“Car trouble, dude. I’ve got to go.”
“You need a hand?” He points in the direction I was heading.
“Not a chance. She still doesn’t know you’re in town.”
Josey widens his eyes and nods his head. “Ah. I got it. She’s a feisty one, though, I’d be careful keeping secrets from her.”
Ain’t that the damn truth. I fucking hate that I haven’t told her about what’s going on. I just want to attempt to have some kind of solution to the problem before I spring it on her. The last thing I want her to be concerned about is how to help me. I should be the one taking care of her, not the other way around.
“I’ll catch you later, man.” My sights land on Luciano as he pretends to clean off a table; in reality he’s eyeing us from his place inside the diner.
There’s something seriously off about that guy, and once I figure out how to live a little longer, I’m going to find out what his deal is.
I jog the rest of the way to Claire’s location, pleased with my ability to not completely get out of breath despite the lack of exercise since my near-death experience.
Claire jumps out when she sees me. “Why did you come from that direction?” She narrows her gaze at me immediately.
“What?” Fuck. “I was uh—out for a walk, when you called.” I tap on the trunk. “Will you pop it so I can grab the spare?”
She reaches down and pulls the latch but doesn’t take her eyes off of me. “Johnny.”
I lift up the mat in the back and sigh in relief at the sight of the full-size spare. At least I won’t have to track down a tire shop and get a replacement. One less problem despite the many others piling up.
Claire leans her hip on the side of the car and crosses her arms. “Where were you?”
This is my moment to come clean. To tell her about Josey. About Franklin. The note he left in the mailbox of our old apartment. To confess that I’m scared, that I’m completely in over my head and I’m not sure how I’m going to get us out of this mess. To apologize for ever getting her involved in the first place. To drop to my knees and beg her for forgiveness for everything I’ve put her through since she met me. To stomach the pain of watching her walk away when she realizes there’s no coming back from the darkness Franklin has consumed us in.
My mouth opens, ready to say the words I’ve held in for far too long. Instead, I blurt out, “Can you grab that tool kit?”
“Seriously?” Claire snatches it out of the trunk and tosses it onto the ground next to me.
It clangs loud enough to gather the attention of the two college kids on the opposite side of the street.
“What happened to us being a team?”
Without looking, I can tell there are tears in her eyes—a sixth sense developed from loving someone so fucking intensely.
I focus on the task at hand, walking around her and getting the jack out of the trunk, bringing it around, and positioning it in place.
“You’re not even going to say anything?” This time, there’s anger in her voice.
It’s not at all misplaced. I’d be pissed at me, too.
“Can we talk when we get home?” I don’t dare tilt my head up at her because I know the second I see her face I’ll lose every single bit of strength left in me. “Please.”
“Whatever.” She turns on her heel and takes off, kicking up a trail of wet debris in her wake.
“Claire.” I sigh and stand. “Wait.”
Somehow, this stops her. “I need a moment away from you.” There’s so much hurt written across her delicate features. “I’ll be home soon. Right now, I just need some space.”
That familiar tether pulls taut, threatening to rip my heart in two. How did I let things get this out of control? To the point that she doesn’t want to be around me. All because I wanted to keep her safe.
I run my hand through my stupid short hair, gawking as she disappears around the corner and out of sight.
I will let her go, for now. She’s not in any immediate danger with Franklin still in place. She just needs to cool down. Then she’ll come back to me, and I’ll tell her anything she wants to know. I refuse to allow anything else to break us apart.