Page 56 of Heavy

“Just nodding in agreement. I like to hear you. Now, do you understand, Cal?”

My cheeks burn. “I understand.”

“Good girl.”

Instantclit tingles.

As soon as the bike starts moving, I press myself closer to him. I understand why he had me cross my arms now, because the moment we surge forward, my chest lifts off his back. My arms pin me in place, but I quickly adjust, pulling myself right back against him.

As we take our first turn, my instinct is to lean in the opposite direction, afraid I might tip us over. But instead, I go pliant. I let him take control, moving with him and letting go of the worry about what might happen.

He takes it with ease, and as we are upright again, I release a heavy breath I’d held through the turn.

“Don’t worry, baby girl, I’ve got us. Relax.”

“Okay…”

I squeeze tighter, not from fear, but from sheer selfishness. My thoughts drift to getting my car back, and how badly I don’t want that. What I want is this—jumping onto his bike, wrapping my arms around him, and letting him take me wherever. Even if that’s nowhere at all, just for the ride.

I want him so badly, and I don’t know if that makes me crazy or pathetic, but I’m done caring. It’s such a one-sided attraction, but maybe that’s for the best. He’s forbidden to me, and I just wish there was a path where it didn’t have to be that way.

We never go too fast, even though I swear he’s pushing top speeds at times. When I glance up, the visor of the helmet lifted, it’s so dark I can’t see a thing. I wonder if that makes my nerves feel less frayed. If I can’t see what’s out there, why should I be afraid?

My ass is starting to go numb, but I don’t complain. I haven’t said a word since he comforted me, assuring me that he wouldn’t let anything happen to us. He hasn’t tried to start a conversation, but I guess that makes sense. Bugs probably aren’t his friends, and he’s kept low the entire ride. Hopefully the small ‘window’ in the front helped with that.

Far too quickly, the paved road turns to gravel, and I know we’re pulling up the driveway.

I want to beg him to turn around and do another lap, to never go back to the cabin. I want to disappear somewhere with him, even if it’s just him dropping me off where no one can find me and then leaving me there. The thought stings, but it feels more like a reality than the idea of him staying somewhere with me.

The garage door begins to open, and the soft light spilling out into the night makes everything feel just a bit more final. As we come to a stop, he kicks out the stand and leans the bike. I haven’t moved my hands, and while it isn’t cold outside, my fingers feel stiff from holding on so tightly.

Just as I’m swinging my leg over, his hand grabs my hip. “Steady, your legs may feel weak for a moment.” He’s right, and I’m cautious as I step over to the weight bench to shake my leg out like I’m some dog.

I slowly shrug off his jacket while he gets off, kills the bike, and walks over one of the benches where he grabs a towel. After wiping his face, he untucks his shirt.

Then his head falls back, and he releases a frustrated sigh. Without looking, he slams his hand against the garage door opener, and it starts to close with a slow, metalthump, thump, thump.

My heart races as he turns his head toward me and asks, “Who is after you, Cal?”

18

Ronan

Herlipsparteverso slightly in the middle, and I’m a fucking fool for this woman. Damn her and everything she’s done to me since meeting her.

I’ve spent the last two weeks ignoring her, hoping to get her out of my head, but all it’s done is screw me over even more. When she touched me in the bathroom that day, nothing felt moreright, and it terrified me. It still brought up the anger and pain of my past, just like it always does, but none of it felt like it was aimed at her. I didn’t want to hurt her in ways she hasn’t already been begging me for.

She pisses me off with this damn secret bullshit, and I’m between spanking the fuck out of her and biting her lip until she bleeds into my mouth while I kiss her.

I feel my nose twitch. “I will not ask again, and you will not fucking lie to me, Calista. Do you understand me?”

When she wets her lips, she shakes her head. “I can’t, please…”

Running my tongue across my teeth, I shake my head. “Who is he? Who are they? Is it the same person that hurt you that night when you came home bruised and disoriented?” I fire off the questions fast, so much so, she’s blinking rapidly as if clearing some haze I’ve put her into.

Her lips stay closed, and as she takes a step back, I laugh with no amount of humor behind it. “Where you going to go, baby girl?”

“Ronan, I can’t tell you.”