The crap with the dope would blow over. In a decade or so, the people my ex was involved with would be dead. Those low-class, no-good drug dealers didn’t have long life expectancies. I just had to stay low, keep hidden, until that happened. Which was why I left my phone on the kitchen table. If they couldn’t track me, they couldn’t find me.
Pushing in the clutch and turning the key, I whispered, “We’re starting over, girlfriend. Just you and me, Cherry Pie, on the road. Ready to explore a new place—” A hard thud landed on the trunk. “Gracious fucking alive!”
In the rearview was the face of the devil himself.
Illuminated in the red glow, Nico looked like the monster from a horror film. Rage burned in his eyes. Heat licked up my spine. He leaned into the car, as if he could stop the machine from backing up with sheer force of will.
“Move, you idiot,” I spat.
Tears swam in my eyes, threatening to fall.
Nico rumbled something.
I cracked the window. “Move. Now.”
“Magnolia Rae, get out of this car,” he thundered.
“No,” I choked.
He pushed, and the car swayed.
I slowly depressed the brake, giving just a touch of gas to begin slowly backing out.
Nico cursed violently in Italian. He slid to the side, hand grazing the side of my freshly painted vehicle. I continued to sneak past him.
I should have locked the doors. Maybe that was my subconscious wanting him to rip the door open.
Which was exactly what he did.
I stomped on the brake to keep the door being ripped off by the partition of the garage. In my flustered state, I didn’t press the clutch, and the engine cut with a violent jerk.
“Get out of the car,” he barked.
“No!” I forced the word past the galloping in my throat. “No, I can’t!”
“E che cazzo, Rae! I’m not messing around.” Nico bent and grabbedme.
Why the hell wasn’t I wearing the seatbelt?! I struggled, but he tugged me out. I kicked and pushed. His grip was hard. Unrelenting.Possessive. He shoved me against the side panel.
“I knew you were fucking running,” he bit out. “Why?!”
A sob racked my chest. “How?”
“You saidgoodbye,not goodnight.” He pinned my arms. “I’ll repeat the question: Why the fuck are you running?”
“I’m not—”
“Don’t lie.” He stabbed a finger in my face. “Don’t you dare fucking lie to me.”
I squeezed my eyes closed.Just tell him.
No. No, I couldn’t! I fought the tears, the stupid, embarrassing tears. I would not appear weak in front of this man. Hell could swallow me whole, but I would not let him see me cry.
“Dammit, Rae.” And then his mouth was on mine.
The kiss seared every thought from my mind. There was nothing gentle about his mouth. It bruised and demanded.
And damn me, I was weak.
