Butterfly Girl Read online

  “I didn’t mean to upset you,” he continues after a lengthy pause. “I just wanted to make sure you were okay. Your father wasn’t happy.”

  “The Reverend doesn’t like me talking to strangers. I can’t talk to you.”

  He steps in front of me, and to my amazement, Tiger Lily and his few friends stay resting on me.

  “Please go.”

  “I’m not going anywhere, Wren.” He grins. “No one can see us in here. It’s safe.” Backing away slowly, Rafael drops his butt onto a fallen tree trunk.

  The boy is too nice looking for his own good. He sits there and stares at me in all his black clothing: jeans, T-shirt, biker boots. The swirling lines of tattoos cover his arms and hold my attention longer than polite. I don’t see anything wrong with that considering his eyes stay on me the whole time. He smirks and relaxes as he spreads his legs and leans forward, resting his elbows on his thighs and his chin in his hands.

  Tightening my jaw, I snap, “Why are you staring at me?”

  “Because you’re pretty.” He frowns and clears his throat, his back going straight as a board. “I meant to say that I stared because of the unusual connection you have to the butterflies. It’s true. However, you really are pretty, Wren.”

  “You can’t say that to me.”

  “Who says I can’t?” He stands and moves closer.

  I refuse to back away, so I tip my head back so I can continue to see his face. He’s maybe a foot taller than me. Certainly, broader in the shoulders. As I look at him, I realize he’s big all over. Not in a bad way, but in a very nice way. The thought of which makes me blush and my gaze drops at the heat in my cheeks.

  The annoying boy snickers under his breath. I catch it, though. I also see the way his eyes search my face. I can’t understand why I continue to stand here with him. Why haven’t I run?

  “I’ll stop teasing you if you come and sit with me. It’s been forever since I talked to someone other than my dad.” He winces. “Please.” His hand goes to his chest and he tries to give me a lost puppy dog look, but all that does is make my lips twitch. “I caught that, butterfly girl. Admit it”—he leans closer—“you like me.” He immediately backs away and drops to the fallen log. He pats a spot next to him.

  I know we won’t be seen, unless of course, the Reverend decides to come looking for me. He’ll probably just yell from the porch. It usually works.

  I desperately want to talk to Rafael and, maybe, have a friend. He’ll be my only one. Until school that is. No one speaks to me there, unless of course, they want something. Will Rafael be the same once he gets to know me? Will he prefer the others? I sense the hatred the Reverend has for Rafael’s father, so I don’t think Marcel will be attending church anytime soon. That, at least, gives me a small slither of hope.

  Nerves flutter around in my belly as I take the few steps to bring me in front of the fallen tree and Rafael. He’s beautiful this close, and his eyes are dark pools of mystery. It’s his chuckle that clears my head of all this silly nonsense. Rolling my eyes, I glare and sit beside him making sure there’s a large gap between us.

  He notices. His eyes go between me and the gap a few times before he sighs heavily. “I don’t bite.” He slides closer. “I promise, Wren. I just want to talk. I won’t hurt you.”

  “I’m not used to being around anyone.” Too embarrassed to look at him, I add, “At school, I’m surrounded by others but I’m still alone. I find it hard to believe you’d want to talk to me when no one else does. I don’t mean to be wary of you. It’s me with the social problem.” I feel slightly better after getting all that out. Probably the most I’ve spoken to anyone at any given time. My nerves still tickle my belly because I don’t want him to go. I like being near him. He smells good, too.

  “One thing you should know about me, Wren, is I don’t do stuff to fit in. I do what I want. Mostly. So, if others don’t see how amazing you are, then they’re missing out. I’m not. End of story.” He nudges into me and I sigh when Tiger Lily takes flight. “Sorry.”

  “It’s okay. He doesn’t usually follow me into the trees anyway.” I give him a sidelong look and then a tentative smile when he grins in return.

  “My charm is working on you, huh? You smiled at me.” He gloats.

  “Don’t let it go to your head. You won’t be getting another.”

  “I will. I don’t give up easily.”

  “Why didn’t you take online classes?” I blurt the question, which takes us both by surprise. “Don’t answer that if you don’t want to. Or answer it. It’s a nosy question. But I’m curious—”

  He bursts out laughing, which of course, makes me laugh. His eyes sparkle with amusement. However, he decides against commenting on my second smile in less than two minutes.

  “I didn’t take online courses because they bored me stupid.” He looks off into the distance. “Dad wanted us out of the city, so here we are, and I’m enrolled at the school now. Lucky me, huh?”

  “Yeah, lucky you,” I mumble.

  9

  RAFAEL

  “I SHOULD HAVE SAID, lucky you, Wren.” She is so damn cute when she blushes, which she seems to do often around me. I like that I’m not the only one affected by this thing between us. It would be a lot easier if I weren’t, but damn, the girl is gorgeous.

  I haven’t once thought of Wren as a real person until I met her. Now, I can’t get her out of my mind. She’s driving me crazy. Her petite frame is filled out just fine, which I try not to notice. I’m a guy after all. An older guy. I have to remember that. Three years isn’t a huge gap, but when the girl is only seventeen, then yes, I have to remember. No matter how gorgeous she is.

  “You decided not to talk to me anymore?” I ask to cover up how quiet I went.

  “I’m thinking,” she comments. “I think you have the wrong impression about me.”

  I can’t help myself. I grin like the cat that got the cream. “Is that so?”

  “Yes. You think I’m an outcast and you want to make friends with me because I’m the only person you’ve met since moving to town.” She folds her arms together tightly under her perky tits, pushing them together—not that she’s aware of this.

  For a second, I’m tempted to tell her, but think better of it. I want her as a friend, not to go running from me because I can’t keep my mind off her body and on our conversation. I’ve certainly seen more of her than I should have. She knows this too but has chosen not to mention it.

  “Ugh!” She stands and barely refrains from stomping her foot. “Stop staring at my chest.”

  I rapidly blink and curse under my breath as Wren starts heading toward her glasshouse. I reach out and gently grab her wrist. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. I was thinking about something else. Didn’t realize I was staring.” I curse again. “I could stare at you all day, but I wasn’t meaning to then.” Wincing, I start laughing when I notice how difficult Wren tries not to laugh. “Shit.” I run my hands through my hair and laugh with her. “It’s your fault I sound like an idiot.”

  “That’s right. Blame me. Everyone else does.”

  Well, that statement slaps the laughter right out of me. It catches me off guard and I want to take the hurt from her eyes. “I was teasing, Wren.” I take a chance and touch her chin, lifting her face up to mine. “I really was teasing. Kind of. I’ve never met anyone like you, so I stared and ended up a buffoon. Forgive me.”

  “Nothing to forgive. I didn’t mean my words to sound accusing. I didn’t realize how accurate they were until I said them.” She shrugs and I feel like hitting the Reverend. There is no doubt in my mind the asshole is responsible for all the hurt flashing across Wren’s face.

  In that instance, I want to tell Wren everything. The reason why we are in Port Michael. How we got the house. What we know about the Reverend. My father knows even more than he’s told me, which I find annoying. I try to understand. One day I might. But never have I wanted to talk to someone as badly as I do Wren. I want her to kn
ow how beautiful she is. How attracted to her I am after that first glimpse of her in the garden. I want her to know I’ll protect her from him. I hope I can and that, one day when she knows the truth about everything, she’ll forgive me for not telling her from the beginning.

  “Why are you thinking so hard?” She tentatively reaches out and runs the tips of her fingers across my brow.

  I hold my breath wondering what she will do next. I’m not disappointed, but now my breath catches in my throat as her fingers gently trace along the large jagged scar on my face. Nerve endings I thought were fried come to life under her touch and I feel each soft flutter deep inside. It isn’t something I can explain. Not even my father has touched my scar. Only the doctor and the nurses in the hospital had. I close my eyes and savor everything about the way she touches me. It isn’t the touch of someone curious to feel the jagged lines, it’s the touch of someone who is trying to take away my pain. As though she wants to see inside of me. The connection I felt at first seeing Wren is getting stronger. It’s growing inside of me to the point that I know I have to end this. I have to act my age and step back so she can no longer touch me. I have to. However, my feet refuse to move. I don’t want to move.

  Her hand cups my rough cheek and, while my heart beats wildly behind my breastbone, I reach up and wrap my fingers around her wrist. Her eyes jerk up and hold mine, and then she flees.

  She runs through the trees, back the way she’d come, disregarding the whack of branches as they get in her way. When she reaches the edge of trees, she stops and looks back over her shoulder, her hair flying around her face. She holds my gaze for a split second then I lose sight of her. The only trace left of her is the soft warmth where her fingers had danced like butterfly wings on my skin.

  It’s as well I can’t decide whether or not to follow the enchanting girl because my feet refuse to move, my legs feel like rocks. I don’t think anyone has confused me like this before. Her touch had been different, and it makes my head spin as I try to work out what actually just happened between us. Every nerve ending in my body is alive, especially in my dick.

  Inhaling deeply, I shake myself free and tilt my face up toward the sky. Slivers of sunlight shine between the dense foliage, which is all I can see. It’s quiet here. Dark and quiet. I can think without any judgement or sneers from my peers. My father knows the real me, so had my mother and brother. I want Wren to know the real me too. The one who sometimes feels as though I’m drowning with no ability to surface.

  However, when I’m around Wren, I feel at peace. She makes me feel other things, which is not surprising considering how gorgeous the girl is. The fact that she has no clue how beautiful she is, makes my feelings toward her more intense. Too intense for someone I’ve just met.

  Deep in thought, I quickly turn my head to the right as a twig crunches beneath a booted foot—and another twig. I try to focus and see through the semi-darkness and my heart races wondering who is heading toward me as I move behind the nearest tree. I’ve learned to slow my breathing and keep it paced so as not to panic.

  When I hear, “Rafael?” hissed in a very low voice—a very familiar voice, anger hits me. I step from my not-so-good hiding spot and go toe-to-toe with Dad. “What the hell?”

  He steps back.

  “How long were you there?” I snap. “Were you making sure I didn’t tell Wren anything?”

  “Rafael, calm down.” He shakes his head. “I only came after you when I saw Wren run out.”

  Frowning, I glare. “I thought you headed into town.”

  “I did. Drove down the road and remembered I left my wallet on the counter, so I turned around.” He knows I’m not impressed as he turns and starts to trudge back the way he’d come.

  “Make more noise next time,” I grumble, sounding like a surly teenager.

  Once I’m out of the trees, my eyes stray across to Wren’s house. I can’t see her and wonder where she’s gone. No sign of her in the glasshouse, but as I’m about to glance away, my eyes catch brief movement at her bedroom window. She’s there and I’d bet good money she’s watching me. I’d be watching her.

  I jump up the porch steps, make sure she sees my head swivel toward her bedroom, then I wave before heading inside.

  “You’re asking for trouble, Rafael.”

  I am but I can’t help it. I want to know what makes Wren Jacobs tick. I realize I want to know a lot more than that. Best keep that knowledge to myself.

  10

  WREN

  THE TICK of the clock in my room finally draws my gaze and I panic. Tardiness won’t be tolerated. I hate going because everyone has been brainwashed during the Reverend’s weekly sermons at church. Every resident of Port Michael is a member of the church, and they believe the Reverend’s word as gospel. He will make a small dig about me during his sermon, which leaves his followers wondering which way he had actually meant the comment. It scares me how much people of Port Michael look up to him.

  Even at school, I can’t settle. The Reverend isn’t there, but his shadow follows me there. Everyone knows who I am. Everyone knows who my father is. Everyone is ready to gain favor with the Reverend by sharing anything I have done that tarnishes the church. But I don’t do anything. I keep quiet because everything I do or say will be reported back to him, no matter how insignificant it might seem. I’ve learned that the hard way. For the past five years it has been “regimented.” I’d overheard that word in conversation once. In my naivety, I had looked up the word during science…and spent two nights in the basement for it.

  Goose bumps rise on my arms and a cold shiver runs down my spine at the memory of the dank basement. He loves to use that room as my punishment because he knows exactly how much it terrifies me. He doesn’t care one bit.

  The Reverend is worshipped in our small community. I learned a long time ago that no one here was going to help me escape him.

  One day though, I will be as free as my butterflies.

  Unfortunately, it only takes around ten minutes for me to walk to the small school. It takes seconds for Alice—Miss Goody-Two-Shoes—to approach me as though it’s the most natural thing in the world. It’s not.

  To my surprise, she smiles as though she’s happy to see me, which she really isn’t. “Have you met your new neighbor yet? Rafael?” she asks. “What’s he like? I’ve heard he’s covered in tattoos. Have you seen any? Did he tell you his mom and little brother were killed during a home invasion three years ago? He was injured during the attack. Did you know that? He keeps getting into trouble so that’s why they moved here. My dad says the Reverend isn’t happy. Apparently, the father inherited the house, so the Reverend had no choice but to allow them to live here. Is your dad really angry, Wren?” Alice throws her arms around while questions and information fall out of her mouth. More words than she’s ever said to me.

  No way am I going to admit to having a conversation with the boy. The whole town, including the Reverend, will know within ten minutes. I have no interest in Alice or her gossip. “You know more than I do,” I reply, hoping she’ll run off.

  Turning to my locker, I fiddle with the lock and, once the door finally opens, I shove all my stuff inside except for the few things I need for the first class. With a heavy sigh, I glare at Alice, who stands next to me and doesn’t say anything more after her rambling. “Alice, if you really want to know about Rafael, then why don’t you ask him yourself? I really don’t know anything.”

  Not quite true, but Alice doesn’t need to know that.

  “You wouldn’t tell me if you did, would you?” she hisses.

  Correct!

  “What has happened to someone else is none of my business.” I pause, and add, “Or yours.”

  “You’re a horrid person, Wren Jacobs,” Alice says.

  I snap my mouth tightly closed and count to ten before replying calmly, “Maybe I am, but what will the Reverend think when he hears about how you spoke to me, huh?”

  The Reverend barely tolerates me, b
ut I know he will demand respect for me from another my age—an adult can probably spit at me and he won’t care.

  Her complexion drains of color at my words and I know I’ve made my point. She continues to stare, but I’ve had enough. “Don’t you have somewhere else to be?” I raise a brow.

  “She probably does, as do I, but I don’t think she intended for me to hear her babbling about me.”

  Hearing his voice, I turn and find Rafael shrouded in darkness. His lips are pulled tight in anger as he glares at Alice.

  The stupid girl squeaks and takes off, mumbling, “I have class.”

  I dip my gaze hoping he will head for class too. He doesn’t move, so I lift my gaze and see his features soften slightly. His dark eyes glitter with amusement. I swallow hard and hide my face once more, too embarrassed to continue staring. I could actually stare at the beautiful boy all day.

  “Are you going to run off again?” he asks. “Like you did the other day.” I feel his stare on the top of my head.

  Surprised at his tone, I blurt, “Get over yourself. I’m not going to run off. Again.” I lift my face and stubbornly pout. “But I do have a class to get to.” Embarrassment crawls up my neck and onto my face as I remember him watching me through my bedroom window. Am I ever going to forget that, so I don’t get embarrassed every time I’m around this boy?

  I have a feeling he is going to be nothing but trouble.

  The Reverend will punish me for the rest of my life if I’m seen talking to Rafael. The teachers report everything to him, and I mean, everything.

  When I start to move away, Rafael grabs my arm, right on the spot where the Reverend had grabbed me. I hiss at the unexpected pain rippling through me. Rafael curses and immediately releases me. “What’s wrong?”

  “It’s nothing,” I mutter and sigh when the bell rings.