Page 23 of Play With Fire


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Sebastian

This was notpart of the fucking plan. When I started getting more notifications, I was up front with Alec and told him that I needed to make another trip back to check in. He was willing to oblige. He had no reason not to. But after another note was left on Anya’s door, and there still wasn’t a lead on it, he sprung on me that she’s coming with. I don’t show people this side of my life. I haven’t shown anyone this side of me, where I come from and the people and things in my past. Anya is the last person that I want to see this side of me.

But as I pull off the turnpike to the exit that gives me a straight shot to the town just outside of Philly that I grew up in, I know it’s inevitable. Normally I would drive straight to the row-homes and try to get as much taken care of as I can in order to lessen my visit. But not this time. This time, I drive to the business-class hotel I always stay at. It’s on the edge of Philly, away from the main part of the city and only a few minutes drive to the city I grew up in. Maynor Park is right there with places like Willow Grove. It’s decently sized, with a huge spectrum of residents. On one end we have the elite, upper-class that live on high horses and in over-opulent mansions. These are the people that hold CEO and CFO positions at places like IBM and JP Morgan. Then you have the middle-class, filled with people who work for those CEO’s, or teach their kids. Their houses are typical suburban. Clean, safe, comfortable. Then you have where I came from. Barely a step above poverty. The far end of the city that’s filled with row homes, run down apartments, and small neighborhoods with houses that were always loud and rowdy with parties and the all-too-often shooting.

If I’m able to avoid showing Anya that part of me, I’m going to. This hotel may not be a high end hotel, but it’s a common place for business travelers and families passing through or even visiting Philly on vacation. So there’s really no reason why she wouldn’t be safe here while I go take care of my personal shit.

I check in at the front desk before going back out to the car to get Anya and our bags. I know I’ve been a dick to her the past few days, but I can’t help it. I’m so fucking furious. I understand that she had to leave her office in a hurry. I understand why she drove to Alec’s house instead of calling him. Calls can be traced and what she needed to talk about needed to be in person. I get that. What I don’t fucking get is why she didn’t call me. She called Willow, even though she was just with her, and told her what was going on. But she didn’t fucking call me. She should have called me and told me she had to leave the office. Then I would have known where she was and I wouldn’t have been surprised to see her show up on the cameras when someone breached the perimeter. Not only did I feel like such a fucking moron for not knowing where she was, but I also let my thoughts run away with me. The theory that she was suddenly angry about what had happened between us and she was on her way to tell her brother flashed in my mind.

When Willow called and gave Alec the basic run through, I was at least able to breathe again. But knowing that she wasn’t there to have her brother kill me, made all of my anger come back.

I guide her into the room and take a deep breath. I’ve still been staying at her apartment, but we’ve been sleeping in separate rooms. This isn’t the type of place with suites that have more than one bedroom, and I wasn’t going to get us two rooms. No matter how safe this place is, I’m still supposed to be protecting her. Alec would be pissed if he thought I wasn’t taking it seriously.

I immediately put her things on the bed furthest from the door and mine on the one closest. She walks straight to the bathroom, and for that, I’m thankful. I step outside, glad that this is a place with the room entrances outside. I lean against the railing, trying to figure out how the hell I got here. There’s a reason I hold so tightly onto my control. I let it go for one damn night and now I can’t seem to get my head straight. Everything is a jumbled mess and that’s all because I let my guard down and fell too fucking hard for the woman I’ve been avoiding for months.

Anya Matterson.

The door to our room slowly opens behind me, and it’s like you wouldn’t even know we’re outside. She surrounds me. Just being in my presence, she grabs hold of me like a tight hug and I can barely breathe without those breaths being filled with her.

“I’m sorry my brother made you bring me.” Her voice is back to being how it used to be around me. Quiet and unsure. Even though I know it’s my fault that it’s like that, I really fucking hate it.

I shake my head a couple times, not totally sure if it’s at her words or at myself for being such a jackass.

“We need you to stay safe.”

“You mean he needs me to stay safe.” Her words are soft and like a fucking knife to my hearts.

“No. We.” She doesn’t look convinced, and as much as I want to take the time to show her just how much I care too, I don’t have time. My goal is to only have us here a couple days. Which means I need to get the shit show on the road.

I break eye contact with her and walk back into the room, trying my best not to touch her as I pass. I unzip my bag, pulling out the compact knife I put in the small side pocket and shove it into my pocket. I clip my holstered gun to the side of my jeans before rezipping my duffel.

“I have to leave. I won’t be gone long, just watch a movie or something. I’ll bring back dinner.”

Anya’s eyes grow with surprise and her mouth opens and closes a couple of times before she actually speaks. “Wha- where are you going?” I force myself not to snap at her, I’ve been extra harsh lately and it’s really not fair to her.

“I need to go take care of some shit. The whole reason I came here.” It comes out a little harsher than I planned judging by the hurt look in her eye. She nods her head before climbing on her bed and grabbing the TV remote from the nightstand between the two beds.

“Take your time.” I want to argue with her, to do something to see that light and sass back in her, but I don’t have time right now. Being back here always makes me fucking itchy as hell. There was a time when I truly loved Philly and planned to move into the city. Then my entire life was thrown off the rails and one event after another led me to Alec and I realized that this wasn’t the place for me. I’m really not even sure if North Carolina is the place for me. But at least I’m making a fucking difference.

The usual pit forms in my stomach as I drive the side streets, taking me to the neighborhood I grew up in. We moved from row home to row, and shitty house to shitty house. Never staying in one residence for too long because paying rent was never a priority for my mother. I shake my head, refusing to let my thoughts go down that path right now. Thankfully, the place she lives in now isn’t one of the many places we lived in during my youth, though it is on the same street as one in particular. I park my car along the curb in front of the row of homes and suck in a hard breath. I’ve gotten good over the years at not letting things get to me. It’s something I conditioned into myself at an early age. But being back here is always fucking hard. That’s why I avoid it as much as possible, and only make an actual trip about once a year. Usually.

With a sigh, I climb out of the car and make my way up the walk to the third door in, the door leading to the only family member I have. Not that I would actually call us family. I knock twice sharply and wait. I listen intently for any sounds coming from the other side, but nothing. I knock again, irritation starting to rise in me. Instead of waiting anymore, I pull the small ring of keys out of my pocket. Not my normal house or car keys, but the ones that are specific to this place only. I slip the key into the lock and as soon as the door opens, I come face to face with the one person I dread seeing every damn year.My mother.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Anya

I don’t knowexactly how long Hunter is gone. For at least two episodes of House and another of The Big Bang Theory. But it took me a while to actually focus on what was on the screen. So I’m not positive how long before that. My mind is all over the place right now, not exactly sure how to feel. Hunter keeps giving me mixed signals, and I have no clue how he feels about me. I thought I saw a flicker of something earlier, something in his words that indicated he actually cared. But then he abruptly left with harsh words about why he actually came here. The truth is, I don’t actually know why he came here, or exactly wherehereis. Is this where he’s from? I know he told Willow that he’s from near Philly, but he never specified. I’m pretty sure we’re still in Philly, but I can’t say for certain.

The catchy theme song for The Big Bang Theory is playing again when the lock on our hotel door disengages and Hunter walks through carrying a bag that looks practically soaked through with grease. The smell hits me immediately and my mouth begins to water instantly.

“Is that what I think it is?”

“Cheese Steaks from Pat’s.” He drops a grocery bag onto the bed and a couple of bottles of soda spill out of it. He pulls one of the large, wrapped sandwiches out of the brown bag and hands it to me. It should be embarrassing how quickly I unwrap the sandwich and devour it. I haven’t had a good, authentic cheese steak in years, and I’ve forgotten how delicious they are. When the sandwich is gone, I ball up the wrapper and toss it in the garbage. A small chuckle pulls my attention over to Hunter who’s spread out on his bed still slowly enjoying his own sandwich.

“I take it that was good?” Embarrassment flames my cheeks, but I decide not to let it get to me. I like food, and there is no reason why I should be ashamed of that.

“It was. I haven’t had a good cheese steak in a long time.”

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