Page 37 of Better Hide

JAYDEN

My stomach drops as soonas I see Cole running shirtless without Jo. I immediately focus, and my vision narrows. All that matters is her.

I throw the car into drive. “What happened?”

Cole grits, “There’s a cop.”

“What the fuck?” My voice drops. “Where?”

“Front lot.”

Cole is freaked out—more freaked out than I’ve seen him in a long time.

I step on the gas, flooring it. We fly into the front lot, and I cuss as people cross the lot right in front of me.

I spot the cop. He’s looking across the lot, and I follow his gaze.

Jo looks both ways before running across the busy street to a McDonald's.

I slow enough that I don’t draw the cop’s attention and drive after Jo. The road is busy, and I have to stop and wait for traffic to clear.

“Fuck. Just go!” Cole shouts.

“Can’t.” I grit my teeth.

“Jesus.” Cole slams his fist onto the dashboard.

“It’s okay, we’ll get her back.” We better. Finally, the traffic clears, and I fly across the road.

I don’t see her in the parking lot. She must be in the restaurant.

Or in one of the cars.

My stomach sinks. Finding her will be much harder if she gets in someone’s car. I need to grab her before she can do that.

“Park around back. I’m going inside.” I throw the car in park and dart out, not bothering to shut the door. I hope she’s being rash and is hiding inside. Hiding somewhere I can find her. I rip the door to the restaurant open.

She better hide, and she better hide well. Because I don’t think I’ll ever stop punishing her for this.

Jo isn’t in the lobby. I didn’t expect her to be. I stride straight to the bathroom and rip open the door.

A middle-aged woman at the sink looks at me and gasps.

“Get out,” I bark, my voice dark. I’m so done with this. The woman leaves, squeezing past me.

Only one stall door is closed, and it’s the big one at the back. I stride over to it and boot it open.

There’s a resounding crack, and then it explodes open. I’m in before the door has even bounced back.

Jo jumps at me from her spot on the toilet. I barely have time to duck before she’s beating on my head.

“Fuck you! Fuck you, Jayden.”

I wrap her up and slam her into the wall. “Thought you could run from us, Jo?” She’s so small compared to me that I barely feel her attempts to get away. I duck down, putting my shoulder in her stomach, and lift her up.

Jo beats on my back and screams as I march her out of the bathroom. We’ve already made so much of a scene, but it doesn’t matter anymore. We’ll throw her in the car and run.

As I stride into the lobby, my gaze locks with the cop from the gas station.

---