The Hell in Your Eyes Ch. 05

Her first text came early the next afternoon. She was lying in bed, attempting to sleep in late, when an unfamiliar buzzing startled her awake. Glancing up at the cell phone sitting on her night stand, she let out a groan. Her head dropped back to the pillow, and she blindly reached for the device before pushing one of the buttons to make the screen light up.

"Did you remember to charge the phone?" - J.

Sighing, Sam took her time while typing out a response.

"No. It's still sitting in the box. I'll do it later." - S.

A moment passed, and then it vibrated again.

"You're just not happy with yourself unless you're being a brat, are you?" - J.

Rolling her eyes, Sam jabbed at the keys with her thumb.

"If you are unhappy you could always go cruise the middle school?" - S.

It buzzed again almost immediately.

"Careful." - J.

It was a warning, and Sam wisely obeyed it.

"What do you want, Jack? I'm trying to sleep." - S.

When it buzzed again, she almost didn't want to look at it.

"No sleep for the wicked. Get up. I'll take you out for lunch." - J.

Sam made a rude noise in the back of her throat.

"It's Saturday. Don't I get a day off?" - S.

It took a minute, but the phone finally buzzed once more.

"You can sleep when you're old, and before you make some smart ass comment about my age, keep in mind that you still haven't received the second half of your punishment. Get that cute ass out of bed. I'll pick you up in an hour." - J.

Sam threw the cell phone so that it landed near the end of her bed, and crossed her arms over her chest. Bossy fucker. She just wanted to go one day without having him push her around, or telling her what to do. Apparently, that day was not going to be today.

***

The sun was exceedingly bright when she left the house. Squinting her eyes against the blinding glare, she made her way down the steps, and immediately noticed that Jack had parked four houses away from hers.

When she reached the car, and got inside there was music softly playing from the radio. He was smoking a cigarette, and he turned to waggle his eyebrows at her in greeting before pushing a button on the dashboard to change the station. Shaking her head, Sam sighed.

"Morning, beautiful." he said with a grin. "Are we going to be pissy today?"

Sam pursed her lips as she thought it over. "Possibly. It depends on what's on your agenda."

His eyes widened, and he smirked at her. "I have no agenda. I have an empty stomach, and I enjoy the pleasure of your smart mouthed company. I plan on feeding you. Food this time," he said in amusement. "Are you hungry?"

"I could eat." she replied agreeably.

Her blue eyes lifted to his dark hair after she answered. It looked damp as if he had recently showered. He was also sporting a thin layer of stubble. It was apparent that he hadn't touched a razor to his face that morning, and it added to the aura of danger that usually permeated him. Only, he didn't seem very dangerous at the moment. His mood appeared to be good natured.

Starting the car, he turned his head, and smiled. It made him look a lot younger than he was, and Sam gazed at him in wonder. Then to her surprise, he leaned towards her, tilted his head, and kissed her mouth very gently. When he pulled back to peer into her stricken blue eyes his smile was still in place.

Sam lifted her eyebrows as she met his gaze. "That was very boyfriendy."

Jacks brows knitted as his smile transformed into a grin. "Was it?"

She nodded solemnly as she looked at him. "It's kind of weird to see you act normal. You should probably stop before it starts to freak me out."

Jack chuckled before rolling his eyes. "I'll try to act crazier so you're more comfortable." Pulling the gear shift into drive, he pulled away from the curb.

***

He ended up driving them to a small, Mexican cantina that Sam had never been to before. Upon walking through the door, they were quickly seated by a young latino girl who had a friendly disposition, and a welcoming smile.

Handing them their menus, she turned to Jack to ask them what they would like to drink. Ordering a bottle of beer, he glanced at Sam, and raised his eyebrows in question. "Lemonade?" She quickly nodded, and he tilted his head at the young waitress to indicate that as well.

Once she had walked away, Jack shifted in his seat. "The owner of this place doesn't speak any English," he told her. "He relies on his staff for most things. That was his daughter, Mia."

Opening her menu, Sam glanced over the list of exotic entrees before she responded. "Do you come here a lot?"

Jack shrugged then absently scratched the side of his face. "Occasionally. They have really good fajitas here. I stop in once in a while to order them."

There were three pages of options. Her family ate out infrequently in general. It was her first time in a Mexican restaurant, and she wasn't quite sure what to order. Especially since little of it seemed to be in English.

"So, what did you do last night after I took you home?" he wondered curiously.

It was the first time that he had shown an interest in her life outside of the time they spent together. The question instantly took her by surprise, but she quickly recovered. "I had dinner with my family, watched a movie with my little brother, then fell asleep reading a book."

His dark eyes were genuinely interested as he asked, "Which book?"

"It's called The Giver. I like it so far. It's different."

His lips tilted slightly while he rubbed the tops of his thighs with his hands. "I've read that. It's been quite a few years though. I recall liking it as well."

Sam lifted a brow. "You read?"

Her dubious expression seemed to wound him a little. "Yes, I read. I have other interests outside of sex," he said with a laugh.

Now she was curious. "Like what?"

He shrugged as Mia returned to the table to set down their beverages. Thanking her, he turned to Sam expectantly. "Do you know what you want?"

Sam's eyes widened as she looked down at her open menu. She glanced up at Mia, smiled, then turned to Jack. "It's a little difficult to decipher. I'm not sure what a lot of it is."

Nodding, he turned to the waitress, and ordered for the both of them. He spoke in fluent Spanish as he did it. When she eventually walked away, he turned back to Sam. "Don't worry, You'll like what I got you."

Again, Sam was surprised. "You speak Spanish?"

Jack grinned. "You say things like you're amazed that I'm not dumber than you thought. It makes me wonder how it is exactly that you see me."

Sam frowned, and looked away from him. He was right. She assumed that anyone who could do the things that he did without rationally considering the consequences was not only crazy, but lacking in intelligence as well. She had put him into a neat little box with these labels on top of it. Being forced to rethink her viewpoint didn't sit well with her.

Eventually, she shrugged as her gaze returned to his. "I guess I don't know you very well."

Her answer made him smirk. "We've got nothing but time. I'm enjoying this way too much to let you go anytime soon. I have the feeling that you'll end up getting to know me pretty well."

Sam wasn't sure how to respond. There was a time when those words would have instilled nothing but fear inside of her. Instead, she felt confused, and a little annoyed. She was getting used to Jack. Even though it had only been a couple of days, she was becoming familiar with his strange personality, and his constant demands.

The thing was, she didn't think that he genuinely wanted to hurt her. Not anymore. The knowledge was putting her at ease. She was behaving though. Doing everything that he asked. She wasn't sure what he would become, what he could become if she stopped. She wasn't in any hurry to find out.

"So, tell me something that I don't know." Sam finally said.

Turning his head, he met her blue eyes, and smiled. "I want to lay you on this table, and slam my cock inside of you."

Sam sucked in a breath. She hadn't expected him to say something like that. Not here. Not now. She felt heat rise into her face, and sink to her lower extremities as her mouth parted.

"You probably didn't mean something like that," he said with a chuckle.

"No. I did not." her blush increased as she looked around them.

Her discomfort seemed to amuse him further. "Alright. What do you want to know, brat?"

She wasn't entirely sure what to ask so ended up replying with, "Whatever you want to tell me." When his mouth parted to speak, she interrupted. "That isn't sexual," she emphasized.

Closing his mouth he grinned again. "You sure know how to take the fun out of everything," he mused.

"I'm the devil," she said patronizingly.

He lifted his brows. "Really? I didn't expect the devil to be this cute. I guess I don't mind that I'm going to hell now."

Sam smirked. "I wouldn't be too sure of that. One way or another, you're going to burn, Jack."

Her words wiped all traces of amusement from his face. Glancing down at the table top, he looked decidedly uncomfortable. The sudden change in him made Sam wary. Lifting her lemonade to her lips, she attempted to lighten the mood once more.

"What kind of music do you like?" she asked him.

Peering up at her, he seemed to think it over for a moment. "A little of everything, I guess."

"Do you have a favorite band?" she wondered.

He nodded. "I like Social Distortion."

Her nose scrunched. "I'm not sure I've heard of them."

"I'll play some for you later."

Mia returned at that moment carrying two large platters of food, and set them down on the table before them. Sam's eyes bulged at the sheer amount that was on each.

"Hope you're hungry," Jack said with a smile.

"I'll be eating this for a couple days," she said in awe.

"Start with that," he said while pointing to a green mixture on her plate that was covered with melted cheese. "It's really good."

He wasn't wrong. Everything was extremely delicious, and Sam enjoyed it all. She hadn't even finished half of what was in front of her before she grew full.

Jack didn't have a similar issue. He wolfed down the entire thing until his plate was completely empty. He didn't even seem to be suffering after the fact. Where he put it all made Sam wonder.

"You're like a bottomless pit," she remarked.

Her words made him chuckle. "I'm a guy. I like to eat." Placing a hand over his flat stomach, he sighed. "That was really good."

"I liked it," Sam agreed. "I just can't finish it all."

"That's alright. We'll get a take away box. You can finish it later." His dark eyes lifted until they rested on Mia where she stood quietly behind the counter. With a tilt of his chin, he beckoned her forward.

She quickly stepped towards their table, and Jack smiled at her while speaking a string of rapid fire Spanish. With a laugh, she nodded at him, and lifted a finger to indicate that she would be right back.

Walking away, she rounded the counter, then returned a moment later with a styrofoam box in her hands which she placed next to Sam's plate. They spoke easily with one another for a moment more, then the young girl let out a shy giggle before returning to her work.

"What did you say to her?" Sam inquired after she had gone.

Jack brought his thumb to his mouth, and bit his nail as he looked up at her. Pulling it out of his mouth, a slow smile spread across his face as he met her inquisitive gaze.

"I told her that you're a recovering bulimic, and to lock the bathroom door so that you couldn't dispose of your lunch."

Sam's mouth dropped open. "You didn't!" she gasped.

Jack chuckled in amusement as he took in her expression. "No. I didn't. I told her that the food was excellent, and to give my compliments to the chef. Then I told her that you're a lightweight, and needed a box because you're too full to finish."

Closing her mouth, she let out a breath of relief. "She can lock it all she wants," Sam replied with a frown. "The last time I tried to use one after a meal with you, I was mauled in a bathroom stall."

Jack grinned at the memory. "Yeah. That was fun."

"That poor old lady practically had a coronary," Sam mused.

Jack made a light humming noise in recollection. "I think you'll be safe today. I need to digest a little bit. If you want to use the restroom before we go, feel free to do so. You won't be mauled."

Eyeing him suspiciously, she pushed the remains of her lunch into the small box with a fork. "I'm alright," she told him.

"Suit yourself," he said with a shrug. "I need to piss out some of this beer. I'll be right back." Leaving the table, he turned and walked to the end of the aisle, before disappearing into the men's room.

Sam bit her lip as she watched him go. Closing the lid to the box, she gazed down at the table while her lips tilted upwards in a smile. Picking up the jar of salt that sat off to the side, she unscrewed the lid, and smirked to herself as she reached for Jack's beer.

Dumping the contents of it into the bottle carefully, she swirled it around for a moment before setting it back down where it had been. When Jack finally emerged from the bathroom, he walked casually back to their table, and sat down. Sam did an amazing job of keeping her face straight as he looked at her.

"Ready to go?" he asked. Picking up his beer, he took a swig from it, and immediately winced after he swallowed. "Ugh!" Peering up at her, he shuddered in revulsion. "That is disgusting." Sam's lips twitched.

Setting the bottle down, he shook his head at her. "That was low, Bertram. Don't think I'm not going to pay you back for that."

Sam shook slightly as she laughed, but she held her lips tightly closed so that it came out as a breathy sound.

"Children," he complained before rolling his eyes.

Getting up from the table, Jack reached into his wallet to remove several bills, and placed them onto the table. Gazing down at her, he snapped his fingers into a gun shape as he pointed towards the door.

"Lets go."

***

Once they were in the car, he reached over to her side, and flipped the visor above her head down. Attached to it was a cd holder that held several disks.

Pulling one out, he pushed the visor back up with his fingers before inserting the disk into the cd player that sat in the middle of the dashboard. Pushing the play button, he leaned back into his seat, and looked at it as music began to play.

The rough squeal of a guitar sounded, and then in a quick tapping beat music began to play as drums tapped along with it. Turning to look at her, he motioned towards the cd player. "This is Social Distortion," he informed her.

Love... is a burning thing... and it makes... a firey ring.

Bound... by wild desire... I fell into a... ring of fire.

I fell into a burning ring of fire. Went down down down, and the flames went higher... and it burns burns burns... that ring of fire... that ring of fire.

Sam's brows lifted as she listened. "It's really upbeat." she commented.

He nodded as he lowered the volume, then put the key into the ignition to start the car. "I like it."

Sam was slightly surprised when she realized that she did too. It wasn't her kind of music at all.

Pulling the car out of the parking lot, he turned down the street. "Do you have a best friend?" he asked suddenly.

The question caught her off guard. "Why do you ask?"

He lit a cigarette before responding. "I want to keep you for the night. That will be easier to accomplish if you have someplace that's a plausible explanation as to where you are."

Sam was thrown by his words. "Oh," was all she could manage. Then a thought occurred to her. "Where will we sleep?"

Taking a drag off of his cigarette, he scratched his eyebrow, and focused on the road. "I'll get a hotel," he said simply.

An entire night alone with Jack. She wasn't sure how she felt about that. She could barely handle the few hours of intense recreation he put her through now. What was she going to do when there was no end in sight? Turning to him her voice was hesitant. "I'm not sure if I can think of anyone."

Jack peered towards her, and held her gaze. His dark eyes were piercingly direct, and his voice was soft. "I'm not going to hurt you, Sam."

He had said that before. She wasn't sure whether, or not she should trust him. "Promise," she whispered.

His eyes darted towards the road, and then his gaze swiftly returned to delve into apprehensive pools of blue.

"I promise." he said just as softly. He looked sincere.

"Alright," she conceded. "I'll ask."

***

He had pulled into a small bed and breakfast at the edge of town. Lighting another cigarette, he turned off the music, and looked out the window for a moment.

"Call from here," he said turning to her. "If you manage to pull it off, we'll go inside, and I'll get a room."

Taking a deep breath, Sam frowned. "I didn't bring the phone. I didn't think I'd need it since I only use it to talk to you, and I'm with you."

Rolling his eyes, Jack reached into the pocket of his jeans, and pulled out his phone. After pressing a few buttons, he handed it to her, and waited expectantly for her to dial.

Once she did, he lifted his thumb to his mouth, and bit his nail while she pressed the phone to her ear. A moment passed, and then she took another deep breath.

"Hi, dad." She paused. "No. I'm at Jane's."

Jack's hand dropped away from his mouth as his eyebrows lifted.

"I left it in the laundry room," she said casually. "Look by the towels."

Running her fingers through her dark hair, Sam nodded as if her father could see her. "Yeah, I know. I'm calling to let you know that Jane's mother asked me to stay for dinner, and I said that I would. I was wondering if you would mind if I spent the night here? We're doing kind of a girl's night."

Pausing she nodded again. "Sure. That's not a problem. I will tomorrow. Love you, Dad." Lowering the cell phone, Sam hit the end button.

"Impressive," Jack praised.

Glancing at him, Sam's brows knitted. "I'm not done yet."

Dialing once more, she lifted the phone back to her ear. After a moment someone answered, and her breath came out of her quickly as she spoke.

"Hi, it's me. I need you to do me a favor." Suddenly she smiled. "No, not that. I need you to cover for me. If my parents call there for any reason I need you to act like I'm there, that I'm spending the night, and that I'm asleep."

She glanced at Jack quickly as she listened then went on. "I'll explain later. No, no. I'll tell you later. Thanks, Jane." Hitting the end button, she turned to hand him the phone.

Jack seemed perplexed as he looked at her. "What do you plan on telling her?"

Sam shook her head as she looked through the windshield. "I have no idea. Not this."

That seemed to placate him, and he shoved the phone back into his pocket. "Looks like we're all clear then. Stay here. I'll be right back."

Getting out of the car, Sam watched as he made his way to the office of the bed and breakfast, and went inside. He was gone for roughly five minutes before reemerging through the doors. When he came back, he rounded the car until he was on her side, and proceeded to open the door for her.

"Come on, brat." he said with a smile.

Getting out of the car, Sam's blue eyes were a little wide as she looked at him, but he only continued to smile at her reassuringly.

"It's going to be alright," he said with a laugh.

Closing the door, he reached to lift her chin before leaning forward to lightly kiss her mouth. "I promised, remember? Nothing bad is going to happen." Sam lowered her eyes, then nodded.

Taking her hand in his, he led her across the parking lot, and down the boarded sidewalk until they reached a door marked with a number thirteen. "That's like an omen," Sam said nervously.