Page 19 of Ride With Me

“Who are ‘they’?” His face doesn’t soften. I keep waiting for those smiles I was getting between the hard expressions yesterday, but his lips hint at no sign of them returning anytime soon.

“My boyfriend and best friend. They took everything and...” I check my phone, and I no longer have access to theirs. “I doubt we’ll find them.”

“That’s unfortunate.”

My eyes shoot up to his. “I’m sorry.”

“That’s not enough anymore, but you can still make it right.”

“By turning myself in?” My stomach grows queasy.

“That’s one option, but we’re talking ten to thirty years for armed robbery.”

“Wait…But I wasn’t armed?”

“They won’t know that, and who do you think they’ll believe? Surely not the criminal.” He cocks his head, leaning down. “Maybe you came back for what you forgot and shot me? That’s more time.” His eyes darken, and I finally get a smile but it’s not the one I want.

Or is it? Fear hits me and it’s as exciting as breaking into a house. The not knowing. The danger that can strike at any moment. I have a need to come out of the other side winning. What will the prize be? More sandwiches and eggs? Needing to be closer to finding out, I say, “What’s my other option?”

“Pay me back for what you stole.”

“I don’t have any money.”

“Not with money.” He sucks his teeth, and I tug at the sleeves of my shirt, not sure what to do with my hands.

Hair rises on the back of my neck at the terrifying look in his eyes. “What do I have to do? Because if it’s some sexual favor you’re wanting, I’ll have you know, my ex-partners called me terrible in bed.” They didn’t, and I doubt anything I’m saying sounds convincing with how much my voice cracks.

“It’s not. I can get that anywhere. There’s something else I think you can help me with that I normally don’t come by as easily.”

“So, you don’t want sex from me?”

“No. As I said before, this isn’t about sex.”

Shaking off the ridiculous urge to ask him what’s wrong with me, and whether it’s because I’m not his type, I ask, “What’s is it?”

“Give me what you did yesterday. Be my perfect patient for a whole week. Then I’ll let you go.”

Yeah, not at all what I was expecting him to say, and I don’t know if I should be worried about what all that entails. He said like last night. Can’t be much more than that then. Sounds too damn easy though, and so far, this man has been full of surprises. “For one full week?”

“Yes, and then I’ll let you go. We can pretend this never happened. I’ll claim everything I lost through insurance. You walk away scot-free.”

I swallow the lump in my throat. “Will it be exactly like last night, or more?”

He strokes my cheek, his fingers leaving behind tingles and strange promises for later. “Whatever I feel you need to get better. So, what will it be?” He steps closer, invading my space with his addicting scent.

So many scary thoughts pop into my head and they’re almost laughable. This guy is like fucking Mr. Rogers for Christ’s sake. No way his brain even slightly touches the places mine goes sometimes, but why am I hoping for more surprises? I suck in a breath, choosing my next words carefully. “I don’t want to go to prison.”

“Then you won’t. Not as long as you meet your end of the bargain.”

One week will go faster than I realize, and if yesterday was a preview of what’s to come, it’ll be way better than becoming some asshole’s prison bitch. I’ll get through this like everything else, and even after being caught, I’ll still get to celebrate a victory of getting away with another robbery. The rewarding feeling is so close again. I just have to get through the fear part first. A whole week of wondering if he’ll change his mind. A whole week of wondering if he’s not really the good guy I’ve pegged him as.

I can be his good patient, and I will be.

CHAPTER 5

RILEY

“Where are we going?”I ask, slowly trailing him past the living room and into the kitchen.

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