Strange things had been happening around the Black household, but Skye took no note of them. After all, what was stranger than her own deranged mother trying to off her? Not much, she would say. Presently, she curled up on the couch near Jacob. Everything about him calmed her, and however unnerving it may be, she didn't let it bother her. Of all the things she was feeling, safe and warm were the two she wanted to feel most of all. And Jacob was both of those things to her – especially warm. His body radiated heat like it was no one's business. She loved it.
Her hair fell in pin straight strands – or it better have been that straight, seeing as how she worked with the flat iron all freaking morning – over a large grey hoodie that Jacob had loaned her. Sure, she had her own clothes, but he had offered and she saw no reason to refuse his kindness.
Kindness, Skye snorted into her cup of coffee before taking a sip. Yeah, that's what she wanted to call it. Kindness.
The truth was simply that she liked him. There was nothing more to it, nothing less. It was all very simple, and it was what it was.
The television was on, but neither of them were really watching it. They were both frolicking in their own little worlds.
To her left, Jacob's body grew tense and he pushed himself off the couch and away from Skye. He did this often, she noticed, and it had become a habit. He muttered an excuse and holed up in his room, where he would stay until the uninvited guest disappeared.
True to her assumptions, a tentative knock rapped on the door. With a sigh, Skye placed her coffee mug on the table and opened the door a fair crack. "He's not here. As usual," she told Bella.
"Please," she mumbled. "I have to see him."
Skye sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I'm sorry, Isabella. I really am, but he's just not here."
"Bella," she corrected and fidgeted nervously. "I'm sorry. I just have to. . ." she trailed off and brashly pushed against the door.
Through Skye's surprise, it had thrown her off balance, and her wrist knocked forcefully against the wooden floors, effectively pissing her off. Before Bella could get very far, Skye launched herself at her and pinned her arms behind her. This was Skye's home. This girl had no place barging in her home like the owned the place.
With much struggle on Bella's part, and not so much on Skye's, Bella was thrust out of the door. Skye stared at Bella's shocked face stoically. "This is my home, Bella. Disrespect is not tolerated in my home. If I say Jacob's not here, then according to you, he is not here. Am I understood?"
Bella just stood staring at Skye with shock plastered on her face. Skye closed the door and locked it. She really didn't like having to be so cruel towards the girl, but Bella really gave her no other choice.
"She's gone," Skye called out towards Jacob's room as she made her way to the kitchen. She needed to ice her wrist, or it would swell.
Strangely, she felt Jacob before she heard him – she felt his eyes on her as she reached into the freezer and pulled out a handful of ice. Dropping it in the ziplock bag, she turned to Jacob, who had conveniently decided to grab a wash cloth to wrap the bag of ice.
"I'm sorry," he said.
Skye shook her head. "Don't be. It's not like you did this," she gestured to her wrist, which had begun to swell. The ice felt good against the tender area.
Jacob sighed and grabbed Skye by her waist, hoisting her onto the counter. He didn't say anything for a long time, just standing with his head on Skye's shoulder.
Skye knew he felt bad about shutting Bella out of his life, especially after she'd heard about Bella's breakup with her fantasy boyfriend. She didn't really blame him for not wanting to be a rebound. Even still. . . "Jacob," Skye said.
He grunted as a response, making Skye roll her eyes. He didn't feel like moving, obviously.
"I think you should just tell her what's going on," she spoke quietly and slowly. "If she's really your best friend, she'll understand."
With a big sigh, he pulled away from her shoulder and stared into her eyes. "You don't even understand."
Skye shrugged. "I would if you would tell me."
His deep brown eyes penetrated her barriers, looking for any sign of what may or may not be the truth. He wanted to tell her so badly, but he couldn't bring himself to push the words out of his mouth. They were stuck in his throat and they tasted bad. He sighed agitatedly and put his head down again. "I'm not ready, but I hate all of this secrecy."
"There, there," Skye told him, running her fingers through his short hair in an attempt to soothe him. It was working. "People are entitled to their own secrets, Jacob. But just remember, no one ever has a secret that actually follows them to the grave. There's already at least one person on this earth that knows your secret. There's at least one person in this world that knows my secret. We just have to find people that'll understand them."
Skye wanted to kick herself. What she said hadn't made any sense. Or had it? She didn't know.
After a while, Jacob chuckled and slid his arms around her neck. "You are an amazing woman, Skye Rain. I don't know what I'd do without you." Pulling back a bit, he grinned down at her.
Forgetting her hurt wrist, Skye slipped her arms around his back and linked her fingers together loosely. Skye couldn't help but smile back. His smile was an addiction to her – she couldn't get enough of it. And just knowing his smile was only for her made her all the happier. Without much thought to it, she tilted her head only slightly, but it gave her access to kiss him fully. He kissed her back eagerly, not much thought on his part, either.
Skye may not have known what was going on inside Jacob's head, or his body for that matter, but she knew that she cared immensely for Jacob, and that wasn't going to change. Not any time soon, in the near or far future.
His fingers trailed fire across her skin and he took no time ripping his hoodie away from her body, which left her in a tank and her shorts. He deepened the kiss and pushed his hands underneath her shirt.
To others, Skye knew that she would look like a complete harlot. She hadn't known Jacob for more than a few weeks, and yet she was already comfortably getting busy with him. She couldn't help it. His eyes, his smile, his touch, his voice – it all clouded her brain, making it impossible for her to reach her better judgment. Every part of him was intoxicating to her, impossible to turn away.
When he picked her up, she locked her ankles behind his back and let him lead her to his bedroom.
On Jacob's end, he was ecstatic. His imprint didn't reject him, as most had done at first, but then again, she didn't know anything. She never questioned him about the magnetic pull between the both of them – in fact, she never questioned him at all about anything. Sure, his ego may have inflated a tad, but it was always overrun with more respect for the woman. He loved her, he knew, with all his being, but he liked to think they were taking things slow – relationship wise.
Not that the sex was meaningless – it never was. But to her, sex brought to life more the pleasures of her body than her heart, and he knew that. He wished it was a little different, but he knew that soon, she'd know everything, and soon, he could make love to her instead of just passionate sex.
Shed of all clothing, he plunged into her, making her cry out over and over again just for him. She'd never cry out for anyone but him – he could make sure of that.
She clung to him as though she were holding on for her life, feeling the friction building between them. Her heart swelled, but she yearned for it to stop. The feeling was unknown, unlike anything she'd ever experienced before, and yet she was torn. She'd wanted more of it and none of it at the same time.
Instead of pounding senselessly into her, Jacob began to slow his movements, and began kissing her face. He wanted her to know that he wasn't just in this for the sex. He wanted her to feel what he felt. He wanted her to feel his love to an extent she could hardly bear. He wanted her heart to year for him as his yearned for her.
He made love to her, kissing her slowly, as if every second counted.
She hated that she loved it. She knew what he was doing to her and she didn't want to stop him. She wanted him to do this to her so much it hurt. This is what she'd been waiting for, wasn't it? It was what her father had warned her about. He knew that she'd fall in love, didn't he?
With one last thrust, Jacob buried himself inside of her, shuddering and moaning into her neck. She shivered from the sheer pleasure of it.
He didn't want to, but he pulled away from her so she could gather up her clothes. To his surprise, she curled into his side, his broad, muscular chest acting as a pillow.
Usually, she'd gather up her clothes and head for the shower. It was something he'd grown accustomed to. To see her, feel her opening up to him made his heart burst. He never wanted this moment to end.
Unfortunately, and like clockwork, his cell rang. Skye groaned, not wanting him to move.
But it was important, they both knew, for him to take that call.
He reached over her and fished his cell from the pair of discarded jeans on the ground. "Hello?" he asked with a grin as he settled his body weight over Skye's stomach. He had no intentions of moving.
Skye giggled.
"Yeah, kinda. I guess. I'll be there in twenty."
When Jacob snapped the phone shut, he rolled himself on top of Skye once again and leaned down to kiss her.
"I'm sorry," he started, but she cut him off.
"I know. It's okay. You go ahead. Besides, I could really use a nap."
He smiled and kissed her once more before rolling out of bed and putting on his clothes.
Skye let herself watch him get dressed, appreciating the view. She was allowed, wasn't she? She accepted his lips once again when he was fully dressed, and then the door swung open.
Skye glared at the door when a mop of brunette hair waved its way in. Skye held the sheets to her body and all but growled at Isabella. "What are you doing here? Didn't I specifically say that Jacob wasn't here? How did you get in, anyway?"
"I opened the door, Skye," Billy said from behind Isabella. If Skye hadn't been ferociously mad at the intruder, she'd have been embarrassed. As it was, her embarrassment flowed from Isabella's lack of respect. "I didn't think she'd just push her way in. I tried to tell her."
"She pushed her way in on me as well," Skye held up her wrist. "Hurt my wrist, too."
"Bella, you need to leave," Jacob told her. Skye could tell he was getting irritated with her. "You can't be here."
"Oh, and she can? I'd say she's doing more than just being here," Isabella sneered at the girl beneath the bed sheets.
Skye felt her own irritation bubbling up. "What does it matter to you?" Skye asked her coldly, pulling herself out of bed, still holding the blanket to cover herself. "You're the one who broke Jacob's heart, Isabella. Now, leading him on the way you do is just outright cruel. You've disrespected me, and you've disrespected this family. You are lucky that Jacob has a soft spot for you, otherwise, I'd have requested your exile long ago."
Both Jacob and Billy glanced at me, all-knowing seeping from their eyes.
"Skye Rain," Billy murmured.
"It's the last thing I wish to do," Skye told him quickly. "I don't want to have to resort to such measures. But I can't just sit by and let Isabella disrespect me or any of you. I have a low tolerance for disrespectful people, as you know. This will be my last warning."
"Exile?" Isabella asked. "What do you mean by exile?"
"It means," Jacob said, turning back towards her, "that you'll never be allowed in La Push again."
Isabella turned her hateful eyes to Skye Rain and then Billy. "That can't be possible. She hasn't even decided to live here. She can't have that kind of power."
"If we accept her into our family, then she has just as much power as we," said Billy. He nodded his head at Skye Rain. He knew Bella must have upset her quite a bit to get her to react this harshly. He blatantly ignored her nakedness for the sake of her being his son's imprint. It was bound to happen while living under the same roof. "Bella, I think it would be best if you left."
Skye knew Isabella was furious beyond belief, and she had really not wanted to pull the exile card, but she found the girl had left her with no other choice.
"Fine," she spat and turned on her heel.
Once Isabella slammed the front door shut behind her, Skye fell to the bed, covering her face with her hands.
"You did the right thing," Billy told her with soft eyes. "Now, you should probably get dressed. The game starts in a few minutes, and I could really use the company," Billy told her with a twinkle in his eye and rolled off.
Jacob wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. "I love you. I really do."
Skye nodded. "I love you too, now go. You're going to be late." As she watched him disappear, she realized that there was nothing else she would have rather said than those few words.