Page 7 of Desperation

“How about I follow you home?”

I should’ve refused him. It would’ve been the smart thing to do. But I hadn’t done anything smart in almost three years.

Chapter Five

Devon

Unease churned in my gut as I neared my cousin’s house. With every blink of his taillights, the tap of his brakes, my dread doubled. Hannah was his girl, the mother of his unborn child, but taking her home felt like throwing her into the lion’s den. And she was terrified.

I turned onto their street, slowing as we neared their house. Whether I’d be able to walk away once she was safely tucked inside was yet to be determined. There was a magnetic pull to her that I couldn’t explain, but the thought of leaving her there caused a tightening in my chest, an uncomfortable sensation that felt like abandonment.

My stomach lurched, my brain simultaneously dumping a near lethal dose of adrenaline into my bloodstream as the little yellow house came into full view. An SUV was parked in the spot closest to the house, and Drake was unloading supplies. His head snapped up when he heard the familiar roar of his engine, and I could’ve sworn his features darkened. Maybe it was my imagination. I was too far away to really discern the details of his face, but I could almost feel the rage radiating off him.

His spine straightened, and he rounded the vehicle once Hannah parked, his stride determined and fists balled at his sides. I pulled up behind her, the small driveway barely long enough for both trucks. Drake, his face etched with fury, reached for the driver’s side door, ready to throw it open and do God only knows what. Against my better judgment, I got out, ready to intervene should things get out of hand. He froze, catching my movements in his peripheral vision. He stepped back, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

“King?” he asked, apprehension and surprise warring for control of his features.

I pushed my emotions down, suppressing them so I could assess the situation with a clear head. One false move on my part could mean disaster for all of us.

“Hey, Drake. It’s been a while.”

“I’d say,” he replied with a growing smile, striding toward me. His hand reached for mine, and I gripped it. I was instantly pulled into a hug, and it was like we were teenagers again, him bidding me farewell before I left for basic training. I forgot how much I’d missed him. He was the closest thing to a brother I’d ever had. “It’s good to see you, cuz.” He gave me a couple of backslaps like men do when they hug before releasing me and stepping back. “Let me get a look at you, soldier.”

“Sailor,” I corrected jokingly.

“Oh, my bad.Sailor,” he mocked playfully. This side of him completely contradicted the image that had developed in my mind over the last two days. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe Hannah got into my head. I had to check my own motivations, questioning whether I believed the worst of him so easily because I wanted her for myself. Damn, it had been too long since I’d had a release. I was wound too tight right now. That was all it was.

The door to Drake’s truck creaked open, and his face fell. He turned away from me and watched as she climbed down from the cab. “Where’ve you been?” he asked, stalking slowly toward her. She shrank away from him, her eyes flitting briefly to mine. It happened so quickly, it could've escaped anyone’s notice, but not Drake’s. He saw it, and his gaze drifted back to mine, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. She opened her mouth to speak, but I cut her off.

“Your tire was low,” I announced confidently and quickly. “There was barely enough pressure in it to be drivable. I noticed it when I pulled in.” I wouldn’t allow myself a look at Hannah’s scared face, her wide eyes pleading with me not to leave her here, and the unease returned. “We got it plugged and filled back up for you.” I hoped like hell my story was convincing. I hoped he couldn’t see into my heart, into my soul, and recognize the deceit.

“Why didn’t you just drive it? Hannah’s a terrible driver and knows she’s not supposed to take my truck out.” That last part was aimed at her, his eyes flicking in her direction. She shrank back further, and I fought the urge to punch him. It would only take one hit, and he’d be knocked out.

“She wasn’t sure you’d want someone else driving your truck. I don’t blame her. She doesn’t really know me. I could’ve been any old chump just trying to steal this sweet ride of yours.” I reached out, running my hand appreciatively over the tailgate. It really was a nice truck, and if I stroked his ego enough, praising something he bought and loved, maybe it would distract him from Hannah’s perceived infraction.

“You do have a point. I would have been pissed if she let some asshole take off with my baby.” He patted the truck affectionately, with more tenderness than I was certain he showed his girlfriend. “You did good, babe,” he praised Hannah, pulling her in for a kiss. I had to look away. I couldn’t stand to see him touching her. It was crazy to feel that way. I had no right to, but that didn’t change the facts; facts that I couldn’t examine right now. Facts that I wouldn’t admit to.

“What the hell did you eat?” he asked, breaking their kiss. “Your breath smells horrible.”

I tensed, not only from fear that he would somehow know I took her out to eat, but also from the way he spoke to her; his belittling, demeaning tone enough to deflate the self-esteem of anyone who was already broken and scared. I had to act fast. Divert and distract.

“Hey, why don’t we go inside and have a beer? Catch up for a bit.”

“You don’t know how good that sounds.” His smile returned. “I just need to run Dad’s car back to the station. I had to drop him off there. Some crazy shit went down, and he got called back from our trip a day early.” He gave an exacerbated look and shook his head. “Wanna follow me down there, and I’ll just ride back with you?”

“Sure, man. Let’s go.” I was dying to put some distance between him and Hannah. I’d drive him across the country if it meant keeping her safe and out of his reach.

“You coming with us, babe?” I cringed at his nickname for her but schooled my expression before he could see it. Her eyes darted between us, her mouth tightening with anxiety.

“I was going to get started on your laundry and put your things away. Besides, there won’t be much room for all of us in his truck on the way back.”

“Yeah, you have a point,” he conceded. “Let’s go,” he said to me, dismissing her completely. I gritted my teeth and got in my truck, preparing to follow him to the sheriff’s office, hoping his dad was busy. He was a prick, and I had no desire to catch up with the older Wilder man.

Chapter Six

Hannah

My hands shook, my entire body trembling. The fight or flight response I’d never quite grown accustomed to was wearing off, and it felt like the severe bout of hypoglycemia I experienced with my first diabetes test. They made me drink that horrible syrupy orange concoction, and when I threw it all back up, they insisted I reschedule the test and come back another day. I managed to keep it down the second time, but when it wore off, I nearly passed out from low blood sugar, and my body practically vibrated for a solid twenty minutes. That was what near misses with Drake felt like. Those moments when the tide could turn either way, when he could lose control and hurt me, or I could talk him off the ledge. The anticipation of a fight left me feeling drained and unsteady, my legs wobbly like I’d run a marathon.

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