Page 10 of Unbound

I try not to outwardly react to the use of a curse word, but it’s the first one I’ve heard from him. I hope it doesn’t mean he has other sinful habits, like getting drunk.

His phone starts ringing, interrupting our conversation. The name flashing on the display of his truck says Dolly Redford. My stomach sinks.

What if he’s married and I slept in the same bed as some woman’s husband?

“This is my sister.” He presses the green Answer button. “Hey.”

“Sterling! Hi. How’s the drive?”

“Can’t complain.” He looks over at me.

“Are you almost there?”

“No, got another ten hours or so.”

“That’s weird. You usually make better time. Okay, so I have to tell you what’s happening with Dallas Hayes because I need advice.”

“Why do you need my advice?”

“Because you went on a date with her, and I was hoping you got some insight into what’s up with her dick of a husband.”

He glances over at me again. “When I went on a date with her, which was months ago, they had been separated and were in the process of divorce. She told me he was abusive.”

“Well, she got back together with him.”

“Okay.”

“Okay? You don’t have any lingering feelings that would make you upset about that?”

“I mean, I’m not happy to hear that a woman is back with an abusive man, no. What do you want me to do about it?”

“I want you to put a bullet in his head, for starters.”

I gasp, clasping my hand over my mouth.

Sterling winces. “Well, I’m a little too far for that now, aren’t I? Talk to Duke. He’s the one who’s in love with her. There wasn’t a spark between us.”

Again, he looks at me with an expression I can’t interpret. Heat starts creeping up my neck until he looks back at the road. I exhale.

“I would talk to Duke about it, but I’m afraid he would actually put a bullet in Clint’s head.”

“I thought that’s what you wanted.”

Dolly sighs through the phone. “Never mind. Sam’s calling me, so I gotta go. Love you. Text me when you get there.”

“Bye, Dolls. Love you too.”

The line ends.

Sterling offers me a half smile. “My family’s a lot different from yours, Sunshine.”

My belly erupts in a cloud of butterflies, and if it wasn’t so early, I’d think it was baby kicks.

When we finally pull up to Sterling’s house in Virginia Beach, it’s dark outside.

He grabs the new backpack he bought me and his duffel bag before walking me up to the front door. He inserts the key and twists the knob open, allowing me to enter first. I remove my shoes right inside, shivering in the cold.

“Much colder than Texas, huh?”