Chapter 14 #2
“Fucked,” she murmured. “It’s all fucked.
” She swept her palms up and down her jeans.
“Drive me back to Texas. I can’t do this.
I don’t know what I was even thinking. This was a stupid fucking idea from the beginning.
” She laughed hollowly. “God, what the hell was I thinking? I’d just say ‘no’ to my obligations and think nothin’ of it?
That everyone would be okay with me runnin’ off to Florida?
There’s billions on the line, and here I am, avoiding my fiancé and shutting out the world because some guy who”—she gestured at me with both hands—“who’s too young, too fucking hot, and, oh yeah, kidnapped me, asked me to stay with him and see what I was missin’ in my sorry excuse of a life.
” I swear I focused on what she said, but my brain was stuck on the too hot part.
Sophia raked her hands through her hair. “This isn’t what I was raised to do.”
I arched my brow, making sure she was done before speaking my piece. “With the way I was raised, I’m surprised I’m not addicted to heroin and living in a trailer.”
Sophia’s brows shot up. “That’s your reply?”
I sighed. “What I’m sayin’ is, going down the path that’s laid out for you isn’t what’s always best for you. Doing what pleases everyone else will only continue to do that. What’s the point of life if you’re doin’ it for everyone else except you?”
Sophia slumped back in the seat, resting her cheek on the leather, looking me over. “You could sell horseshoes to a cat, couldn’t you?”
I grinned. “Probably.”
She fiddled with her fingers. “I’m real sorry you had to grow up like that,” she said, the sincerity in her words like honey to my ears.
The strong urge to pull over, push her up against my truck, and steal the breath from her lungs was like nothing I’d experienced before.
Sure, I’d gone through life having urges.
But none quite like this. “Did you grow up here? In the mountains?” That urge shriveled at the reminder of my childhood.
“Yeah.” I nodded, my hands reflexively growing tight around the wheel. “You have my phone still?”
Sophia wiggled in her seat, working the phone free from her back pocket. “Here. I—” she murmured a slew of curse words as her thumb smoothed over the glass. “Shit, I didn’t mean to crack it.”
“It was already like that, you’re fine.” I slid it from her hand, then unlocked the screen and went to the call log to find Hayes’ number. It was still sitting near the top from the last time I’d called him. “You didn’t call anyone yet?”
“No. I’m not really sure what I’d say or where I’d start.” I was focused on the road as she spoke, but I could tell she was nervous. “Maybe tonight, before they send someone else out, once they hear about Keeno.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah. I’m sure. Let Lyra know where I am if you’re goin’ to call Carver.” I had a feeling Sophia was more complacent about death than I’d thought, yet someone who deserved to die for hurting her was still alive. That bothered me.
“I will.” I pressed Hayes’ name and waited for him to pick up.
When he didn’t, and the line went to voicemail, I left a message saying I needed him to go stay at Tallulah’s and make sure no one tried to fuck with her while I was gone.
He wouldn’t like it, and neither would she, but if any had complaints about it, they could call and bitch at me.
Coming home to an injured or deceased sister wasn’t happening.
I texted Carver next, telling him Sophia and I were going out of town and to keep his eye on Lyra.
It was better Sophia didn’t know about that request—I didn’t need her worrying more for the people she cared about.
Carver was more than capable of keeping her safe.
I still wasn’t certain who the drive-by was meant to harm, but Lyra was both the wife of my friend and the best friend to Sophia. She'd be a target either way.
“So…” Sophia said as she adjusted her seat, leaning it back and getting comfortable. “Did you happen to save any of the food I got?”
I smirked as I reached behind my seat and pulled out the bag of muffins she’d bought. I hadn’t even realized she’d been holding onto it while she wrapped her arms around my neck when I carried her to my truck until I settled her in the seat.
She lit up and opened the bag, then frowned. “Did you eat the lemon one?”
“Lemon poppyseed is my favorite.”
“Mine too,” she muttered, pulling out a blueberry one instead. “I didn’t buy it for you, you know. Figured you’d want the chocolate chip one.”
“Chocolate chip is fine and all, but I prefer the sour mixed with the sweet. Makes the perfect combination. Kind of like you and me.”
Her lip twitched, but she tamped it down quick. “You’re gonna drive me crazy.”
We talked more as she ate. She told me about Georgia and the place she worked, places she’d visited on the weekends as we passed each town’s sign.
I listened to each word, clinging to them and the smile they brought out of her.
When her hand fell to the middle console, it took everything in me not to grab it.
I wanted to touch her, to feel her skin against mine in any way she’d let me.
It started that night on the couch, but now that she was back, I wanted more.
Sophia looked through the window, probably waiting for the next town to tell me all about, and I stole glances at her.
Too many glances. I pictured my fingers gripping her golden hair, and when she gasped about a town she really liked for their pizza place that was on the corner of some small street, I wondered what she’d sound like in bed.
The sounds she’d make as I fulfilled every one of her twisted and dark desires I knew lurked beneath the surface.
I’d been with women who claimed they were down for anythin’ I wanted to do to them, but most left runnin’.
Somethin’ in me knew Sophia wouldn’t run. She’d cry out in pleasure, and beg for more.
“Why’re you making that face?”
“What?”
Sophia leaned over the center console and smoothed her thumb over the crease between my brows. “That’s better.” She smiled brightly, then turned her focus back out the window.
I ran my fingers over the spot she had smoothed over, ingraining her touch on my skin. I had a hundred other things I should be thinking about, yet all my thoughts ran back to how she’d feel being mine and only mine.