Did she say the right thing? Does he see potential in her?Am I next?
“Stop being such a spoil sport,” Aftyn tells me softly as he reaches over and gives my shoulder a squeeze. “This was supposed to be a two-person trip to begin with, Wills. Dexter decided he wanted to go home, so I gave him some cash and left him in the restroom. He’ll be fine,” he assures me as he removes his hand and reaches for the pack of cigarettes he placed inside the visor.
“You promise?” I ask him quietly.
He clears his throat as he lights up another smoke and takes a deep drag. When he glances at me, I watch the smoke billow from the corner of his mouth, before his lips turn up into that damn dangerous grin he’s so fond of giving me.
“Scout’s honor.”
* * *
“It’s about fucking time.”
I sit up with a start and let out a groan. I had fallen asleep with Aftyn driving somehow, but apparently, my neck decided to play the old stiffening game while I was out.
Rubbing my eyes tiredly, I blink a few times before they focus on what Aftyn was babbling about.
Ohio Welcomes You to the Heart of it All!
Hokey, but I like it.
For some reason it makes me feel safe in a vehicle where that no longer seems to be an option.
“Want me to take over for a bit?” I ask him in a froggy tone. Aftyn grins at me and I clear my throat, then try again. “Are you still okay to drive, or do you want to hand over the reins?”
“I’m okay,” he replies with a shrug. “You did a lot of the first part, so I don’t mind getting us through and out of Ohio.”
The delicate sound of someone covering a cough from the back of my SUV greets my ears and I lean around the seat to smile, when I’m met with a stark reminder that Dexter is no longer with us, but rather some red-haired, pretty little bitch that’s probably here to take my place.
My mouth tightens into a line as Daphne and I stare at each other before I turn back around and reach down for my purse that’s settled between my feet. I pull it up into my lap and begin to fish around until I find the small, clear bottle of hand sanitizer, then toss it over my head and hide a smirk when I hear the dullthunkof it cracking her in the skull.
“Thanks,” she replies cheerfully as the top flicks open and I cringe. I don’t want her to thank me, I want her to fight back so I can show Aftyn who the alpha is here.
Because it’s definitely not you or her,I think as I steal a glance at him through narrowed eyes.
Aftyn seems to have slipped into his oblivious mode. I don’t mind it sometimes, although it can take forever to get him to start paying attention to whatever is needed when he does.
It’s his quiet moment time and I usually don’t like to bother him when he’s like this, however, he bothered me first by leaving Dexter behind and bringing this bitch in his place.
“So, Aftyn,” I begin slowly.
“What’s up, Wills?” he asks in a distracted tone as he suddenly accelerates and swerves around the car in front of us that he decided was going too slow. I brace myself by placing a hand on the console and digging into the interior roof with my other hand.
“Um…”Fuck. I didn’t expect him to actually answer me. Think, Willa. Keep him with you instead off in la-la land.“Anymore text messages?”
“Wouldn’t be able to tell you; I’m driving, remember?” he replies in an icy tone.
I lean back in my seat and sigh.
It seems that this is definitely a soft spot in his armor, though I know that after years of being Aftyn’s friend, that nothing is ever as it seems.
Whatever is bothering him about going to see his father has nothing to do with anything he’s told me, and it only makes me even more curious.
Although…
“Do you think that he’s going to be impressed with a stranger in his house?” I ask pointedly.
If you can’t play nice, then neither will I.