Page 74 of Pretty Broken Wings

I yank the front door open, and then he’s standing in front of me, shoving me back. “Her car’s out of gas. Fucking control your caveman for two fucking seconds.”

“Get out of my way.”

“No.” There’s a sneer on Gage’s face, and he’s looking down on me in the way he always used to when he got better grades than me.

Ah, finally. He hates me the way he should.

“You don’t get to win this one by cheating your way through.”

“Cheating?” Rage starts pulsing through my blood.

“Yes, cheating.” Gage is snarling now. “If the only reason she’s with you is you’re bigger than her, and you scare her, then you’re no better than any other man out there.”

He squares up like he’s going to hit me. I don’t even brace for it. Let him hit me. I’m watching my obsession walk away, and I’m going to stop her.

But instead, Gage just steps out of my way with an odd look on his face. It’s one of… love.

And somehow, that hurts more.

“She can’t go far. Just give her a minute, and she’ll be back.”

CHAPTER FORTY

My hands shake as I try to work my keys into the lock. Someone must have moved my car out of the street ‘cause now it’s parked in Gage’s driveway. My thumb throbs, and my left hand is clumsy with the half-manicure.

Finally, the door unlocks, and then I’m inside, cranking the ignition and reversing out of the driveway so fast that the carbumps violently as I make it into the street. The tires screech as I pull away, driving anywhere but here.

My heart is racing. I got away. I fucking got away.

“Fuck!” I hit the steering wheel. Adrenaline feels like a wash of heat under my skin, and it takes a hot second for me to pay attention to where I’m going.

Where am I going?

I realize that I’ve automatically headed toward my apartment. But do I really want to go there?

Where else would I go?

I take my foot off the gas and let the car coast to a normal speed. Okay. Where am I going to go?

I could just drive until I find somewhere. Sleep in the car.

I can’t believe they just… let me go. I mean, they can’t legally keep me. It’s literally kidnapping. There has to be a catch. What’s the catch?

I play through the scene in my head step by step, and it’s then that I register that Buddy watched me as I left. Or at least, she looked like she did, and I could swear her eyes were sad.

Suddenly, I’m a whole lot less thrilled.

I should have taken her.

I almost whip the wheel around to go back. But then I remember that I have nothing. How am I going to take care of her if I have no plan and nowhere to go?

A deep emptiness settles into my chest. It’s time to plan. I glance at the gas gauge and curse.

It’s on empty. Of course it’s on fucking empty.

Frantically, I sift through the glove box for cash or a card that I know isn’t there while also trying to keep my eyes on the road.

Nothing.