Hey Guys hope you had a lovely week. Here is my second chapter to Games Of A Broken Heart. This is set three years later so Eric and Lacey are now 19. This is where the story will now start from. Also I will probably be updating every Monday as this is a story for my Writing Club on a Monday. Let me know what you think and have a lovely week until next time we meet. :)
Chapter Two: That's How We Play
Feet pounded the cracked pavement methodically as they jogged through Dauntless into the outskirts between all the factions. Panting came from exhausted initiates. Eric however pushed them harder; his stamina was great. Muscle built up in his arms and chest made him fit and strong. Gone were the days he was a weak nerdy Erudite boy, now he was a leader. A leader of Dauntless; everything he said he would be. Truth be he had been a leader for three years now. Being the youngest leader had great responsibility but also great power; with that also came fear. A smirk appeared on his face at the initiates slowed behind him, afraid to collapse. He slowed his pace to theirs before coming to a halt. "Take a quick break" he bellowed. Sighs of relief fell on his ears as he watched the weak sixteen year olds slump to the ground. He remembers being them once; he also remembers his promise. Ever since he became leader he had worked to get his Lace back with him. All the faction leaders were aware of this girl and Eric had used manipulation to pull on their puppet strings. If he could find her and convince her to come to Dauntless she could stay. Eric had told them about her fighting abilities and mind state; she was born to be Dauntless. If she hadn't of been born factionless no doubt her aptitude would be for the faction he now part controlled. Three long years it had taken him to get part one of his plan into action, and now since yesterday in fact part two began.
He scanned the area they had stopped in, looking for his beauty. A growl rumbled deep in his chest when all he saw was roaming factionless men and women. Their clothes were torn and sewn multiple times, and he remembered the time he gave Lacey his Erudite blazer. It was too long on her sleeves but fitted her small frame. It was the first time they held hands. A rare smile crept on his face for a millisecond as he replayed the memory in his head.
"Eric." His name being called broke him from his day dream.
"What?" he rumbled as Four approached him. Four was annoying as hell and beat him in initiation, but the two were friends and thankfully Four, the git, didn't take leadership making Eric very happy indeed.
"The guys patrolling have some info for you regarding Lacey." Most of Dauntless also knew about Eric's plan. No-one apart from the faction leaders ever questioned why he wanted to bring a factionless girl into their community; they were too scared. Four being no exception to his friend. Lacey was a topic you never quizzed.
Eric nodded with a scowl on his face. His long confident strides made him brisk past Four and the initiates. The guys patrolling stopped by Eric. They were in full Dauntless uniform, equipped with guns an all. "What is it gentleman?" Eric asked. Clear and commanding.
"She was last seen at the fence. Earlier she was on top of that building" one of them pointed up at the building towering over them. Eric smirked. She had always been reckless, but so had he. He soon recognised the rust red fire escape on the building and the busted windows. She had been sat where they had that night their hearts had broken. "She should be here in the next five minutes Sir."
Eric smirked happily. His plan was finally fitting into place after all this time. He thanked the guys and wondered back to his initiate group. "She's coming home" Eric said to Four, his posture straight and hands clasped behind his back. He remained the proper leader he was and would until he had her safely locked in his apartment.
"Eric" Four sighed. "I'm happy for you man, I really am, but…"
"But what?" Eric glared at Four; his jaw tense and twitching slightly.
"Don't you think it's unfair? She made her choice when you were sixteen. Technically she can't be in Dauntless due to law. I don't know how you did it man. I admire you for that but… she isn't your property to dictate." Four spoke softly to his friend while trying to tread carefully but make him see common sense at the same time.
Another growl erupted from Eric causing the initiates to turn to their trainers. "You're my friend Four but be careful. I will end you if I have to. She made a poor choice and she will realise that when back in my arms!" Eric raised his voice in anger. "Lace is mine, always had been, so she will do what I say. Am I clear?" Four swallowed thickly at Eric's stormy glare. He nodded quickly, afraid of his friend.
All was silence for a while until the familiar melody reached his ears. "Eric?" He darted his head around with everyone else to see her standing in between two buildings just entering the area they are in. She was still small in height with a smallish frame. Her black locks tumbled down in loose curls to her mid back. Her legs still slender and long for her height. He noticed that even in the torn clothes she wore, her waist was still narrow and defined; her body classed as top hourglass. Her boobs had finally come in and were more than a handful for his masculine hands. His eyes travelled to her face. Her soft features no longer girlish but those of a woman. Youth still played a big part on her fair skin. Plump rosy lips beckoned him as did those ice blue eyes. They drew him in like a siren drew a sailor to the sea. He also noticed his old blazer fitting snugly around her torso.
"Lace." He was different to the last time she saw him. He was broader, more muscular and defined. He stood taller than her now, obviously an outcome from a growth spirt. Blonde hair was still short and styled immaculately, and eyes like the eye of a storm still emulating intensity. He now had black ink marking his skin on him neck and arms, dipping below the tight form fitting black V-neck he wore. He was not the nerd she had never though she would see again. "Nice to see you again Lace."
"You too Eric. Although I can't say it was to hear you." Eric's deep chuckle rippled through the stagnant air at her comment.
"Lacey Miller, the thorn stuck in my heart." His voice was silvery; clear and loud.
"Eric Coulter, the boy who always gets what he wants." A faint smirk appeared on her features, making him laugh once again. "As much as this reunite is lovely, you shouldn't have tried to find me. Three years I've kept under the radar. How did you do it?"
"Well when your leader you can do anything. Eyes and ears everywhere."
"You always said you would become a leader, congrats." She clapped sincerely and he bowled playfully. It was as if there wasn't two dozen other people there with them.
"I believe I promised you that when I was leader, I would tell you what lies beyond the fence, did I not?" Eric raised his pierced eyebrow. Lacey noticed the silver ball reflecting in the sunlight and decided it looked quite nice. Gave him a smouldering look.
"We were sixteen. I never believed it would happen Eric." She was silent for a while before she spoke again with clear voice. "I'm not coming with you Eric." His face slowly darkened as he strode over to her, stopping so they were just a few feet apart. He saw the twinkle her eyes still possessed but also the sadness behind them; the sadness he saw the last time they met.
"Yes you are. You broke my heart and now you're going to fix it" Eric pronounced every word perfectly as they rolled of his tongue with ease. "I pulled strings, so don't you dare tell me you can't because you're factionless. None of that comes into play anymore." The fire of anger was rising in Eric and everyone saw. It seemed the only person not absolutely shitting there pants right now was Lacey. His Lace.
"Eric" she breathed, her gaze dropping to the floor. "I broke my heart too." Her voice was just audible for him to hear.
Suddenly waves of emotion rolled over him. He reached out and gently clasped her chin, like that night and lifted her gaze to his. He took his time to search her eyes before drifting to her mouth. Wetting his lips slightly he thought what to do next. He finally came to the conclusion to speak. "If you don't come willingly with me, then I will have to arrest you."
"Arrest me?" Lacey's face contorted beautifully, making her look innocent but sexy at the same time. "You wouldn't?" She was searching him for any sign but found nothing. "You wouldn't Eric."
"Now that sounds like a challenge to me" Eric smirked with a chuckle. Panic filled her eyes and masked her lovely features. "You want to play a game Lace? I know you like to play games" he whispered seductively in her ear. As he leant back he saw her body shiver slightly making his ego swell big time. "One rule in this game." He waited for all her attention; her eyes staring into his. "There are n rules." With that he let go of her face. She flinched suddenly and bolted off. Eric's chuckle was husky and loud. "The one to catch her gets a day of training with no point deductions. Or if it's anyone else we can work out your reward. Now go!" He bellowed the last words and all initiates, no matter how tired ran off after her. The two guys patrolling ran off too, clearly wanting a reward.
"You're scaring her away mate" Four tapped Eric on the shoulder.
"Nah. I know her and she loves to play games. This is fun to her. Part of the reckless nature she has" Eric smirked.
"As long as you know what you're doing" Four said as he sprinted off in the direction everyone else went.
"Oh, I do." Eric then turned on his heel, nodded to the factionless who witness the whole think and began jogging off the other direction. He knew where she was going. He knew how she played.
~~: Page Break :~~
She ran as fast as her legs could possibly move. Meandering through old crumbling buildings with the red dust from the bricks floating in the air. The breeze similar to that last night, blew her onyx locks behind her speeding body. She couldn't hear footsteps behind her now, her double backing on herself worked. They were headed in the wrong direction. She smiled as she started to slow down to a light jog. Just as she was rounding a corner an arm wrapped round her waist, lifting her with ease of the floor. A shriek escaped her mouth as Eric swung her around so her back met a wall. He didn't push her with strength but even the slightest pressure made brick fall from the building.
"You forgot I know how you play" Eric whispered in her ear. His warm breath caressed her cheek. The whole length of his body pinned her to the wall but his hands rested perfectly on her waist. "Did you have fun with our game?" Lacey inhaled deeply and let out a silent 'yes'. She had forgotten in her hurt and denial how much she had missed Eric. So very much. "No will you come with me?"
Lacey's face dropped with her eyes. Eric's warm hand cupped her face, his thumb stroking the soft skin of her cheek. After a few moments of silence with Eric searching her face, she finally spoke. "I can't."
Suddenly his hand was gone, instead it was curled into a fist and smashed into the wall beside her head. Brick dust scattered as he did this, with a small yelp from Lacey. Her eyes shot to his face. While she was full of panic, not fear, he was full of anger. He knew no matter what he did he could never scare her; she was never afraid of him.
"Why can't you?" he demanded. "Why the fuck not? Don't give me shit Lace, because I already told you it doesn't matter!" Lacey stayed silent, not giving him the satisfaction of an answer. This made Eric angrier but more pissed as well. In an affectionate way he lent his forehead against hers. "Don't break our hearts again" he said in a whisper. He still got no response out of her making him more agitated. It was time he used a different approach. With a sigh he spoke. "How about we play a game? The game is called trail and stay."
Gradually her eyes shifted to his, their foreheads still resting together. "What game is that?" As shit eating grin erupted on Eric's face as the Lacey he had always known came out of her shell. She responded to 'games'; it was a way she coped with the loss of her childhood.
Eric chuckled lightly before continuing to explain the game. "You come with me to Dauntless for a week. Next Monday at precisely," he glanced at his watch. "At 5:34 pm you can decide whether to leave or stay. In those seven days I will make you fall in love with me all over again, but if you don't I will let you go and never come after you again." Each word was like a stab wound to his own chest, but he knew how to play her.
She thought about it for a few minutes before answering. "You promise? Seven days?"
"I promise Lace. Have I ever broken a promise to you?" She shook her head. "So what do you say? Will you play this game Lace? One last game with me?"
"Ok."
Eric smile beamed and he wrapped his arms around her, bringing her to his chest. Burying his head in her hair, that was like a curtain of silk. "You won't regret this."
Suddenly footsteps rumbled round the corner and came to a stop. "Aw man" one initiate exclaimed.
"No fair Eric!"
"What about the reward?"
"There is none. Now shut the fuck up!" Eric bellowed loudly near her ear, causing her to cringe slightly. "Four take em' back to Dauntless, I have to go with Lace to pick up her stuff. Inform Max of our visitor." Four nodded and commanded everyone to jog behind him back to the compound. When all were out of sight, even the two guys that had been patrolling, Eric placed a chaste kiss to her lips. They were still the same as before; moulded for him.