Page 66 of The Obvious Check

“Uh…”

“Come on, Sav,” I press, keeping my voice light. “You working there sucks enough. Let me at least drop you off and pick you up. That way, I know you’re safe.”

She exhales, shifting on her feet. “O-okay.”

Relief loosens the tight knot in my chest. I take her hand again and give it a gentle squeeze. “Will you promise to also think about my offer?”

Her lips part slightly, but she doesn’t say anything.

I push forward. “You don’t have to decide right now, but if it helps get your sister back… why not?”

Silence stretches between us. She looks down, then away, then back at me. I hold my breath, waiting.

Finally, she exhales, her shoulders sinking ever so slightly. “Okay,” she whispers.

I don’t move, don’t speak.

Then, so quietly I almost miss it, she says, “I’ll think about it.”

Think about it.

It’s not a yes.

But it’s not a no, either.

And for now, that’s enough.

Chapter 16

“…if it helps get your sister back… why not?”

My hands shake as I use the old blush pad on my cheeks, making it impossible to look remotely good. Not that I care what any of these guys think, but I don’t want to draw any attention from Luke tonight.

“Dammit.”

I pull the pad away, flexing my fingers, trying to steady my hand, but it does nothing.

“Get your shit together, Savannah,” I chastise myself sharply.

My mind is spinning; my thoughts tangled in knots I can’t seem to untie. Questions pile on top of each other, each one more overwhelming than the last.

What am I even waiting for? Some kind of divine intervention?

I doubt that’s going to happen in the grimy dressing room atBehind Closed Doors.

Marry Cade.

The statement repeats in my head, as ridiculous as it is. The idea is absurd. Impossible.Completelyunthinkable.

And yet… My gaze flicks to my bag, to the large purple ring pop inside—the one I couldn’t bring myself to throw away because it means something to me.

I should be laughing at the entire proposition.

Iamlaughing, shaking my head at how utterly insane it is. I can’t marry Cade. Ican’t.

We hardly know each other. I only just accepted living with him a day ago, marrying him would be an entirely new level of crazy, but then if it’s such an insane offer and I know I’m going to say no, why am I sitting here still thinking about it?

Because of Adley.

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