AN: I have to give a shout-out to Theydontknowaboutme and giving me some ideas! This chapter wouldn't be what it is without them.
Eli's mind wasn't with the PCH and the business at had but he did what needed to be done, scarring the kid from that morning so he would keep his mouth shut unless he wanted things to get worse. They scarred a few other people as well just for the fun of it and finally he checked out a car his uncle had asked him to find. Now he was home, locked in his room while his family slept, trying to pass the hours since it seemed like sleep was eluding him. With his mind on his girlfriend and the news he'd gotten today from her he was thinking about how it was going to change his life.
That's when his mind wandered to the night of the second poker game at the Echolls house. The night when he found out that one of the rich boys wasn't rich and was instead a butlers son who had stolen from all of them. That was the night when Veronica had won and he had seen part of her he hadn't thought he'd get to see. He couldn't deny that that was the night everything changed for them whether they wanted to admit it or not.
–
Eli had just walked Sean out of the pool house where the game was about to be played. His hands curled into fists at his sides as he listened the faux rich boy try to get out of what was coming to him. He'd just leaned that Sean had stolen his money, money won from the poker game the week before and he was going to get what belonged to him. Of course walking behind the boy he'd texted Felix and Hector to make sure they were ready. The beating didn't take long and he did give him his money before telling Sean to get lost and informing his boys where Sean was and where he was headed and he knew he'd get more than the beating from the boy from the wrong side of the tracks.
Once he was done, Sean was on his way home and right into the PCHer's hands and he was pleasantly surprised by his girlfriend's ability to play poker. He thought he was good but she was better than she let on earlier in the day. His eyes were on her pile which held most of the chips. Of course she won even after the break for food and Logan's complaints about the cosmos being skewed in her direction thus needing to have a break to realign. Eli wasn't going to complain though since he liked seeing his girl take the rich boys for their money and win.
As they stood and walked towards the main house where the Christmas party was in full swing, Eli walked next to Veronica with a smile on his face. "Lets hope someone doesn't call the cops on me. I don't exactly blend in," he mumbled to her as they walked through one of the doors, following Logan, Duncan, and Conner into the house.
"I don't think they will they'll just look at you weird, trust me we both stand out just a bit," she said as she walked over to the buffet and grabbed a plate for herself. She then moved down the table and picked what she wanted."The good thing about these parties is that Lynn always has the best food available," she smiled.
Eli had no doubt that the Echolls would have the best of everything at their parties since they could afford it. The male had to admit that it did smell good. Grabbing a plate he looked over the food. Some of it didn't even look like food to him instead it looked more like art but if it was on the table it must be edible. He'd put his black leather jacket back on before leaving the pool house and since entering the main house he could see the looks he was getting but then again he wasn't here for the party he was here for the game and to get his money. Standing next to the blonde he saw when something caught her attention.
It was Mr. Kane and before he could protest Veronica had moved to follow the older male, leaving her plate with Eli as he stood there looking at her. It wasn't long before she was back and taking her plate back and munching on some of the food she'd taken. He would have asked but the scene that played out before the guests gave him a hind as to what Veronica had done. As everyone listened to Mr. Kane yell at Mrs. Kane he turned to Veronica with a raised eyebrow as if asking for an explanation but she didn't give an answer.
The rest of the night went on as it usually would with the poker game finishing up and the party continuing on in the main house. By the time Aaron Echolls was attacked Eli made the executive decision that it was time for the two of them to leave. He waited for Veronica as she collected her winnings all the while asking if she'd taken her LeBaron since he knew she hadn't arrived with any of them ad more than likely had seen his bike parked with the rest of the cars. They decided to head to her house since her father would be busy with the Echolls and the aftermath of what had just happened. A quick text from the older Mars confirmed that he would be busy late into the night and let them make their own plans.
Once he got his bike from where it was parked and she got her car they headed to her apartment, Eli following behind her and it didn't take long for them to arrive. He bike parked in an empty spot with his helmet and keys in his hand he headed up the flight of stairs then knocked on the door only to wait for his blonde girlfriend to answer. He could barely make out her form through the window in the door despite the blinds being closed. When the door opened he gave her a smile before he leaned down to kiss her as his free hand cupping her cheek.
"You're dad's out for a while?" he asked though he already knew the answer, he just wanted a confirmation. After the kiss ended pulled back and walked into the apartment, hearing the door shut and lock behind him. Eli put his helmet, keys, and gloves on the counter before turning back towards her. He could see something in her eyes, something along the lines of fear but it could be something else though he couldn't blame her. The night had been intense at the Echolls house especially with Aaron being stabbed by one of the caterer's staff he couldn't blame her for what she was feeling.
"Yeah, guess the sheriff wants to question him about what he knew and you know, see if they can pin something on dad. He called to let me know more and make sure I was home safe," she said as she rolled her eyes, more at the thought of Lamb trying to pin anything that happened to Aaron on her father than her father worrying about her. "So we have the whole apartment to ourselves, save for Backup but I gave him a treat so he won't bother us unless he needs to go out," she told him in a way that made him wonder if she was hinting at something.
As she spoke Eli had taken off his jacket and hung on the back of a chair that was pushed up against the kitchen island. His eyes didn't leave Veronica as he contemplated her words and the underlying tone that he though he heard. Once free he walked over to her and cupped her face in his hands then placed another kiss on her lips. "Good," was all he said as he felt her arms wrap around his neck, no doubt in his mind now that he had heard right. It was as he was kissing her that he realized she had put some music on to fill the silence in the apartment. That made him smile because what she had put on made him think that she was trying to set the mood and it was working.
"You always think it's good when my dad isn't around but I can't say I don't agree with you," she laughed as she pulled away from him. A teasing smile on her lips as she turned to walk down the hall towards her bedroom. Her shirt slowly lifting it's way up and off of her body, giving him a clean view of the smooth pale skin of her back.
He wanted to touch it and he wanted to touch her, after everything that had happened in the previous few days all he wanted was to be with her. Of course he found it incredibly sexy when she won the poker game but it was more than just that because he always thought she was sexy. Walking down the hall after her he didn't hesitate to enter her room. His eyes locked on her as he looked at her as if she was something to eat.
"Like what you see?" she purred as she turned around to face him. Her body on display even though she was still in her bra and pants. The music the played through the apartment was coming from the stereo sitting on her dresser. It seemed to know exactly the right moment to turn on a slow sensual song that seemed to enhance the mood.
"Do you even have to ask?" he purred as he walked over to her. Eli pulled his black wife beater off to expose his well muscled, tattoo covered torso. He was reminded about when they first got together and she had asked about his tattoos. He'd been honest about what they meant and why he had gotten them since he didn't want to lie to her. It wasn't lost on him that she was looking at him and the look in her eyes was one that he would guess was a look of lust and want. "Tell me what you want V. Tell me what you need from me," he purred again as he walked closer to her, hands moving to touch the pale flesh of her sides and stomach.
A visible shiver ran over her body, one that he could feel under his hand when his calloused hands came into contact with her smooth pale flesh. He waited for her to say something and to touch him which seemed to take forever but was really only a few moments. He felt her small hands reach out to touch his chest then travel down to his stomach. She seemed lost in thought about what she wanted from him. He wasn't expecting anything more than a make out session at most and a kiss at the very least but he wanted to hear what she really wanted.
"I'm ready. I want you, I want to do more than just kiss or make out," came the words from her mouth which sent a shiver up his own spine. His hands moved from her side across her stomach and back again as he felt her hands move along his own tan skin. Her skin against his brought attention to the stark contrast between the two of them. She was pale with blonde hair and blue eyes and she was petite while he was tan with brown eyes and well muscled. It was their differences that mad him love her more.
When they had first got together Eli and Veronica had had a conversation about how far they were willing to go and they both had agreed that they would speak up if they weren't comfortable doing something. He knew that she got uncomfortable when he did certain things and he always made sure to ask if it was okay or stop if he could feel that she wasn't comfortable and right now he was wondering if she really was comfortable with what he was doing.
"You sure?" he asked, more for his own peace of mind than hers. Eli had seen the certainty in her eyes when she'd spoken the words and before he could say more he felt her lips on his in answer, as his hands moved to her hips, lips touching lips, skin touching skin. They were a mess of limbs and skin as they lowered onto her bed. Eli got lost in the heat of the moment and so did Veronica, neither thinking about a condom and being safe. It would only take a moment for him to reach into his pants and pull one out, to prevent the preventable but neither stopped to think or ask for one as they were caught up in the moment.
His lips trailed down her neck from her lips, peppering kisses along the way as one of his hands roaming her body. He removed her bra first then kissed down her neck to her chest, his fingers stimulating assisting his mouth and earning sounds he assumed were approval of what he was doing. He spent time on her neck and collar bones as he left marks, not caring who saw them later. At this moment his mind was on her and what they were doing. He wanted to make it good for her and that meant taking his time.
As he worked her body he also worked on removing the rest of her clothes. When the button and zipper finally became free he pulled away from her skin and moved to take the rest of her clothes off. His dark eyes unable to look away from her body as he dropped her pants and underwear to the floor. She'd taken her shoes off the moment he got into the house. That was something he'd noticed the first time he met her, that she liked to take her shoes and socks off the moment she was home. That wasn't what was on his mind though he was too busy thinking about and looking at the beautiful girl in front of him.
"Now it's your turn. It's not fair if I'm the only one naked and you're only half naked," she purred into his ear. There was a blush that covered her cheeks as she said it but he could see the desire in her eyes. Of course he agreed that it wasn't fair that he was still partially clothed when she was naked before him.
Reaching down with one calloused hand he undid the button on his pants then the zipper and slid the offending material down his hips to the floor where he then stepped out of them. Walking toward her their bodies melted together, her words echoing in his mind.
"Mijo, wake up," he heard her say.
–
Waking up he scrunched his face at the annoying beeping going off in his room. "'M awake," he mumbled and slapped his alarm clock to shut it off. His dark eyes turned to the voice that he now knew was his abuela's and not Veronica's. He knew that the dream was more than just a dream because it had really happened. It was a memory, one with very real consequences.
"Breakfast is ready," his abuela smiled at him before she turned to walk back down the hall.
Turning back he blinked and cursed under his breath. He had enough time to shower and make himself presentable and maybe grab a piece of toast before heading over to get Veronica. It was the day of the appointment and he was scared but he knew that it would be okay because he had Veronica and she had him.