Page 44 of Healing Conviction
They both tugged on various haphazardly strewn body parts—Nora more so than Drake since he was driving—until Shanna was sitting up more comfortably in the passenger seat. He sped back up and Nora buckled her in before settling into her own seat in the back.
“You think someone was really following her?” Drake tilted his head in Shanna’s direction. “Or do you think she’s delusional and high?”
Nora’s eyes drifted down Shanna’s pockmarked and veiny, bone-thin arms. “Probably both. What’re we gonna do with her?”
“Not sure. She said she’d go anywhere. I say we grab our stuff back at the hotel, then head down to the address Snake gave us. Jasmine Thornton, that’s the woman’s name, right? The one we’re questioning next?”
“Interviewing.Questioning sounds so true crime-y, and we’re not gonna get these people to talk to us if they think we’re investigating them.”
“But weareinvestigating them. Isn’t it better to be up front about that?”
She sighed and poked his shoulder. “Not everyone’s likeyou, Drake. People don’t just say what they think like friggin’ lunatics. A lot of people can’t handle the truth and they’ll clam up if we tell them that. Anyway, the answer to your initial question is yes. Jasmine has apparently lived with her grandmother for the last few years, but the girl’s got a history of truancy and running away. She was missing for a good chunk of that time. Still could be for all we know.” She pointed to Shanna with her thumb. “Hopefully she’ll have more to say than this one has so far.”
“Maybe after Shanna talks to us we can figure out the best place to drop her off on the way.”
“Like a shelter? I don’t know. The poor thing seemed really adamant about not going to one of those again. Which super sucks, because I know of one on the way that’s really reputable and can help.”
“Don’t worry about it, Pix. If anyone can convince her, it’s you. You’ve got a silver tongue.” She shot her eyes up to the rearview and met Drake’s heated ones in the dim light, barely visible thanks to the lone car’s headlights far behind them.
Her core tightened at the memory of them at the beach, but her heart ached. She’d gotten down on her knees for him, the epitome of vulnerability all over the world, but she hadn’t expected him to look at her like that. Like shewashis world.
His ocean-blue eyes had raged with emotion as he’d gazed down at her, as if he was begging her to dive right into those depths and share her soul with his. Thank goodness she had her defenses in place. Retreating into her own mind during intimate moments was a skill she’d honed over time, ever since the man who’d taken her virginity had stolen everything else from her, too. In the name oflove.
She’d been too young to understand how fucked up the situation was. It took years to realize that every time she’d given herself to him, she’d actually just fallen victim to his manipulation again. He’d taken until there was nothing left, without ever giving anything back. That’s not love.
That’stheft.
Checking out, putting on a smile, and hiding underneath the facade people wanted to see, protected who she really was from getting used again. If they didn’t see the real her, then anything bad that happened couldn’t affect thereal her. It was the only way to protect her hopeful, gullible heart.
Besides, it wasn’t like she was hurting anyone. Taking refuge in her mind helped her keep her distance, and everyone else got what they wanted to see. It was a win-win.
Then why did it hurt with Drake?
“We’re gonna have to talk about what happened, Nora.”
The headlights from the encroaching car behind them shined brightly through the cabin, illuminating his dark eyes as they bore into hers.
What in the underworld is he going on about? I gave him what he wanted.
The fluttering in her lower belly turned into stone, weighing her to her seat. She pasted on her grin.
“Talk about what, handsome? How I can’t wait to use that silver tongue on you again?”
“No, we’re gonna talk about how you couldn’t even loo—shit.”
The truck jerked as a loudcrackresounded outside the cabin.
“Fuck! Pix? You got anything important at the hotel?”
She thought for a second as her heart raced, recalling only the spare changes of clothes. Her phone, purse, and laptop were with her, having never left her vicinity, like always.
Crack! Crack!
“Nora?”
Alarm pinged through every nerve in her body as she met his serious eyes in the rearview mirror. “No! No, I’ve got all the essentials! What’s going on?!”
Crack! Crack!