The Hell In Your Eyes Ch 10 1

She was perfect, and exactly what he wanted.

At eighteen years old, she was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. She was of medium build, slender, with dark hair that glinted red in the sun. Her skin was pale and smooth, and her eyes were large, blue pools that called to him. So beautiful. So innocent. So unbelievably fucking stubborn!

Pulling his cell phone from his pocket for what felt like the hundredth time in the space of ten minutes, Jack peered down at the face. Not a single new message. Fighting the desire to crush it within his hand, and smash it against the dashboard, he slipped the cell phone back into his pocket.

He had called her six times, and had sent a dozen text messages. All of which had been blatantly, and spitefully ignored. He was beginning to reach his breaking point. Three days of waiting, and all he had heard was silence. She wouldn't talk to him. She had completely shut him out. He couldn't take it anymore.

Giving her breathing room to calm down was proving to be ineffective. He was patiently waiting for her to come around, but it was starting to feel like that wasn't going to be the case. He didn't want to push his luck more than he already had, but after three days of waiting he was beginning to unravel.

The intensity of his longing was completely destroying him. He couldn't think straight. He couldn't breathe. He felt like he was going out of his mind. The desire to touch her, to feel her pressed against him again, was consuming him.

There wasn't a single thing about her that he didn't crave. Her sweet voice, her smile, her laughter. The way that she would look up at him with those beautiful blue eyes, and how he would become helplessly lost in them just before he would press his mouth to hers.

God, how he needed her.

He had never in his entire life needed someone the way that he needed her. It terrified the living hell out of him. He felt like he couldn't function without her. She had to forgive him. He didn't know what he was going to do if she wouldn't. He couldn't go on like this much longer.

Glancing towards the passenger seat, he grimaced as he looked at the envelope that rested there. It was the cause of all his strife. Snatching it up with his fingers, he peered down at the label.

Attn: Jack Strauss

Strauss Construction Inc.

812 Gibbon Street

South Burlington, VT 05403

The paper crumpled within his fingers as his hand tightened around it. That wasn't how he had wanted her to learn his identity. It's not something he could have hidden from her indefinitely, but he had been hoping for more time. She had been warming to him, he could feel it. He had just needed a little bit more time.

He should have fought harder to make her stay with him. At least long enough to make her understand where it was that he had been coming from. She hadn't been willing to listen to a damn thing that he had said, and before he could even properly gather his thoughts, she had been gone.

It's why he now found himself lurking outside of her school again. If she refused to take his calls, if she refused to talk to him, then she hadn't really given him much of a choice. She couldn't evade him forever. Sooner or later she was going to have to listen to what it was that he had to say.

A long sigh escaped him as he lifted his fingers to pinch the bridge between his eyes. It did little to relieve the tension that was coursing through him. His chest felt tight, and his nerves were practically in shreds. He wasn't used to this barrage of emotional anxiety. It felt as if though someone had been sitting on his chest since he had rolled out of bed that morning, and he didn't relish the feeling. It was an entirely new experience for him. One that he wanted swiftly to end.

A low sound rumbled from deep within his throat, and then his entire frame jerked as his fist came out to smash into the center of the steering wheel. The collision of his knuckles against the column felt therapeutic. Releasing a snarl of anger, he slammed his fist into it again, and then again. His breath seethed from between his teeth, and then he lifted both of his hands to drag them through his dark hair in frustration.

Fuck! Why the fuck was she doing this to him? Was it a punishment? If it was a punishment, then he had learned his lesson. He would never withhold anything from her again. Not a damn thing. Wasn't there a statute of limitations on things like this? How long was she going to make him suffer?

It wasn't going to end like this. He wouldn't allow it. If she wouldn't talk to him, if she wouldn't listen to reason, then he would just have to make her. He had already abducted her once. There was absolutely nothing stopping him from doing it again.

She wanted to be stubborn? She didn't know what stubborn was. He would show her stubborn, and he had years of experience to back him up. Who the hell did she think she was dealing with? Some punk kid from her high school?

This whole thing was complete, and utter bullshit. Did she really think he was just going to sit around, idly twiddling his thumbs, while she treated him like he was some kind of leper? She had already forgiven him for so much worse. Why couldn't she just forgive him for this?

What he had done wasn't that horrible. He had just omitted the fact that her father happened to work for him, and that they sometimes went fishing together, and that sometimes they would grab a beer together after work. So... that he could subtly pump him for information about his daughter.

Jack grimaced. Once it was put into perspective like that, he reluctantly had to admit that she had a right to be angry with him. His actions had been downright deceitful, and if he were truly honest with himself, they bordered on disturbing. He had just been so desperate to know more about her. His fixation had been relentless, and he had just wanted a little bit more information.

Tilting his head back, he lightly banged it against the head rest of the seat while he searched his mind for a solution to his problem. When nothing immediately came to him, his rib cage slowly deflated as another sigh escaped him. He was going to have his work cut out for him when he tried to explain everything. That was, if she even bothered to hear him out.

Leaning forward, Jack reached for the pack of cigarettes that rested upon the dashboard. Pulling one from the box with his lips, his dark gaze darted towards the rear view mirror, and his entire frame grew still while his heart kicked violently within his chest.

As if he had the ability to conjure her from his thoughts alone, there she was, just as breath taking as ever. She was casually standing on the corner, watching the traffic pass while she waited to cross the street. When she finally stepped into the road a moment later, Jack pulled the cigarette from his mouth, and reached for the handle to get out of the car.

It took her a moment to notice his presence where he stood on the sidewalk, but when she lifted her head, her blue eyes widened, and her entire frame halted in surprise. Her reaction only served to wound him further, and a slight grimace hardened his features as he swiftly approached her.

When he reached her side, his wary gaze surveyed their surroundings to ensure that they weren't being observed before he finally looked down at her. His expression became pained as he searched her gaze.

"How long are you going to torture me like this?" he softly inquired.

Sam's lips parted, but words failed her while she stood captive beneath his reproachful scrutiny. Lowering her gaze to the sidewalk at her feet, a small frown creased her brow as she crossed her arms protectively in front of her. Her thoughts raced in an attempt to grasp onto a suitable reply, but when her chin lifted, her mouth trembled, and her voice wavered with an unmistakable tremor.

"What are you doing here, Jack?" she timidly inquired.

His dark eyes slowly roamed over her beautiful face as if he were permanently etching it to memory before he finally met her gaze.

"You haven't returned any of my calls. You gave me no other choice but to come here," he quietly stated. "You wouldn't talk to me. What was I supposed to do?"

Although his demeanor appeared calm, his dark eyes burned with an intensity that made Sam shiver internally. She felt as if she were being consumed by fire as she peered up at him, and her gaze quickly drifted away while she steadfastly avoided the scalding heat.

"I needed time to sort through all of this," she tried to explain. "It feels like I never have any time to think about anything, and I can't seem to think straight when you're around."

The admission brought a reluctant tilt to Jack's lips. "I can't seem to think straight when you're not around," he admitted with consternation. Taking in a deep breath, he let it out slowly. "I had to come. You ignored every single attempt I made to contact you. I don't handle it well when you do that to me. The silence was driving me crazy."

With a small nod, Sam's large, blue eyes flickered back to his for the briefest moment before she lowered them to study the tops of her tennis shoes. Her voice was noticeably strained when she finally replied. "Can we talk about this later? I'm going to be late for school."

Jack's mouth tightened in response. "When?" he demanded. "In another three days? In a week?" Reaching for her, he roughly snatched up her arms as his restraint began to crumble. "How long am I going to have to wait until you're willing to talk to me?" he grit out.

Startled by the impassioned outburst, Sam gasped as she was lifted so that only the toes of her tennis shoes touched the asphalt beneath her feet. Her large, blue eyes widened, and her breath caught when she saw the apparent anger that was reflected within his gaze.

"You're hurting me," she accused him weakly.

His face visibly blanched, and then his gaze dropped to where his hands were clutching onto her in desperation. His hold immediately gentled, and a ragged breath escaped him as his tortured eyes drifted closed. Lowering his head, he lightly rested his forehead against hers.

"Don't do this to me," he begged in an aching whisper. His dark gaze was focused on the ground at their feet as he uttered the words, but he slowly lifted it until it seemed like he was looking directly into her soul. Another gasp escaped Sam as she experienced the power of it at such close range. "Please, baby?" he pleaded. "Talk to me. I don't know how much more of this I can take."

Sam's airways felt constricted as she slowly shook her head. "You lied to me, Jack," she choked out. "You lied to my whole family in order to get what you wanted. How am I ever supposed to trust you after everything that you've done?"

Lifting his head, Jack grimaced in response to the accusation. His mouth parted, then quickly closed as several students passed them on the sidewalk where they stood. Sliding his fingers down the bare expanse of her arms, he reached for her hands, and pulled her with him to the side until they reached the grass embankment near the road. With only a thick tree to afford them the minimal amount of privacy, Jack drew her against the side of it in an attempt to seclude them as much as possible.

When they were alone once again, he reached to lightly caress her cheek with the back of his hand before tilting her chin upwards so that she had no other choice but to look at him. His expression was earnest, and his dark eyes were filled with longing as he peered down at her. Lifting a cautious hand, he tentatively brushed the tips of his fingers through the hair at her temple.

"You can trust me," he softly urged. "I know that I've made a lot of mistakes, but everything that I did, I did so that we could be together. I may have went about it in the wrong way, but I never meant to hurt you," he gently assured her. "You have to believe that."

Inching closer, his dark eyes delved into the blue pools beneath him. "Don't run from me," he whispered. "We can work through this. Things will be better. I promise." His plaintive expression besought her while his intent gaze searched for any signs of mercy.

Sam was filled with uncertainty as she looked up at him. The corners of his eyes were crinkled with tension, and his mouth was pressed together in a grim line. He was anxiously awaiting her response, and for a moment she faltered beneath his steady gaze. Her throat felt tight, and swallowing suddenly became difficult.

"There's nothing you could say that will fix this," she informed him in a barely audible tone.

Jack's breath escaped him harshly as his hands lifted to cup her face within his palms. His features sharply contorted with the misery that he had been experiencing for the past three days, and then his eyes closed as he leaned into her so their foreheads touched once more.

"Don't leave me," he breathed. "I can do better. I can be everything you want," he promised. "Just don't leave."

A fear like he had never experienced before ricocheted through his large frame, making him shake as he tilted his head to roughly press his mouth to her lips. When she made no attempt to pull away from him, a staggered breath shuddered from his rib cage, and then he opened his mouth to deepen the kiss.

She stood pliantly beneath him, allowing him to vent his pain and frustration through the meeting of their mouths. When the nature of it suddenly shifted to become hotter, wetter, and full of urgency, a soft sound escaped Sam while Jack groaned deep within his chest.

One hand drifted from where it was placed upon her cheek as his fingers made a slow trail down the curve of her neck. They lightly passed over her collar bone in the barest whisper of a touch, and continued their descent until his palm hovered over the large curve of her left breast. Grasping it roughly within his palm, Jack lifted it, and squeezed as another groan emerged from his throat.

His lips barely broke away from hers in order to gruffly point out, "Do you see how it is between us? You were meant to be mine, Sam. This was how it was meant to be."

Slipping a strong arm around her waist, he pulled her flush against his body while his palm pressed against the tree trunk above their heads to brace them as he took her mouth again. His tongue delved slower this time. Seeking then stroking against hers in a light caress that was both persuasive, and evocative of the hunger he was having difficulty controlling.

He wanted to devour her. He wanted to tear the clothing from her body so that he could feel her soft skin beneath his fingers. The desire to touch her in all of the different ways he had imagined during their excruciating separation was swiftly consuming him, and he had to fight the natural inclination to roughly take her right then and there before either of them could think better of it.

She belonged to him, body and soul. Nothing would ever be able to convince him otherwise. The feel of her pressed against the length of him once again only served to reinforce that fact. Now that he had her in his arms, he never wanted to let her go.

Reluctantly breaking away from the warmth of her mouth, Jack's eyes drifted closed as the rough edge of his jaw brushed against the softness of her cheek. He repeated the motion several times, until he heard her emit a light gasp, and felt her fingers dig into him where they gripped onto his broad shoulders. Fighting the desire to smile, he tilted his head, and lightly pressed his lips to the silky skin just below her ear.

"You want this too, Sam. I know you do," he tenderly whispered. "Your heart is racing a mile a minute. I can feel it. Don't lie to me by telling me that you don't want this."

She was close to panting as his proficient mouth began following a path down the column of her neck. Her eyes fluttered closed, and her chin lifted towards the sky as she bit down on her lower lip. When his teeth lightly grazed a particularly sensitive spot near the base of her shoulder, Sam whimpered in response.

"I've never denied that you're good at this, Jack," she admitted breathlessly. "You've always been good at this. That was never the problem."

Pausing briefly at her words, Jack continued exploring her skin with every ounce of skill that he possessed. "They're problems that we can work on," he insisted. "Don't give up on me," he lightly cajoled.

Pressing a last soft kiss just below her jaw, Jack leaned back so that he could look into her eyes. His face was filled with apprehension as his ardent gaze regarded her intently. Lifting his hands to cup her face once more, he gently brushed his thumbs across her delicate skin.

"Come home with me," he urged. "I need to be alone with you. We need to talk."

With a shake of her head, Sam frowned. "Something tells me that it's not talking that you have in mind," she pointed out.

He couldn't help himself. He smiled. "I'm not going to lie," he uttered thickly. "I miss the way that it feels to have you wrapped around me. I want to be inside of you, Sam. It can wait. There are things that we need to discuss first."

Shaking her head again, Sam's expression contorted with agony. "You have to let me go, Jack. This is never going to work!"

Those few words quickly brought a scowl to his face. "Don't say that!" When she refused to meet his eyes, Jack lowered his head in order to capture her gaze. "It will work. Everything will be different, I swear to you. You just have to forgive me."

Lifting her chin defiantly, a flash of anger crossed Sam's face. "Again?" she inquired. "How much forgiveness do you think I'm capable of?"

His scowl briefly darkened, and then his shoulders wilted as a sigh escaped him. "Sam, I don't-"

"Miss Bertram?"

The unexpected interruption caused them both to still in surprise. Turning their heads, they spotted the school's vice principal, Mr. Palmer, standing several feet away. He seemed slightly perplexed as he took in the scene before him.

"Is everything alright?" he wondered as his flat, brown eyes roamed over them in confusion.

Dropping his hands, Jack's visage tightened in response to the curious perusal before he pressed his tongue to the inside of his cheek with irritation. "We're fine," he stated in a clipped, dismissive tone.

The older man didn't seem convinced as his concern became evident. Raising his wrist in front of him, he absently peered down at his watch before lifting his gaze. "It's six minutes past the hour. It's time to come inside, Miss Bertram. Classes have begun."

When Sam shifted her weight in order to obey, Jack instinctively pressed closer to keep her in place. "She will be there in a moment. We haven't finished here," he bit out.

The directness of Jack's domineering gaze made the smaller man pause uncomfortably before he put forth the challenging effort of clearing his throat. "Yes, I understand completely, Mr... ah, Bertram," he stated with a frown. "Is there anything that I can do to be of assistance?"

You can fuck off, Jack thought snidely. "I appreciate your concern, but this is a family matter," Jack told him pointedly.

"He's right. I should go," Sam quietly interjected.

Jack's scowl returned in full force as he tilted his dark head to peer down at her. Their eyes met, and held while an unspoken battle took place between them.

'I don't want you to go,' his harsh gaze firmly stated.

'This isn't the time, or the place to do this,' her blue eyes implored.

'I don't care. You're mine, damnit!'

'You're being unreasonable.'

'The hell I am! You're the one that's being unreasonable.'

'Please, Jack?'

'Jesus Fucking Christ!'

"Mr. Bertram?" the vice principal warily inquired.

Losing what little patience he had left, Jack's teeth gnashed together while he fought for control. "Just a minute," he coldly muttered in response. Unable to tear his dark gaze away from Sam's doleful face, Jack's expression became stern.