Page 9 of Ruined

Blake thinks about it for a minute, not glancing away before her hand taps the table. Twice. I knew I fucked up, but I couldn’t think logically. Not when she ran from the car into the bathroom, and not when I’m here to keep her safe.

“I’m sorry I did that; you’ve shown you hate being touched. I went and overstepped your boundaries, and for that I’m sorry.”Even if I’m not that sorry.

“Are you ready to order?” The waiter appears once more.

“Diet Coke and…” I trail off. Blake slowly lowers the menu and points down. “A vanilla shake.”

The waiter walks away leaving us in an awkward silence. I think this is the first time I’ve ever been weirded out by the lack of noise. Blake on the other hand just looks over the menu, looking at peace with whatever is going on inside her head. My leg begins to bounce with the uneasiness of her not speaking. Ironically, she’s mute, and everything she’s not saying somehow causes a reaction out of me.

My leg bounces faster and harder and before I realize it, I’m slamming my leg into Blake.Now who’s acting like the brat?Here I am telling her I’m sorry for touching her and then I’m slamming my leg into hers because she’s not paying attention to me.

Blake’s head snaps up to me, narrowing those fucking eyes at me. At this rate, her face is going to be stuck like that.

“Here are those drinks.” Of course, the waiter interrupts us. “Have you guys decided what you want to eat?”

“Cheeseburger, nothing on it, side salad with ranch,” I answer. Once more she lays the menu down, pointing to what she wants. “One of the cinnamon rolls… and a side of fries,” I mumble. “Blake, you need more than just that.” I frown.

She shakes her head, closing the menu and setting it off to the side. The waiter stands there awkwardly as if he doesn’t know what to do.

“Blake,” I warn.

Slowly she raises her eyes to meet mine, daring me to tell her to order more. It’s that look right there that tells me she’ll stab me in front of all these people if I even mutter a word about her food choices.

“That’ll be all,” I growl out.

It doesn’t surprise me when Blake smirks into her hood. This little shit is going to be the death of me. And when our food is brought out, I find myselfunable to stop looking at her mouth every time she takes a bite of the cinnamon roll, licking the icing off the spoon.

She’s truly going to be the death of me.

A few hours later, I pull into a hotel parking lot, exhausted from the lack of sleep, and my body aches from being stuck in a small car for almost two full days now. I was almost tempted to drive through the night and possibly stop at Walker’s farm. But Blake was nodding off only to jump when I hit a bump and as much as she needed sleep, so did I. So, as much as it's a risk stopping, I park and turn the car off.

“I’m going to head inside and get us a room. Stay here,” I mutter. Opening the door, I shove myself out and slam the door. Taking the first real breath, I didn’t think being stuck in a car with her would be such a problem, but something about her boggles my brain.

Something kicks my shin, and my eyes fly open, catching onto Blake’s. “We need to work on a better way of getting my attention because between stabbing me and kicking me, I’m not sure you’ll have someone to protect you anymore.”

Blake full-on grins up at me, and I’m awestruck with how beautiful she is. The moment I saw her, I knew she was, but she was also an angry little kitten. But now, fuck, her lips stretch across her face, and a dimple appears on her left cheek.

“You should smile more often,” I blurt out. Only to hate it the moment the words leave my lips because Blake’s smile drops, and she’s back to scowling at me. One step forward, two steps back.

Sighing, I grab both our duffle bags from the trunk. Throwing them over my shoulder, I bypass Blake and head into the hotel. The lobby is empty and clean with a small couch and a few chairs around a coffee table. A TV hangs in front of the seating area, the volume low enough I can barely make the words out. Heading straight to the counter, an older gentleman stands there.

“One room,” I say. Blake is probably going to throw a fit about sharing a room, but there’s no way I can protect her if she’s in a different room. Or so I keep telling myself. “Two beds.”

Blake appears next to me as the guy at the front desk types away, before daring to look up. His eyes immediately fall on her, and I find myself stepping in front, blocking his view.

“Hundred,” he mumbles. Pulling cash out, I drop it down, waiting for the key card. The moment he slides it over, I catch his wrist, twisting until it’s moments from breaking. “Look at her again like that and I’ll do more than break your fucking wrist, got it?” I snap.

“Y—yes, yes I understand,” he rushes to say. Shoving his arm back, I grab the keycard and Blake’s hand. She tenses under my touch, but I don’t care, not right now. My brain is a fog, wrapped around all things her, and I can’t get a handle on the emotions swarming around. I know I shouldn’t be obsessed with a job. I know it’s not her fault. I just don’t care.

Keying the door open, I drop my duffle in the doorway, moving around to make sure it’s clear. The logical part tells me it is. We’re in the middle of nowhere, but the training Walker gave us also tells me to always make sure.

Once I’ve cleared the room, I grab my duffle from the floor and shut the door. Blake stands with her back against the wall, eyes moving around in every which direction.

“We’ll sleep here tonight and then get on the road early in the morning.” I stand near the end of the bed, waiting to see what she’ll do. One minuteshe’s moments from ripping me apart, threatening to stab my junk. Then she’s turning into a little girl who’s scared of her own shadow.

“Go take a shower. I’ll order us some pizza. Are you allergic to anything?” I ask.

Blake shakes her head but doesn’t move from her spot. Not until the sound of a door slamming shut causes her to jump and book it into the bathroom, flinging the door closed behind her before locking it. It’s not until the sound of the running water that I drop down onto the bed.

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