Page 14 of Exile and Embrace

I sigh and push his shoulder again, hating the way sparks fly at even the simple touch.

He’s an attractive man, sure, but that’s it. That’s all that he is ever going to be to me. Something nice to look at while I spend time in Oregon and a way to get some harder answers that might need his connections.

“Wake up. We’re at the motel.” I shove him a little harder.

He bolts upright, looking around the car like he is expecting someone to jump out at him at any moment. His eyes are wide and bright, though they are bloodshot.

“It’s just me,” I murmur, showing him my hands palms out and facing him. “I’m not going to hurt you. You’re not in prison anymore. We’re just at the motel. There’s a guy under the broken streetlight. I don’t want to get the keys to the room alone.”

Finn blinks slowly, scrubbing his hands down his face before nodding. “Reservation under your name?”

“Yeah.” I unbuckle my seatbelt, getting ready to follow him out of the car.

Finn shakes his head as he opens his door and steps out.

I settle back into my seat. “You have to pay cash when you pick up the key.”

He opens his envelope and pulls out a wad of cash, tucking it into his pocket before glancing at the man outside. When he looks back at me, his mouth is set in a thin line.

“Stay here, Ava. Lock the doors, and don’t open them until I’m back in the car.” Finn shuts the door and points downward.

I press the button for the locks, and they click into place.

As Finn walks to the office, I keep my focus on the broken streetlight and the man beneath it.

The man watches Finn as he walks into the office but doesn’t make any move to approach him.

Finn disappears through a set of broken glass doors covered with tape and flyers.

I sit back in the seat, watching as the man looks toward the car.

My heart pounds in my chest, and my breathing quickens. I try to focus on not panicking.

The motel may not be in a good area, but it’s a place that takes cash. Untraceable. A chance for us to get out of Tennessee.

I drum my fingers on the wheel, the soft music still playing.

The man pushes himself away from the streetlight and walks toward the car. He is just about to cross in front of the office doors when Finn steps outside.

Even in the dim light, it’s clear that Finn is more muscular than the other man.

Finn stands taller, crossing his arms and looking down at the man, waiting until he turns around. Finn keeps watching the man, waiting until he is out of sight before backing toward the car.

I unlock the doors as Finn reaches the passenger door.

He gets in and hands me the key, pointing to the far end of the motel.

The brick walls are crumbling and more than one of the windows we pass are covered with plywood.

As I park the car in front of our room, I start to think that I should’ve found a slightly nicer place. Somewhere without prostitutes peeking out windows at us.

The door of the room next to ours opens, and a man walks out, zipping up his pants as he goes.

A woman in tight jeans and a crop top follows him, stuffing several bills into her bra.

“Well, you sure know how to pick a place.” Finn’s clearly amused as we get out of the car. “I have cards. We could have stayed in a nicer hotel. One without venereal diseases.”

“This place takes cash and doesn’t have cameras.” I look him up and down, my upper lip curling slightly. “As I seem to remember, you used to sleep with anything that moved. I think my chances of catching a disease from sitting next to you in the car are higher than staying one night in the hotel.”

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