Page 62 of Drive

I swallowed and looked up at him. “I’m scared. Like really scared.”

“Then you’re doing exactly what you said you wanted to, right? Doing things that scare you.”

“Right,” I said with false confidence. “It’s what I want. This is good.”

He chuckled. “Still scared, huh?”

“Shitless.”

“Well, the good news is, you’ve pretty much already hit rock bottom. You’re poor, you’re homeless, and you have to stay with friends. All you lack now is a drug addiction.”

“Holy shit,” I said as his words hit me. “You’re right. Is there some crack around here we can get addicted to?”

His eyes widened, he scrubbed his palms together, and then pitched his voice. “I bet we can find some inside!”

“Oh, goody. And while we’re at it, let’s have sex without a condom tonight! Wait!” I said, shrugging continually and waggling my brows. “Let’s have a ménage, so I won’t know who the baby daddy is!”

Reid scowled and gripped my lips. “Stay with me. I love your mouth, especially when mine is on it. And no one is fucking touching you but me.”

I “ahhhed” through clamped lips. “Yob do wibe me.”

“Stella, you are theonlyone I want around right now.”

I bit back the emotion as he smacked his lips against mine and pulled us out of his truck.

“Reid, no offense, but we’rebothbroke.”

He looked back at me with mixed emotion. “I’m a Crowne, baby. We know how to get a buzz while broke.”

He squeezed my hand and pulled me into the empty club. We were the only ones there as the bartender greeted us.

“Just opened, man. Thought you weren’t playing until Wednesday.”

“Not,” Reid said as he pulled me to sit next to him. Empty, the club looked completely different and had that abandoned feel.

“Stella, Jon, Jon, Stella,” Reid introduced.

“Hi.” I waved and nudged Reid’s side before I whispered. “MyIDsays Juanita. Great, now I can’t have a beer.”

Reid spoke up. “Sorry, Jon, this isJuanita.”

I slapped his forehead, and he let out a loud laugh before he deadpanned, “Don’t do that again.”

“Sorry, but that’s what we do to jackasses in our family. Forehead slaps. The double tap slap means you’re really an idiot.”

Two beers were placed before us, and I grabbed it like someone would take it away from me.

“It’s cool, babe, just drink.”

Babe.

I hid my elation as I chugged the beer like a frat whore.

“Easy,” he said as I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand.

“Such a lady,” he snickered. His eyes went soft as he looked me over.

“Fuck this day,” I said with finality. And I meant it. I would never know if he offered to let me stay out of pity or because he truly did care and he wanted me there, but I chose the latter. I had no choice. Adulthood sucked and beer was good.