Promises Promises

Chapter 14

The next day, I was walking out of work. Still thinking about Spence and the conversation we had, my heart feeling achy like an overworked muscle.

Would things ever be right with us again? I wasn't entirely sure.

The only bright side was that Leann was waiting for me and we were going to pick up my car. It was her day off and she had a date in a couple hours, but best friends always come through, and mine was a blue-haired rockstar. I couldn't thank her enough for–

Completely betraying me?

Because it wasn't her waiting for me at all?

The sound that fled my mouth was somewhere between a sigh and a cry of agony. This can't be happening.

As I approached Leann's usual parking spot outside the police department, her SUV was nowhere to be seen, replaced instead by Spence and his insufferable motorcycle.

"Hi there." I crossed my arms over my chest, not giving him a chance to return my sarcastic greeting before I looked his bike over from wheel to wheel and gave him a firm, "No."

Spence laughed, ignoring me entirely as he held his spare helmet out. "Hop on."

Those two words flitted around in my stomach, almost distracting me from the goal. "No," I repeated myself.

He pushed the helmet against my still crossed arms. "Like you have a choice."

"I already have a ride."

"No, you don't."

As soon as he said that, my phone buzzed with a text.

Leann: BTW, Spencer is taking you to pick up your car. I'm sorry but he made me an offer I couldn't refuse.

I stared at the words on my screen, hands tightening around my phone and irritation building in my chest. I couldn't begin to think of what he offered her for this, but I wasn't even surprised that it worked and that he was here and that my other options were sitting at zero because Dante hadn't responded to any of my texts in days.

Fuck my life, again.

Glancing up at Spence, I took the helmet from his hands. "I told you, you're not the person I call for these things anymore."

"And look at that," he responded, his tone a mix of sarcasm and bitterness and humor. "I'm letting you know that you don't even have to call. All you have to do is express a fucking need."

"And you'll resort to hijacking?"

"If that's what it takes to keep you safe," he said, mounting his bike and patting the spot behind him. "Now, hop on, Davina."

With no other ideas or useful resources, only the need to get to my car as soon as possible, I did as he said. Just like I used to, all those summer nights ago. When he got me on the back of his Ducati and gave me my first taste of freedom, set against a canvas of beautiful sunsets and the warmth of his body. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little excited to experience that again.

The freedom and the sunsets. Not the warmth of his body.

I shifted around on the seat, familiarizing myself with the feel of it and trying to remember the best hand placement for when I would inevitably have to reach around and hold onto Spence. I was so fucking nervous, I made a fist once and then twice, before wiping my hands on my jeans, sweaty palms sliding against smooth denim. I couldn't gather my thoughts.

When I took too long to put my arms where they belonged, Spence made a sound suspiciously like laughter. Then he reached back, taking my hands into his and pulling my arms forward to wrap around his waist.