game again.

"Thanks for the coffee, I guess I'll see you around" you almost spat, but laid off seeing as he did just buy you a drink. Picking up your leather jacket, your shoes padded the wooden floor boards gently as your chair screeched against it. Jake's face fell from a light hearted, warm smile to a more concerned glance.

"Y/N, hold on-" Jake stuttered to his feet, him too taking his jacket and following you down the steps to the exit of the cafe. Some eyes had trailed to your figures, making you slightly on edge as the wave of all too well known anxiety grasped your chest like a sweaty palm on a sharpened blade. You were followed out onto the busy street before Jake was close enough to stop you, ushering your steps to a halt as he placed a hand on your shoulder. Your past reaction would have been to take the son of a bitches arm and pin him against his will. But, as much as you would like to see his perfect pace pressed against the glass of the coffee shop, you just turned on your heel to face him.

"What?" you asked, crossing your arms over your stomach.

"I'm sorry if I said- or did something wrong, I just... You don't find a pretty face with a matching pretty personality these days" he coiled his tongue tight around the sympathetic tone, and for some reason part of you was buying it. Whether or not it was because you had been played and toyed with in the past, some part of you was just used to being built up until you were smashed back down with a bloody nose and a broken heart.

"So, your main intention wasn't to slip me a coffee, maybe even catch my number, fuck me senseless and then ditch me? Or holy shit am I overthinking things?" this time you didn't hold back, because if you were going to get that message seemed to always go in one ear and out the other across, you were going to make sure it was heard. A few heads turned your way as the words slipped from your lips like daggers on a battlefield.

"Whoa, ok? Now I know I did something wrong" Jake let a sarcastic sigh leave his lips. "But, yeah, you were right about overthinking things, because I was actually wondering.. When or if I could even see you again?" he asked, his eyes holding themselves against yours.

There was something about this man that had your mind actually considering seeing his face again. You were scared about it, and because you were scared about it your hands were sweating, tongue tied and cheeks flushing.

"Y-You wanna see me again?"

And here comes your drawbridge, sinking into the moat as it breaks in two, never to come back up again. You were exposed, out in the open for any animal hungry enough to pray on you, to come along and tear you apart. All the while you held your arms open.

"Well yeah, I mean even if things don't get personal your a nice gal' and I wouldn't mind sharing another coffee with you" he smiled, his face desperately screaming for you to take him up on his offer. Maybe it was time to let go of what you were really scared of?

"No" you stubbed harshly, Jake's face falling right in front of you.

"W-what? Why?" he asked, his body launching towards you as a questioning hand reached for yours. But you pulled away. You refused to give into those temptations again. One man at a fucking time.

"Look, Jake, your a nice guy-"

"Oh here it fucking comes" Jake said, his tone switching like the seasons. He went from a warm summers day to a blistering snow blizzard in the click of a finger.

"W-what-?"

"Here comes the 'your a nice guy, but-' and then there's the excuse of a lifetime, which, according to cliche, has to be the most perfect excuse as to why a relationship can't unfold from this" he groaned, his eyes stringing into your skin like blades.

"Oh, no you do not! Do not pin this on me, Jake! We met an hour ago and already your going on at me like i'm ending a three year relationship!" you yelled, throwing your hands in the air. Noticing the eyes locking onto your skin, you took a deep breath, calming yourself down and stepping backwards. "I'm not gonna argue with you, sorry I can't give you what you want, jack ass" you spat, turning on your heel sharply.

You weren't even ten steps away when a firm grip tightened around your wrist, pulling you to the side and down a sectioned off road coming to a dead end. You tugged and fought at the grip that was clasped you in line with their footsteps, only soon realising it to be Jake. You were projected forward, your legs tangling beneath you and soon you could feel the crimson liquid seeping through the small lacerates in your palm. Turning around with the face of thunder, a hand collided with your cheek, sending your head down and colliding with the uneven footpath beneath you. Even through the flat lining that silenced your world into oblivion, you could still faintly hear Jake talking above you.

"See what happens when you mess with me, lady?" he cursed, a tight hand gripping your hair tightly, a loud choke leaving your lungs. How did this all go wrong so quickly? What happened? One minute you were having coffee with such a sweet guy, and the next you were lying on the pavement with the hot sticky blood you feared so much, seeping from ends you couldn't meet.

"I'm not someone you wanna play games with, you hear me?" he crowed again, this time picking your head slightly off the pavement for your eyes to meet his. He was gripping your hair so harshly you practically felt the strands of hair seeping out of your scalp. "So what, b-bribing me with v-violence is gonna make me love you?" You snarled, locking your jaw together tightly. Your hands flew to your head as he gripped once more, like a pulsating sensation. A cold hand ran up the side of your leg, catching your attention. Usually a sensual action would give you the satisfactory feeling of being aroused, but this time you'd never felt so afraid.

"I've met woman like you before, Y/N" Jake let your head fall to the ground, ignoring your comment before pinning your neck against the cold concrete as he pushed his forearm against your skin, your hands flying to the limb holding you still while his dirty hands continued further along your leg. "Your like wild animals that just need a bit of taming" he sneered, his breath catching your cold cheek. Why was no one watching this? You were in the blind sight of the street, just a few meters away from a main road!

A shot of adrenaline ran through you like a lightening strike as Jake's hand grasped your hip tightly, ready to roll you over. You brought your chin beneath his arm, biting down harshly on the skin. It was a weak and easily perceptible move, but there was nothing else you could do. Jake let out a shallow groan, pulling his arm off of your neck. You took the opportunity to bring your knee to his nose, knocking him eastwards onto his back. Despite the nausea of almost being knocked unconscious, you managed to reach your feet and quickly stumble back out onto the highway.

You'd ran for your life before, and it was like it was happening all over again. The same injuries, a different timeline. Luckily, you made it home in less than one piece, but without anther trace of Jake.

The driveway was still empty upon returning just two hours after leaving, which gave you a slight touch of nervousness in your chest. You enjoyed being home alone, but this was one of those moments where it was fight or flight, and without knowing where to put your feet all you could do was cower if he was to show up again.

Dropping the keys and your jacket on the floor after locking the door, Tessa ran down the hallway to greet you, but with the nausea kicking it, you were sent tumbling onto the fluffy carpet of the living room as she intertwined through your legs. You caught yourself on your hands and knees, quickly standing back up and heading to the upstairs bathroom. Tessa followed you eagerly, sensing there was clearly something wrong with you.

The hot adhesive was making it's way through your body at a high speed, small sweat droplets already falling down your cheeks. You could feel the loose strands of your plaits coming undone from the grasp of Jake's hand, and they were beginning to irritate your neck. Finally making it to the bathroom, you ran the bottom of your wrist under the cold tap. The freezing liquid helped cool the flow of your blood cells, sending the change of heat through the rest of your body helping it to cool down quicker.

You could change your body temperature, but looking in the mirror you saw the real damage. A large gash coursed it's way from the corner of your eye, just missing your temple, down to your lip. You felt the hot bile tease the back of your throat just looking at yourself. There were blood spots on your shirt, and dirt marks between your eyes and on your jeans. You needed to clean yourself up... But what if he came back?

Yes, you had Tessa, but was she strong enough to protect you against him? A painful chill shot down your arm, bringing you to the realisation that your hand was starting to loose circulation. Switching off the tap, you dried your arm and rubbed the bridge of your nose gently. You are stronger than this, Y/N! you reminded yourself, trying to keep the positive affirmations coming in.

Before you could even strip of your clothing, you found yourself tangled in the white sheets of Tom's bed, his cologne tempting you into a guilt ridden sleep. You played soft music to blare out the noises of life, but nothing was loud enough to keep away the last hours events.

You were woken to the adhesive sensation running all throughout your body, keeping your figure attached to the mattress. It was dark out when you finally gathered your vision, your mind suddenly questioning how long you had been asleep.

Rolling over, you grabbed your phone, pulling the headphones through the bed sheets which slowly lead to your device tangled between your legs. The bright screen almost knocked your eyes back into your skull, blurry vision making out it was 8:58. Tom would be home any minute!

But before you could slip off the bed to regain yourself, the bedroom door opened slowly, Tom's head peeking behind the frame and catching your debilitated eyes. Your heart almost burst through your chest and displayed the thumping mess it was to Tom, but judging from the look he was giving you, he already knew.

You covered your face discreetly, hearing Tom's footsteps drawing closer to the bed frame your heart borderline burst. How were you going to keep this from him? You could feel the swelling, which must have started while you were sleeping, and the dried blood pulling at your skin ever time you blinked. Tom tackled you down into the bed, luckily you landed with your back facing him before you felt his warm lips attach onto your neck.

Just the heat was enough to remind you of what you merely escaped from, and hit Tom firmly in the chest without blinking. Yet, you immediately regretted it.

"Whoa, Y/N-"

"Tom, oh my god! I'm so sorry, I-"

"What's that on your face?!"

"Wh- Nothing, I slipped a-and-"

"Cut the bullshit, I know your lying to me"

"Tom it's nothing"

"Y/N, baby, tell me what that is!"

"Tom you wouldn't understand I was just trying to be nice and-"

"So someone did this to you?"

"What? Why are you switching my words!-"

"WHO DID THIS TO YOU?!"

Black out.

So sorry for the delayed updates! I've been really busy lately, but hope you enjoyed! ❤️