Illusion (Illusion Series Book 1) Read online

  “Fuck you.”

  “No thank you. You’re not my type.” We all laugh in unison. It’s easy being friends with these guys they’re laid back. Nothing heavy. Not like what I have with my best friend Liam, but sometimes I need a break. I hate feeling too much at a time. I look around the bar to look at my options because Michael is right, I only come when I want to get laid.

  I scan the room till I find a brunette who meets my eyes and I tip my head towards her. Her eyes twinkle and her smile grows. She’s wearing a skintight black dress. She winks at me and tilts her head towards the other side of the room. When I turn in the direction she indicated, the restrooms come into view.

  I smirk at her and wait till she heads over to them to stand up and make my way to her. It’s always been easy for me to get girls. It doesn’t take a lot of effort from me. I just usually smile, tell them up front what I want, and they usually give it to me.

  When I get to the restroom, she yanks me by the arm into a small stall. She leans over to kiss me, but I pull away. I don’t like to be touched. It’s something that sends me over the edge of emotions that only make the urge stronger.

  I turn her around, “Keep your hands on the wall.” She moans loudly in response even though I haven’t even touched her and does what I instruct.

  I pull her dress over her ass until I’m met by black scrapes of underwear. I unbutton my jeans and pull my dick out. I take a condom out of my pocket and roll it on. Without exchanging anymore words with her I yank her panties to the side and sink into her. I grab a hold of her hips and fuck her hard. I want to make this experience as fast as possible, only doing it for the high of my own orgasm. The slapping of our skin and her loud ass moans are the only sound created between us. I pump into her a few more times before I release into the condom. Without even a goodbye or at least a thank you I button my jeans and throw the condom in the trash on my way out.

  I’m an asshole, but at least I’m aware of it.

  When I make it back to the guys, they don’t mention my ten-minute disappearance probably guessing where I ran to. I decide to stay with the guys for half an hour more enjoying their company. They really are great people and it’s nice to hang out with them when I don’t have anyone physically here that I can rely on.

  My mind drifts to the girl with chocolate hair and fierce honey eyes.

  Emma.

  I wonder what she’s doing, what kind of friends she has. If she has a boyfriend. The mire thought that she might have a boyfriend sends hot rage under my skin only irritating me further on why I should give a fuck. I thought that after finally getting laid I would stop thinking about her. Even when I don’t notice, I think about her. Maybe if I got my dose of her once I can get her out of my system.

  Emma

  I SIT IN MY usual spot at the coffee house near my school. I hug my hands around the white mug that contains my black coffee. I like my coffee black because I love the bitter taste to it. It’s refreshing and it’s an easy caffeine addiction. I hate how when you put creamer in, the true taste of coffee is drowned out by the milk. The aroma of the coffee beans makes my mouth water. I look outside to the empty plaza of where the coffee shop is located in. It’s pretty dead due to the chilly breeze that lays in the air midafternoon.

  “Austin,” I hear the barista call out and my heart immediately starts palpating. I’m afraid to look up and actually see him. I try not to look quickly, but the curiosity wins, and I look up. Vivid dark blue eyes meet mine and my breath catches in my throat.

  Austin stares back at me with amusement all over his face and all I could do is stare. Why did I have to run into him again? I want to stop thinking about him. It seems the universe is playing some kind of sick joke. I watch for a few seconds longer till I turn my eyes towards the window. I keep my face feigning indifference.

  I can feel his eyes burning on the side of my face. When I think he finally left the chair in front of me scrapes the floor. I look up to those ocean eyes. They still look the same as the last time I saw him, but his face holds some lightness to him. Maybe his eyes are permanently damaged and that’s why they hold no light within.

  “Hey again.” I don’t respond as I watch him. I don’t want him near me. I don’t want to see him again and I definitely don’t want him to be talking to me. “Silence? That’s just rude, Emma.” As he talks my eyes move down to his mouth and his lips are wet from his tongue or the coffee that he’s holding in front of him. His lips are full, and they look soft. I wonder what they would feel on my skin. The softness of his lips and the wetness of his tongue against my skin creating goosebumps.

  “Earth to Emma,” Austin’s voice comes through my hormonal fog and I snap back to attention. Irritated that I was getting turned on by my own dirty thoughts.

  “What are you doing?” I finally speak while glaring at him.

  “Sitting,” He answers sarcastically.

  “Thank you, captain, obvious. Can you stop being a smartass and tell me what you want?”

  “Nah, I’m good.” My irritation only grows, and I want to throw my book at him.

  “Okay well if you don’t mind, I’m trying to read.” He looks down at my closed book and smirks.

  “Nope. I don’t mind at all. In fact, I love to watch you read.”

  “You do realize that’s creepy right? You sound like a stalker.”

  “As flattering as it sounds, I’m not a stalker. You just come to the coffee shop every day.” I watch him as it dawns on me that he’s probably seen me before without me noticing. I wonder if he remembers me from the first time I noticed him. “You’ve seen me here before?”

  “Yup. I come here every day too. I saw you the other day, but you looked really into your book and I didn’t want to interrupt. I hate when people interrupt me when I’m reading.” He reads? He doesn’t look like the type to read at all. He’s arrogant and cocky. He looks like a dumb jock. “You read?”

  “Surprised? What makes you think I don’t read?”

  “I didn’t say you didn’t.”

  “But you thought it,” He arches his brow to emphasize his point.

  “Okay yeah I did. But it’s because you look like that?” I gesture towards his body as he leans up on his elbows coming closer towards me.

  “Like what?” He whispers. The intensity of his eyes makes me want to hide in my own skin or his.

  “Well you’re built like a jock and hot guys don’t read.”

  “Wow, Emma didn’t think you were prejudice.”

  I roll my eyes at him, “I don’t mean to, but I’m human. You proved me wrong though. What kind of books do you read?”

  “My favorite kind of literature is anything Jane Austen.” I furrow my eyebrows in disgust. Jane Austen is my least favorite literature author. I don’t feel like I can connect with her stories. “What? You don’t like her work? What the heck is wrong with you?”

  “No, I don’t like her books. I can say the only one I can tolerate is Persuasion.”

  “Ahh see you are redeemable.”

  I chuckle, “Shut up. Let me guess your favorite is Pride and Prejudice.”

  He watches me through his long lashes. “Fuck yeah! The woman power within Elizabeth’s character is such a fucking turn on. And Darcy being a complete asshole to her as a coping mechanism for his feelings just proves the ideology that the kid who’s mean to you at the playground probably has a crush on you.”

  I watch with intriguing eyes. I love how his mind works and how he just made me see the literature piece in a different light. “I like the way you view it, but it can also just mean that the kid is an asshole like Darcy.”

  “Touché.”

  “Why do girls love the assholes of every story?”

  “Because they love the danger and the mystery that comes from a bad boy.” I stare at him feeling exactly like Elizabeth, where I want to slap Darcy but, in this case, Austin and want to screw him at the same time. My palms begin to sweat with the thought of Austin touching me in mo
re ways than one. I squeeze my legs together to fight off the warmth between my legs. “Emma?” I look up at Austin’s smirk as if he knows exactly what I am thinking.

  My cheeks flush, “I have to go.” He grabs my hand as I gather my stuff and I freeze with the warmth of his skin against mine. I look into his eyes, “Let me walk you out?”

  I shake my head no before I answer, “No, I’m good but thanks.” I walk out as fast as I can, and I don’t dare turn around to catch a glimpse of Austin.

  ∞∞∞

  The wind hits my face making my skin numb. The air is a lot chillier in the early morning. I look down at my watch and see it’s a quarter after six and the sun is barely rising. I’ve been running for an hour and my legs feel prickly from the cold air and my muscles tight from running. I heave a breath as my lungs contract in discomfort. I sit at the edge of one of the cliffs and watch the sun raise slowly. I love watching the sunrise it feels like a new start. A new beginning to whatever you want.

  As I enjoy the slow raise of the sun, I hear someone walk up behind me. The crunch of the dirt and rocks underneath their shoes. The hairs on my neck stand to attention, but not from panic just from alert of the warm feeling that spreads through me. Whoever is behind me sends a welcoming aroma. I hear the footsteps get closer then see the tips of black Nike’s as they sit next to me. I run my eyes up the athletic body and easily recognize it.

  Austin.

  When my eyes land on his face my breath catches in my throat. He’s truly beautiful. God blessed him with beautiful olive skin. A clean jaw line that creates a hollow in his cheeks and eyes that are so blue the sky reflects on the color. I want to ask him how he found me again, but it would be redundant considering we ran into each other here before. It’s funny how I’ve never seen him before and now I can’t stop running into him. But I guess it’s my fault I never paid attention. I should pay attention more instead of being in my own head.

  “Why do you like to watch the sunrise?” He asks out of nowhere. He keeps his eyes ahead and I keep mine on him.

  “Because it’s pretty.”

  “No seriously. No one wakes up early and sits in the cold to watch the sunrise.”

  I move my eyes towards the sun, feeling too vulnerable and before I can think about it, I hear myself answer, “My mom.” I quickly feel his head snap towards me. I know he’s watching me, but I try not to focus on it. “She died of breast cancer when I was nine. As long as I can remember we would always run on this trail. And some mornings she would bring me out here to watch the sunrise before school. It felt so freeing and a rush beating the sun in the mornings. The last time we watch the sunrise was when she told she was sick. She made it seem like it was a cold and she would get better. I waited for months asking every day when we would come again.

  “I would beg my dad to bring me. My uncle Jessie would bring me and sit here with me. When she died that was the only way I could feel her in the sun and running. I miss her so much. The missing her part never gets easier. The pain simmers at the top and it burns right underneath my skin.”

  I feel his eyes on me without speaking. We sit in silence for a few minutes when he speaks up, “I’m sorry, Emma.” Anger burns inside me. I hate people feeling pity for me.

  “I don’t need your pity.” I snap and glare at him.

  “That’s not I meant. I get how you feel.” Part of me wants to soften at his words because he knows about the pain of losing someone, but the other half is angry because I don’t want to share this pain. It’s the only thing I have left of my mom. The only thing that no one can take away from me. This pain is a reminder that my mom did exist, and I will always love her.

  “I don’t care what you meant.” I stand up and begin jogging back to the parking lot of the trail. After ten minutes I get to my car. I see Austin walking calmly up to the car besides me. He doesn’t come after me like I expect him to. I can’t tell if I’m disappointed because he didn’t or because he did. I turn the key in to start my car and a screeching sound comes from my car. I try again my car makes the same sound. This is so embarrassing because Austin is witnessing this and I’m going to be late for work.

  I jump when Austin’s knuckles tap against the glass of my window. I press the button to open it and he just watches me. I hate when he does that.

  “It sounds like your battery is dead. Do you have jumper cables because I don’t?”

  I furrow my eyebrows at him, “You can check the trunk, but I doubt it because I don’t even know what that is.”

  He stares at me in disbelief. “How do you own a car and not know what that is.”

  “I’ve only been driving for about a year and have never had car trouble.”

  “Right, sometimes I forget how old you are.” He chuckles as he walks around my car to get to the trunk.

  I yell out the window, “I’m only 18, grandpa.” He walks back to me and smiles. His smile is breathtaking, the dimple on his cheek deepens every time he smiles, and I love it. It also makes him more attractive which only intensifies my desire for him. I hate that I want him. He leans into the car window a few inches away from my face, his arms hanging lazily on the window. My heart beats so fast that I think it’s going to jump out of my chest.

  I look into his deep blue eyes and they’re a shade lighter than what I’m used to seeing. “You do realize I’m only 24, right? And trust me there’s nothing grandpa about me.” He winks and I feel the warmness run down my body until it hits between my legs. He stands up before he continues breaking our moment, “There’s no cables, but if you want, I’ll call a tow truck.”

  “I guess that works. I just have to get to work. I can’t miss or be late. I babysit for a single dad.”

  “I can drop you off if you want?”

  “Oh my gosh, you would be a saint if you did.” He chuckles as he walks towards his car. I don’t feel afraid considering he’s already driven me before when he rammed me with his bike. On the drive over, there’s comfortable silence that I appreciate. He doesn’t try to fill the air with words especially after this morning. I feel bad for reacting the way I did and I’m glad he doesn’t bring it up again.

  His phone rings through the car speakers and I jump not expecting it. When I look over at his dashboard it reads Liam. He answers with no second thought and a young male voice comes through, “Hey, dickhead,” I giggle hearing him call Austin that. “Wait am I interrupting a fuck session?” I feel my cheeks flush. Austin must fuck a lot of girls for that to be the first thing that comes to this guy’s mind.

  “Shut the fuck up Liam. I’m in the car with—” His eyes meet mine before he continues, “my friend.”

  “Friend? Fuck buddy?” I begin to get irritated at the assumptions of this dude. Not because he thinks that we possibly might be sleeping together, but that Austin fucks a lot of girls.

  “Liam what do you want?” He huffs in irritation.

  “Just checking in on you. How are you feeling today?” I instantly begin to like his friend for the way he’s checking in on him. It warms my heart to know Austin has that.

  “I’m okay.” He simply answers.

  “You’re always okay,” His friend teases.

  “It’s always the same. I’m coping. I have to go, but I’ll talk to you later.”

  Coping? Coping about what? I’m tempted to ask but consider it best not to.

  “I love you. I’ll call you tomorrow.” I’m taken back by the affection his friend offers especially because Austin doesn’t say it back. We sit in silence for a few minutes before curiosity gets the best of me. “Why didn’t you say I love you back?”

  “I don’t say it anymore. And Liam has to say it just in case.”

  I stare at him, “In case of what?”

  “You never know when it’s the last time.” The way the words leave his mouth makes my heart ache for him. The sadness in his voice is evident that he understands all too well what that means.

  Austin

  WHEN WE ARRIVE AT the hou
se of the kid she babysits I don’t want our time to end. The thought surprises me. I’ve never wanted to spend time with anyone else. Even sexually, I want the experience over before it even starts. I remember Emma telling me that her boss is a single dad and curiosity gets the best of me when I walk her towards the door. “What are you doing?”

  “I want to meet your boss?” She furrows her brows causing a crease between them.

  “No, you’re not. That’s weird.” Before I can answer the door opens to a tall man. His body built is big and he meets my height of 6’2. It only agitates me further that he’s really young and can easily capture a young girl like Emma’s attention. He eyes me before he turns his eyes to Emma and his face lights up. “Hey, I got worried. You’re never late.”

  “Yeah sorry, I was having trouble with my car.” She smiles apologetically. The baby in his arms leans forward wanting Emma. She takes him and coos with him as the baby giggles. I smile at the sight. It’s enduring to see her interact with the baby. I turn towards her boss and realize that he’s looking at her the same way I am, and it only makes my blood boil. I place my hand on her hip and his eyes shift towards the gesture. Emma doesn’t seem to notice the way her boss looks at her or my hand. All her attention is on the baby.

  “Who’s this?” Emma’s eyes meet his then turn towards me.

  “Oh. Uh…this is my friend Austin. He brought me to work. Austin this is Mr. Anderson.”

  He nods towards me and I ignore him turning towards Emma. “I’ll pick you up after. Have a good day.” I lean into her and kiss her forehead. I’m surprised by my gesture. I didn’t mean to do it just happen naturally. Emma watches me through her eyelashes. I can see the questions that run through her eyes. She knows we have an audience and decides not to ask why, but I’m sure she’s dying to.

  She nods, “Okay, I get out at three.” I smile at her and walk away without saying a word to the prick. I know what he’s thinking wondering what I mean to Emma. And little does he know absolutely fucking nothing. I get in my car and watch her head inside and I see her bosses’ eyes shift to her ass and I want to kick his ass, but I know Emma wouldn’t ever speak to me again if I did. And for some odd reason I do not want that to happen.