Page 33 of Run For Me (Until You’re Mine Duet #1)

Chapter Thirty-Three

Him

The sun has finally set, and I feel like I can breathe.

The entire day I’ve felt like I haven’t been able to catch my breath.

I’m both nervous and excited. I’ve never been so eager to sleep with someone in my life.

I’ve gone through outfits, trying to decide what I wanted to wear.

What will be easier? Jeans or sweats? A jacket or layered shirts?

A ski mask or the bike helmet? Boots or sneakers?

There are so many things to take into consideration, but I finally decide on sneakers, sweats, and a T-shirt over a long-sleeved shirt with a ski mask.

Everything black.

It’s cold out, but if I’m going to be running—hunting—I’ll get hot.

I need to be comfortable. Tugging down my sweats is going to be easier than managing a zipper and buttons.

If I lose my shirt, I won’t care as much as my jacket.

Same with the mask. And the sneakers are just easier to run in than boots.

I look at myself in the mirror, noting even my own parents wouldn’t recognize me in this getup.

The last thing I want is for her to know who I am.

The longer we can play this game, the better.

I haven’t felt this good in a long fucking time.

Hopefully the high from tonight lasts, because it can only happen once.

My head has been a mess over this girl, and I can’t risk my sanity.

So, I’m going to take all I can get out of it, savor it, and be done with it.

If she finds out who I am, I won’t be able to hide.

My phone dings with a text. I glance over my shoulder at my phone on the bed.

I hadn’t answered Sailor after her last text.

She felt bad over me losing my virginity to Yvonne because of her age, but she shouldn’t.

The amount of fame I gained over fucking that woman lasted years.

I still hear shit about it if I run into people from high school.

I can’t imagine why Sailor has any reason to feel bad for me.

Losing virginity for men is different than woman, and I don’t regret what happened.

Usually when I ignore her, she doesn’t push. She gets I don’t want to talk about things and respects it. So, if she’s texting me, it’s only because she’s canceling.

Or it’s not her at all.

I should check it.

When I see my mother’s name lingering on the notification, I grit my teeth.

“What does this bitch want?” I groan, snatching my phone from the bed.

When I open the text, I damn near put my fist through the wall.

Mother: I request your presence immediately.

Just five words to set me off. To have me seeing red. The woman has the worst timing in the goddamn world. I know what’s going to happen if I deny her, but it doesn’t stop me. I will not cancel on Sailor. I need this.

Me: No can do.

I know she’ll respond right away, so I don’t bother putting my phone down.

Mother: Non-negotiable.

Me: I have plans.

Mother: Cancel them.

Me: I can’t!

My phone rings. My head falls back on my shoulders, and I let out a harsh breath. I clench my phone so tightly it creaks. I hit the answer button, and my mother is already shouting before I can get a word out.

“If you think for one second you can deny me after the shit that I have on you, you’re mistaken. You will get in your car. You will drive to my house. And you will help me. If you refuse any of these things, you know what I’ll do,” she seethes.

Typically, fathers are the villain in kids’ stories.

In mine, it’s my mother. She’s conniving and manipulative.

Gets you right where she needs you before going in for the kill.

Though, I guess she’d have to be that way to do what she does.

If this woman wasn’t holding my future over her head, I’d tell her to go fuck herself. But I know better than to test her.

I clench my teeth so hard I don’t know how they don’t turn to dust.

“I will not repeat myself,” she hisses.

“Yeah, fine whatever. I’ll be there.”

“Now,” she grits out.

“I’ll be there when I’m there!” I end the call and whip my phone across the room. It dents the wall, then drops to the floor. And she can have fun paying to get that fixed, too.

I glance at the clock on my nightstand. It’s almost nine. There is no way I’ll make it to my mother’s house, help her with what she needs, and make it back in time.

But if Sailor can give me an extra hour, I may be able to make it work…

I hurry to my phone, pick it up, and call her.

She answers on the first ring.

“Hello?”

I sigh, looking upwards. Her voice… it’s refreshing. Like cold water on a hot day.

“Something came up and I need to—”

“Oh, okay. It’s fine…”

“No, listen to me. I’m not canceling.”

“You’re not?” She sounds surprised. Like she expected me to—was anticipating it. Maybe wanted it.

“Wait, did you want me to?”

“No, of course not. I’m just… nervous.”

That’s relieving. Nervous is good. I like that she’s nervous.

“I just need another hour. Eleven at the park. Eleven-ten, you can go into the woods.” She’s quiet. I don’t even hear her breathing. “Sailor?”

“Yeah, okay. I’ll meet you then.”

Why does she sound unsure?

“If you’ve changed your mind, you can tell me. You have to tell me.”

“I haven’t!” She doesn’t sound mad, but eager. Still nervous.

“I don’t think I’ve said that, and I want you to know that if you have changed your mind, all you have to do is tell me. At any point, no matter what.”

I wait a beat for her to answer.

“Don’t go soft on me now, JT. You’re the man of my dreams, remember?”

Yeah, I remember. But I also know what it’s like to be caught in the spider’s web and not be able to get the fuck out.