Page 9

I’d had to clench my fists to keep them at my sides when she’d tugged the material past her breasts. They were encased in a black bra that looked two sizes too small, the plump flesh spilling out so much even the darker edge of her nipple could be seen.

I ground my molars and squeezed my eyes shut to try and blot out the image before backing out. I’d made it about twenty feet when she shifted the bag, pulling my eyes back over—again.

Irritation with myself and my weakness—feeling like a predator—I unintentionally snapped at her. “Do you have anything other than that scrap of material to wear?”

She shrunk in the seat and I bit back my growl. I’d done nothing but scare her all night. But I wasn’t sorry for it. She may have been dealt a shit hand to put that edge on her, but she was still young and so naive about the world. It was better I scared her than her winding up dead or worse.

“I have some shorts and a shirt in my bag.”

“That’s it?”

“I wasn’t exactly planning on staying long at the hotel,” she snapped back. Good. It boosted my hopes for her when she stiffened her spine and didn’t take my shit.

“Do you have more clothes? Somewhere I can take you to get them?”

She bit her lip and stared down at the bag, seeming to think over her answer.

“Yes. I have a place to keep my things.”

“Where?”

With a deep breath, she began telling me directions. Her soft-spoken lefts and rights were the only words that filled the car as we worked our way just out of the city and into the shittier part of town.

“Turn here.”

She pointed to a gravel road, only partially illuminated by a flickering light. Once I’d made the turn, a trailer park came into view. The first home had a group of men off to the side smoking, who watched my car drive by like it was payday for them. I made a note to have her be quick to avoid any altercations.

My tires crunched over the stones, each scrape sounding like a warning and making me want to reverse out of here and just buy her a new wardrobe.

She finally directed me to the left and my lights illuminated the avocado green trailer. A crate was turned upside down to be used to reach the rotted wooden step in front of the door.

She sighed, her shoulders and head caving in on itself as her hands opened and closed on her lap. “You okay?”

“Just stay here. My sister and her boyfriend are home.”

Her what? I took a deep breath and closed my eyes trying to convince myself I wasn’t being played—trying to convince myself that I wasn’t taking in a stray that wasn’t really a stray. Maybe she saw me and thought I was a meal ticket to something better than a quick romp for ten-grand. The click of the door opening snapped me out of my pessimism and I snatched her bicep to hold her in place.

“I thought you didn’t have anyone to go to,” I managed to grind out between my clenched teeth.

She looked down at my hand before glaring at me and easing back into the seat.

“Because I don’t have anyone to go to. She may be my sister, but she is by no means someone to rely on. If anything it’s the other way around.”

I scanned her face looking for any hint of a lie before finally releasing my grip.

She went to move out of the car again, but stopped, not bothering to turn and look at me when she said, “Listen, maybe this is a mistake. Thank you for the ride, but…” She trailed off.

She didn’t need to explain. We both knew this was an unconventional situation that had both of us on edge. But maybe I was just as desperate as her to not let her back out into the world alone without knowing she was safe.

I opened my mouth to let her know it wasn’t a mistake when a crash came from the trailer. My body tightened going on high alert. But she just let out another sigh before barely turning her head back and muttering another thank you and left.

Yeah fucking right. I opened my own door and slammed it just as she took her first step onto the crate. She turned back, my headlights shining a light on the confusion marring her face.

“What are you doing?”

I didn’t say anything because I wasn’t the slightest bit sure. A weight sat heavy on my chest and urged me to not leave her alone. I’d hoped I’d have an answer in the few steps it took for me to reach her. I didn’t. So when I stood in front of her, her perch on the crate bringing her to my eye-level, I just stared in silence. Her eyebrows rose like she was waiting for a response I still didn’t have.