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“Hello again, Rae.”
“Collins, we really need to stop meeting like this.” I give him a blank stare.
“We could...” He steps closer and my spine straightens. “Meet at my house, or a hotel room.”
I scoff and glance off.
“I’ve got five grand with your name on it.”
“Five grand, huh?” I pop a brow. “That what I’m worth to you?”
He smirks, showing off his movie star veneers. “Ten if you help me out.”
Ten thousand dollars – chump change to this asshole.
“Sorry, Collins.” I shrug. “I don’t have the cure for erectile dysfunction. Not really sure what I’d be able to do for you.”
I push past him.
Royce walks out then, Captain behind him and they both stop when they see Collins on the sidewalk.
He looks from them to me. “Think about it, Carver. That’s a game changer for you.”
I keep my face blank – the bastard was serious.
“Get the fuck out of here, Collins. Graven ain’t nowhere near here, pretty boy,” Royce tells him and Collins jerks a chin, turning to walk off.
“What was that about?” Royce waits to ask when Collins can’t hear.
“Rich boy doing what rich boys do. Trying to throw money around to get his way.”
Both frown but neither says another word.
“Where’s Maddoc at today?”
“He went to see our dad.”
Uh ... what?
“He do that often?”
“Nope,” Royce replies and looks to Cap.
Captain clears his throat, but nobody says a word. Really, I shouldn’t have asked.
The three of us climb in – I let Royce have shotgun – and head back for the house.
“I’ve got a hot date with a freshly waxed vagina, so I’ll slow to a roll, but you guys gotta jump.”
“You’re an idiot.” Captain shakes his head. “We’re in my truck. Park the damn thing and get your ass out.”
Royce hops out grinning and runs to his own vehicle as Captain steps out the passenger door and when it’s clear he’s rounding the hood and making his way back to the driver’s seat, I leap over the middle console and into the passenger seat.
Captain yanks his door open, his eyes snapping to mine. “What are you doing?”
“I’m bored.”
“I can’t help you, I gotta go.”
I pull the seat belt over me and he frowns.
“Raven, out.”
When I sit back against the seat, he steps back and charges around the hood.
I swiftly lock the doors then jump over the seat to close his.
He bangs on my window and I grin.
“Open the fucking door.”
I turn up the radio, pretending I can’t hear.
He turns to Royce, who is backing out up past us and throws his hands up. “A little help here.”
“Can’t. Fresh. Waxed. Vagina, Cap.” Royce slides on his sunglasses and peels away.
Captain runs his hands down his face, before glaring at me. “Raven, I need to leave. Now. I cannot be late.”
“Get in then.”
He hesitates a minute, then curses and heads around again.
I unlock the door and he jumps inside.
He doesn’t look at me as he pulls out and on to the road. The first twenty minutes we’re on the road, I take in my surroundings – nothing but orchards and corn and boring shit. But when I’m over it and ready to complain about where we’re headed and cry about how much longer, I look to Cap, who glares at the road.
His leg is bouncing, his fingers keep flexing against the wheel, and he keeps taking deep breaths. He’s anxious.
The vehicle slows and he turns down a small side road. He starts bouncing his shoulders as if he’s trying to shake loose, and slips into the first spot he finds, facing an open field that dips down. If all the families shuffling in and out of the cars around means anything, I’d guess there’s a park at the end.
He looks at his watch, then his phone, then his watch again.
“Cap ...”
“Just ... quiet, Raven. Please.”
I pull back, shocked and a little unsure of this is about, so I attempt to lighten the mood.
“Wow, Captain,” I feign annoyance and he drops his head back, not at all wanting to deal with, well, me. “I had no idea you were aware ‘please’ was a thing.”
He scoffs, a small laugh in there somewhere and drops his eyes to me. After a minute he says, “You shouldn’t be here.”
I shrug, because too late now, right?
I look away, sinking back only to lean forward when I spot someone. I squint to see better. “Is that ... that’s my social worker.”
Captain’s head snaps forward and he curses. He blows out a deep breath and climbs out. Before his door slams, he turns back, leveling me with a hard look I’ve yet to see from him. “Stay in here, Raven. I mean it.”
His words are strong, but there’s something deeper than anger in his eyes.
“Okay.” I nod and he pauses a second, before walking away.
I sit back in my seat, crossing my legs Indian style as I trail his every step across the grass. He stops a few feet from Ms. Vega. A few words are exchanged, and then she turns and walks away. I look back to Captain, but he doesn’t move, his eyes follow her.
