Page 28 of Sinister Hearts
I heard something tumble in the bushes beside me and turned my phone flashlight on. “Who’s there, asshole?” I shouted, internally wanting to scream and possibly shit myself. But I had no time for fear. I caught reflective, beady glowing eyes hiding in the bush, glaring right at me in the pitch black darkness. I screamed, attempting to run back to the saloon. I glanced back and there it was—a huge black bird coming out of the bush. “Oh my fuck, you’re just a bird.” I laughed at myself. A raven to be exact. The bird cawed at me as it flew away. I’m so over this night it’s not even funny.¡Chingada madre! (Motherfucker!)
It was late and I knew Ma would be asleep with Birdie by now. I refused to wake them, so I started walking. Rocky was doing a shift at the hospital morgue this week so I had to choose; walk home, or stay here. I knew I could call Jax and he’d be there at a drop of a hat, but the truth was, I wasn’t ready to explain everything to him when I didn’t understand it myself.
Five minutes into walking home, I spotted bright headlights. They were headed right towards me and I immediately grew cautious. What if it was a serial killer? Nobody would find me. My body would be eaten by the coyotes. My child, motherless. They zoomed right past me, and a sigh of relief bestowed me. Then the truck abruptly stopped, my heart dropped to my ass. I froze in a state of panic. The truck backed up and rolled down their window.
Not a serial killer… worse. Jax fucking Grimwood. Exactly the last person I wanted to see.
“What’s a gal doing out here alone, walking in the middle of nowhere?” Jax tipped his hat to me.
I sighed, nearly relieved. “Someone vandalized my damn car.” I looked back at it, disappointed and hopeless.
Jax’s face became dark and solemn. “Get in,” opening the door.
“I can walk, Jax, it’s only fifteen minutes from here,” I said, trying to sound convincing.
“Faye, get in the truck. Now.” he demanded, staring at me with stern eyes. This man was relentless.
I rolled my eyes and hopped in his lifted black Dodge diesel. “What are you doing up at three a.m.?” I asked him. “Suspiciously hiding bodies, hmm?” I eyed him sideways. At this point I didn’t trust anyone.
“Nope, not today.” He smirked. “I’m a farmer, Faye, or did you forget?” Jaxon gazed at me intently from behind his wheel, making my breath hitch.
Right… that. I nodded my head subtly. “No, I didn’t forget,” I replied, an awkward silence taking over.
“I have to make my way to Miguel’s to pick up my trailer.”
“I don’t want you going out of your way more than you have to, just drop me off after,” I said, relief settling inside of me, feeling safe.
“Alright,” he said, looking at the dirt road. We hadn’t seen each other, well, since the time I came on his bike and gave him a handjob.Awkward.
It was silent the whole way to Miguel’s, who’s been the Grimwood’s neighbor for decades. Jax latched his trailer to his truck while I sat inside, trying not to look at his muscles in the rearview mirror. The way they flexed and moved with his body had me feeling flush. He caught me staring in the mirror and I glanced away as fast as I could, playing it off.Fuck, why was this so weird.
Jax made his way back into the truck. “You hungry?” he asked me.
“Yeah, I’m starving actually.” It was true. The last thing I had eaten was this evening before my shift. My stomach grumbled in protest.
We went to Yolanda’s drive-thru where they served twenty-four hour burritos, the best in Grimstone.
“Here’s some cash,” I said, scrounging through my purse.
Jax looked at my money, then at me in absolute disgust. “Don’t ever insult me like that again.” He looked at my money like it was beneath him to take it from me, and I couldn’t help but feel a flutter in my chest as he handed me my burrito.
“I haven’t had one of these in years, they’re my favorite,” I said, famished, unwrapping it like a present.
“I know,” he said, short and dry.
I looked at him in silence as we drove off. “Where are we going, Ma’s house is the other direction? I knew you were a serial killer!” I gasped, chuckling.
“It’s a surprise. Just hush and enjoy the ride, will you?” Jax turned to me, eating his burrito behind the wheel.
“Fine, but only because you got me a Yolanda’s carne asada burrito,” I said jokingly. Jax smiled at me as I melted right there in his diesel.Contain yourself, Faye,I told myself. There would be no rubbing of cocks today. No, I really needed to break my silence on the weird shit that was happening to me. My coochie was drying at the thought of all of it.Such a cock block.
We pulled up to Skull Canyon where the sun was rising. “Wow, this is a view.” I was in awe of the silhouettes kissing the mountains. Jax looked at me, intense and warm.
“It sure is.” He smirked, and gazed deeply into my soul as it quivered. I swallowed hard, trying not to choke on my burrito. Jax took out a wool blanket and put it on the bed of his truck, and we sat in silence eating, taking in the pastel sunrise. “Can’t Stop Loving You”by Teddy Swimsstarted playing through his truck speakers. Jax put his burrito down and took out his hand, as if asking me to dance.
“No,” I said, shaking my head, trying to wipe the burrito from my mouth.
“Come on, Faye, dance with me,” he asked softly, looking at me with those puppy dog eyes. I grabbed his calloused hands as we danced close, and swayed with the music, dancing as the earth awoke along with my somber spirit. He dipped me and I laughed as the sun’s rays beamed on me, their warmth defrosting my spirit.
