Page 27 of Redemption

Kelsey

It takes a few secondsof staring at the door to realize what the hell just happened. In the next moment, I’m out of my seat and storming towards the door after their truck. I’ll be damned if I’m left behind like some damsel in distress.

Dirt and sticks stab my bare feet as I put my full weight behind each step, but none of the pain registers. I have one goal and one goal alone—get to the damn truck. Bastard must have known I would try that because their taillights are all I see by the time I make it down the front porch to where Asher’s truck was parked.

“Asshole!” My voice echoes against the mound of trees that surround me. He may not be able to hear me, but it feels damn good to let it out nonetheless. Mid-meltdown a black truck flashes out of the corner of my eye and an idea forms. The truck still has damages from our road trip issues, but as long as it drives and can get me the hell out of here, I don’t care.

I’ll show him. When I lift the handle on the driver side door and find it unlocked my heart thumps against my chest. I climb inside and start rummaging through the center console. If Zane’s anything like his brother, his keys are in here somewhere. Nothing but receipts for fast food places are inside. I slam the lid closed and tap my fingernails on the plastic. They’re in here. I can feel it. My eyes skim along the dash up to the visor.

Is it really that easy?

I flip the visor down and a pair of silver keys fall into the palm of my hand. “Thank you, Zane.”

The second I stick the key and twist all happy thoughts die a slow painful death. Nothing happens. “No, no. Don’t do this to me. Start you piece of shit.” My hands slap the steering wheel and try it several more times, but the engine doesn’t even crank.

I jump out of the truck, slamming the door, and throw my hands in the air. “Fucking Savage brothers!”

Everything in me knows they were behind this—all three of them, the rat bastards. I spin on my heel, stomping back into the house the entire way. The door slams behind me as I continue the rest of the way inside and into the kitchen, where Charlee’s sitting with a cup of coffee in her hands watching my every move.

“Everything all right?” She arches a dark eyebrow at me.

“No. I hate him. He’s an overbearing asshole.” I pace back and forth, waving my arms around like a crazy person. My mind is a jumbled mess of emotions right now.

She watches me a beat and then sets her cup down. “I think we’re going to need something stronger than coffee for this.” She hops out of her chair and goes into the kitchen to pull out two wine glasses and a bottle of wine.

I freeze and pinch my eyebrows together as I watch her every move. “It’s ten in the morning.”

“It’s four in Italy and Lily just down for her first nap of the day, which gives us at least four hours of girl time.” Her green eyes light up as she waves a monitor with a red light at me and motions with her head for me to follow her into the living room. The excitement on her face makes it next to impossible to say no. And truth be told, I could really use some time with her.

“Alright then.” My lips twist into a smile as I trail behind her and take a seat on the nearest couch. “Fill her to the top.”

“Yes, ma’am.” She smiles and hands me a full glass. “Drink up, Kels.”

An explosion of tart and sweet fills my mouth and a moan escapes me. It’s been so long since I’ve drank, let alone enjoyed it that I down the whole damn thing in one go, relishing in the numbness flooding my veins. A few beats of silence stretches as I stare down at my empty glass and toy with the stem, stumbling for how to break it.

“How have you really been?” Charlee finally asks the question that’s been hanging in the air between us like a lead weight since I arrived.

“I’ve been…” My voice falters as I struggle with how much to giveaway. “Lost.”

“I’m sorry. I wish I could have been there for you.” She puts a hand around my arm and gives it a light squeeze.

“That’s just it. When I left I just wanted to forget it all. I wouldn’t have let you in if I stayed. If anything I would have pushed you away.” Her shoulders droop making me feel like an asshole for even thinking she wouldn’t be the rock I needed to get through my shit. I move on and change the subject to something else, something much less hurtful. “How have you coped so well with everything?”

She sags deeper into the couch and sighs. “I was a lot like you. Pissed as hell at first, but I don’t know. Losing my dad kind of put things into perspective. Nobody’s perfect. We’re all flawed in some way and that’s what makes us who we are. I mean don’t get me wrong. I wanted to filet Asher alive at first, but then things changed between us. He wasn’t just the asshole that kidnapped me, but a man who lost everything at the hands of my father’s men. I can’t say I wouldn’t do the same thing if I was in his shoes. Eventually, we fell in love and it makes you do crazy things.” She takes a big gulp of her wine as her eyes zone out.

“Like have a Savage baby?” I nudge her shoulder and smile because at the end of the day I couldn’t be happier for her.

Charlee laughs. “Exactly.”

“You two getting married any time soon?” I lean in closer to her and pour myself another glass of wine.

All laughter leaves her face and her lips twist to the side. “I’m not sure.”

“Does that bother you?”

She shakes her head. “I don’t think Asher’s ready. He’s moved on with what happened to his first wife, but in a way he hasn’t. That’s the last piece of Lauren he has left and it doesn’t feel right to take that from them. You know?”

“I do, but at the same time it isn’t fair to either one of you to let the past dictate your future. She was murdered, but that doesn’t mean anything like that will happen to you.”

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