Page 25

M y braided ponytail moves over my shoulder as I toss my bag by the door. Since I want to be comfortable for the long haul, I threw on a loose tank and shorts.

When I left Jason, a sense of relief fell upon me. This time, even though my goal is to come back, it’s less gratifying and more of an uncertainty of what may happen. Who will follow me, if someone will follow me? But I don’t want to think about the what ifs.

Outside, Crew’s motorcycle sits, blocking the only way out. That’s fine, I’ll be taking the bus, anyway. I feel confident that my car will make it, thanks to Logan, but I still can’t risk the possibility of being pulled over.

With the bus station being so close, I plan on walking there. But Lana comes tearing up the drive in her tiny Toyota Yaris, and all hope flies out the window. Shit . I am definitely regretting texting her.

When she comes stomping up mad as hell, I know I messed up. “No way. Nope. March that pretty ass of yours back inside the house. You are not going.” She wiggles her pointer finger at me.

I roll my eyes. “Thank you, Mom. But I am going.”

“Then I’m coming with you.”

I check my phone realizing I need to leave now if I want to make it. “You can’t,” I demand. I don’t want to drag her into any potential dangers.

“You are not going there alone. When we were kids, the place was sketchy as hell. I can only imagine what it’s like now.”

She isn’t wrong, but it’s not the actual trailer park that makes it scary, it’s the neighborhood. As kids, no one messed with us. I lived there, so we were one of them. Now, as a grown woman, having sprouted tits, it sounds risky.

When I don’t answer, she scoffs. “I’m going and that’s final.”

“Where are we going?” Crew and Logan step up behind us. It’s funny how the air immediately turns thick.

Lana flashes Crew a side eye. “Sora’s taking a trip down memory lane to her old residence. In the pits. Alone. But I’m going with her.”

“Cool. Sounds fun. When do we leave?” He grins.

Lana whips her head in his direction. “No.” She winces in disdain, Logan glancing my way.

“All right. That’s it. Everyone please stop. I’m going by myself and if I don’t leave now, I’ll miss the bus. I’ll be back tomorrow.”

“The bus?” all three say in unison.

Damn.

“I’ll drive.” Logan types in the passcode to the garage and it opens. “Pull your motorcycle in here,” he tells Crew.

I can’t believe this. I really can’t. This is supposed to be a solo trip. There and back without questions asked.

“Hell yeah.” The enthusiasm pouring out of Crew sends Lana into a flying fit.

“This is so annoying. We don’t need you two.” Lana practically stomps her Converse at him. Something tells me she doesn’t mind if Logan came, but Crew… that’s a different story.

“Let me just grab a bag.” Logan heads inside after Crew finishes walking his bike inside the garage.

He pulls out a small backpack from his saddlebag. “Already got shit right here. You know, just in case.” He winks, and Lana rolls her eyes.

“What lucky women they are.” Lana gives me a regretful scowl, then sighs. “Let me grab my stuff. I’ll be right back.”

I can flee, but I’d be on foot and never make it, so I plop down on the step with an angry huff and bury my head in my hand.

After everyone is finally ready, we gather around Logan’s work truck. His other must be back at the shop.

Crew opens the passenger door and holds out his hand for me to take. “You take shotgun. I’ll ride in the back with the princess.”

Lana scoffs. “What a great added addition to this already dreadful nightmare.” She slams the door and scoots as close to the window as possible, Crew sliding in next to her on the other side wearing a shit-eating grin.

This is going to be a long trip.

After Logan punches in the address, he raises a brow and gapes over at me.

“Right. See. It’s too far. Thanks everyone for volunteering to come, but I’ll let Lana know when I get there.” I reach for the door handle, but Logan lays a hand on my bare thigh, stopping me.

My skin tingles as I stare down at his large, rough, but sensual hand still resting there. It does something to me—something I like, and a rush of heat pools between my thighs.

Logan’s jaw muscles move. “Put your seatbelt on,” he orders, and when he releases me, I instantly crave more. But I swear he gave the slightest squeeze before letting go.

I’m in trouble.

Not fifteen minutes into the ride, Crew leans forward, reaching for the radio. “We need some tunes, man.”

Since the truck is older, we only have a radio.

Crew shuffles through static before landing on the only clear station. “Guess we’re listening to country.”

“We are not listening to country,” Lana demands from the backseat.

Crew smirks as a country artist sings his way through the speakers. I’m not a huge fan of country music either, but I do like this song.

“Okay. So, what music do you listen to, killer? Death metal. Maybe songs about plotting murder.”

Lana snorts. “Funny.”

“Oh, come on. Spill,” Crew teases as he leans back in his seat with his body turned toward hers. I know what music she likes. She was bullied in school for it until I punched the little brat's face.

With her arms crossed, watching out her window, she mutters, “Classical.”

There’s a brief pause in the air before Crew responds, “Really?” He speaks with a lofty tone. I’m ready to defend Lana if he starts making fun of her, but he doesn’t.

“Yes,” Lana whispers with a touch of pink rising on her face.

Crew says nothing as he blinks staring at her.

Lana’s shoulders relax and I smile, watching the highway blur by.

For the next hour, we all fall into a comfortable silence. Lana, still looking out her window and Crew still glued to his phone.

I’m hoping Logan doesn’t notice the frequent glances I keep sneaking over at him.

He’s hard to avoid, though. The way his shirt stretches over his chest and biceps as he extends his arm with his hand resting on the steering wheel.

I feel silly because I haven’t had this type of crush on a man since high school.

But we weren’t teenagers, and Logan is all man.

This is odd. I'm in a car with a guy who makes my stomach flutter, despite only knowing each other for a short time, yet the alarms stay silent. It's strangely relieving.

Lana groans from the backseat. “All right. I’m sorry. I tried to hold off, but if I don’t empty my bladder, we’re all in for a real treat.”

“How charming,” Crew teases and Lana flips him off.

Logan nods. “I saw a sign for a rest stop next exit.”

“Thank God!” Lana sighs in relief.

As Logan merges off the highway to the parking lot of the rest area, both Lana and Crew open their doors.

“What are you doing?” My best friend stops with a look of disgust pointed at Crew. “I don’t need a chaperone.”

“Don’t flatter yourself, sweetheart. You’re not the only one who has to take a piss. Besides… pretty sure if you got kidnapped, they’d automatically bring you back for that mouth.”

“Dick.” Lana storms away with Crew close behind, leaving me and Logan to fend for ourselves.

“At least there won’t be fighting for a whole ten minutes,” I joke, but one of them is going to end up killing the other.

“I bet only one makes it back alive.”

I laugh. “I wonder which one.”

“Lana. Definitely Lana.” Logan’s deep voice fills the truck’s space. He doesn’t laugh, but his mouth turns up ever so slightly in a faint smile.

“Crew doesn’t stand a chance.” I adjust my seat to recline, trying to stretch when Logan notices.

“Wanna get out? Stretch our legs for a minute.”

Yes.

“Great idea.” As soon as I close my door, I reach for the evening sky, arching my back. Experiencing the transition from day to night is peaceful.

I catch Logan watching me, not realizing he came over to my side. He doesn’t hide the fact I caught him as his big body leans against the truck beside me. The air is thicker when he’s around. But not in a bad way. The suffocation isn’t torturous or trapping… it’s arousing.

“Thank you for doing this. You didn’t have to come.”

His large shoulders rise, then fall. “Sora—”

“I know, I know, you’re going to tell me not to thank you. But I’m not good at it and I have a feeling I’ll continue to thank you until God knows how long.” I fidget, adjusting the bottom of my shorts. “Do you always do nice things for people you hardly know?”

Word vomit again.

He looks over, peering down with those eyes slaying every part of my being. “No. I don’t.” Those brief three words hold so much.

We’re locked in each other’s stares before he breaks first, my cheeks warming. “I don’t trust many people.”

“You trust Crew,” I say, knowing there’s no doubt.

“I do.” He pauses briefly. “And you.”

My heart skips. He shouldn’t. Sure, I will never intentionally hurt him, but I’m not trustworthy. Not when my skeletons haunt me.

“I miss you at the café,” I blurt out. This is one of those times I should think before speaking, but hell, seize the day, I guess.

The tension in his face fades, and I swear he stands taller. “I miss your scones.”

I throw my head back and laugh. “They are good, aren’t they?” I’m not usually so vain but my desserts do rock.

Logan smiles, full-blown smiles and my heart nearly leaps from my chest. There it is. His smile is so beautiful as it reaches his eyes, creasing the corners.

With a small gust of wind, a piece of my hair dances in my face so I tuck it behind my ear. “How do you and Crew know each other, anyway?”

Before Logan has a chance to respond, the sound of two people arguing breaks our conversation.

And… they’re back.

Logan pushes off his truck, briskly leaving my side. He trusts me, even seems to enjoy my company, but other times he can’t get away fast enough.

“Think you two can play nice the rest of the way?” I ask, casting a stern glance at Crew and Lana as we all pile back into the truck.

Crew throws a bag of chips onto the seat. “I’m always on my best behavior.”

Lana goes to speak but quickly shuts her mouth, crossing her arms over her chest.

Baby steps.

“We still have a good distance, and we’ll never make it there tonight,” Logan says.

The guilt of having to spend the night somewhere weighs heavily. I knew I’d have to, but I didn’t want my friends to go out of their way. But they insisted on tagging along, so I need to cut myself some slack I guess.