“It’s better for everyone if I disappear for a while.” Zipping up the backpack, I tossed my key on top of the safety deposit box and headed for the door. “If I’m not around, the press shouldn’t bother you or Quinn or the MC at all.”
“You’re not fucking leaving me,” he bellowed as he followed me out of the vault.
Ten different pairs of eyes jerked to us, but I kept walking, head held high. “You have no say in what I do,” I reminded him as I walked through the revolving front door and hurried toward the nearby internet café.
“The fuck, I don’t. I’m not just going to let you walk away, Kell.” His long strides kept up with me effortlessly. “Whatever happens, we can face it together. The club can help me protect you.”
I stopped outside the café’s entrance and faced him. “The club isn’t going to protect me, Colt. They won’t want anything to do with the circus show that will be following me around after this. I know you. I know where your loyalties lie. If you have to choose between them and me, I know I’m not going to come out victorious in that battle. It’s okay. I understand. All I’m saying is that it’s better for everyone if I’m not around you and your people right now.”
“Why do you think I would choose them?” he asked, his voice lowering as he stepped closer. “Why would you say that?”
I scoffed at his ridiculousness. “Really? You need to ask me that, when you’ve already shown me plain as day that the club is the most important aspect of your life?” Shaking my head, I tried to smile, but I knew it didn’t come across. “I’m realistic. No one has ever picked me first in my entire life, and I don’t bet on it changing now—or ever.”
“Kelli—”
“I don’t have time to argue with you right now, Colt! This is important.” Pushing past him, I walked into the café and uploaded the files to send to the direct email for the editor. Ten minutes later, I breathed a sigh of relief as I got the text from the man saying he would make sure the money would be donated in my mother’s name that evening.
My life had officially turned around, but I wasn’t sure if it was for the better.
Definitely for the worse for Calvin, though.
And that was all that really mattered to me in that moment.
Chapter 20
Colt
With each mile that took us back to Creswell Springs, the urge to grab Kelli and pull her across my knee to spank those stupid ideas right out of her only grew. She was out of her fucking mind if she thought I was just going to let her walk away. No matter what happened with what she just did, I wasn’t letting her go.
“Where will you go?” I demanded as we neared the Trinity County line. I’d argued with her until I was blue in the face, but she hadn’t argued back. Not one smartass word out of her luscious mouth. Which was totally unlike Kelli. It was like she wasn’t even hearing me, and it was making my palms sweat.
“What?” she asked distractedly.
“Where will you go?” I repeated frustratedly. “You mentioned Mexico. What’s your plan for once you get there?”
She shrugged as she used her signal to turn. “I’ll wing it.”
“Baby, don’t go. Let me protect you.” I wasn’t above pleading with her, begging on my knees if I had to. She was so damn stubborn, but she was also fragile. She needed me just as much as I needed her—maybe even more. I wanted to take care of her, protect her, fight the fucking world and her father for her.
“You can’t protect me,” she replied in a small voice. “I’ve made my choices, Colt. Stop trying to change my mind. It won’t work.”
I gritted my teeth, racking my mind for the words that would sway her without having to use bodily force to keep her with me. But my head was blank of everything except the growing panic at the idea of the woman I loved running away without me to protect her.
Swallowing my curses, I looked out the side window, watching the familiar scenery pass by as we got closer to Creswell Springs.
“Who the hell is that?” she muttered half under her breath.
“Who is what?” I groused, glancing at her.
Her gaze was on the rearview mirror, her brow pinched as she watched whatever was behind us. I turned my head, curious as to what she was seeing. All I saw was a nondescript black SUV that was slightly smaller than my sister’s. “Who’s where, babe?”
“That SUV was behind us on the interstate. It’s been keeping its distance, but I swear it’s the same one that was behind us the whole time.” She made an unnecessary turn, keeping her cool as she watched the road in front of her without speeding.
I kept my eyes on the rear window, and sure enough, the SUV made the same turn but still kept a good distance between us. “Turn left up ahead, then make another left and a right,” I commanded as I pulled my cell from my pocket.
Bash answered on the first ring. “Yeah?” he asked distractedly.
“Got a tail, brother. Don’t want to bring them back to the clubhouse, but I’m gonna need some backup.”