Page 108 of Slay Ride

Chapter Forty-Three

Cat

Bennett and I linger behind Eve and Maverick as we wander through thick brush and mounds of snow that reach our knees in some places. It’s still early enough in the day, so the sun does its best to break through the cloud cover and shine on us. The temperature is still miserably cold, though. At least the view makes it worth it.

I look over at Bennett. He makes the shitty parts of this trip worth it, too. Even if he’s pissed right now.

He’s annoyed that I let Eve come along with us. I can tell by the way he keeps his hands in his pockets and his eyes on anything but me. It wasn’t as if I had a choice, and I did the best I could to smooth things over. When we started out, I told Eve I needed to speak with Bennett about our truce—privately. That’s how we managed to get at least a few feet between us and them.

Bennett slows a bit more, so I match his pace. Maverick and Eve don’t seem to notice, not even when he clears his throat and leans closer to me.

“When we get back to the mansion, I’m punishing you,” he whispers. “I will tie you to the bed and whip you with that belt around your waist until you beg me to stop.”

“What if I like it?” I bump against him with my shoulder.

He stops, glances at Eve and Maverick, then grips my arm and yanks me into the trees. Our boots crunch on snow and fallen branches as we stumble deeper into the woods.

“Bennett, they’ll notice we’re gone,” I say, but he doesn’t slow down. “Hey, stop!”

He finally does, but not because I told him to. His hands rise as he looks past me. When I turn, I see Eve, with a slender blade pointed right at his head.

“Let her go,” Eve says. She steps a little closer and to the side, lining up a shot at him. “Everyone else might be afraid of you, but the only person I fear is my mother. Now, release her arm or I’ll send this blade straight through one of your baby blues.”

With a grunt, Bennett drops my arm and pushes me behind him. Maverick races up to us from the path. He nearly plows into a tree when his gaze falls on the blade in Eve’s hand, which is still aimed for Bennett’s head.

“Whoa!” Maverick shouts. “We have plenty of targets in the forest. No need to turn on each other.”

“Tell that to your fucking friend.” Eve lowers the blade, sliding it into a tool belt hidden beneath her coat. “When a woman says stop, she means stop. That isn’t up for interpretation.”

Bennett smirks, then folds his arms over his chest. “Oh, do we have a feminist in our midst?”

“No,asshole. Consent isn’t feminist property. It’s common human decency. No wonder you can’t grasp the concept.” Eve holds her hand toward me. “Come on, Cat. You can walk with me.”

I open my mouth to respond, but Bennett cuts me off.

“Maybe she doesn’t want to come with you. Ever thought about that? Ever thought about asking whatshewants?” He rolls his eyes and scoffs. “Maybe you’re the one who needs a lesson on consent.”

She ignores him, looking past his head to stare straight into my soul. “Let’s go, Cat.”

I lick my lips and blink. My legs won’t move, and I don’t know what to do anymore. “I?—”

“Eve, let’s go back to the trail,” Maverick says. “These two get into it all the time. It’s their normal.”

“But it’s not normal!” Eve turns her fury toward Maverick. “Are you seriously pursuing this girl? It sure doesn’t seem like it if you can’t protect her.”

Maverick’s green eyes widen. “I can protect her!”

“Then why am I the one who keeps running in to save the fucking day?” Eve shouts. “It seems like every hour that passes, fewer people are doing what we agreed to do to keep her safe. At this point, it’s just me and Kindra!”

“Yeah, I heard about your little meetings,” Bennett says. “Nice try.”

Eve launches toward Bennett with a banshee-like scream, but Maverick wraps his hands around her waist and holds her in place. To her credit, Bennett takes a step back, and I’ve never seen a threat produce that reaction from him.

“You’ve got to tell her, Cat,” Maverick pleads as he tries to keep his grip on the twisting tornado in his arms.

Eve jerks in his hold and looks back at him. “Tell me what?”

Bennett looks back at me, his eyes asking the questions his mouth can’t.

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