Something warm covered my chilled skin, and I crushed my lips together, giving him a subtle nod. I followed his footsteps, like he wanted, feeling the uptick in my emotions with each second we spent together.
It was just like old times: him and me alone, blanketed in darkness, feeling things deep inside that only people like Jane Austen could describe with words.
Cade’s hand found mine just as I stepped over a large stone covered by a thin layer of snow, and he pulled me closer to the quiet cottage. “Are you going to answer my question?”
His shoulders tensed. I could see the muscles tighten through his dark hoodie. “You already know the answer.”
I scoffed under my breath, rolling my eyes. “I see you haven’t changed at all since I’ve been gone, then. Tell me, does Aubrey know anything real about you? Or any other girl you’ve been with? Or is it just me you won’t tell the truth to?”
The second I let my guard down and showed my hurt, I cursed myself. Shit, why did I say that? Cade’s entire body angled toward mine, his dark eyes squinting at me as if I had just slapped him.
“I’m—”
“No,” he said calmly, putting his hands on a dark-green tarp covering something large. “I hope you’re not about to apologize. I deserve it.”
Wait, what?
The tarp was bundled in his reddened fingers. “And to answer your question, you know more about me than anyone. Just because I shielded you from my fucked-up and unethical upbringing does not mean you don’t know me. I’m still the same on the inside.”
“You were raised to kill people.” Right?
His dark gaze was piercing from across the tarp. “No. I was taught to protect people. The only issue is that protecting psychotic people usually leads to killing.” He shook his head so angrily his hood fell back, revealing his perfectly messy hair. “I haven’t killed anyone, Journey. And my father is in prison with Isaiah’s because of the illicit-gun trading and what the FBI had uncovered at the psych hospital when you and Tobias snuck out. That isn’t really my life anymore.”
I stood back with my arms crossed over my chest as he went back to pulling the tarp. “So, why were you so upset about the rumor, then? I heard what you said. You didn’t want anyone thinking I’d had your baby.”
He laughed, finally pulling off the last of the tarp. “Just because I’m not in the lifestyle of killing or illegal gun selling doesn’t mean there aren’t people that are. My dad is a piece of shit, and he has a lot of enemies. Not only could his enemies come after me, but Isaiah, Brantley, and I put our fathers in prison, and we worked with the feds. A large fraction of our deceitful world is angry.” His laughter faded, and he suddenly became serious. “And when those types of criminals get angry, they look for revenge in the worst way possible.”
Oh. Okay, then.
Cade quickly changed the subject as he stepped away, revealing a motorcycle behind him. “We can take this. As much as I don’t want you going back to that place, it’s probably not a bad idea. Because the truth still stands: you’re in danger, and we need to figure out why.”
So, does this mean we’re working together now?
I swallowed, taking a step forward and looking at the gleaming motorcycle. “Is this yours? When did you get a motorcycle, and since when are you allowed to have one on school grounds?”
His lip twitched, and I had to look away so I didn’t fully combust at his bad-boy smirk that I’d grown to love in the past. “Now that’s something that hasn’t changed, Journey. I don’t believe in rules.” He winked, and butterflies flew all the way up to my throat. “And it’s my father’s. So, if the cops were to run the plate, we’d have to dip, but my mom left it behind.”
“Left it behind? Where did she go?”
He cleared his throat, pulling the helmet off the back. He was avoiding my gaze, and that didn’t feel right. “Away from me. That’s where.” The black helmet was suddenly in between us as he held it out, and I took it, trying to ignore the way my heart was creeping toward his. It wasn’t often that I heard melancholy in Cade’s voice. In fact, I don’t think I had ever heard him sound so sad before. It wasn’t the type of sadness that felt desperate, like when he and I had first spoken again. This was different. This was almost in a pensive way. Finished.
“Are you coming or what?”
“Yeah.” I pulled the helmet over my head, tucking my hair inside so it didn’t get in my face. Before Cade hopped on the motorcycle, the tiniest, barely there smile found its way to his mouth as he stepped forward. He towered over me as I tipped my head back, peering up at him.
“Hottest thing I’ve ever seen,” he mumbled, quickly slapping the shield over my eyes.
My cheeks burned at his words, and I already found myself craving more of his whispers in my ear as we stayed hidden away, in the darkness, from everything that surrounded us.