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“Do you trust me?” I take her face in both of my hands and stroke her jaw with my thumb. I search her eyes for the answer that I so desperately need to hear. It doesn’t take more than a few seconds for her to reply.
“Yes. I trust you.”
I nod and press my forehead to hers. We share several breaths. Holding her gaze so close like this has me questioning once again how bad things would get if I threw her over my shoulder and left with her. God, I want to kiss her more than I ever have. I need that comfort.
I don’t dwell on that temptation. She’s not mine to keep. I have to start facing things straight on instead of running if I ever want her to be.
“There’s a safe in the back of my closet. Behind a few boxes, under the floorboards.”
“Gage what the fuck is—”
“You trust me,” I cut her off in a more stern voice. It’s not a question, but a reminder of her own words. I need her to know that I’m serious and that if she doesn’t follow my directions, she’ll be in even more danger than she realizes.
“I trust you,” she repeats.
“Alright then. The code is 41165. Type that into your notes app so that you don’t forget it.”
She pulls her phone out and quickly types out the sequence of numbers. Opening her bag, she stuffs the phone back inside. Then she turns back to face me and I take her hand.
“There’s a loaded gun in there. Donotuse it if you don’t have to.”
That sends a flash of fear into her expression. She swallows and blinks rapidly a few times but gives a determined nod.
“Leave the safety on. Put it on the bedside table where it’s easy to reach. Just wait for me okay?”
“I really want you to explain what’s going on right now.”
“I know. I will,” I promise.
“I’m not scared, just confused. You can tell me, Gage.”
My brave girl.
I look down at her hand that I’m holding and squeeze. She squeezes back and it feels like it’s my heart she’s wrapped around and not my hand. I hate leaving her in the dark, but I don’t know what I’m dealing with yet. There’s no way for me to move forward if I don’t talk with Bash first.
I’d like to live in this little fantasy world a little while longer. The one where my best friends are inside probably serving up steaks and shooting pool. They don’t hate me yet. The one where I can pretend Blythe belongs to me and nothing is about to change on this ranch. She hasn’t left me yet.
I thought I should walk her inside, but it might be best to send her in without me. There’s plenty that I remember about the way things worked in my old life. And the first thing is that in situations like this, time is not your friend. I can’t afford to waste any more of it right now.
I lift her hand and kiss the back of it. She leans in and wraps her other one around my neck just under my jaw.
“Close your eyes and pretend you’re dreaming,” she whispers.
“Go inside, Blythe.” I flex my jaw. She’s so close.
“Not yet.”
With one hand still holding mine in her lap, and one pulling and squeezing at the back of my neck, I look down at her mouth. That perfect set of full lips.
I shift my focus back to her twinkling eyes. If I don’t stop looking at her mouth, I’ll lose my mind knowing what I want to do next. My body responds to her grip on me, and I lean in closer toward her. I’m selfish. Because at this moment, the consequences no longer have a single shred of influence on me.
I grind down on my molars. I can’t take the torture of pretending I’m not desperate for her anymore.Fuck it.
“Are we done playing by the rules?” I ask.
“The rules?” Her voice is shaky and her hand at the back of my neck trembles.
“We’re past them at this point, don’t you think?”
