You’ll find out soon enough.
The next time I text is when I’ve parked in front of her place.
I think there’s a storm coming, judging by the howling wind outside.
The moment she steps out of the building, a gust of wind plays with her red mane, wayward strands dancing like wildfire.
Rushing out of the car, I open the passenger door for her. My gesture makes her pause and stare before she scurries inside, and I’m quick to follow.
“Who knew you were such a gentleman?”
“You didn’t?” I feign hurt, and the corners of her lips curl.
“The potato sack insult and being carried like one must’ve fooled me.”
Grabbing those fiery strands, I pull her closer, plastering my lips on hers.
Fuckin’ fire in my veins. This thing between us... it’s not ephemeral. She must feel it too.
“Is the shitstorm taken care of?” she asks when she pulls back.
“All’s taken care of.”
“I don’t think Jacob is a bad person. I’m sure he didn’t want anyone getting hurt.”
A rogue wave of anger surges through me.
“He fuckin’ attacked you, and now you defend him?”
“After what you told me about him...” She trails off, stealing a glance through the side window. “He carries a lot of pain and doesn’t know how to vent it or ask for help. Keeping it bottled inside can change a man. One compromise leads to another, until a casualty or two starts to feel acceptable. He would’ve kept going down the slopewithout knowing how to stop, but I think this tragedy was his wake-up call.”
She isn’t talking about Jacob anymore, is she? What has her pain made her do?
I get her hand into mine, pressing a soft kiss on the back of it, and her rigid posture melts into the seat.
Half an hour later, I park outside the safe house, and she gets out without waiting for me to play gentleman.
“Isolated estate in the middle of nowhere... I see what you’re doing here. You brought me here to bury me,” she quips and playfully elbows me.
In mere seconds, she’s over my shoulder, being carried to the front door, while she laughs and struggles in my hold.
“I’m gonna haunt you if you kill me.”
“You already do, love,” I say once inside the house, letting her feet touch the ground while she takes in the surroundings.
“This place is amazing!” Her gaze fixes on the chandelier cascading from the second floor.
“Like it?” I ask while leading her into the huge white kitchen, with an island, spacious enough to cook and entertain.
“I love it!” Her words are breathless. “Why did you bring me here?” She pauses and turns to face me. “Dumb question. You wanna fuck me.”
“I bought this place as a sort of hideout. Now it’s our place. You’ll move in here. With me.”
She blinks once. Twice. Then she doubles over laughing.
I take a seat at the kitchen island, tapping my fingers on the marble countertop, watching, waiting, enjoying that sound until it fades and she chokes on my deadpan expression.
“Oh, God! Youareserious!” she shrieks, eyes wide enough to pop out of their sockets. “Are you asking me to move in with you?”
