Page 12 of Dark Knight

Isee how Bea’s fingers fidget in her lap, contrary to her stoic demeanor. Staring straight ahead, expressionless, her body eerily still. If not for those fingers, I wouldn’t pick up on how nervous she is.

What I don’t understand is what’s got her so uneasy. We had a good morning; she and Sawyer made breakfast over the fire while I packed up our supplies. We didn’t stop at the cabin her family is renting. She didn’t ask to, and I didn’t offer. I didn’t want to give her a choice to go back to them. With enough pressure, she might have, and that just wouldn't do.

I realize it makes me selfish and probably manipulative, but I need her—not them. I don’t fucking know what they want with her, but it’s not anything good. Me, though, I want to give her the world. I want to see her smile, to laugh with her. To hear her moaning my name while I’m balls deep in her tight cunt. I crave her. Obsessively.

Imagining a day without her is untenable. Despite the fact we barely know each other, my soul calls to her, and something inside of her must resonate with it because she hasn’t asked or shown any indication that she wishes to leave my side.

Sawyer has been abnormally quiet, as well, staring out the window from his seat in the back. The kid is crazy intuitive, and it has a lot to do with how he grew up. He recognizes another’s anxiety as if it were his own.

“Hey, kid, why don’t you tell Bea about the treehouse.” The suggestion has him grinning from ear to ear. He and Noelle were entirely in the dark when Holden and I began working on that beast over the end of last summer, almost as soon as they moved in with my friend.

“It’s almost the size of my room!” he begins, leaning forward to see more of Bea’s face as she turns slightly to listen to him. “It has a skylight in it, too. There’s a couch and game table. And Dad says he’s going to put in a TV and gaming console as soon as he can convince Mom.” He continues to chatter on, and his excitement over the project begins to relax Bea.

He engages her, and she asks all kinds of questions; even makes a couple of suggestions that have Sawyer bouncing in his seat. The idea of a play area for his soon-to-be brother or sister is his favorite. The moat is a close second.

Before long, we pull into their driveway, and I notice Holden and Noelle sitting in the swing on the front porch.

“Mom!” Sawyer jumps out of the vehicle as soon as I shut the engine off. “Bea had the best idea for the baby!” The door slams and I see her tension reappear.

“Come on, let me introduce you.” Noelle is listening raptly as Sawyer goes on and on about what they were talking about. Knowing Bea has to go at her own pace, I get out and retrieve the kid's stuff from the back for Holden as she works up the courage to meet my family.

“She okay in there?” Holden asks as I drop the tailgate.

“Yeah,” I respond, my eyes not leaving the back of her head. “Just needs a minute.”

Slamming the truck bed door shut after gathering everything, I help him bring Sawyer’s bag, tent, and the cooler Noelle sent with us up to the porch. “Sounds like he had a blast.” Noelle smiles up at me, her eyes wandering back to Bea sitting in my truck, raising an eyebrow in question.

“Bud, why don’t you take this stuff inside? Put your dirty clothes in the laundry room,” Holden tells him, and the kid rushes off to do as he’s asked.

“Holden didn’t say much about your…friend.” Noelle’s inquisition is curious rather than critical.

“Don’t know much.”

“Enough forhimto be up half the night digging into her and her family for you.” Her brows raise in challenge. She doesn’t say it to be mean, but I hear the concern in her tone.

“Things haven’t been easy for her.” Turning when I hear the truck door open, I stride towards her with a smile on my face.

“I’m sorry,” Bea whispers as I reach for her hand.

I give her a lop-sided look. “Why?”

“Cause I’m broken. I can’t do anything normally.” Her self-deprecation has me grinding my molars. I’d like to smack every member of her family around a few times for what they’ve done to her.

Cupping her cheek with my free hand, I lean my head against hers. “You don’t ever have to be sorry about a fucking thing, especially when trying to break out of the habits they forced on you.” Pressing my lips to hers, I linger for a minute before pulling away. “Noelle and Holden are good people. You can count on them for anything.” I try to implore her how important it is for her to understand that, but back off when she can only stare up at them.

“Hi, Bea, I’m Noelle. Sawyer has had quite a bit to say about you.” Noelle welcomes her with a smile as she pats the seat next to her on the swing.

“Thank you. He talked about you both quite a bit this weekend.” She’s skittish as she sits, gripping the chain holding the swing to the porch.

“He’s a good kid,” Holden says, sounding cranky as always. Bea doesn’t look up at him as she nods her head. “Let’s go grab the ladies some sweet tea, Nol.”

Following behind my best friend, I know he’s got something to tell me. And from the rigid set of his shoulders, I’m not going to like it.

Leaving the women on the porch, we pass Sawyer as he’s unloading his stuff before stopping in the kitchen, where Holden flips a laptop around to show me the screen.

“Well, this is going to be fucking fun,” I grunt, staring at the arrest warrant out for me.

“It’s on hold for the moment because of a friend, but you have forty-eight hours max to do whatever you need to for that girl before the police are knocking down your door.”

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