“Like what, Tieran? You basically just told me that you don’t think I can handle seeing Gloria again.”
“You’re taking this the wrong way—”
“How else am I supposed to take it?” I explode at him as I cut him off. “You’re fucking babying me when all I want is that bitch’s head on a fucking stick!” I screech as I ball my fists by my sides. “You know what? Ifyoucan’t handle it, then go home. I’ll fucking do it.”
I kick a leg back over the bike and turn the handle, ready to take off like a bat out of hell, when my brother comes over to stand in front of me and puts his hands on the bars.
“Turn the fucking bike off, Hensley.” When I pout at his command, when he sees my lips pucker behind my scarf, he reaches down and turns the key, then removes it from the ignition. A growl escapes me as Tieran slips the key into his back pocket, but when he leans down and gently presses his scarfed lips against mine, I can feel myself already faltering.
“Promise me,” he begins in a gentler tone. “Promise me that when we finally knock on her door, that you’ll be able to go through with it.”
I feel confused and angry all at the same time because I don’t understand where any of this is coming from. Tieran gently cups my face in one of his hands and presses his forehead against mine as a sigh escapes him.
“Promise me,” he pleads again.
“I promise, little brother,” I say to him fondly. “I promise that I’ll be okay. Thatyou’llbe okay.”
He drops his hand from my face and looks away for a moment before nodding and taking the keys out of his pocket. Tieran nods at me to move back so he can get back onto the bike.
As I wrap my arms around his waist when he starts the engine, I swallow down a happy, yet melancholy sigh.
Everything will be okay soon.
___
The sun rises on the horizon and I can feel myself getting sleepy. The little layover we had for gas was also supposed to be to rest for a couple of hours, but that was thwarted by Carra, David, and the street ofthings.
“Tieran? Think we can find somewhere soon to take a nap?” I ask, leaning forward into his ear. I’m too tired to yell or holler anymore and I know I’m going to need my strength for when we finally knock on Gloria’s door.
A door as rotten as her old, used up hole, no doubt.
“Yup,” he replies.
I smile when I can just make out the sound of him stifling a yawn.
He’s tired, too. Rest will do both of us some good.
“Just point out anywhere that looks good for you, okay, Hens?”
I nod as I rest my chin on his shoulder, my eyes scanning decrepit buildings and ramshackle homes as he blasts by them.
Nowhere near where those weird fucking things can find us,I decide as he keeps driving.If we can maybe get to the next town…
CHAPTER13
TIERAN
Feeling Hensley's face close to my back, her arms wrapped around me, I have never felt more content. I know I fucked shit up, not being able to open up with my fears, but all I care about is her happiness and stability.
We drive through a couple more small towns before I get the signal from her that she wants to pull over. I see a hotel on the left and a wooded area on the right, so I pull over to the vacant hotel.
I pull into the empty lot, then turn the engine off. Hensley still looks aggravated. I don't know if that’s because of me or because she’s tired. Eventually, we’ll both rest and feel better. It's the end of the journey that’ll finally make all of this worthwhile.
We walk around to check and make sure each room is empty, so we don't get any unwanted surprises.
"Any preferences on which room?"
She shrugs. "I don't care, as long as I can get some sleep."