I don’t say a single word from Sturgis to Rapid City. I just sit, staring out of the van window, watching the trees pass me by.
When we finally pull into the parking lot, he stops the van, shifting it into park and opens his door, walking around to the back and pulling out my bag. I force myself out of the van. He gives me a slight look of pity before he rolls the bag to me.
“Before you go, what was his number again? Just, you know, to let him know I get home alright.”
He sighs, looking up at me, and shakes his head. “For the record, I think he’s being a fucking idiot.” I pause as I just keep looking up at him. “You can’t ever tell him I said that, though.”
“Why?”
“Why what?” He shakes his head, laughing. “You know why you can’t tell him that.”
I shake my head, angry that I feel like crying. “I mean, clearly it doesn’t look like I’m ever going to see him again.”
“I wouldn’t be too sure about that.”
“Why do you think he’s being an idiot?”
“You know why.” He laughs, shaking this head. “You scare him. And he ran.”
“I don’t scare him.” I shake my head.
“Yes, you do. He’s not ready for what you would mean.”
“We’re just friends.”
He laughs loud this time as he looks at me. “Sure, that’s why you’re totally not pissed off that he left you in South Dakota with a way home that wasn’t him, right?”
“That’s different…” I snap at him. “He left me states away from home.”
“With a plane ticket and a way to get to the airport.” He just shakes his head, walking back around the van.
“Thank you.” I call out to him and he nods his head.
“It’s my job.” He nods again before he gets back into the van and heads out of the parking lot.
?
I’m not sure why I rode out here this morning. I told the rest of the club to leave. Told Linc to fucking take her to the airport. I should have just fucking left when the rest of the club did, but I found myself veering off in the opposite direction and sitting here in the parking lot, to make sure she goes into the airport. At least that’s what I try to convince myself of.
As soon as I woke up this morning, last night came flooding back to me. The emotions that we both showed already had me ready to bolt, but when I realized we had fucked sans-protection. I completely freaked. Bolting out as quickly as possible.
I don’t do that.
Or at least in any situations that doesn’t include Tatum... I don’t do that. I pretended for years that I was remembering the night on the office floor wrong.
Linc talks with her for a moment and my fucking blood boils. He knows fucking better than to do that. He drives off, and she stands, staring off after him. For a moment I’m afraid that she will be able to see me in the car that I jimmied the lock open and slipped inside to hide. She moves her hands up in a frustrated motion before she lightly smacks her forehead with one and I watch her mouth as she says,you’re so fucking stupid.
I feel a slight twinge in my gut as I see it all, especially as she reaches over, snatching her suitcase to her, and she swipes tears off of her cheeks.
As soon as she disappears behind the doors, I’m pushing myself out of the car, slamming the lock down and flinging it closed. Running across the parking lot, I make it to my bike, kicking over and peeling out of the parking lot.
Rage rungs up through my body as I see the van up ahead and I pull back the throttle, catapulting myself forward until I’m matching its speed.
I’m off of my bike before it’s slowed down at the light and I’m pulling Linc out of the van, pinning him against the van.
“WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU SAY TO HER?”
“Why are you here?” He says entirely too calmly, just simply raising his eyebrow.
