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I smile. “Believe me, I know. I was looking for you, and I’m so fucking happy that I found you.” I risk more touching, but I need…fuck that. Iwantto be closer to her. I press my forehead against hers. “I’m so fucking sorry I didn’t find you sooner.”
She lets out a shaky sigh, but she doesn’t pull away. “Stop apologizing.”
I bite back a smile. “Stop telling me what to do.”
Her smile appears before quickly disappearing. “Thank you for coming. I wasn’t sure if you would.”
“As soon as I saw the footage of what happened to you, I started looking for you.”
“Footage?” Her brows dip into a frown mixed with confusion.
I nod. “From inside your truck.” One lone tear slides down her cheek, and I don’t know what the fuck to do. “Once the shipment didn’t make it, I knew something must have happened to you.”
“Diesel.” My name is a whisper on her lips, and that whisper contains so many fucking emotions that I can’t stand it. My heart aches for her, so I resist the urge to kiss her because she’s not ready.
“I’m so fucking sorry, Cass.”
“Stop!” The word flies out of her mouth with more emotion, more force, and hell, more volume than the past few days. “Stop apologizing. It wasn’t your fault, okay? It was those assholes who did this to me. All of it. Not you.” The last two words are little more than a wisp of breath. She pulls back, frowning at me. “Why are you smiling?”
“Because that old spark is finally coming back, and I was worried it might be gone forever.”
Her shoulders sag, and I don’t know if it’s relief or grief, but I pull her in for a hug, squeezing her tight. I pull back and place the phone in her hand. “If you don’t want to call, just text your folks and let them know you’re okay.” I press a kiss to her forehead and give her a minute alone to reach out to her parents.
“Diesel,” she says, her voice quiet but with a little more life. “I texted them. Thanks. They were worried, but now they think I’m finally being reckless and taking up with a man.”
A smile crosses my face, and I turn to her. “Get dressed. We’re going out.”
Cassidy’s eyes go wide and she’s shaking her head. “Oh no, I didn’t mean?—”
I take a step forward, but the old Cassidy is there, standing her ground. She doesn’t back down. I take another step forward, testing her, and she notches her chin up a little higher.
“You can either get dressed, or I’ll dress you. Either way, we’re leaving this house in fifteen minutes, Cass.”
Twenty minutes later, Cassidy is pressed against my back, her arms tight around my waist as we leave the streets of Angel Harbor behind and jump on the freeway. I could take the side streets, but I have a feeling I’m not the only one who could use a little bit of speed and the open road. I squeeze the gas, weaving through the congested traffic common day and night in SoCal, letting the warm air hit my skin.
As we continue on Mulholland, Cassidy’s body relaxes against mine. The fresh air and scenic views are just what we need after a long day. I pull the bike over as the road becomes too dangerous to ride, but not before getting as close as possible to our destination.
“We just have a couple of miles left,” I tell her, pointing to the iconic Hollywood sign ahead. “Feel like a hike?”
Her eyes light up with amusement. “The Hollywood Sign? Isn’t it illegal to be here?”
I shrug nonchalantly. “I’m an outlaw, babe.”
“I thought you were going to take me to some dive bar.”
“Nah. Figured you’ve had enough of being stuck with strangers,” I say.
“Thanks, Diesel,” she whispers with a hint of sadness in her voice. I can tell she’s thinking back to those days trapped in that hellhole.
I lead the way to the trail, trying to shake off the heavy atmosphere. “Let’s get a better view from up top. Sound good?”
She follows reluctantly, saying, “Sure. I think.”
Finally reaching the peak, we take in the breathtaking sight of the city below us. The last light of day adds a golden touch to the skyline. “Never thought it’d look this good from here,” Cassidy says with wonder in her eyes.
I look down at the city. “Everything looks better when you’re not stuck in the middle of it.”
She nods while still gazing at the mesmerizing view. “Not too shabby,” she admits. “Thanks for getting me out of the house, Diesel.”
