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When they regained their senses, Benton pulled himself out of Opal. She shuddered as he moved slowly, and the after effects of her orgasm had left her extra sensitive. Benton smiled at her and brushed a strand of hair away from her face. She looked up at him.
“You are incredible.”
Benton leaned over and kissed her gently, and her tiger pawed underneath her skin at the affection. “You are phenomenal, Opal.”
He rolled her off the couch so they were on the floor in a heap in each other's arms. Benton gave Opal a mischievous smile. “What?” she asked.
“I think we should always get Chinese food from that restaurant.”
Opal laughed and pounced on Benton.
They wrestled around until they found themselves in the bedroom where Benton kept Opal up later than she should have been.
EIGHTEEN
OPAL
She sat in the car with her head swimming. She didn't know how everything was going to turn out, and she could only hope for the best.
She and Benton had left early in the morning and hit the road heading back to her roots. They were going to take down Troy and Reba. It was time.
Benton held her hand as he drove, and she knew he was trying to be as supportive as he could. She was grateful, but it didn't settle the twisting in her gut. She didn't know if anything would.
There was always the thought that she could have done more. She should have done more. When she was cast out, she should have pushed harder.
She shook her head and pinched the bridge of her nose. Tears stung, but she pushed them back. She couldn't cry over the past. It wasn't going to change anything. Restlessly, her tiger pawed beneath her skin, making it worse.
"We are making the change," Benton said, giving her a side glance. "This is good. Everything is going to work out."
She knew it was. But her heart was having a hard time catching up to her mind. She kept going over every detail, every decision she'd made, and was second-guessing it. She was questioning everything.
Had she fought hard enough? Could she have tried a different tactic to get them to understand? Could she have changed the lives of others if she had just kept her head down and stayed?
Benton pulled the vehicle around a corner, and her eyes widened, taking in her old town. Her stomach leapt into her throat, and tears broke free.
The city wasn't large, to begin with, and it had its issues. She had remembered it being rundown when she was younger and in desperate need of help.
Her heart twisted as she realized all the problems from before had doubled in size. The lake that was supposed to be the heart of the town was bare, and there was a foul smell emanating from it.
The sidewalks were cracked, and the city pots for plants were all shattered. The buildings were lined with graffiti, and half of the buildings were crumbling in. Buildings that she remembered as a child. There was a butcher shop, a flower mill, and even a senior center.
The senior center. She pulled her hand up to the glass, taking it in. There were chains on the door, and the windows were boarded up. There was a large sign that readviolators will be charged with trespassing. She wondered if they had done that because of her.
She sniffled, and Benton's hand on hers tightened. "It's okay. I know this is hard to look at."
"It's not okay," she snipped back, unable to look at him. "This town is being pulled apart, and no one seems to give a shit. How could anyone let this happen?"
Benton kept driving, and she took in tents and seniors walking the streets. She wished she could help them all. She wanted to hold them in her arms and tell them everything was going to be all right. She wanted all the problems to disappear.
She needed this to finally be over. These people needed her to succeed this time in taking Troy and Reba down.
"Opal, talk to me," Benton spoke in a worried tone, giving her a concerned look. "Tell me what's on your mind."
She frowned, tightening her fingers around his. "I'm sorry I snapped. I just feel like I'm a failure."
"Why?" He pulled the vehicle to a stop at a light and looked at her. "You're not."
"I feel it." She looked at him. "Look at this. I should have done something sooner. I should have tried harder."
