Chapter 2 #3
“Does your ex have a locator on you?”
Her eyes lit up in recognition as her eyebrows hiked.
“Oh my gosh, our family group,” she said, grappling for her phone tucked away in her wallet.
“I haven’t been on here in ages, but… yep, we’re on it together,” she said, quickly swiping her thumbs over her screen, presumably to sever that connection as well. “It says he’s nearby?”
Sev paused as the man’s voice rose just on the other side of the wall from them.
Kelsey’s eyes flew wide once more, further confirming who this guy was.
Sev reached for her hand, which she eagerly gave, following him as he approached the spot where the hallway opened onto the main room.
Fortunately, they could continue to hide in the shadows and take in the argument at the front of the bar.
Gina was now standing there as well, a look on her face saying she was ready to give this guy a toss out on his ear.
“I can’t believe he’s here,” Kelsey whispered, clutching Sev’s hand tighter.
He looked back at her fearful face. “Do you want to say something to him? You can do whatever you like. I’m here and I’m not going anywhere.” And there wasn’t a snowball’s chance he was going to let her face this piece of garbage all on her own.
Not on his watch.
She was pensive as she took in the miserable rat who waved his hands around much like a toddler would moments before dropping to the floor to have a tantrum. She winced at his words and his volume, embarrassed by his behavior.
“You know, my first thought was to stop this,” she began, her eyes locked and now registering… pity? “If I go in there, he’ll stop being angry. Hopefully, we can mend fences with the owners he’s firing off at,” she said, wincing again as Chip’s volume went up once more.
“And in the process, he manipulates you into giving him everything he wants.”
“Exactly,” she said, continuing to watch the scene unfold.
Sev knew she was a smart woman. She knew she was being played by the guy, even though she’d probably cleaned up after him socially time and time again.
She probably hated being helpless, and clearly was one to act before she stood by and just let things happen.
“It’s up to you, Kels,” Sev said, bringing her out of her thoughts and back to the present. “But make the choice for you, this time. Don’t do it because you think it’s your responsibility to stop a scene. He’s making the scene, not you. You’re not connected to him anymore.”
He could tell his words registered as her expression changed, a little bit of her grit starting to crack through that shell. Yet, she continued to watch.
When he couldn’t take the anticipation any longer, he asked, “What are you thinking, sweetheart?”
She shook her head furiously. “I’m thinking I don’t ever want to talk to him again.”
Sev nodded, taking in the conversation once more. Gina’s eyes flicked to him, and in that moment, he knew she was on their side.
Turning to Kelsey, he pulled her closer and spoke directly into her ear. “When I say ‘go,’ I need you to follow me as quietly as you can.”
Kelsey nodded with wide, fearful eyes. Sev took one last look at the trio at the bar, Gina’s husband looking to approach, sitting on the stool with one foot planted on the floor.
“You know, hun,” Gina said to Chip. “I’m not sure you’re asking the right question here. It’s not ‘Have you seen her?’, it’s ‘Why on earth did you let her go?’”
“I’ve already told you, I haven’t let her go!” Chip hollered as Gina’s husband began a slow approach, effectively turning Chip’s head away from them, and subsequently, the door.
“Go,” Sev calmly said, clutching Kelsey’s hand as he walked quietly along the back wall. Several patrons nearby looked on, but not one of them said a thing as he grabbed their coats from the tree by the door. He held the door open, and Kelsey passed through without being noticed.
Hurrying onto the street, he gave her the black puffer coat she’d come in wearing, all while pulling on his own jacket, and directing her down the alleyway between the Second Call and the neighboring building.
“Where are we going?” she asked, managing to keep up in her heels.
“My bike,” he said, turning the corner to the back of the building that opened up into a small lot. It was a fenced-in area that contained a dumpster and some crude markings for motorcycle parking.
It truly was the only thing that would fit back there, not to mention up the alley itself.
Sev ran to the saddle bag, pulling out a torrent of black fabric that he handed to her.
“Here, put these on,” he instructed of the snow pants.
“Why—”
“Unless you prefer to freeze to death in that dress on the back of my motorcycle?” he asked, reaching for the spare helmet.
“Wait, we’re going on your bike?”
Sev stood, squaring off with her. “Do you trust me?”
“No!” she said, shaking out the snow pants and dropping one long, shapely leg in. “Not by a long shot! I didn’t even know you a few hours ago!”
Sev couldn’t help it, dropping his gaze to the ground and running his finger over his lips to conceal his smile. Looking up, he leveled with her.
“Well, you don’t have much of a choice here, sweetheart,” he said, watching her bounce on her toes as she wiggled into the last of the gear. Handing her the spare helmet, he advised, “It’s either stay or go.”
Without question, she pulled the helmet down over her head. Sev approached her, his cold fingers sliding against the smooth skin of her neck as he snapped her in and made sure it was secure.
Stepping over to the bike, he pulled on his own helmet and lifted a leg to straddle the machine. He waited for her to climb on, and when she didn’t, he turned around and took in her apprehensive face.
“You’ve never been on a bike before, have you?”
Her eyes peeking out from the helmet registered fear as she quickly shook her head in response.
For a fleeting moment, he wished he had the time to introduce her to riding properly.
But aside from calling up a rideshare and taking a chance her ex-fiancé wouldn’t find them waiting there in the fifteen minutes it would take to arrive, this was their only choice.
Without words, Sev held his hand out to her, just like he’d done in the bar earlier, silently daring her to come along.
Just like he expected, she stepped forward, sliding her hand into his and giving him her trust.
And he was humbled by that more than he anticipated.
Steering her to help her behind him, he wrapped her arms around his torso as she settled on the seat.
“No matter what, you hold on. Understand?” he asked, holding her hands tight against his middle as a silent way to convey that under no circumstances was she to let go.
Maybe ever.
She nodded, indicating she’d do as he asked, just as he went to fire up the beast. However…
“Where are we going?” he wondered. There weren’t a whole lot of places they could travel to at this hour.
Everything was practically shut down thanks to it being Christmas Eve.
Plus, a long haul on a bike wasn’t recommended in these wintry temperatures.
He hadn’t planned on company when he figured he’d take the quick twenty minutes to his parents’ house and just endure.
She leaned closer, accidentally tapping her helmet to his. “My father and I rented a place on The Point.”
“That’s where you want to go?” he asked, wanting to be extra sure. Heading back home would open a lot of doors to questions she may not want to answer right away.
Her eyes got sad, but she nodded in affirmation. “It’s time.”
He nodded back at her, sad that this was the last of their time together, but willing to do whatever she asked. “Then let’s get you home, sweetheart.”