Page 148 of Love Me

I smile and look right into his blue orbits, impossible to pull away from.

“I can’t wait to settle down and escape this corrupt legacy.”

“We will, baby. I promise.”

He pushes himself up with me in his arms. I giggle and snuggle deeper into his body.

“Hmm, I found this sweet little Monchhichi, and as the story goes, if you find one, you keep it for life.”

“Do you now?”

“Yep.”

He kisses the tip of my nose and places me on the bike, a muscle in his jaw ticking.

“I hate limiting our time together.”

Me too.

Kaden throws one leg over the bike, revving up the engine. It purrs under us, a dangerous beast. I place my hands on his ripped abdomen and press my head on his back. I am physically and emotionally exhausted.

He gives my hand a little squeeze. “Do not fall asleep on me.”

He knows me so well. It’s impossible to fall asleep thinking of all the things we’ll do together. Daydreaming beats dreaming in my sleep every damn time.

When we reach the house, we find the group sitting together in the living room around the table, watching the map intently.

“Do you have it?” Kaden asks Blake.

“No, tomorrow.”

Kaden balls his hands at his sides while Blake’s eyes stay on the map.

“Tomorrow. I don’t want to hear any more bullshit excuses.”

Blake gulps down a glass of water, and we all look one more time at the map.

“Now, let’s go to bed. We have a long few days ahead of us.”

He doesn’t say that after this is all over, nothing will be the same. I remember vividly my mother telling my father things don’t always go as planned. I shake my head, shoving the ominous thoughts away.

Mia drags me by the hand toward the kitchen. Abigail follows right behind us.

“So, how was it?” Abi asks.

The girls look at me with sympathy.

“I didn’t cause the accident.”

“Of course you didn’t. Never doubted it,” Mia says.

“Those assholes violating us like this, physically, emotionally, mentally.” Abi’s eyes burn with anger, storming away. I get the impression she went through something much worse than I did.

“Something is wrong,” Mia says as we climb the stairs.

“What?”

“Blake should have gotten the code with no problem.”

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