Page 28 of Leashed

She held out her hand for the phone as he reached over the table and passed it to her, his eyes scanning the screen quickly for her notifications.

Eight missed calls.

Eleven texts.

“Dammit,” she exclaimed, jumping to her feet. “He’s on his way over.” She looked between him and the empty pizza box. “I—”

“I’m on it,” he muttered, scooping up the box and rising to his feet. He walked to the patio doors, slipping his boots on while he rifled through his pocket for his keys. “Thanks for letting me hide out for a bit,” he called over his shoulder, yanking the door shut harder than necessary before he slung his legs over the railing and took the second-story jump down with ease.

He jogged back in the direction of the house party where he’d abandoned his truck, swiping his windshield with his arm to remove the skiff of snow. Dropping into his seat and tossing the pizza box evidence onto the passenger seat, he started the engine and tore onto the road, narrowly avoiding catching his leg in the door as he slammed it shut.

Not the first time you’ve beat it out of a chick’s place before the boyfriend returned.

He hadn’t hesitated when the look of panic crossed Sage’s face.

He knew the fucking drill.

Get your shit. Get out. Go.

The three G’s of being the side-action.

Except the only action he’d gotten had been an accidental brush-up when she passed him on her way to her room after she took a hot shower to rid the chill from her body before the pizza arrived.

And apparently friends didn’t include side-action.

He circled over to the other side of the block, pulling over just out of reach of the park’s lamplight. It didn’t take long for Nixon to pull up, his oversized tires riding up on the sidewalk when he hit the brakes and slid a few feet on the icy street. He watched Sage’s boyfriend get out and storm to the entrance of the complex, thumb pressing hard against the call buttons until he disappeared inside in a huff.

Sage’s patio door slid open and she stepped outside for a moment, scanning the street quickly before she went back inside.

Starting his truck back up, he reclined his seat enough to get comfortable, keeping his attention on her door as he rolled ahead slowly. He pulled his phone from his pocket and debated texting her, tossing it onto the passenger seat when he decided whatever argument they were likely having wouldn’t be helped by him butting in.

Rolling down his window, he killed the engine and listened for sounds of a fight. When the light in Sage’s bedroom turned on, he fired the truck back up and drove off, unable to ignore the snarling beast clawing through his chest, its reach toward her window almost tangible.

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