Page 24 of Make Me Stay

He walked off and I followed.I waved at Frank and followed him into the small office. The familiar scent of tires and oil burned my nose, but it also relaxed me. I flopped down on his ancient club chair in front of his metal desk.

Damn close to the same desk that got me into this mess.

I slammed my eyes shut at the thought of her bent over her desk, then I raked my fingers through my hair, tugging at the roots.

“That good?”

I opened my eyes to a sweating can. I took it and cracked the top, taking a sip. “Thanks.”

“You worried that Wyatt will whip your ass?”

“Some. More worried that I think I’m in love with her.”

Ripley’s eyebrows shot up as he slowly sank into his chair. “That changes things.”

“Yeah.” I kicked out my legs, slumping down in the chair. “I’m no good for her. I’ll be gone in a few weeks and Lex is pure blood Valley. It’s fucking stupid.”

“Maybe it’s a sign to stop running, little brother.”

“Who says I’m running? I like my life, going where I want, when I want.”

He folded his arms, resting the can on his forearm. “Sure. Sounds good when you’re twenty. Not so much when thirty is staring at you with bright ass headlights.”

“I still got some years before thirty, asshole.”

“Not as many as twenty.”

I took a sullen sip.

“Look, Kai, you know I’ve always been the one to tell you to do what you need to.”

“Yeah, I know.” Rip had been the one to back me up when I’d broke it to our parents that I was leaving.

“Maybe you need home. Indigo Valley isn’t the monster you made it out to be. It may run a little slower, but your family is here and maybe Lex is meant to add to that.”

“We just got together. Don’t go marrying us off.”

He laughed. “You’ve had a thing for Lexi for a long time. She just opened the gate, you were ready to run in.”

“How the hell would you know that?”

“You’re not denying it.”

I huffed out an annoyed breath. “It’s probably just lust talking. I have sex brain.”

“Sure. Maybe.” Rip lifted his boots onto his desk and crossed them. “Or you might have met your match.”

I set the can on his desk and got up. “That’s ridiculous.” I headed for the door.

“Running again.” Rip grinned around his boots. “Well, off you go. Run, rabbit, run.”

I slammed the door, my anger spiking at his barking laugh through the glass. I stalked to my truck and jumped in, gunning the engine as I turned onto Hope Street, pointing my truck out of town.

I turned onto the highway. I should just keep going.

Head north and just keep going toward Maine or something. One place I hadn’t really explored. I could get lost in the wilderness up there and leave behind Lexi.

Leave behind the cloying feelings that twisted up my guts.

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