Page 24 of Hide and Keep

The corners of Crue’s eyes tighten but he only nods in response.

“You always did like mixing business with pleasure, didn’t ya?”

“It’s not like that. She’s just a kid.”

Ronny releases my hand instantly.

“I’m nineteen.”

“Nineteen.” Ronny grins, and so do I. “Andverypretty.”

“I didn’t notice.”

Crue doesn’t even look my way, just squints at passing traffic. He is so over me.

He really thought he could last three years with me.

Maybe he would’ve. Like I said, for the right amount, you can get anyone, including Crue Brantley, to do anything.

My smile widens. “He noticed.”

This gets Crue to look over at me, his eyes narrowed to slits. We hold a heated stare-off with one another, neither of us willing to blink first.

Eventually, Ronny clears his throat, gaining Crue’s full attention again.

“I am gonna need to see your license, insurance, and registration.”

“What for?” Crue asks without moving. “I thought—”

“That this was a social call? Afraid not. We received an anonymous report of reckless driving. The vehicle described was a Bronco, freshly painted, with your license plate number. Seemed someone was concerned the driver…well, you…were intoxicated, which I guess you’d have to be to paint your car like that.” Ronny gestures to the hood, then to Crue. Shifting on his feet suddenly, his features scrunch like he’s in pain. “That’s not to say—”

“All I have is my license.” Crue leans to the side and reaches into his back pocket. “I don’t know where my insurance and registration are.”

“Did you look in here?” I drum the center console with my fingertips, my lips stretching ever so slightly.

Crue freezes. “I did.”

“You didn’t.”

“They’re not in there.”

“But how do you know unless you check?”

“Ever.” Those canines of his flash as he bites out the last syllable of my name, his bottom lip popped.

I only lift my eyebrows at him. I warned him. He had an opportunity—two to be exact—to get out. He chose not to.

“Hey, Crue? It’ll make things a lot easier if I can get all the information from ya now, so if you don’t mind going ahead and checking real quick, I’d appreciate it. I already know you’re not drunk.”

Ronny’s chuckle is strained and has the corners of my smile faltering. How does he know that?

After handing his ID to Ronny, Crue opens the center console, his face losing all its color at what he finds.

His eyes close briefly as air pours from his nose.

Is he an alcoholic?

I didn’t even consider that when I asked my father’s tech to buy the rum for me earlier.

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