When the Good Girl Sin

Chapter 4 - She Shines

POPPY

"I can almost hear your heart beat so loudly, Poppy." Kai chuckles darkly behind me while one of his hands keeps leaving traces on my arm and on my neck, while the other is tightly holding my waist. "—and we both know that it's not because of the music or the alcohol."

Kai Thorn.

A six-foot-six-inch man, his body was covered in different kinds of tattoos. He has this wavy medium-length hair, not too long but not short either. Despite the dark tattoos etched on his skin, which might make him look more sinister, his face resembles that of a fallen angel.

I won't lie, the guy is pretty, beautiful even.

Especially when he smiles.

From what I heard, I mean from what I also read in magazines and newspapers, Kai Thorn is the one and only heir of Thorn Enterprises. His family owns luxury hotels, casinos, five-star resorts, and top-tier malls all over the world.

He's also the MVP of the last season of the NBA, playing for the New York Knicks. His mother, just like my mother, is a famous singer.

According to the news, Kai Thorn is a playboy. A walking red flag despite being incredibly wealthy. He doesn't date exclusively, not Mr. Exclusive. He just wants to party, drink, travel, play basketball, and manage his business.

There's even a quote in a tabloid I read: "If you're a good girl, you don't want a Kai Thorn in your life, except if you want to have some fun."

That's it. Fun. And that is what I have been looking for since I left the restaurant where Alex, my boyfriend, abandoned me.

I looked at him and put my arms around his neck, having to tip-toe because the guy is so tall.

It's my time to smirk, but he doesn't.

Instead, his grip around my waist tightens even more.

He's wearing his usual serious expression, but I can clearly see that his eyes are piercing mine.

"You want your heart hammered too?" I told him, borrowing confidence from the alcohol, the mask, and the dim light.

"Oh, I do." He answered, still not wearing his infamous smirk.

He pulls me closer, making me place my left hand on his chest.

My heart beats even faster.

I've never felt this way with Alex.

Maybe this is what it feels like when you know you're about to do something dangerous.

And that is what Kai Thorn is: dangerous. And you know what they say about dangerous things—they're always fun.

I tiptoed even more and kissed him.

At first, he didn't open his mouth for me to have full access. I just felt him smirk, his hands on my back tightening as if he was holding back. He tasted like mint and cigarette—a combination I thought I'd hate, but the flavor made my heart pound even more.

"Open," I told him, needy.

He smiled and adjusted my mask. "Are you sure you want this now? Are you okay with the possibility that there might be paparazzi here who could take photos of you kissing me?" I looked around. "—the last thing you want is your face and your name all over the news tomorrow, painting you as the one who cheated on Alex Standield."

I looked down, deeply embarrassed, but he was right. "Stanley."

"Oh, right. Stanley. Because I don't care about worthless people." He says, and I snort.

"Thank you, you're right." I patted his chest and tried to leave, but he pulled me closer again. I squeaked.

"What? I thought—"

"You thought what?" He growls.

"I thought you didn't want to be seen publicly with me anymore," I told him, feeling defeated.

"That's not for me. It's for you. I am bad news, Poppy," he whispered.

"Why do you keep calling me Poppy?" I groaned. For someone I just met, I felt surprisingly comfortable in his arms, like I was caged.

He smiles, "You'll know soon."

"What?"

"Just because I don't want to kiss you in front of a lot of people doesn't mean I don't want to behind closed doors." His eyes were dark, maybe matching mine now. My heart started racing again. "—the last thing I want is to ravage you tonight, only for you to be mad at me in the morning. It's me saving your dazzling name, Penelope Lake."

"Oh—" I looked down, I'm sure I was now beet red, and my skin felt so hot. "—doesn't it feel a little warm in here?"

He chuckles, "Want to go somewhere amazing?"

"Amazing—" I nodded, "—you mean your bedroom?"

This time he laughs, truly laughs. And as if this scene was one from the movies I had made hundreds of times, the moment slowed down. And I was just standing there, watching him.

"Not my bedroom." He took my hand and led me. "—we're heading out," he says to Demi and Zach.

"Wait—" Demi stopped us, "—where are you taking my best friend?"

"I'm fine, Demi. I'm not drunk. He said he's taking me somewhere amazing. And if you happen to see my dead body on the news tomorrow, just know that this asshole was with me," I assured my best friend.

He laughs beside me, and so does Zach.

"Just have fun, Pen. Fun," she reminded me.

I nodded, "Yeah, I will."

He took me to the rooftop of Contrabando. The space was vast and had the cool air that was missing inside the club.

The place was quieter and more peaceful up here.

He patted the seat next to him, and I obliged, sitting down beside him.

"Is it true that Erika was your ex-girlfriend?" I asked him.

"I don't do dating. She was my f**k buddy who ghosted me, and now I don't have anyone to fu—" he stopped when he saw me looking at him. He must have thought I was judging him based on how the media portrayed him.

"So, the news about you being a playboy and changing girlfriends every night isn't true?" I chuckled. "—like you just change t-shirts and toss them aside when they're dirty?"

He chuckled, now leaning back, looking at the dark sky above us.

"Just like the news also said that you are a b***h and have an attitude problem. Oh, and that you're mean," he joked.

We both laughed.

"I am mean," I told him.

"You are not." He sat up straight and gently held my chin, turning my face so I would look at him. "—I want to taste a good girl this time."

I smiled. A good girl.

Am I a good girl?

I didn't stop him. True to his words from downstairs, he sure did ravage me.

The kiss was deep and hungry, as if he was sucking the life out of me.

Different from Alex's sloppy kisses. This boy definitely knew what he was doing.

He slowly made me lie down on the rundown sofa, pinning my hands above my head as he kissed me from my lips to my ears, which made me moan, and then down to my neck.

I was so turned on. It felt like I was flying weightlessly.

"I want you." His voice was raspy.

"I— I'm a—" I was embarrassed to tell him that I was still a virgin, that compared to the women he'd been with, I knew nothing. And I didn't even know how to pleasure him. Or anyone.

"I know—" He kissed my lips again, biting them gently, and I could almost taste my own blood. "—and for someone like you, your first time shouldn't be here."

"Take me with you." What I told him made him stop. What's wrong with me? Am I too brokenhearted by Alex that I'm making such rash decisions?

And what is it about this man that Alex, my boyfriend of several years, didn't have, that made me never even consider giving Alex my virginity? But for this boy I just met a few hours ago?

"You're making it hard for me to control myself, Poppy," he growled.

I paused, just looking at him. I took a deep breath, checking if I was sober enough to make decisions. When I was sure of my answer, I put my hands around his neck and kissed him again, "Take me with you."

--

We didn't even say goodbye to our friends. I was about to send a message to Demi that I was going home and also check my phone, which I hadn't touched since arriving. But he stopped me.

"I'll let Demi and the others know you're leaving," he said, looking concerned.

I nodded and put my phone back in my bag. "Yeah, sure."

He was driving a black vintage Camaro, and I smiled. It really suited him.

He started driving away from the club, and I leaned back in my seat. He placed his hand on my bare leg, and surprisingly, I didn't flinch. It felt like I was used to his touch.

"Where do you live, by the way?" I asked him.

He smiles at me.

"What?" I pressed.

"Manhattan." He answered, his smile still plastered on his face while focusing on the drive.

"What?!" I sat up straight and looked at him. "Manhattan? As in New York City?"

He nodded, "Yes, Poppy. The penthouse in Ritz-Carlton, Manhattan, New York City." He was still smiling, knowing damn well why I was so surprised.

"Kai, that's a one-hour drive away! We're in LA!" I told him.

He nodded and clicked his tongue. "Can't you control yourself from kissing me for one hour?" he teased.

I playfully hit his arm, and the boy didn't even pretend to be hurt.

But when I looked out the car window, it was refreshing, peaceful, and new.

I smiled, but I didn't show it to him. I wanted to be a normal person just for tonight. And I never thought I'd find that normalcy with a tattooed bad boy.

"Manhattan, it is."

He opened his car's radio, and the song "Yellow" by The Script filled the car.

"Thought so, figured you were a Script guy," I remarked.

He smiled. "No, someone from my past was addicted to their songs. It made me get used to their music because every time I'm listening to them, I remember her."

I looked at him. "Here I was thinking you didn't date?" I smiled humorously.

"Who said we dated? We didn't," he said, with a hint of sadness, I think?

"Then what happened?" I pressed.

He looked at me and smiled, but this time his smile didn't reach his eyes. "She shines."