Page 62 of Better Run
I swallow. Cole finally takes his hand out of my pants and jumps out of the car. He offers it to me like a gentleman. I don’t take it and jump out. He grabs my hand and pulls me to him, kissing my forehead. To all the world, looking like a couple of people in love. He doesn’t let go of my hand.
People hurry through the parking lot to get out of the cold. It feels odd to be back in society. I realize that real life has continued on without me. Was anyone even looking for me? I know Kyle and Carissa are. They would have raised hell, blasting my face all over social media. Would my followers be looking for me too?
They walk me to the women’s section of the store. I look around half-heartedly. “I don’t have any money,” I mutter.
Jayden gives me a look. “I’m buying. Get what you need.”
I pick out some warm sweaters that look like they’ll be hard to rip and some cheap shirts too. I throw a pair of shoes on the pile that Jayden is carrying, and he doesn’t say anything. I toss some warm socks on too. As I’m looking at some panties since I’m tired of only having a few pairs, an old woman with a Walmart vest bustles up and starts stocking the shelves near me.
“Can I help you with anything?” She smiles at me.
I freeze. Her old eyes look so kind. Like she would help me. I flick my glance at the two men a few feet away. They’re watching me. Jayden raises an eyebrow.
“No. Thanks.”
“Alright.” She keeps stocking the shelves.
I grab whatever panties were in front of me and throw them at Jayden. I can’t even look at them. This is so fucked up. I didn’t pick out a coat, but I’m over it. “Let’s go,” I mutter.
They guide me up to the self-checkout.
“Hey momma,” a man’s voice slurs.
I look around. The guy in his early 40s in the checkout next to us is looking at me. His eyes are glossy, but he’s dressed in a nice pair of jeans and a plaid shirt.
Cole steps between us and grabs my hand again.
“Wow, rude,” he grumbles. “I was just trying to say hi. I didn’t mean anything by it.” The man finishes checking out and mutters under his breath as he leaves.
I glare at Cole, but he isn’t looking at me. He’s staring at where the man walked out. Jayden finishes, and we also walk out. A blast of cold air takes my breath away. I’m walking slightly behind the men, trying to cling to the warmth a minute longer.
Suddenly a hand squeezes my shoulder. I turn to see the man again. He must have waited for us to walk out. “You okay, baby?” His grip is harsh and his strong cologne fills my nose. “I can treat a pretty thing like you better than that asshole.”
I’m ripped away, and before I can process it, all I see is Jayden’s black shirt. He speed-walks me back to the truck and practically tosses me and my clothes in. He starts the truck and takes off.
“Wait,” I look out the back. He left Cole. We tear out of the lot.
I look at Jayden. There’s a level of anger on his face that scares me. He looks ready to kill. We fly down the road. I notice a small sedan with dim lights right behind us. Did he think I tried to pass a message to the man?
I shake. This is it. This is where they hurt me.
“Did he hurt you?” The words come through his gritted teeth.
“What? No.”
He drives in charged silence. I see the vein on his neck pulsing. We get into the wooded area again. I turn around and see the same dim headlights.
Suddenly Jayden whips the car to the side of the road. I scramble to stay sitting up. He gets out of the truck and slams the door closed.
I also get out, seeing that the other car has stopped behind us. Cole steps out of the passenger side. He has the man from the store at gunpoint. Jayden rips the driver’s door open and yanks the man out like he weighs nothing.
“What the hell! I didn’t do nothing.” The man’s hands are in front of his face and he tries to back away. With one hand, Jayden throws him into the hood of the car and leans into him. “Howdareyou touch our woman.”
His voice vibrates in the dark, angry and low.
“What? I didn’t know!” The man glances at me, then between the two men. Cole has a wicked grin on his face.
“If you want the car, take it. I swear to God I didn’t know.”
