AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Can we stay at the next hotel we spot?” she asked as we hopped out of the car.
“Yeah, good thinking. I’m totally exhausted.”
She touched my hand and pulled a sad face. “You’ve been through so much, and now look at us bandits running away in the middle of the night. It’s kind of exciting.”
I lifted my chin for her to keep moving.
Her smile faded. “Are you pissed off with me?”
I shook my head. Pissed off with me, more like it.
We used the toilets first, where I splashed water on my face. The basin was filthy, and a cold sinking feeling swept through me. The adrenaline had gone, and all I felt was dread, like Mondays after a big weekend. Only far worst.
Manon brought doughnuts, and though I wasn’t hungry, I took a bite if only for the sugar hit, then sipped on awful coffee. I preferred tea, but I needed that shot of caffeine badly.
When we were back on the road, I said, “We should have waited and spoken to your grandmother.”
“But she may not have been able to do anything.”
“Really? A crime took place close to her land. I’ve got the evidence, and I should really go to the cops.” That corrupt detective came to mind, and I realised that wasn’t such a great idea after all.
“Crisp has something over her. We’re trying to find out what. She has little control over him.”
“But you posted that video to her, didn’t you?”
She nodded. “I did.”
We stopped at the next hotel.
“This looks awful,” Manon said.
“I can’t drive anymore. I’m exhausted.”
“Then I’ll drive. That way, we can go somewhere nicer.”
“How long have you been driving?” I asked.
She scowled. “Long enough. God, Drake, you don’t half trust me with anything.”
I was too tired to argue.
She turned to face me. “We can go back if you’re going to be like this.”
I puffed. “No. I’m just rattled.”
Her face softened, and she stroked my cheek. “You did it for me. Didn’t you?”
“Well, yeah. I didn’t want you to marry him. You know that. I just wish you would’ve told me why, then maybe this could’ve been avoided.”
“See. There. You are shitty with me.” She opened the door and walked around to my side, and I stepped out.
I took her in my arms. “Manon. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t want to be with you. You just owe me some kind of explanation why he’s forcing you into this. You get that, don’t you?”
She nodded, looking lost suddenly, and though I should have said something, I wasn’t in the conversing mood, so I forced a smile instead.
We’d been driving for twenty minutes when Manon looked into the rear-view mirror and said, “I think we’re being followed.”
Having dozed off, I took a moment to process her comment. I sat up and picked up her bag. “Shit. Your phone.”
