Page 34 of Tainted Rose

Scarlett

Iguess it should come as no surprise after Saturday’s conversation, but Xander and I are on somewhat friendly terms right now. I feel better having had the chance to tell him to fuck off, and he seems to have rolled with it, understanding that I needed to be in control for a minute, needed to be the one to push him away. While it’s nice to feel like I’d done the right thing by telling him to back off, I know he wants me the same way I want him. I swear, we’re like addicts who keep coming back for more of each other.

No matter what my heart tells me it wants, I wish he’d be forthright with whatever he’s keeping from me. It makes me hesitate. Makes me cautious with the one person I’m inexplicably drawn to in a way I’ve never been drawn to anyone else. When I look deep inside, I’m not sorry about my attraction to him—not for a second. But man, I wish he’d talk to me.

For days I’ve tried to figure out what he’d meant when he said he wishes he could tell me. He’s hiding something, but is it more than the revelation about Sebastian being my father? I can’t fall back into his arms again without an explanation, no matter how much I want to.

Tuesday evening, I mindlessly scoop one ice cream cone after another at Teri & Terry’s. I sigh, wiping my hands on my apron as the last customer takes their ice cream, makes their payment, and leaves the shop.

I wander into the back to find Terry, hiking my apron over my head as I walk. “Hey. I’m taking off, if that’s okay?”

He glances up at me. “Yep. Do me a favor and flip the lock on the front door and then you’re free as a bird.”

I smile. “Great. Did you need me at all this weekend? I have another meet on Saturday, but I could come in on Sunday if you need me to work an extra shift.”

“I heard you were amazing at the last meet.”

“Thanks. Just doing what I like to do, I guess.”

He eyes me carefully. “You know what? Take the weekend off. You seem tired lately.”

My teeth graze my lower lip, and my eyes cast down. Jeez, even Terry can tell I’m off my game. “Okay. And thanks. I appreciate it. See you Thursday.”

After locking up, I grab my bag from the employee’s area in the back and head out to the parking lot. When I get to Ruth, I unlock her and climb in. After plucking my phone out of my back pocket, I decide to check my text messages before I take off. I’m definitely not one to text and drive. That’s just stupid.

I see movement out of the corner of my eye, and my head jerks up. My heart jumps and then thuds back into place when I realize it’s only Terry locking up. He takes a second to wave at me, then hurries to his car as soon as I wave back. He hops in and zips out of the parking lot, no doubt eager to get back to Teri at home.

Somehow, as I’m about to turn the key in the ignition, I know the truck isn’t going to start. Call it an odd premonition, but Ruth sputters and dies. Crap. I try to start her again. Nothing. I lower my forehead to the steering wheel, and breathe for a few seconds. I huff out a frustrated sigh as I straighten and pull up Uncle David’s contact info to call. It rings through to his voice mail, so I hang up and try Aunt Liz. Come on, come on, come on. The phone rings, irritating in my ear, until Liz’s voice mail picks up. Cringing, I say, “Hey. It’s Scarlett. Ruth won’t start, and I’m stuck at work. I don’t know what’s wrong. Terry already left and, um— Call me back. I’m— Um. I guess I’m going to start walking home.”

I look around at the dark parking lot. The single bulb over the back door of the shop gives off hardly any light. Great. Totally creepy. Swallowing hard, I push the truck’s door open, its hinges creaking angrily. Yeah. Me too, girl. I reach across the seat for my bag and phone and slide out. I slam the door with more force than necessary and lock up. Shit. I can’t believe this.

At the front of the building, I look up and down the street for a few seconds before taking off. I guess it’s too much to hope that my aunt or uncle would have gotten my message already and zoomed to the rescue. Just what I need at the end of a long day. I take off at a good pace in the direction of our house, constantly scanning around me. After a while, I pull out my phone and try Aunt Liz again. Still no answer. That’s when it hits me: this morning they’d told me that they were having a date night at some restaurant in the next town over. I’m definitely going to have to walk all the way home.

I hear the rumble of a vehicle approaching from behind me. I glance over my shoulder and spot a large, dark-gray truck. I turn back around and lower my gaze to the sidewalk in front of me and continue walking. The truck slows and rolls along next to me, making a cold shiver skid down my spine. I pick up my pace, but the car stays with me. Oh, shit. I try to stay composed and not panic. My eyes dart over to the side. If I take off into the woods, is someone going to get out of that vehicle and chase me down? I’m about to take my chances, trusting in the fact that I’m a well-trained runner and know my body and what I’m capable of, when an SUV approaches from the opposite direction, stops, and honks. The truck beside me takes off like a shot. I try to get a look at the plates, but only catch the first three letters—ZXT. I stare after the taillights as it speeds away from me and around the next corner. The sound of the window coming down on the driver’s side of the stopped SUV has my attention whipping back toward it. I give a sigh of relief when none other than Xander stares at me from the driver’s seat.

No matter our history, the only thing I want to do at this moment is to run to him. So I do.

Xander hauls ass out of his Cadillac Escalade, leaving it running while his door hangs open. In the middle of the road, he catches me tightly in his arms. “What the fuck was that all about?”

I shake my head against his sturdy chest. “I don’t know. I couldn’t see who was inside the truck.” His arms around my body may be both literally and figuratively holding me together—the only thing keeping me from seriously wigging out.

“What are you doing out here walking in the dark like this?” His voice is gruff and curious.

I have an immediate flashback to another recent night I’d had to make my way home in the dark. At least I had my wits about me this time. My teeth sink into my lower lip for a second before I answer. “It’s not the first time I’ve had to do it, Xander.”

His body stiffens for a second before he relaxes again. His lips are in my hair at the top of my head. “I know, Red. And I’m so sorry for it. But, baby, why are you walking tonight?”

It’s crazy scary how quickly we slip back into couple-mode. I don’t know if he realizes he called me baby. “My truck wouldn’t start, and I couldn’t reach my aunt and uncle.”

“You should have called me.” He speaks into my hair, giving me shivers. “I know trust is an issue for us right now, but—”

“I don’t like bothering people.” I pull back to stare up at him. “What are you doing out here, anyway? Stalking me?” I laugh a little, trying to make a joke. Judging by the stony expression on his face, it flops pretty hard. I poke him in the ribs. “I was teasing you.”

He sighs. “It’s all good. I deserve that and probably worse from you.” He guides me to his vehicle. “Anyway, no. Mom sent me out for Children’s Tylenol for Janie. Come on, let me take you home.”

“Oh. Is she sick?” A weird feeling winds its way through my stomach.

“She’s got a touch of something. Probably a virus. My mom swears I was never sicker than the year I started school.”

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