Page 83 of Forever Relentless

“Yeah.” I gave him a small smile. “Thanks for the tape, I appreciate it.”

“No problem.”

I gave the bag one last look. I’d gotten what I needed from it.

When I turned to leave, she was sitting near the doorway, her arms folded across her body, her chin low, but her eyes on mine were steady and held no questions.

I walked over, pulling on my hoodie and ignoring the fact that I was sweaty.

“You ready to go?” My voice was gruff, and my breathing was still slightly uneven.

Briar stood slowly, holding my gaze. “Yeah, I’ve seen enough.”

Seen enough, and she was still here.

I pulled the door open for her. “Then let’s go.”

Chapter 18

Briar

He walked beside me quietly.

I was starting to recognize the difference between his different kinds of quiet — the one that meant he was thinking, the one that meant he was waiting. This one felt like the second.

He’d automatically taken the outside, keeping me ‘safe’ on the inside of the sidewalk. The way the streetlights shone around us, I was smothered in Noah’s shadow.

I didn’t ask him how he got here. He didn’t offer. I led him to my car, and as we drew closer, my steps slowed.

“This is me.” I pointed to my blue Honda and looked up to see him looking down at me. “Do you need a ride?”

Noah shook his head. “Nah. Got here on my own.”

Right, I knew that.

“What kind of car do you have?” What kind of lame ass question was that?

“Dustin’s.”

“What?”

His lips twitched. “I took Dustin’s car.”

There was something about the way he said it. I took a small step to the side, enough to give me room to look up at him comfortably, because this guy was so tall.

“Does Dustin know you took his car?”

Noah pulled his phone out of his pocket. I saw a quick flash of a grin as he read something, and shoved it back.

“He does, yeah.”

I had so many questions. Like, did he know after he took it?

“Are you allowed to drive his car?”

I saw the grimace. It was small, but it was there.

“You stole his car.”