Hugh had come to talk to her during his lunch break, and her brother had decided to fill her in on a few home truths, like he hadn’t already. He’d made his feelings about her quitting school crystal clear. He wasn’t happy, major understatement, and wanted her to go back. “Now that she’d had her time to blow off steam.”
Her brother wasn’t buying her reasons for leaving, and the more she refused to talk, the more annoyed Hugh got. She’d done such a good job after everything blew up, convincing her brother that Daniel was no longer an issue, going as far as lying and telling him he’d transferred to a different school, that he could see no other reason why she couldn’t go back.
God, she didn’t even know what she wanted anymore, if she was cut out for a career as a child psychologist, which is why she hadn’t transferred schools. She wanted to help kids, instead she’d destroyed two innocent children’s lives, broken up their family.
She felt backed into a corner. Home, her refuge from the big bad world, had turned into something else, somewhere suffocating. Joe’s attitude wasn’t much better.
Her phone started ringing in her pocket. She checked the screen. Daniel.
Shit.
She ended the call without answering. Couldn’t deal with him on top of everything else.
Two minutes later the door to her apartment flew open and Hugh stormed in looking like a demented giant, and she was the unfortunate moron caught holding the goose that laid golden eggs.
“What’s up, big brother?”
“What’s up?” he rumbled back, shutting the door and leaning against it, blocking her only exit. “Are you serious?”
“Um…”
“Have you done what I asked?”
“Well…”
“I left you several hours ago with strict instructions to call school and sort your shit out. You telling me that hasn’t happened?”
Goddamn it. She needed Hugh to be her brother, her supporter, not her surrogate father, a position he’d taken up after their father had run off when they were just kids. That time had sucked for a lot of reasons, and had been the catalyst for her pursuing a career in child psychology. She didn’t need that from him now, not anymore. “Have you at all stopped to think that maybe that’s not what I want?”
“You don’t know what you want, so I’m gonna be the one that tells you.”
“Hugh—”
“No, Lucy. I’m done with this shit. Get over your damn tantrum and get your ass back to school.”
“My tantrum?” God, his words hurt. They struck like an emotional A-bomb, blowing her wide open. It shouldn’t be a surprise that he thought she was capable of throwing her future away on a whim, but she’d truly thought he knew her better than that, despite her past screw-ups. They also made her angry, angrier than she could ever remember being at Hugh. He could be a stubborn jackass at times, but this? He’d taken his role as father figure way too damn far.
“Whatever’s going on, it’s not a good enough reason to throw your future away…unless, there’s a fuck of a lot more to this than you’re telling me.” His expression softened and he shoved a hand through his hair. “You know you can talk to me, Luce, right?”
Dammit. There he went, getting all concerned again.
“I don’t need to talk. And what I do with my life is not your call.” She was surprised when her voice came out strong and not as shattered as she felt.
Hugh growled. “Me and Joe, we worked our asses off so you could go to the school you wanted, but apparently that means jack shit to you, seeing how easily you can toss it all aside.” He shoved a giant hand through his hair again, then pinned her in place with a look that made her want to cry. When he spoke again his voice was softer, and it was way worse than having him yell at her. “I’m disappointed in you, Lucy. Seriously fucking disappointed.”
Her eyes stung like hell, but she choked back the tears. “I appreciate everything you and Joe have done for me, the sacrifices you made for the family, but this is my life, Hugh. I have to do what’s right for me.” She grabbed a bag and started throwing clothes in. “I’ll pay you back, okay? Every goddamn cent.”
“Yeah? And how’re you gonna do that?”
She couldn’t look at him again, afraid she’d break and spill all her secrets. That wouldn’t solve anything. Would only make things a whole lot worse. “I’ll find a way…I…”
“When are you going to grow up, Lucy?”
That verbal blow had enough power to knock her on her ass. It took all her strength not to curl into a ball on the floor and never get up.
He paused for several seconds. “Look, I know I’ve already asked you this, but I’m going to ask you again. You said that fucker Daniel transferred to another school, but he’s still in San Francisco, right? Is that it, is it him? Is that what this is really about?”
She spun to face him. “No!” she said with too much force. But, God, she needed him to stop bring Daniel up. It was getting harder and harder to lie to him.
Hugh went from sympathetic to pissed in an instant. “Fine, then you need to stop with this fucking around. This shit is getting old.”
“And I’m done answering to you. You’ve made your feelings more than clear, but this is my damn life and I want you to keep the hell out of it.”
“That right? You want me out of your life?” He grunted. “Look who can’t handle a few home truths, huh, Luce?”
“Are you finished? I have places to go and tequila to drink.” Dumb. So dumb, poking the bear. But she was done. So damn done.
Hugh shifted his big frame, jaw like granite. “If that’s how you feel, you keep packing your shit. I’m not paying for you to fuck around anymore.”
“Awesome.” She carried on stuffing clothes in her bag, shoving in her favorite jeans. That’s when her knuckles brushed her little book in the bottom, the book she’d read until the spine was worn. She’d found it at thrift a shop when she was a kid. It had started her love of poetry. Just holding it made her feel safe, reminded her of a time when she could count on her brothers, especially Hugh, to be there for her.
Her heart started to ache. God, she needed that from him now.
The door opened and slammed behind Hugh, and she heard the sound of his heavy footfalls on the steps as he walked away. His truck started in the parking lot and he tore off a second later.
Lucy slumped down on the bed, covering her face with her hands as tears started to fall. Everything was such a damn mess. She didn’t know where she was going to go, but she needed to get away, needed space to breathe. Right now Hugh would be on the phone to Joe and it would only be a matter of time before he arrived to pick up where their older brother had left off. The pair pissed each other off at times, but they happily stuck together when it came to her, their irresponsible, out-of-control little sister.
Her sadness twisted into anger, and the urge to prove them right was a constant niggling tingle between her shoulder blades.
The fact she hadn’t been that girl in quite a while was irrelevant.
She’d lost herself when she’d been in her relationship with Daniel. She’d believed his lies, had fallen for his flattery. He’d used his position of power to get close to her, and she hadn’t seen it, not until it was too late, until she was in too deep. She’d been foolish, and had trusted him when she shouldn’t have.
She’d become someone else, someone she didn’t recognize. Someone she didn’t like very much. And honestly, she didn’t know who she was anymore, or what she wanted. Everything was so mixed up.
She didn’t know how long she sat on that bed—maybe an hour, longer than she’d intended to—trying to plan her next move, to clear her thoughts. All she knew for sure was she had to leave. Had to get the hell away. Now. She slung her bag over her shoulder and headed down the stairs, but came up short when she hit the bottom. The main door was partway rolled up. She thought everyone was gone after they’d closed up for the night. God, was Joe already there?
She heard Adam’s
voice a second before the side door opened and he strode out onto the parking lot. She ducked back, pressing against the wall so he didn’t see her. He was on his phone, deep in conversation.
“I’m leaving tonight, taking a few vacation days. I should have her back to you in about four days, if all goes to plan.” He paused. “Yeah, I’ll be there in time for the show. You’re covered.”
Her?
Adam shook his head. “She’s fine. Not a scratch.” She could see him roll his eyes, even from her spot in the shadows. “No, they didn’t fuck up the upholstery.”
A car.
She stayed where she was listening to Adam discuss the details of his trip. A road trip to Chicago to drop off someone’s car.
Hitching her bag on her shoulder, she waited for him to turn his back then ducked under the garage door. A gorgeous red car took up a good amount of space, hood up, driver’s door open. There was a duffel and a sleeping bag thrown on the backseat.
Yeah, the old Lucy had pissed off her big brothers, done some crazy things, but she’d also been sure of what she wanted, where she was going. This new version of herself, after her disastrous sham of a relationship with Daniel and what followed, didn’t have the first clue what she wanted. She was lost, confused…and, God, lonely.
A zip of electricity shot through her lower belly. That familiar thrill.
A way to find herself again.
She knew what she needed. And Adam was going to be the one to help her.
One last adventure.
She just had to come up with a way to convince him to take her with him. That she wasn’t the kind of girl who would ask more of him than he was willing to give. That one night—or three—was all she wanted, and afterward she’d walk away. It was insane, made no sense whatsoever, but at that moment she knew taking this trip with him, getting him to give in to what he wanted, was what she needed. The only way to pull her from the dark place she’d been living in for too damn long. A way to wake up just a small piece of the girl she’d been, the girl who had been so sure of her future and what she wanted.
I won’t lie. I’d love a night between your thighs…
They both wanted this, and that knowledge gave her a sense of confidence…something she hadn’t felt in a long time. She didn’t want to feel powerless anymore. God, no more.
If she could do this, she’d emerge a stronger version of herself. Because if she could be with Adam, a man she’d been in love with since she was twelve, and keep her feelings in check and walk away whole, she could survive anything.
And she needed to believe that. To know it down to her bones.
Screwed up logic to be sure, but to her it made perfect sense.
The other night at Abella’s, he’d thought his words would scare her off, that she’d scurry away and never look back. She’d thought so, too.
Turned out they were both wrong.
Lucy Colton, the young woman who had walked onto campus four years ago with her future all mapped out, excited, desperate to try new things and tackle new challenges, hadn’t been scared of any damn thing. Well, she’d just been resurrected. A small part of her anyway.
She heard Adam ending his call.
Thinking time was up.
Time to take action.
Chapter Six
Adam cranked up the music and planted his foot on the gas. Tension seeped from his muscles with every mile that took him farther from LA—and the white-hot temptation there.
Thankfully, Lucy had been out when he stopped at the garage to give the Superbird a once-over before leaving. Seeing her face-to-face after what happened… he couldn’t do it. Not yet. Not with the way he was still feeling.
An image of her dancing swam through his head unbidden. Christ. The sundress she’d worn, yellow, as the brightest sun, had made her natural olive skin fucking glow. The soft fabric swaying, lapping at her upper thighs, making his goddamn mouth dry. Her dark hair had been down, swaying across her back, so thick. How would it feel to sink his fingers into all that warm dark hair—fisting it, using it to control her movements, to bring that tempting, sexy, smart mouth down on his?
He shifted in his seat.
Dammit.
Not helping.
This road trip, taking time to get his head straight, wouldn’t do jack if he couldn’t stop thinking about her, fantasizing about her…stroking his cock to thoughts of those goddamn pouty lips parting for his tongue.
The sun was starting to rise on the horizon. He’d driven all night and put seven hours between him and his best friends’ little sister…and it still wasn’t anywhere near enough. You can do this. You can put her back in that safe place and then you can lock it tight. You can let her go. Adam dragged a hand over his face, feeling weary as hell. He glanced out the side window.
Something moved in the backseat.
He jerked around, twisting his body to get a better look, and at the same time veered onto the wrong side of the road. A leg. There was a leg poking out from under his sleeping bag. What the fuck? Adam swerved to the right and quickly pulled over. There was either someone in his car or the fuckers that stole it got off on dismembering people and leaving body parts lying around. He jumped out and shoved his seat forward. The leg didn’t move. It was smooth and tanned, the toenails painted blue.
No fucking way.
If the nail polish wasn’t enough of a giveaway, she’d been wearing the same color at Abella’s. He only had to look at that shapely leg to know who he’d find attached to it. Adam fisted the sleeping bag and dragged it away. Lucy lay on her back, hair in a tangle around her face, mouth open, eyes closed—sleeping like a baby.
He actually looked around him like this was some kind of bad joke or a dream. No, a goddamn nightmare. What the fuck was going on? All he could do was stare at her, mind scrambling, trying to work out what in the hell she was doing in the backseat of his cousin’s car. He wasn’t having much luck. How could he think past those tiny fucking cut-off shorts? Lucy wasn’t tall—she barely reached his shoulder—but her legs seemed to go for fucking miles. His dirty mind instantly imagined them wrapped around his waist, supple thighs warm and smooth against his hips while he powered into her.
He grabbed her ankle, gave it a tug.
Her eyes popped open and she blinked once, twice. Finally, her gaze slid to him, and instead of looking guilty, she lifted a hand and gave him a finger wave. “Hey.”
Hey? He growled. “That’s what you’re going to say to me? Really?”
She sat up, cheeks flushed, a crease down one side from the upholstery—which for some reason seemed fucking adorable—and shoved her hair back from her face. “You know, it’s surprisingly comfortable back here. I haven’t slept that good in ages.”
Adam was on the verge of a nervous breakdown and that was what came out of her mouth? The woman was acting like there was nothing unusual about this situation whatsoever. He crossed his arms so he didn’t reach out and strangle her. “That’s awesome. Really. I’m thrilled that you’re rested. Now you wanna tell me what in the fuck you’re doing in my car?”
She yawned and rubbed a hand over her face blinking those big green eyes up at him. “Yours? I thought we were dropping it off to someone?”
We? Excellent. Of all the times to pop wood. There was something mentally wrong with him. “It’s my cousin’s car. I’m taking it back. It was stolen.” He shook his head like a cartoon character after being brained by an anvil. “Answer the damn question, Lucy.”
“What am I doing here?” She slid forward and climbed out beside him. “How far out of LA are we?”
He ground his teeth. “Seven hours.”
“Awesome.”
“Lucy,” he growled.
She smiled. “Isn’t it obvious?”
“Enlighten me.”
“I’m coming with you.”
Then she grinned wider, from ear to motherfucking ear. “You’re what? What are you doing?” he choked out.
“I needed to get out o
f town for a bit, so thought I’d tag along.”
“Tag along?”
“It’ll be fun.”
“Fun?”
“Why do you keep repeating everything I say?”
His brain was about to explode, just blow the hell up, gray matter everywhere. “Because nothing you’ve said so far makes any kind of sense.”
She leaned against the car, slid her hands into the pockets of her teeny tiny shorts, and, squinting against the rising sun, stared up at him. “What aren’t you getting?”
“Any of it,” he ground out.
She lifted her arms in the air. “‘Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road, healthy, free, the world before me, the long brown path before me leading wherever I choose’…”
Christ. “What?”
She grinned and dropped her arms. “It’s a poem by Walt Whitman.”
What in the hell was going on?
But suddenly nothing would come out of his mouth. All he could do was stare at the way the sun cast her in a yellow-orange glow, making her already tanned skin damn near shimmer. She looked like a sun goddess. Hair dark and wild, glossy. Eyes bright, flecks of gold that he’d never known were there breaking through the green. He knew if he was pressed against her, her skin would be warm, and that spot between her neck and shoulder more so. God, the skin there would feel soft against his lips. She’d smell amazing there, too. He knew it instinctively. Lucy had the most drugging scent of any woman he’d ever met, and that sexy little spot would be the source of it.
She tilted her head to the side, exposing more of her slender neck, and her lips lifted in a little smirk as she ran her hand over the very spot he’d been fantasizing about.
“Do I have grease on me or something?”
Lucy needed to go home. Now. “I don’t know what you think you’re playing at, but you’re not coming with me.”
She crossed her arms and her pert little tits lifted higher. “Why not?” Pushing away from the car, she stepped closer. “We’re friends, aren’t we? What’s the big deal?”
“I want to be on my own.”
“Well, that doesn’t sound much fun.”
Slide (Boosted Hearts Book 3) Page 6
