“I can’t be the man you want me to be. Last night shouldn’t have happened. I’m not sorry, but this has to end before it goes any further.”
“Right. Just like the rest of them. You don’t really want me. I’m too much of a problem. I get it, but don’t sugarcoat it and treat me like I’m stupid. You want me gone so your wife doesn’t find out. So Rochelle doesn’t find out you fucked her best friend.”
“It’s not like that. Don’t cheapen last night to that.”
“No. Then what’s it like? Enlighten me.”
“I don’t know what I can say except that I’m keeping my promise to make it right for you. Got something to take care of, and I gotta leave you somewhere safe while I do that. You don’t have to decide now, but I need you to think about what you really want.”
“Where are you taking me?”
“To the one person I trust most in this world.”
“Your sister?”
“Yeah. Let’s go. Put that in your bag and keep it safe. Everything you need to start over is in there. Access to a bank account. Identification.”
“Got it.” She jumps up quickly and the hurt in those pretty green orbs cuts me deeper than it ought to. Alexa stuffs the envelope in her bag, and I tell her to wait in the truck while I go check out.
When I’m done, the truck is empty. Fucking hell. She couldn’t have gotten far. I look across the street and down both sides of the sidewalk and that’s when I see her getting into the back of a cab. If I were smart, I’d let her go, but I got to see this through and make sure she knows once she’s gone, she can’t come back.
The cab starts down the road and I step into its path. The driver blows his horn at me, but I don’t budge. “What the fuck, man?” He hangs out the window shouting at me.
“Get out of the car, Lex.” I practically growl the words. The driver takes one good look at me and my leather cut then shuts the car off. Smart choice. I fling the back-passenger door open and jerk her out the car. “Don’t be a stupid brat.”
She says nothing, coming with me willingly.
We get on the road and she’s giving me the silent treatment. It’s for the best. She should hate me. I need her to make the choice because I don’t know that I’m strong enough to let her go on my own. I must be fucking crazy. My life is falling apart and yet all I can think about is her. Keeping her safe. But to do that I gotta let her go. Send her out into the world to live a better life than I can give her if she stays here. I don’t know what the hell she’s done to me. Put me under some sort of fucking spell or what because for her I’m feeling ready to burn the world down.
“You want breakfast?”
No response.
“You thirsty?”
She continues to gaze at the scenery out the passenger window. Eventually I hear her messing with the wrapper of one them cinnamon suckers. I steal a glance out the corner of my eye, but she never looks my way.
I shut the radio off. “I’m fuckin’ talking to you.”
I’m met with more silence. Then she cranks the radio up as loud as it’ll go. Stubborn fucking brat. I swerve off the road and turn down a dirt road, stopping only when we get out of view from passing traffic. I shut the truck off and go to the passenger side. When I put my hand on the handle, I hear the lock engage.
“Open the door.”
Alexa shakes her head.
“We don’t have time for your petty ass bullshit. Alexa.” I slap the door and she flinches. “Open the God damned door now.” She continues to defy me, shooting me this prissy assed expression that has me wanting to bend her over my damn knee and spank that attitude right out of her. I remember I have the damn keys in my hand, and I get the door unlocked easily enough. When I open her side, she scrambles to crawl across the seat, but I’m faster, and when I get hold of her, she goes rigid like a damn statue.
“We’re settling this shit right now.” I grab her throat and press her back in the seat. “You think this is easy. For the first time in years I’ve found something I want, and I gotta give it up. Because I’m not right for you.”
We both know this won’t lead anywhere good. Her gaze meets mine, and it’s so damn cold I’d swear she’s dead if it weren’t for the erratic breaths leaving her parted lips. Her tongue darts out to wet her mouth and I lose it. “When I look into your eyes and see that fire gone, Lexi...fuck, baby. Damn near kills me.” I bring my mouth down on hers, thrusting my tongue deep between those sweet cinnamon flavored lips needing her to know I care more than she knows.
Alexa moans into my mouth and the sound travels to my dick. Her hand goes to the back of my neck and she kisses me like it’s goodbye and maybe it is. Even though I need to be back in West Virginia, I take my time, savoring this moment. This last piece of heaven I’ll ever taste.
Sliding my hand from her throat to her jaw, I break away and hold her gaze. “I see you, pretty girl, but I can’t keep you as bad as I want to.”
Her forehead drops to mine. Her cinnamon breath fanning over my lips. “I hear you.”
“Yeah?”