43. Bindi
FORTY-THREE
BINDI
Cassidy counts the bills on the table in the motel.
We checked in about an hour ago after driving for what felt like forever, angling farther north, toward the safe house.
Even now, the wild thumping of my heart hasn’t stopped.
I’ve been sprawled across this lumpy bed the entire time, sneakers still on, staring at the cracked ceiling.
Cassidy chuckles under his breath as he bundles a stack of hundreds with a rubber band we snagged from a Dollar General. “We got enough and then some, Firefly,” he drawls quietly, catching my eye.
There’s a level of confidence in his voice that I don’t think I’ve heard. It’s not his weird manic energy that makes me question him . . . but it’s like he’s proud of himself. And in a weird way I’m proud of him too. We did it.
He runs a hand through his messy hair, flashing a tired, cocky grin, and tosses me one of the stacks.
I catch it mid-air, a grin tugging at my mouth before I can stop it.
“I know. I didn’t believe you that it’d be smooth.
” I thumb through the stack and the bills flutter under my fingertips.
“But I’m glad we got enough for a while. ”
We’ve changed the plates twice since leaving the bank, but it still doesn’t stop Cassidy from standing up and walking toward the window, peering through the gap in the heavy curtains to check for anyone. “Clear.”
I push myself up to lean against the headboard, running a hand through my damp hair. Our duffel lies open on the other bed, cash spilling out in neat little bundles he’s been organizing. My eyes keep drifting to it, almost in disbelief that we actually did it.
Cassidy steps away from the window and comes to sit on the edge of the bed. He places the bundled cash back in my lap and gives my thigh a squeeze. It’s the same one that he carved CASS into, so I wince slightly.
“You good, Binx?”
I smirk, grabbing his hand and intertwining my fingers with his for a moment. “I’m good babe. Just hope this is enough to last.”
He presses a kiss to my lips, then my forehead, then back down to my jaw. “It’ll be enough to get us where we need to be, and that’s all that matters.”
His forehead brushes against mine and I sigh a shaky little sound as I let my head fall back against the headboard. Cassidy stands up just long enough to strip off his clothes and boots. Then he grabs the hem of my jeans and tugs.
“Off,” he whines.
I slow blink. “The fuck?”
“Pants. Off.” He plants a knee on the bed beside me, towering over me. “How am I supposed to snuggle my girl in-between denim. Off!”
My eyes narrow. “Jesus, possessive much?”
He grins, his full smile showing. “You know what you signed up for, Firefly.”
I roll my eyes, muttering under my breath, but shimmy out of my jeans, anyway. He helps by yanking them past my ankles. I kick at him when he gets too handsy, but he just catches my ankle and kisses the inside of it, causing heat to spread up my leg.
By the time I’m just in my underwear and a T-shirt, he’s already crawling back over me, pressing his body flush against mine, dragging the sheet up over both of us.
His bare chest is hot against me, and his cock instantly hardens, pressing insistently against my core.
Of course, he’s getting a fucking boner. The man’s a menace.
“Cassidy,” I warn, elbowing him in the ribs.
He laughs, breathless and boyish, as he nuzzles into the crook of my neck. “Cut me some slack. I just lost my virginity five days ago. My dick’s still making up for lost time.” His voice is muffled against my skin as he trails tongue and teeth along my neck.
I snort. “You’re insufferable.”
“And you love it,” he says smugly, kissing his way up my throat. He’s not trying to really start anything, just soaking me in, giving me soft lazy kisses that make me melt. His hand slides up to cup the curve of my hip.
“I would love it more if you weren’t poking me in the ass with your fucking boner all night.”
“It’s a compliment. Means you’re doing a great job at being so goddamn sexy.”
I open my mouth to say something sassy, but he cuts me off with another kiss. And another. And another. Each one dragging all the fight out of me.
“Cassidy . . .” I manage to squeeze out in between being mauled.
“Shh . . . let me have this,” he murmurs.
He kisses away every protest, then shifts to tug me fully into his arms, one leg hooked over mine, his hand splayed across my lower back under my shirt.
He’s not shy about the fact he’s smothering me.
He tucks my head under his chin and wraps himself around me like a fucking python.
And even though I grumble halfheartedly about being trapped, I don’t hate it.
I breathe him in and let myself go heavy against him. He presses one last kiss to my temple.
“I got you, Firefly, always.”
And for the first time in days, my eyes drift shut without fear snapping them open again. Because if our story ends tonight, at least I know exactly where I’ll be.
Right here.
Buried in him.
Dying the only way I ever wanted—with him.