Secrets Behind Those Eyes (26 page)

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No Turning Back (Full
Circle #1)

By Casey Peeler

Prologue

July 20, 2012

My body feels like it is about to turn
to complete mush as I place my wet swimsuit into my locker after
practice. I brush my hair and grab my bag as I head
home.

"Oh shit, Dylan! You scared the hell
outta me!" I yell, walking out of the locker room at the Grassy
Pond Aquatic Center (GPAC). Dylan grabs my arms and pulls me into
the closest corner and kisses me with lust, force, and desire. He
has the perfect body, perfect hands, perfect mouth, just damn near
perfect minus the control he has on me. He’s like a bad habit I
can’t break, my own form of crack. Once I got one taste of him, I
had to have more. I’m freakin’ strung out on Dylan Sloan. The only
problem is my parents don’t like him, but they know the more they
push, the closer I drive straight into his arms. It takes every
ounce of strength I have to keep his smoldering lips off
mine.

"Stop. If Coach sees us, then we'll
have to work double time tomorrow."

"Seriously, Charley, ya gotta loosen
up."

"I’m not kidding, Dylan. I got a lot
riding on this sport, and you do, too!"

"All right, just one more kiss." I
kiss him slowly and gently, but it leaves me craving
more.

"There's a party tonight at Trent’s on
the West Side. You’re going with me. I'll pick ya up around
seven."

"You know my parents aren't going to
let me stay out late. Maybe I can see what Piper’s up to; maybe she
can cover for me?" I say with a wink.

"I like the way your brain works.” He
slaps me playfully on the ass as we walk to our cars.

"Just text me the plan. I can't wait
to see you tonight." He kisses me one more time before I get into
my Honda and text Piper before heading home.

Me: U got plans
2nite?

Piper: Heard there’s a
party on West Side.

Me: Dylan wants me to go
with him & I need

cover

Piper: U got it, might see
u there Justin txt me

earlier

Me: Ur the best, I'll fill
you in on the night

Tomorrow
:)

I turn on the dirt road
that leads to our farm. Knowing I’m about to lie to my parents, I
put on my game face as I approach our old farmhouse. I notice my
mom and dad are loading up the Chevy 2500HD and cow trailer.
That’s weird.
I cut off
the car, grab my swim bag and walk toward the truck.

“
What y’all doing?” I ask
my mom.

“
Your dad just got a call
that the cows need to be at the sale in Athens by 6 a.m.
tomorrow.”

“
Are you serious? That’s
like what five hours away or somethin’.”

“
Charley, I know it seems
crazy for us to go that far on such short notice, but they are
paying big down there. Tessa is working and going to Kim’s for the
night. I figured you could stay here and keep an eye on the farm.
We should be back late tomorrow.”

“
Yeah,
I can do that. Y’all need me to help ya finish loading
up?”
Seriously, how did I manage
not to have to lie about my plans tonight?

“
Nah, we’re good. Just
make sure you go check on the goats near Cash’s. Joker keeps
jumping the fence,” Dad says.

“
All right, love y’all and
be careful.” I give Mama and Dad a hug, go into the house and
squeal like a giddy schoolgirl while doing a happy dance. Never in
a million years would they let me stay out late at a party with
Dylan if they were home, and they sure wouldn’t leave me alone if
they knew that was the plan for tonight.

Me: Parents gone tonight
no need for cover,

see ya at 7

Dylan: Ur j/k
right?

Me: Nope
:)

Dylan: Plans just might
have to change…

Me: Ur not getting
lucky

Dylan:
:(

Me: U know I’m not that
way

Dylan: Maybe I can change
ur mind… see you

at 7

Me: XOXO

I go into the house, grab
a Choice Cherry Gold, pop the top and look for a bite to eat. I’m
starved! I scan the fridge and notice that Mama has left a chicken
pie for us to eat. I fix my plate and scarf it down. All I know is
if Coach keeps up these two-a-day practices, I don’t know if I’ll
be standing at the end of the summer.
Oh
crap. I gotta text Piper
.

Me: No rents tonight, no
cover, thanks girlie :)

Piper: Really??

Me: Yup! D thinks he’s
getting lucky tonight lol

Piper: LMAO! He should
know better. Call me

later

I look at the clock, and it’s almost
5:30. I better get a move on. I’ve gotta get all this chlorine
outta my hair. I turn on the radio to my favorite country station,
crank up the volume, and make my way to the bathroom to get ready.
I use my most favorite scent in the world, Aruba Coconut. I decide
that I need to look beyond hot tonight for Dylan. I know exactly
what I’m wearing—Miss Me Jeans, a hot pink tube top and a black bow
stretch belt. Heck, I decide to ditch my boots tonight for black
wedges.

As I get ready, I look into the
mirror. If I’m going to look hot for Dylan tonight, I have to do
something a little different. I add my eyeliner a little darker to
my light blue eyes, apply just enough shadow, blush, and bronzer to
my porcelain skin, and finish my look with berry-colored lipstick.
If I’m the girl on his arm, then I need it to look like we’re a
match made in heaven. With that thought, I decide to roll my hair
to give it extra body and a totally sexy look.

As I wait for the curler to cool, I
can’t help but think about the first time Dylan asked me out. It
was right after the state swim meet. We both placed first in our
events. Our relays were in the top two, and Dixon High was State
Champions. We were screaming with excitement. The next thing I knew
Dylan was hugging me and looking at me with those eyes. I knew he
was bad news. He was a love ‘em and leave ‘em kinda guy, but I
didn’t care. He chose me, and I chose him. And for some reason, he
had never pushed the sex issue. I just didn’t do that kinda thing,
and I was upfront about that from the beginning. He was everything
I liked in a guy— tall, short dark chocolate brown hair, a hot body
that doesn’t leave much to the imagination in a Speedo, washboard
stomach, tattoos, and as competitive as me. His only downfall is
his possessiveness of me.

I’m ready by 6:45 and
decide to watch a little
CMT
. I hear the exhaust of his
Black 2011 Mustang coming down the drive.
Why am I so nervous tonight?
I
leave on the porch light and head to the car. As I get in, Dylan
looks at me.

“
What?!” I say with a
smile because I know exactly why he is looking at me with those
eyes.

“
Damn, Charley, are you
trying to kill me?”

“
I just wanna look good
for ya.” I give him a soft, sweet kiss and then we head down the
dirt road on the way to the party.

We make our way to town and arrive at
Trent’s on the West Side. Dylan hops out and grabs his cooler from
the trunk. I check my makeup in the visor mirror and get out as
well. Dylan grabs my hand and gives me a look like he’s up to
something.

“
D, what are you up to?” I
say with my hands on my hips.

“
Nothing, I just want us
to have a good time tonight.”

“
You know we will,” I say
with a smile. Dylan walks beside me, and I lace my fingers into his
as we walk into Trent’s.

Since I’ve been with Dylan, I’ve
experienced a lot of drinking and partying, as well as first,
second, and third base. He wants a homerun, but I’m just not ready
for that. I want to make sure the person is the one. I want my own
fairytale, and before I take a relationship to that level, I want
to know it’s forever.

The first thing I notice
when we enter the house is there is more than the usual crowd here.
I see a ton of people that are older than me, but it is summer and
most people haven’t gone back to college at this point. Dylan takes
me into the kitchen and places our cooler in the corner. I grab a
Fatty Natty and take a swig.
Yuck!
Dylan keeps me close to him as we head over to
talk to Trent. I don’t necessarily enjoy these parties, hence the
beer, but Dylan is expected to be here. He is Mr. Popular at Dixon
High, and like a magnet, all the girls and teachers fall at his
feet. It amazes me how a guy can just walk into the room and have
all the girls swarm to him. What makes me smile is that fact that I
know I’m the one he loves and treasures.

I feel happy inside knowing I have the
hottest guy at school who likes me for me. We share the same dream,
and if all goes as planned, that dream will come true. We hope to
go Division I in swimming after we graduate in May. For me, the
drawback to our dream is Dylan’s possessiveness. He likes me to be
at his beck and call. He doesn’t want me to hang out with Cash or
my other friends like I used to.

This party is a lot more tolerable
than the others I have had the chance to attend. The music is a
great variety, not too loud, people aren’t too drunk, and I’ve had
a few beers, which makes everything better. All night Dylan is on
me like white on rice. He can’t keep his hands off me. They are in
my hair, tracing up and down my arms, neck, waist, and legs.
Inside, my body is playing tug-of-war with what I know is right. I
decide to give in a little, and we find our own private area on the
back porch. Dylan takes a seat in the rocking chair, and I straddle
him. I kiss him on his forehead and make my way down to his lips
and neck. We mess around and just have fun. Knowing I don’t have
parents at home lets me cut loose, but I’m still in control. Around
am., it dawns on me. Joker. That damn goat!

“
Dylan, you gotta get me
home. I forgot to check on Joker.”

He rolls his eyes. “Seriously,
Charley! We can’t leave now. The party is just getting
started.”

“
If it was any other
night, I would have had to be home already.”

“
All right, let me get the
cooler and tell Trent we’re out.” Dylan understands how much
responsibility I have on the farm, so he knows he won’t win this
battle.

“
I’m gonna run to the
bathroom. Hold my beer. I’ll be right back.”

I hurry back to Dylan,
pound my beer and head out the door. About halfway home, I start to
feel like I’m not in my own body. I know the car is moving, but
it’s like a total out-of-body experience. I begin to feel like I’m
going to puke, but I know I haven’t drunk enough to be
that
drunk.

“
Dylan, I don’t feel so
good.”

“
You want me to stop and
get you something to eat?”

“
Yeah, that might
help.”

I try to eat my burger,
but for some reason, I can’t seem to find my mouth. Before I know
it, we are pulling onto my dirt road and approaching my house.
Dylan looks at me with a strange expression that makes my insides
quiver. He takes the burger from me and discards it in the bag. His
eyes now look raw and hungry.
What is
wrong with him?
I try to open the door,
but I can’t seem to find the handle. Dylan walks around the car to
open my door for me. When he realizes I’m not able to move, he
carries me from the car, unlocks the door and takes me upstairs to
my bed.

He removes my wedges and
helps me lie down on the bed.
I’m so glad
that he’s taking care of me.
My eyes are
extremely heavy. I try to keep them open, but struggle. Before I
can put everything together, Dylan is on top of me, kissing me
hard.
Too hard.
He continues to kiss me like I’m property as he takes off my
jeans. I try to push his body off mine, but I can’t. What the hell
is he trying to pull? Everything is starting to get fuzzy, but I
manage to say the most important words I can to make him
stop.

“
Dylan,
what the fuck are you doin’? Stop! I said
STOP
!” I continue to
try to push him off me, but it’s no use. He continues to take full
control of me.

“
Shhhhhh. Please don’t
make this harder than it has to be. I’ve been patient, but I’m
tired of it. We can do this one of two ways, willing or unwilling,”
he snarls.

“
I said
get the
fuck
off me!” I scream while I dig my nails into his
arm.

“
That’s not going to
help,” he says with a devilish smile.

In my heart I know I don’t stand a
chance. He’s strong and overpowering. I cry and scream, but it is
no use. There is no one at home and there are acres upon acres
separating my farm from another person. He is in full control. Once
he finishes, he kisses me gently and leaves. I want to throw up;
instead, I curl into a ball as the tears begin to fall. I’m home
alone, and a night I thought was going to be special, has turned
into the biggest nightmare of my life. I decide that I have to be
strong. I force myself to stop crying. I really need a shower, and
I still have to check on the damn goat. I try to move, but I can’t.
What am I going to do? What the hell did he do to me at that party?
I notice my phone is on my nightstand. If I can grab it, I can text
Cash.