Chapter Forty-Five

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Ashton's POV***

Thanksgiving had pretty much gone as expected, with me and and Layla's deeply mediocre cooking, a lot of laughs, and plenty of times that I had to separate Layla and Eli when they thought I couldn't see. I had bribed Jake with ice cream to nudge me every time he caught the two of them holding hands under the table. I didn't look forward to the day that Jake realized he could just get himself ice cream from the freezer and didn't need to accept any bribery.

Crystal told me that her house had been really peaceful and positive the whole day, and I was so goddamn happy for her- and for her mom and Connor. They all deserved it so much.

Now, a few days later, Jake was hell-bent on seeing this stupid new movie that just came out. He had been asking for a week to see it, and I finally gave in. I despised kids movies. But alas, there I was helping him fix his jacket as we were leaving the house to see one.

I had asked Crystal if she wanted to come, but she apparently had been roped into making friendship bracelets with Connor. I smiled to myself as I imagined the scene.

"If I get back and Layla's sheets are even a wrinkle out of place I'm making you pay rent," I said over to Eli as the two of them sat on the couch, half-kidding.

"So you'd prefer if we used the couch, then?" Layla mused and I sarcastically laughed as Eli put his face in his hands. I mean, it was fun to watch her embarrass him constantly.

"What did that mean?" Jake asked up to me as we approached the car. It was getting dark outside.

"You don't want to know. It involves cooties," I replied and we hopped in. He scrunched his nose.

"Gross," he stated, and I chuckled, letting him flick around the radio as we drove. When we finally got to the center of town, there were no parking spaces anywhere. I cursed under my breath, driving to the nearest vacant parking lot instead. It would be a little walk to the movie theatre, but it was fine. Jake could walk off all of the ice cream I had given him earlier.

We rounded a slight corner, the sidewalk fairly narrow as it wrapped around the common. And that's when I saw him.

I froze dead in my tracks, my vision essentially turning red on sight.

Jake went to ask why I stopped walking, but when he saw the lethally calm expression on my face, he seemed a little scared to ask. I told him to go back to the car since we were only about 50 yards from it, and he immediately obliged, running off behind me. My gaze was locked in and unwavering.

George was with one of his friends. They were stopped on the sidewalk looking at a phone and laughing. I didn't even have time to think about what they were looking at as I started walking towards them. He looked up and saw me a few moments before I got to him; the fear in his eyes satisfying but not at all adequate.

"A-Ashton, how's it been-" I cut him off with an aggressive blow to his right cheek, and his bulkier friend immediately stepped in to push me back with a yell.

"You fucking piece of shit!" I growled at him as he recovered from the blow. Every time I thought about what he did to Crystal... my Crystal... it ripped my soul completely apart in a million places. There were no words to describe the overbearing guilt and pain and anger it continuously sparked in me. It had been building and building internally this entire time.

"What the fuck are you talking about?!" George yelled at me, his friend keeping in between us. I narrowed my eyes at him, my gaze somehow turning even deadlier. I could tell this caused a little rise in his fear.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about," I successfully shoved his friend off of me, grabbing George and slamming him into the brick wall next to us. He let out a pained noise as I kept pushing him against it. "You should have learned the first time that you don't mess with the people I care about," my voice was deeper than usual due to my near animalistic anger. He was clearly trying to hide the fact that he was scared shitless.

His friend must have gotten off the ground, for I then felt strong arms rip me from George, throwing me into the wall face first. I grunted as the side of my head slammed into the brick, warm blood almost immediately oozing down my temple.

I threw my elbow backwards, landing a strong blow right on the guy's ribs and quickly spinning around to land a powerful jab to his nose, immediately knocking him backwards. I turned to face George again as his friend wailed and nursed his face. The coward had just been watching wide-eyed.

"So you'll hit a girl but not me?" I seethed, moving closer to him. He tried to maintain some distance between us.

"This is clearly a misunderstanding-" I cut him off again, lunging at him and throwing him to the ground this time. He explosively coughed as he landed on his back and I was on top of him one moment later, landing blow after blow.

My rage only continued growing exponentially as I kept imagining everything he did. It felt as though I was pulling pure rage and adrenaline out from a deep well that had no bottom. He reached up to try and wrap his hands around my neck to get me off of him, but his attempts were nothing more than weak failures due to the impact my fist had on the front of his head and the concrete on the back.

Blood now covered his face as his friend tackled me off of him again, slamming me down. I grunted as pain shrieked up the side of my body, my ankle tweaking a bit as he fell down on my legs. He didn't give me time to react to the deep cut that ripped its way up my forearm and elbow as he straddled me and slammed his fist down onto my jaw.

I struggled against his rock solid grip as he landed a few more ferocious punches, my ears ringing slightly and my vision bluring a bit upon each brain-splitting impact. Blood slid from my nose, and I finally was able to knee in between his legs and get on top of him as he fell over, successfully slamming his head onto the sidewalk and knocking him out with one final punch.

Slightly out of breath and now covered in blood, I sat up on my knees and shifted my iced gaze back up to George, who visibly gulped, but kept his stature confident.

"Why haven't you run? Isn't that what cowards are supposed to do?" I glared at him as I got in his face. "Or do you only run somewhere when it's to rape a girl-" it was him who cut me off this time with a blow to my ribs.

I stumbled back a bit, allowing him time to land another on my jaw. I all but growled as I went at him, shoving him once again into the brick wall. He stumbled after the back of his head slammed against it, the impact harder than it had been last time. I threw a punch that, despite being sloppy, was the strongest punch I swore I'd ever thrown.

He immediately felt to the ground, blood practically pouring from his face onto the concrete as he heaved to catch his breath. I kicked him over into his back, and then again, and again. I got on top of him one last time, intending on finishing him out right then. He choked on blood and gasped for air in between my blows. My knuckles were ripped up and throbbing, but it was not deterring me in the slightest.

I didn't even stop laying everything I had into him as I noticed the flashing lights appear and the officers racing towards us. My rage was still disorienting me as I was ripped away from him. Hand cuffs were aggressively latched around my wrists as I continued swearing down at George. He barely had the strength to move, let alone resist the handcuffs that they put on him right after.

I didn't feel myself start to sober up until I realized that they were shoving me into the back of a cop car while Jake was still in ours. It took a few desperate yells for them to finally listen to anything I was saying, but they finally sent an officer to bring Jake to the station me.

An exhausted tear slid down my burning cheek as I stared out the window at nothing in particular and the cop car began moving.

Fuck.

• • •

Smut warning!! Once it begins it stops at the following three dots.
<3

Layla's POV***

"I can't believe this is the most alone time we've had since you moved in," I whispered over to Eli as we lay naked in my sheets, still embracing the after-sensations from the fantastic love we had just made. Sorry, Ash... it's your fault for having such a hot best friend.

He didn't respond as he looked back over at me, that twinkle that often appeared in his eyes present and a small smile tugging on his lips.

"I am literally the luckiest man in the world," he said, and I smiled, rolling over more to lie on top of him. His hands felt up my bare back as I brushed my nose back and forth against his.

"Damn right," I grinned, and he chuckled before softly closing his lips on mine. After the passionate love we had just been sharing, this sweet and slow kiss felt like a ray of goddamn sunshine shining through me.

I could help but smile slightly into the kiss as I trailed off to gently kiss along his jaw and cheek. And then, already feeling keen to another round, I brought my lips to the spot on his neck that always seemed to turn him the most on. He shuddered under me.

"I'll be in the shower," I spoke quietly into his ear, his hands gripping my thighs as I sat up on top of him, bringing myself off the bed a moment later. I could feel his eyes on me as I opened my door and walked to the bathroom.

The water had been going for only a minute or two before I heard the door open. There was an unusual amount of steam filling the shower from the hot water, but I definitely didn't mind. I kept my back turned to Eli while he got in.

I bit my lip as he sensually reached and swept my wet hair away from my neck, leaning in from behind and bringing his lips to my sensitive skin.

My breathing hitched as he pressed his body close to mine. His defined muscles were rock solid as I leaned back into them. It wasn't long before I turned around, standing on my tip-toes and wrapping my arms around his neck to kiss him. His hands gripped my soaped-up waist before feeling down along my sides.

Loving the effect I always had on him, I smirked and brought my arms back from his neck to feel down his chest and abs as I kissed my way down them. A barely audible moan escaped his lips as I got lower and lower until I was finally on my knees. His hand laced through my hair as I teased him, shooting him an evil smile.

"Can I paint your nails later?" I asked, and he could not have seemed more distracted as he answered.

"Sure," he rasped out, his fingers lightly gripping the back of my head.

"Any color I want?" I added, and his darkened expression didn't change.

"Do whatever you want, I don't care," he breathed out, and I grinned, knowing he was going to regret saying that later. Nevertheless, I began holding up my end of the bargain. A low noise sounded from his chest as he tilted his head slightly back. When his eyes returned to mine, the intensity in them sent my heartbeat sky rocketing.

He eventually reached down to bring me back up, and I just went along with it as his hands went to the back of my thighs to lift me up. He pushed me up against the wall of the shower, his solid abdomen flexing as his arms looped around the bottom of my legs to keep me in the air. My hands went to his neck naturally. There was a small built-in shelf on the wall that was at the perfect height for me to rest on as he held me there

"Can you do the soapy thing?" I asked him, and he chuckled, brushing some of my wet hair from my face.

"What?" He asked, confused yet amused.

"You know, the soapy thing. This is my first time in the shower, make it worth my while please. A little effort would be nice," I joked, feeling down his chest. He rolled his eyes at me, before turning them back down to glance over my body and then back up to meet my gaze.

He grinned and gathered some soap in his hands, and even though it was per my request, the way the muscles in his arms moved as he reached for it and then rubbed his hands together made me curl my toes in anticipation, biting my lip and smiling when his dark gaze met mine again.

"You should bite your tongue, Layla," he referred to my sass, bringing his mouth close to mine and his hands to my body. I shuttered as he rubbed circles all over the front of my waist and stomach before they slid up to my breasts, rubbing smaller circles over those as well. His face was right in front of mine as I reacted to the large hands that were mercilessly claiming me with tender passion.

"Make me, Elijah," I brought my hands up to the sides of his face, and he grinned again. "Or you could do it yourself." I smirked slightly at my smoothness, praising myself a little for how easily I was able to get under that gorgeous skin of his.

"Oh, I'll do both, don't worry," he replied huskily, and when one of his hands slid down to between my legs, I knew he wasn't kidding. He kept his lips in front of mine as he begin stimulating me, as if he wanted to watch and feel me react to it. I whimpered in pleasure and drew in unstable breaths, moaning out his name as he went on, bringing me closer to my edge.

But he purposely didn't let me go over it. Damn bastard.. damn sex-god bastard..

"Please," I breathed, still arching against the wall, but he just grinned and brought his lips back to my neck.

"You told me to make it worth your while, did you not?" He spoke into my ear, which sent another shiver down my spine. I felt my hands down his back, subconsciously hoping that I could turn him on too much to the point that he would drop the theatrics and just do me already. I would be completely lying if I said I wasn't thoroughly enjoying this, though.

"Yeah," it barely came out as I continued breathing thinly and loudly, his lips stretching into a grin against my skin.

"Well then I'm just getting started," he told me, bringing his lips back to mine and feeling up my front again, his tongue sweeping against mine as I let out a small moan.

"Do- do you have-" I could barely talk as he brought his mouth down to the hardened tips of my breasts. As if in answer, he returned his lips to mine a few moments later and I heard the crinkling of a wrapper as he kissed me deeply. He didn't need to look as he put it on, and I kissed him back with equal intensity, my fingers in his hair.

He slowly slid into me, and I leaned my head back against the wall as my face shifted into that of pure pleasure. My body moved slightly up and down against the wall as he continued on and brought his lips to my neck. My hands moved from his hair to his back as my nails scraped gently against the soft skin and defined muscles.

Both of our breathing was heavy in the clouded shower, an occasional moan slipping from my mouth. I didn't think that I'd ever get used to this feeling of experiencing him. The sensations had never once been less electric than they were the first time, and I could tell he felt the same way.

When he eventually finished, I hadn't done so yet. But he knew this, and before he could even take in his full high, he was on his knees, his mouth between my legs. Loud noises burst out of me as I finished, shaking all over and grabbing onto his head for support. When he finally came back up, we were both heavily out of breath, and he rested his forehead against mine.

"Wow," was all I could get out or even think to say. It was currently the only word I even remembered as my vision remained blurred and my spirit practically out of my body.

"Agreed," he replied, somehow breathing even heavier than I was, his hands resting on my thighs.

"Now get out, I actually have to shower," I breathed, but he just chuckled.

"Can you stand right now?" He smiled, and I furrowed my brows.

"Why the hell wouldn't I-" my words were cut off when I tried to bring myself off the shelf and stand up, but my knees immediately buckled under me, my insides already sore as hell. He caught me and let out a laugh. "Oh fuck you," I grunted and cursed him for my current inability to function.

"Give me like 20 minutes and then sure," he joked and I rolled my eyes as he scooped me up bridal style and turned the shower off, bringing me out and sitting me down into the counter as he took care of himself.

"I think you should carry me around everywhere. Just like, get a really big baby carrier and bring me everywhere strapped to your chest," I told him, and he laughed.

"I'll start carrying you places and see how embarrassed you get," he replied, tossing me a nice, dry towel.

"Me? Embarrassed? Please. The only thing I'd ever be embarrassed of is your ugly face," I mused, and he sarcastically smiled, leaning in to give me a quick kiss.

"Do I ever look like Ashton to you?" I asked with a little chuckle, and his face scrunched in slight disgust.

"What the hell made you decide to say that to me right now?" He replied, and I laughed at his expression. "I'd ask you to never dye your hair dark but something tells me that it would only make you want to."

"You know me so well," I grinned up at him and reconnected our lips.

• • •

Eli's POV ***

I hadn't thought that it was possible for someone to be as utterly crazy about someone as I was about Layla. A part of me expected her to tell me one day that she was a witch and had cast a really intense love spell on me. I simply forgot how to act when I was around her. Everything flew out of my mind besides her.

After we got dressed, I changed her sheets while she picked out a nail polish color for me. I could not be more opposed to the nail polish, but I knew better than to object. When I plopped down onto her bed, she joined me soon after with steel-blue nail polish in her hand. I shot her a little look as she shimmied in next to me.

"There's no way I can't get out of this, is there?" I asked.

"Nope," she giggled and I shifted to sit up against the headboard as she sat criss-cross-applesauce. "Look," she spoke excitedly and held up the polish to her eyes, showing me that it was a very close match. I smiled at that.

We talked for a bit as she sat there painting my nails, and the intensely focused expression on her face was outrageously adorable. A few times something she said would make me laugh, and then she'd glare at me for risking messing up her painting job by shaking, which in turn only made me laugh even harder.

"You're lucky I didn't ask if I could do your makeup, although that's next up on the list," she told me, preoccupied.

"There's a list?"

"Of course there's a list. Do you not have a list?" She looked up at me.

"I don't think I have a list," I replied, unsure of myself.

"You don't want to like, teach me football or something? I don't really know what guy-things you could have me do," she thought out loud.

"Hm," I thought, "that would be fun, I guess I should make a list then," I looked back at her, but her eyes were fixed on my nails as she was finishing the last one.

"Don't stress it, I think lists are just my weird thing- I feel like if I don't make a shit ton of lists then I'll forget to do things," she explained; her hand soft as it held my fingers in place. "Life may be short but there's so much you can fit into it. I don't want to miss anything else, you know?" She

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