Chapter 9: Sneaking In
“I’m your what?” I screeched, pushing away from him and standing up.
He gaped at my outburst but then he snapped out of it and stood up as well.
“Then what did you expect? That I’d call you my girlfriend? Are you seriously that naïve?” he ranted, stumbling over his words. “I didn’t think you’d be the clingy type!”
My temper just shot past the boiling point. “Oh, really? Then what kind of a person did you think I was? Someone you could sleep with and discard? Such a nice complement, Mr. Whitmore. Well, too bad. If you want obedience, go fuck yourself!”
He clenched his jaw. He looked tense, trying to find words, probably finding ways to compel me. Too bad it won’t work on me anymore. “Look, it’s not—”
“I'm not interested in whatever lie you’ve come up with. I’m done with you! Get out! Go bother some other innocent girl who’ll be naive enough for your liking!” I said turning away from him.
But apparently, he wasn't done yet. “You can’t do this! I still have your diary. You know what I can do with it.”
I didn’t know when I turned, I don’t know when my hand flew up, and I don't remember when it connected with his cheek. All I know is that my hand stung like hell and Ethan looked stunned.
His shocked and flabbergasted expression brought me satisfaction like nothing else.
“Yes, I used you as a model for many of my novels. Yes, I admit that I like you more than just your pretty face. But that’s all there is to you. Just a pretty face. So, go ahead. Do whatever you want. Show me how low you can get, but I am through with you. Don't think for a second that since I let you touch me, I gave you permission to walk all over me.” It was a good thing my family wasn’t home yet because I yelled loud enough for the entire town to know.
He stood there, starting at me for what felt like an infinity. And then he was gone.
And I hated myself.
Hated wanting to go after him. Hated wanting to take back everything I said even though I did nothing wrong. Hated not being able to stop myself from liking him. And hated that I let myself come across as an easy fuck.
But this wasn’t the time for self-pity. First, I needed my diary back. And there was only one way to get it.
Getting Ethan Whitmore’s address wasn’t difficult—the Principal’s secretary loved me. What was difficult, though, was asking my mom to give one of our retail store’s costliest perfumes for free. It took a lot of convincing, a lot of explaining and a lot of lying. Buying that damn perfume would’ve been a hell lot easier if I hadn’t been saving for college.
This past week, I managed to avoid Whitmore the Virgin Ripper as best as I could. Of course, he hadn’t exactly been dying to stop me. I think he finally realized I wasn’t easy prey. Good.
But now, standing in front of the five-story apartment building, staying away wasn’t an option. I needed to get my diary back and end this crusade once and for all. Good thing he lived on the ground floor so I didn’t have to pull off a Romeo stunt. It was 2 p.m., lunch hour, the watchman wasn’t in his seat, and nearly everyone in the building was either at work or at school. Ethan Whitmore was probably busy with one of the school’s willing-to-fuck-him squad and I’d taken a sick leave. Perfect time to break in.
I walked around the building, trying to figure out which window would lead me to his apartment. It wasn’t a huge place, but it was nice and spacious. At least it looked like that from the outside.
“Ground floor, Apartment 3. Go in straight through the entrance and it’s the last door to your right.” I repeated what Mrs. Stoner, the Principal’s secretary, had told me. “So if it’s last from right, then it has to be… this.” I stopped in front of a closed glass window on the right side of the building. According to the pattern of the balcony, this one had to be his. But the balcony had to be locked. No going in through there.
“Come on! There has to be at least one open window here.” I tried lifting the first window—locked. I moved to the next one. It lifted just a fraction. Hooray!
Suppressing my squeal of joy, I pushed it with all my might, and got it halfway up. My height didn’t allow me to lift further. “Shit!” Looks like I would have to get in through that little space after all. I might fit, plus I could lift it further with my back.
Good thing there was a boundary wall around the property, or the police would have caught me by now.
Hoisting myself up on the window, I used all my weight to push it up and jumped in when the glass lifted. I landed on the kitchen counter right next to the sink.
“Close call.” I looked around to see if anything fell over, but thankfully the counter was empty. Hopping down, I began to look around for signs that would tell me I broke into the right house. Found it as soon as I exited the kitchen…and came face to face with the devil.
“Hi!” I squeaked. Really Akira?
“Hi?” He raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest.
“I knew this was too easy.” I murmured to myself.
“Indeed.” Ethan smiled. He actually smiled! “Should’ve researched it better.”
I looked at my feet in embarrassment. I did not plan on getting caught. And on top of that, Ethan was wearing a pair of grey sweat pants and a fitting black t-shirt that made me want to go exploring. I curled my hands into fists.
“Why are you here, Akira?” He pushed off from the doorjamb, heading towards the living room.
“Well…I…um…” I took a minute to gather my thoughts while Ethan tilted his head to the side, urging me to continue. “I came to get my diary. Where is it?”
“Somewhere you won’t be able to find.” He sat down on a couch and patted the space beside him. “Have a seat Ms. Sanders. Would you like something to drink?”
“Just my diary would be enough, thank you.” I sat down on the couch. And though he offered me refreshments, he didn’t get up from his seat.
“I can’t give it to you right now.” He said.
“Why?” I asked, confused. “You don’t have any real use of me other than trying to get into my pants and why keep the diary when you have plenty of people begging for attention? I think I made it pretty clear the other day that I don’t want to be your ‘dirty little secret’ anymore.”
“You’re not going to let that go are you?” He sighed when I shook my head. “Look, what happened the other day… I wish I could take it all back. This past week, avoiding you… was dull.” I frowned, making him smile again. Dull? That’s the best he could do?
“It means that I want you to stay in my life a little longer.”
I would have aww-ed but then he said, “Plus I haven’t finished training you, yet.” Now that’s the Ethan we all know and adore.
“And when does my ‘training’ end exactly?” I glared at him with all my might, which only caused him to smirk.
“With you begging me to fuck you, of course,” he said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Someone get me a shotgun.
“Not happening,” I snapped and the next instant, he was caging me in with his hands on either side.
“Want me to help you change your mind?” he asked hopefully.
“No.” I was sulking but I knew if I let him put his hands on me, I’d be doing a hell of a lot more than begging.
“You know I couldn’t let Dylan know about us, right? We’re both adults but if others found out…it’ll be frowned upon. Let’s take it easy for now.”
How on earth did he know that it was exactly what I’d wanted to hear? How does he always seem to know me better than I do myself? Before I knew it, I was the one crushing my lips to his, kissing those deliciously soft lips that I missed for so long. We could take it slow as much as we want, but right now, I just wanted to kiss him senseless.
But then he took control of the kiss, holding me to him with his hands on my neck until I was breathless and dizzy, proving to me yet again who wore the pants in this twisted relationship.