Page 112 of Forsaken Oath

I march toward her, sliding my arm around her lower back and sweeping her into an all-consuming kiss.

“Now I’m ready to go, Peach.”

48

ELOISE

By the timewe pulled into the hotel parking lot in the next town, I was running on fumes—physically, emotionally, mentally. Beau parked first, and I slid into the spot beside him. We left my car there, tucked safely under the dim light of a streetlamp, and climbed into his Hellcat.

We grabbed a pizza and cruised around town until we found this cute little grassy park surrounded by wheat fields. Twenty minutes and an empty pizza box later, we sit in comfortable silence.

The breeze blows in through the open windows of Beau’s Hellcat, cool and refreshing against my skin after the heat of the day. It carries the sweet scent of the surrounding wheat fields, mingling with the lingering aroma of pizza inside the car. The tall stalks of wheat sway gently in the evening breeze, a mesmerizing dance of silvery gold in the bright moonlight.

Soft music plays from the speakers, a soothing melody that seems to blend seamlessly with the tranquil atmosphere. Beau’s arm rests along the back of the seats, his fingers idly playing with a strand of my hair.

For the first time since the race, I feel like I can breathe.

“You scared the shit out of me tonight, Peach,” Beau murmurs, his voice rough with emotion.

I tilt my head to look up at him, my heart clenching at the lingering fear in his eyes. “I’m sorry,” I whisper, reaching up to brush my fingers along his jaw. His stubble prickles against my fingertips.

He captures my fingers and places a soft kiss on them. “What happened in there?”

“I don’t really know. It felt like I was dropped in the middle of a cat-and-mouse game. Like I was being chased. Someone was behind me, and then a Camaro came out of literally nowhere.” I shake my head, cutting myself off.

His thumb brushes over the tops of my fingers, his touch comforting and grounding.

I let my gaze roam over his face, lingering in the bite of tension between his brows. “The Camaro was going to T-bone me if I didn’t swerve out of the way. I knew I wouldn’t clear the tree. There just wasn’t enough room.”

“So you hit the tree to escape being t-boned,” he murmurs, his eyes growing dark. “I should’ve fucking killed Wallis.”

A low laugh escapes me before I can swallow it down. “I think you did enough.”

He drops my hand and cradles my face in his hand. His fingertips ghost over the small bump on the side of my forehead, where I hit my head on the window and blacked out for a second.

Blacking out was scarier than facing down two cars. But I don’t want to tell him that. I don’t want to dwell on the bad stuff, not when our time together already feels limited.

“He hurt you, Peach. I couldn’t let it stand.” He touches me with a gentleness that makes my heart ache. “Does it hurt?” he murmurs, his thumb barely skimming the skin.

“Not too bad,” I say, my voice wavering.

He leans closer, his blue eyes filled with something so raw and tender it nearly undoes me.

“I’m okay,” I whisper, my hand finding his on instinct.

“I’ll have someone fix your car,” he says softly, his fingers curling around mine.

I shake my head, a small smile tugging at my lips. “I can handle it, Beau. I have a friend who works in a garage.”

He tenses, his mouth slipping into a frown. “Nate Thomas?”

“Yeah, do you know him?”

His gaze narrows on me a little. “Is there something I need to know about you and him?”

A soft laugh escapes me as I take in Beau's furrowed brow and the possessive glint in his eyes. It's a little amusing, seeing this powerful, confident man getting jealous over my friendship with Nate.

I lean in, my fingers finding the front of his t-shirt and toying with the soft fabric. “Beau Carter, are you jealous?” I tease, my voice lilting with amusement.

---