Page 82 of Fear of Love
With that, the guys led us out of the police station, saying a thank you to the officers. Each one looked at Wyatt, Trevor, and Bryton with unconcealed awe.
“Only you guys would make friends with a police officer,” Wyatt commented as we walked to the empty parking lot.
“She was the best,” Josie said with a nod.
I leaned into Landon’s side as we walked across the parking lot. My eyes were droopy, but I was still feeling pretty good from the alcohol. Give me another hour and we’d see if that changed.
“You okay to take her?” Wyatt asked, looking at Landon.
“I’m all good,” I answered for him, giving Wyatt a thumbs-up. Beside me, Landon sighed.
“I got her.”
As the guys led the girls away, we grinned at one another.
“I love you guys!” Mila called out.
“Love you more!” Tasha said in return.
“Thank you for my party!” Josie yelled as Wyatt tugged her toward his car.
“Byeee!” I called out, waving as I stumbled in my heels. Landon’s arms caught me just in time, steadying me with ease. “I love your arms,” I blurted out randomly as he guided me toward the passenger side of his truck.
He didn’t respond to my compliment as he grabbed me by my waist and lifted me into the seat. “In you go.” I had a wild grin on my face as I looked over at him.
“So strong.” By the shake of his head, he wasn’t amused.
I watched him walk around the truck. The way his jeans hugged his ass was criminal. When he got in and started the truck, I noticed my purse on his wrist.
“Hey, my purse! I wondered where it went.” I reached for it, sliding it off his wrist before digging inside it. “Where are you?” I mumbled under my breath until I found what I was looking for. “Ah ha!” I pulled out a sucker I stashed inside it the other day.
I felt Landon’s stare as I popped it in my mouth.
The truck was silent as Landon drove away from the police station. I didn’t know why but my alcohol-induced brain took that to mean I had to fill the silence.
“I have a big secret to tell you.” My head lolled to the side to stare at Landon’s face, sucker jammed into the side of my cheek. The dashboard lit the side of his face so I could see his nice jawline. My fingers itched to touch it. Even though he didn’t say anything, I continued talking, the words coming out of my mouth ones I hadn’t spoken in years.
“I grew up in the foster system.” Landon’s head turned to look at me. “Yep, I’m a foster kid.”
I never really spoke about my time in the foster care system, yet here in Landon’s dark truck, the words fell from my drunken lips.
“I was seven when my mom dropped me off, addicted to drugs and tired of having to care for me.” Saying the words out loud felt like a knife to the chest.
“I was stuck in a crowded house where no one cared about me, and I had to share a room with two other kids. But at least I had a bed and food.” My voice was calm and unbothered, like I was just talking about the weather and not my life growing up.
“Made friends but they slowly left until I was alone. I worked really hard to get a scholarship to go to uni.” I was full-on rambling now, the words spilling from my lips. “The best daywas when I turned eighteen and could leave. Now look at me.” I gestured to myself. “A successful business woman. I made it.”
While Landon drove, I kept talking. I told him about the time I had to hide my money when I was fifteen so no one could take it. Told him how I counted down the days to my eighteenth birthday so I could leave and be on my own.
I was too busy talking to notice that Landon drove to his apartment instead of mine. He parked the truck in his building’s parking lot.
“Oh, are we gonna have a freaky time?” I asked as I gazed up at the building, not even noticing that I switched subjects.
“Not tonight.” Landon’s voice was a bit softer than before as he helped me out of the truck. He grabbed my purse and placed a gentle hand on my lower back.
“But what if I want freaky time?” My asked in a whine. He led us through the door and into the elevator. Thankfully, there was no one else around to hear my drunken pleas for sex. “I can make it real good.” I purposely swirled my tongue along the sucker as if to entice him.
“I bet you would.”
