CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
CODIE
At first I was deeply hurt by Stray and his insistence that we should be apart.
The more I thought about it, the more ridiculous his reasoning sounded, and the more pissed off I became.
He made a point of keeping his distance on campus.
However, several times I caught him following me to my car.
Another time I saw him watching me outside the bank.
How the hell did he think it was fair to cut me off while still stalking my every move? He didn’t want this any more than I did. Somehow he’d convinced himself that this was the right thing to do. If he really believed that, why couldn’t he stay away from me?
After more than a week of this bullshit had passed, I got together with my girls to vent about it. We’d gathered at a local restaurant for dinner. I was almost too angry to eat my grilled chicken sandwich.
“Can you believe I caught him tailing me to school this morning?” I ranted. “For a stalker, he’s doing a shit job at going unnoticed.”
Storm laughed, popping a nacho chip in her mouth. “I’m pretty sure he wants you to notice him, Codie.”
“I don’t understand why. He’s the one who called this off.” I plucked a fry from Ripley’s plate, nibbling it as I glared out the window at the street beyond.
“Who knows why guys do half the shit they do?” Luna shrugged. “I’ve given up trying to figure them out.”
“Same,” Athena agreed. “Once I get some good dick, I’m gone. I don’t need the nonsense that comes with it.”
I scowled. “You guys are doing a really great job at making me feel better. Note the sarcasm.”
“Don’t hate me for saying so but maybe Stray is right. Maybe you are better off apart. Being involved with him almost got you killed.” Ripley offered me an apologetic smile. “Just trying to bring a different perspective to the conversation.”
Luna shook her head, stabbing her fork into her salad. “I’m a fan of going after what you want. If you think you can really love this guy, I say be a boss bitch and make him yours.”
Ripley often kept her opinions to herself.
Still, she’d made it clear before that she thought guys like the Kings were not worth the risk.
Since Rebel and Storm got engaged, she hadn’t mentioned it much, doing her best to be a supportive friend.
I understood where she was coming from. Yet I just couldn’t get on board with that.
Storm knew what she wanted. She was happy. I wanted that too.
“Maybe you two should talk,” Storm suggested. “Go for coffee. Something neutral and safe.”
I angrily chewed a bite of my sandwich, annoyed all over again at the situation. “All I know is that something has got to give here. I’m going to lose my mind.”
Ripley tucked a stray strand of blonde hair behind her ear. “Whatever you do, be careful.”
“Screw that,” Athena jumped in with a wicked cackle. “Whatever you do, make that boy worship you like the goddess you are. It’s the least he can do.”
While the conversation turned to Storm’s fast approaching wedding and the many Halloween festivities that would be taking place in town, I grew increasingly distracted. My mind spun, pondering the many ways to approach this situation with Stray.
I could forget him completely, although that was proving almost impossible.
There was always the idea of going for coffee and trying to rationally talk this out.
However, there had been nothing rational about my relationship with Stray so far.
That didn’t feel like the right way to handle things.
Ultimately, I decided to take matters into my own hands.
When we finished dinner and headed out to our vehicles to leave, I pulled Storm aside. “Do you have any idea where Stray might be right now? Assuming he’s not lurking around here somewhere watching me. Would Rebel know?”
“I have no idea personally, but if anyone would know, it would be Rebel.” Storm plucked her phone from her bag and tapped out a message to her fiancé. After a minute, she said, “Stray is just leaving the graveyard. They had to meet there for business an hour ago.”
“Thanks, girlie. You’re the best.” I gave her a quick hug before racing over to my car. Time to turn the tables.
I drove toward the graveyard, taking the most commonly used route. Keeping my eyes peeled for Stray’s Mustang, I spotted it immediately as he came toward me.
Before he passed me, I pulled a U-turn, sliding into a random driveway. Once he passed, I pulled out and got behind him. No doubt he would recognize my SUV as soon as he looked in his rearview mirror. Fine with me. I wanted him to see me.
Since I didn’t want to make that too obvious, I did keep my distance. Every now and then I allowed another vehicle or two to get in between us. Stray needed to know how it felt to be followed.
At least I didn’t have a tracking device on his car. I’d recently learned that he’d stuck one on mine when Storm let it slip in conversation. Rebel told her. After a search of my SUV, I found it in the wheel well. I’d decided not to remove it.
I tailed him to the gas station near his house.
Waiting in the parking lot, I watched him pump gas.
He glanced over at me a few times, a crinkled frown of confusion marring his brow.
Snickering to myself, I waited for him to approach me.
He seemed to know I was playing with him because he got back into his car and peeled out of the parking lot with a squeal of tires.
Again, I followed him. I didn’t bother speeding around or squealing my tires. I didn’t need any flashy actions to draw attention. This time he headed for home. When he pulled into the driveway, I parked in front of the house and stared hard as he let himself inside.
Stray hesitated at the front door. He glanced back over his shoulder, like he was dying to approach me. Somehow, he resisted the urge. After he went inside the house, I sat outside for a solid hour before leaving. This might be fun.
The next morning I was parked down the street from his house bright and early, waiting for him to leave for school.
Once his Mustang rumbled to life and rolled out of the driveway, I was right behind him.
He started to head toward my place before he realized that I followed.
I laughed to myself when he suddenly changed direction and headed for campus instead.
“How does it feel to be stalked?” I murmured to myself.
He tried to lose me at a red light, but I was right on his bumper at that point. We entered the campus parking lot together. When he veered down the right row of cars to park, I went left. I let him get a head start before I followed him into the building.
Throughout the day, I made sure to randomly appear. Outside of his classroom. Walking by when he sat with Casper outside smoking a joint. Even lurking outside the men’s room when I saw him disappear inside. If only I had a knife to hold to his throat.
When Stray’s final class ended for the day, I was already waiting in the parking lot. I saw him scan the vicinity, looking for me. I ducked down in my seat so he would think my car was empty. As he left campus grounds, I started the engine and followed.
Stray’s first stop was the liquor store down the street. From there he seemed to meander aimlessly through town. That’s when I realized he was screwing around. Making me follow him as he drove around in circles.
Finally, he pulled over a block away from his house. He got out of the car and stood in the middle of the street, forcing me to stop. I pulled in behind his car, nervous excitement in my belly. With a finger he beckoned me, silently commanding that I come to him.
Stray met me between our vehicles. Shoving a hand through his hair so it was a gorgeous haphazard mess, he tilted his head to one side to study me.
“What the hell are you doing, Codie? Are you following me now?”
“Fuck yeah I am. Why not? You do it to me all the time.” My words came out with a little more attitude than intended. Whatever. I had a point to make.
Stray’s lips curved, an amused grin taking over his face. “I see. So you’re the stalker now?”
“Looks to be that way. What’s wrong? Don’t you like it?” Hands on my hips, I dared him to tell me to stop.
“What’s this really about?” he asked. In faded blue jeans and a white T-shirt, he looked hotter than he had any right to. Damn him.
“Why does it have to be about anything? What was it about when you started stalking me?” I held his gaze, challenging him.
The jerk had the audacity to boop me on the nose. “You’re cute as fuck.”
I slapped his hand away before he booped me a second time.
“You’re being a real ass, you know that?
You say that we shouldn’t be together because it’s too dangerous.
Danger is exactly what got us into this whole situation in the first place.
Now you want to walk away? I know you want to be with me, Stray.
I think it’s time for you to stop being an idiot and give us a real chance. ”
His smile faded. He gave a short nod, his gaze darting around the street before coming back to me. “That’s what this is all about?”
“Yeah,” I said, some of my fervor deflating. “I’ve done a lot of thinking, and I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m not going anywhere until you get your head out of your ass. We’re fucking good together, Stray. Too good to throw this away without giving it a real shot first.”
There. I’d laid it on the line. Whatever happened next was up to him.
His enchanting blue eyes locked on me. “You’re right. We are fucking good together.” Closing the few feet that separated us, Stray touched my face as he leaned in to kiss me. “I’ll give you three minutes.”
“Three minutes for what?” I didn’t understand what he meant or why his amused smile was back.
“A three minute head start. Better run, strawberry.” With a wiggle of his brows, Stray gave me a gentle push.
As his meaning took hold, a trickle of adrenaline slipped into my veins. Where was I supposed to run? We were surrounded by houses in a residential neighborhood.
When I hesitated, he said, “Make that two minutes. You’re wasting time.”
Not knowing where I was going, I took off down the sidewalk.
Thankfully, I’d worn flat shoes today. I scanned the street around me, seeking a place to hide out.
There was nothing. I couldn’t very well duck into a stranger’s yard.
Stray’s house down the block was my only option.
He knew that too. The clever dick was herding me right to his own domain.
Something told me that I didn’t want to be in public when he caught me. It was broad daylight. Being fucked by my criminal lover in front of his neighbors wasn’t the kind of danger I wanted. Ending up in jail for public indecency was not on my bucket list.
When I heard heavy footsteps behind me, I risked a look back. Stray was almost on top of me. That hadn’t been two minutes. Liar.
“That’s right, Codie. You’re almost right where I want you.”
I knew it. He was intentionally driving me right to his house. One place we’d never been together. Perhaps this was fitting.
Knowing that he lived with some of the other Kings, I hoped like hell nobody else was home.
Racing across Stray’s front yard, I fumbled with the latch on the back gate.
I got inside the backyard in time to slam the gate shut in his face.
He didn’t bother with the latch. Instead, he jumped over the fence.
“Damn you,” I panted, running for the shed at the back of the yard. Not that locking myself inside would do a damn thing to stop Stray. We both knew he already won this game.
He tackled me down in the middle of the yard. The yellowing grass crunched beneath me. I grunted as his weight came down on top of me.
His hands wrapped around my wrists, pressing them to the grass above my head.
His lips moved against mine when he said, “All I ever wanted was to protect you. When I saw you tied to that chair, I thought I’d failed.
I thought you deserved better than me. Someone who would never let that happen to you. ”
“You didn’t let it happen to me, Stray. I made my own mistakes. We both have. I don’t care about any of that anymore. Let’s move forward. Together.” I kissed him with an aggression I hadn’t known lived inside me. A sharp possessive demand.
Stray jerked back in surprise when I viciously bit his lip. Stroking my tongue along the bite, I tasted his blood. We both stopped, staring into one another. Then Stray crushed his lips to mine in a bruising kiss, and nothing else mattered.