Forever His & His Ghost

Chapter 13: Christmas Dinner

        My junior year started like usual, Jaxon and I had every class together, he stayed by me every day. If we were in the halls, or lunch, my hand was either in his or he had his arms wrapped around me possessively. He always took me to the diner and dropped me off when I didn't stay to watch practice. And then he was there to pick me up at the end of shift always taking me home. Mom and dad had grown quite fond of him, and mom was always gushing over how I had found my Prince Charming. The beatings continued from Samantha and Darlene, but they never tried to throw me down the stairs again. Everyone at school tended to leave me alone, Jaxon had threatened them if they so much as even looked at me the wrong way.

       Christmas day of my junior year seems where the turning point happened in my life. That is the only day that I can pinpoint when I knew things were never going to be the same.

      "You are still coming to dinner at my parents this evening, right?" Jaxon whispered in my ear; he was cuddled up in my bed with his arms around me. Jaxon snuck in my room almost every night I was there, after mom and dad went to bed and stayed till the wee morning hours before he snuck back out.

      "Yes, but I really don't think your dad likes me." I pouted, playing with my fingers wrapped around his.

      "Baby, I promise, he will love you. He is all business, and he very seldom loses that business persona. But he isn't a bad guy at all, I promise." He kissed my cheek, "I have to go before your mom gets up. I will pick you up at noon." He kissed me again. "I love you Skyla, just remember that you are my one and only."

      "I love you too Jaxon." And with that he was gone out my window.

      Life didn't get any better than this, I thought silently as I smiled at the opened window.

      Noon came quicker than I thought it would and I waited patiently on the top step in front of the house waiting on Jaxon. I had my pretty Christmas sweater on with a pair of black leggings and my favorite fur lined boots. My hair was in a simple ponytail, and I decided to go with no make-up. Either they like me, or they don't and nothing I can do would change it.

      I watched Jaxon pull up in front of the house, I checked my watch, it was already one o'clock. I frowned a bit, probably just traffic, he is never later, but that's it, Christmas traffic. I hopped to the car, and he didn't get out, that was strange, he never lets me get in without opening the door for me.

      I just blew it off and climbed in the car, I smiled and pecked him on the cheek, but he didn't utter a word, he just drove. I noticed his knuckles were white from choking the steering wheel, and the tick in his jaw, told me he was angry about something.

      "Jax, are you okay?"

      "I'm fine." He spat out.

      I furrowed my brows together and reached over placing my hand on his arm, "Did I do something wrong?" I whispered.

      He pulled the car over on the curb, before he dropped his hands down and stared at his fingers. "Skyla, are you only with me because of my family's money, because I am good looking, or maybe I am just a trophy you were after."

      I was blown away by his question, or were they accusations, never mind that my heart is flipping breaking. I took a deep breath and offered my best smile, even though he wasn't looking. I reached my hand to the door handle and opened it, climbing out. I took another deep breath and bent overlooking back into the car. "While your family might be wealthy, I have no plans of riding it anywhere, I will make my own way in this world. Your looks, yes, you are the most beautiful man I have ever laid eyes on, not only from the outside, but the inside as well, and that's what I fell in love with, not this package sitting here, that was just a plus. And as far as a trophy, may I remind you, you chased me. I was perfectly happy being here for only two years and then leaving this gosh awful town. I hope you have a Merry Christmas, and I will see you next week at school." He never looked up at me and I didn't take another look slamming the door, wiping my tears and in one swift movement I was running, running as fast as my legs would take me, to where I didn't care, but far away from here.

       I rounded a corner way too fast and didn't see the wall in front of me, running smack dab into it nose first and gracefully landing on my butt. "Oh, my I am sorry miss." A very thick accent came from above and then I saw a bronze, muscular hand reach for me. I took the hand and looked up at the man standing there. He looked Italian maybe, dark hair, brown eyes, thick eyebrows, sharp jaw lines, handsome, dangerous, s*x appeal, he screamed it all. He pulled me to my feet.

       I dusted my butt off, "You know it isn't safe for a young innocent girl like you to be out here running on this abandoned street by yourself. Anything could happen and no one would ever know." His words shook me straight to my core, and fear immediately engulfed me.

       My heart stopped as I heard the tires squeal behind me, and a car door opened, I didn't turn around, I really didn't want to see my kidnappers. Large arms grabbed my waist and pulled me into a hard chest, and I finally took a deep breath relaxing. I might be mad at him, but right now, I will let it slide. "Trey what are you doing in town?" Jaxon sneered. I could feel the anger rolling off him, but at least it wasn't directed at me.

      "Hello Jaxon," Trey said in a rather bored tone. "I was just helping this young lady here." He pointed to me, and the way he was looking at me I wanted to hide in Jaxon's chest. "You two have fun, and Jaxon I will be sure to give Samantha your best."

      I turned into Jaxon's chest and let the tears fall, not even caring if that man was standing there, I let him lead me back as he picked me up and placed me in his car. He took my cheeks in his hands and pulled my face up to look at him, "I am so sorry Skyla, please forgive me." He laid a soft kiss on my lips and then pulled back. "I know you are none of those things, I don't know why I drug you into my family drama. I am so sorry."

       I stared at his eyes, and I could see the pain, the regret staring back at me, all I could do was grab his shirt and pull him to me, crashing my lips to his, and trying to portray every emotion I felt in that one kiss. I pulled back and flashed him a smile, "Now let's go meet the parents and we will face the family drama together."

      "Oh my gosh Skyla, baby, you don't know how much I love you." He didn't give me time to respond, he just jumped back in the car and sped off like a race car driver to his house, holding my hand the hole time and kissing my knuckles.

       His family dinner was not comfortable at all by no means. To start they were all dressed formal, well except me and Jaxon, looking back on it, Jaxon was even kind of formal, with black slacks, a white button-down shirt and a black jacket, me though I didn't fit in at all. Jaxon's mom was sweet but quiet and always looked to Jaxon's dad as if asking permission to speak. Terrance was the typical fifteen-year-old, and I could tell it was getting on his dad's nerves. And Jaxon seemed to not care how his dad looked at him, as he occasionally softly pecked my cheek, or held my hand practically through the whole dinner.

      After dinner we all sat down in the living room, well more like formal room, I am sure these people are some sort of royalty. Jaxon's dad sipped on his whiskey, while Terr played on his phone and his mom just stared off into space, looking about ready to cry.

     "So, tell me Skyla, is it?" I just nodded to Mr. Nyte. "What are your plans after you graduate?"

      "College, I plan on going to UCLA." I smiled as Jaxon squeezed my hand reassuringly.

       "Interesting, and for what might I ask?"

      "Writing." He furrowed his brows.

       "I figured you would try to follow my son." He scoffed, and it was then I realized I didn't even know what Jaxon's plans were after school other than taking over his father's business. "It's for the best anyway, a high school romance is just that, life goes on after this."

      Jaxon squeezed my hand and when I winced a little, he let it go, and gave me an apologetic look, I knew he didn't mean it, but his father's words were bouncing around in my head. "Where are you planning on going?" I whispered to Jaxon.

     "Harvard for business of course." His father scoffed yet again.

    "Well, that is an elite school, you must be very proud, as I am for Jaxon. I would love to follow him, but there isn't anything there I would like to study. And I would never try to hold Jaxon back from his future." I smiled at his dad, and I didn't miss the glance from his mother.

    "Nothing to study, or can't afford it?" He laughed.

     "Dad!" Jaxon shouted and I squeezed his hand with a smile.

    "Mr. Nyte, if I might be so bold. My finances are of none of your concern, and neither is my future. I assure you I want nothing from you or anyone in this family, I love Jaxon and that's all, I will never ask him for anything." I was trying my best to hold the tears back. I warned Jaxon his father didn't like me, but he didn't believe me. Maybe he will now.

      "That's good to know." He took another sip of whiskey and the look he gave me sent shivers down my spine. It screamed danger and I could almost fill a darkness radiating around him, much like that man from earlier. "Oh Jaxon, Rosalita is in town, she should be here in about an hour."

      "That explains why I saw Trey earlier." He stood up, "I am leaving this room now with Skyla, Terr holler at me when Rosalita gets here. I would love to introduce her."

      He literally drug me from that room before I could speak another word. I giggled the whole time trying my best to keep up. As soon as we reached his apartment door, he slung it open pulling me inside and before I could say anything he had the door shut and I was pushed up against it with him hovering mere inches from my face.

     "I love you Skyla, thank you." And he crashed his lips into mine. It felt like he poured it all out in that one kiss. Passion, anger, arousal, love, oh I couldn't keep up, I just kissed him back with just as much.

     When we finally pulled away and finally caught our breath, I led him to the couch where we took a seat, he pulled my legs in his lap and propped his elbow up on the back of the couch. "Jaxon who is Trey?"

      "Not someone you need to be around. He is dangerous, and if he is in town, it isn't good." He ran his fingers through his hair. "Rosalita, who you will meet in a little while. She is my father's first child from his fling before my mom, but mom being mom took her in and raised her as one of her own, so now you know I have an older sister. However, we are not allowed to speak of such things. Anyway, Trey is Samantha's cousin. Their dads are brothers, but let's just say Trey is the muscle in the family, always trying to prove that he can take over the family business."

      "But he looked Italian, Samantha isn't Italian?"

      "Her father is, and from a very old, very well-known family. Anyway, my mother is some distant relation to that family, so that kind of ties us in. Dad doesn't get into their affairs or so he says."

      "I see," I mauled it over. Everything that I was thinking was way out in the left field. There is no way I would run into anything like that in this small one-horse town.

       My thoughts were quickly interrupted by a knock on the door, "Be right back." Jaxon kissed my temple and went to the opened door.

      I turned when I heard a feminine giggle, a very beautiful long legged, slender, raven-haired beauty walked through the door, looking like a queen. "Jaxon." She squealed and wrapped her arms around him. "Now where is this beauty of yours that your mom has gushed about."

      She didn't give him time to say, she took one look at me and literally ran over and wrapped her arms around me, I heard Jaxon shut the door and come back taking a seat next to me before clearing his throat, "Rosalita meet my princess, Skyla, Skyla meet my overbearing big sister."

      She glared at him, but finally let go and took a seat on the chair. "Nice to meet you Skyla. Momma wasn't kidding, you're a beauty." I blushed. "Anyway, I can't stay long, Trey will come looking for me and I don't want him to find me here." She whispered.

      "Where is he?" Jaxon spat and all that anger from earlier was right back.

      "Meeting in the office with father. It's not good Jaxon." She turned to me. "Can we talk for a minute, alone?" She nodded her head to Jaxon.

      "Okay," that was all I could get out.

      Jaxon squeezed my leg, "You sure?"

     "Yea I am good." I reassured him and watched as he walked out the door.

      As soon as the door shut Rosalita took a seat next to me and took my hands in hers. "Skyla I am not here to scare you, and if Jaxon knows anything about this, it could endanger him. So, I am going to give you my number, that way you can contact me anytime. But I need you to listen to me okay," she was almost whispering, and I could barely hear her for the fast pace of my heart beating. I just gulped and shook my head, afraid to speak. "You are not safe as long as you and Jaxon are together. He will do anything to protect you, but I am afraid in the end, someone is going to get hurt and I don't want that for anyone. You are going to have to walk away somehow, at least for now, till he gets on his own two feet without being in his father's shadow."

      "I don't think I can, I love him more than anything."

      She sighed, "I know you do honey. I can see it between the two of you, he feels the same." She grabs a piece of paper from her purse and folds it in my hand. "I will be there every step of the way. You just tell me when." She kissed my forehead. "I have to go; I will send Jaxon back in." All I could do was nod, and let her words sink in.

      "What was that about babe?" Jaxon asked as he took his spot back on the couch pulling my legs in his lap.

      Looking at him, that smile, his care free, loving way, that's what I will always remember, the love in his eyes. "Just girl stuff." I shrugged.

      That night I laid in the bed draped across Jaxon's chest as he slept, carefully studying every feature. This must be a dream, all those things she told me, they are just fake, that's what you see in movies, you read in books, but they don't really happen. Especially not to a couple of teenagers in the middle of nowhere. I know his father is a retired engineer for the army corps of engineers, but I also know he is a big business Tycoon in the business world. I never asked exactly what it was he done, but that's probably for the best.

       Then it dawned on me, Jaxon and I will be going to total opposite sides of the country after high school. I know he would probably drop everything and follow me, but I don't want that for him. I want him to follow his dreams, I want him to go big not go home.

      "Penny for your thoughts," he breathed out in that sleepy voice of his.

      His eyes never opened he just smiled, "I love you Jaxon Nyte, that's all I was thinking about." I moved up just a bit and placed a soft kiss on his lips before taking my place on his chest again, drawing small circles around his abdomen.

      "Skyla, you know I am staying with you right, no matter what." I just hummed in response, trying to mask all my thoughts. "I am serious baby. I will follow you to the ends of the earth. And you will never get away from me, whatever it takes."

      I just giggled at him, "You know you can go wherever you want; I will be waiting on you, doesn't matter if we are far away from each other, I will wait."

      "Nope not happening, I can't stand you being five minutes down the road, let alone you being thousands of miles. I don't even want to think about it." He kissed the top of my head, and the last thing whispered between us, was I love you.