“You have me, Nadia. I know that’s only one more person in your corner, but it’s still one more. I’ll always be here fighting for you. Tell me…tell me you believe me.”
Parking in an empty space close to where I parked earlier I see another vehicle come in behind us that swings over by her truck. Nadia virtually leaps out of the car before I get it in park but she’s not faster than me. Reaching for her, I snag her shirt, and pull her back inside.
“Sweetheart, talk to me.”
“I don’t want to talk anymore, Rey. I want to go home.”
“Do you believe me?” I ask again, not letting her go.
She won’t look me in the eye and I’m not having any of that shit. This behavior comes from how her dad treats her. When things get a little too uncomfortable, she shuts down and it’s like trying to break into Fort Knox. I won’t allow it, we’re going to learn healthier ways to communicate after tonight. Our relationship deserves that much.
Leaning, I hook a finger under her chin and turn her to me, my free hand circling around to the back of her head, cradling so she can’t look away from me. There’s sadness there. The untamed laughter from earlier long gone, leaving the emotional fallout of having to leave. I steal the softest peck from her lips, the bottom one beginning to tremble. She doesn’t want to talk because that means speaking on her feelings and that prickly exterior is her own protection; she’s hurting I know this, and too damn proud to cry.
“I’m coming back for you. Whether you believe me or not. I may not be able to convince you now, that I’m yours and you’re mine, but I will. Give me a few days, okay? When your dad leaves for work on Monday, I’ll be there to get you. Do you understand?”
Silence—the kind that’s so damn loud it’s deafening. Pressing one last kiss to her forehead, I release her.
“Come on, let’s get out there. I’ll stay until you head home.”
Out of the car, the doors close with a thud as her vulture-esque friends swarming her as mine approach me from the opposite side. We bump knuckles, Wes flies into something completely unrelated, failing to capture my interest. Zap’s at my side, his arms crossed over his chest watching me watch her.
“You going to be able to leave when she does, Rey?” He asks under the cover of Wes’s stupid story.
“Don’t have a choice man. We have shit to do and she has to go home. Pretend everything’s okay and that she’s not going to up and disappear on Monday.”
“Does that mean she agreed? That’s good news, man. I can’t wait to get to know her and see her around on campus. Will be nice to have someone else to talk to other than Wes. Are you still planning on staying in the dorms, or are you going to try and get your own place?”
“Will definitely find our own space as soon as possible. I don’t want her around Wes—fucker is a pig. Then I can have her all to myself without putting up with you two, no offense.”
“None taken. You’re a good guy, Rey. I’m glad she’s choosing you over all of this. You deserve to be happy and I’m sure she does too.”
Ivy is fawning all over Nadia right now, drunk off her ass and hanging on her like a wet blanket. Not a good look if you ask me but good thing she never was on my radar despite being on hers. She sets off all sorts of warning bells in my head, the other two aren’t as bad but still. From the looks of it, Zap hasn’t given her any attention either; he’s got a foul look on his face as he glances at her. Thank God. Dodged a bullet with that one.
“Girl, you missed it. Oh my god. They were out here doing keg stands, passing joints around. It was like that frat party I snuck out to with Oliver!” Ivy hiccups at the end.
“Dammit, Ivy, that was a secret!”
“It’s alright, Oli, not really my scene anyway.” Nadia responds politely then shoves Ivy off of her, returning to me. Wes and Zap step aside, knowing she is my top priority and forever will be.
“I believe you,” she whispers.
My heart, it’s going to burst. My whole life is standing in front of me, making a promise without meaning to with those three little inconspicuous words.
A couple of car doors slam shut, a few more of the lightweights heading home for the day. When her friends suddenly learn how to shut up and go silent, unease settles over me. I can’t stomach what’s unfolding, hearing the worst voice we could have imagined screaming her name from nowhere.
My eyes snap to the furious man stalking over, he’s on a rampage, his face a deep shade of red and eyes as black as coal.
The second we realize what’s about to happen, we both freeze.
Chapter twelve
“Nadia Rayle Pierce!”
Nadia whips around like someone just screamed her from the fucking grave, then she turns a few shades lighter than I have seen her all night. A wave of fear drapes over her; stifling and erasing every bit of happiness she managed to bottle up tonight.
“Fuck, it’s my dad.”
There’s no doubt about it, he remembers me by the way he glares at me with unbridled disgust. We’ve passed each other a time or two and I’ll never tell Nadia but he’s delivered some not-so-nice words in the past. I’ve never been afraid of him and if it ever came down to it he would be on his ass before he had the chance to spit another vile insult. He’s since kept his temper in check around me but it seems that he’s become bold in my absence.
