Page 84 of Vapor

“Hey, you doing okay?” I ask softly, sitting down beside her.

She looks up at me, worry etched across her face.“I’ve been thinking… maybe I should go to my father’s house and try to talk to him.”

“Do you think he would actually listen? Would he ever let you be with a biker?” I question, trying to gauge how deep her father’s hatred goes.

“No,” she admits softly.“That’s why I’m so worried. I don’t want you to get hurt because of me.”

“Babe, don’t worry about me,” I reassure her, placing a hand on her shoulder.“I can take care of myself, and I’m going to protect you too. I’ll make sure nothing happens. Okay?”

She hesitates for a moment before nodding slowly. I can tell she’s still not entirely convinced, but I’m determined to prove it to her.

“Listen, we need to get out of this clubhouse for a while,” I say, standing up and offering her my hand.“We’ve been cooped up here for too many days. You need some fresh air.”

“I’m sure my father has men watching the clubhouse. The wedding’s tomorrow.” The fear in her tone makes me want to throttle her father.

“We’ve got prospects stationed around the neighborhood,” I assure her.“So far, they haven’t seen anything suspicious. After tomorrow, none of this will matter. We just need to get through the next twenty-four hours, and this will all be over.”

“Will it?”

“It has to be. Your father’s obsession will have to end. I’m sure there will be blowback because you didn’t show up to the wedding, but he’ll finally realize you’re serious about not marrying Broussard.”

“I hope so.”

“Besides, I’ve got something special planned for us tonight—the steamboat Natchez Dinner Cruise. There’ll be an amazing dinner, a jazz band, and great views of the city.”

She looks at me hesitantly but finally takes my hand.“Getting out of here might be good.”

“It will be fun, and we need some of that right now.”

“Okay, I’ll go with you.”

“Come here,” I say, pulling her into a gentle embrace.“We’re going to have a great night tonight. You’ll feel better once you’ve had some good food and time to relax.”

“I suppose so.”

We leave a couple of hours later, taking my bike and heading toward the French Quarter. The area comes alive at night. Tourists sit on balconies, holding bright red hurricane drinks and yelling down at passersby. A bachelorette party runs past us. The women giggle and run up to random people, asking them to complete some silly tasks off a list.

As we stroll hand in hand toward Toulouse Street Wharf, the city pulses with a vibrant energy that’s impossible to ignore. The joy and revelry are contagious. I glance over at Blue. A hesitant smile plays across her lips. She’s trying to be present, but the fear in her eyes is like a knife twisting in my gut.

I give her hand a reassuring squeeze. She smiles up at me, but there’s still a shadow lurking beneath the surface. Damn her father for making her live in fear like this. I find myself wondering if I should confront him. If I should put an end to his reign of terror once and for all. Blue shouldn’t have to live like this. She deserves more than a life spent looking over her shoulder.

As we board the steamboat, I resolve to face her father, regardless of the consequences. It’s time for this nightmare to end. One way or another, I’ll make him see that she’s mine now. She’s never going to marry Broussard and she’s never going to leave my side. Not unless she wants to. I hope like hell that never happens.

We find a table next to the window. Glittering city lights paint a dazzling picture against the night sky. Blue can’t seem to tear her gaze away from the view. As the tension leaves her shoulders, I breathe a silent sigh of relief. Ice was right. We needed to get out for a while.

“Are you hungry?” I ask, hoping to coax her into eating something.

“I could eat,” she admits, though her tone suggests her appetite is still lacking. Lately, she hasn’t been eating enough, and that’s not good.

As we make our way to the buffet, the mouth-watering aroma of Louisiana cuisine wafts through the air. Blue surveys the options before her: a tossed salad, chicken and sausage gumbo, top round, Louisiana fried chicken thighs, crawfish étouffée, herb roasted sweet potatoes, corn maque choux, Creole creamed spinach, assorted dinner rolls, and for dessert, New Orleans bread pudding. She hesitates before placing a few items on her plate. I load mine up as much as I can.

“Take some more,” I encourage, concern gnawing at me. She’s been eating so little lately, and it’s clear she’s struggling with everything that’s happened.

“I can always come back for more later,” she says, though I’m not convinced she will.

When we retake our seats, I can’t get rid of a nagging worry that has plagued me the last few days. I’m afraid that Blue is thinking about leaving me. She’s been so silent and contemplative. I don’t know what she’s thinking, but I wouldn’t put it past her to give up her life to try to save mine. It should be the other way around. I’d give anything to protect her. I hope she knows that, but I wonder if she believes it.

The thought of losing her fills my chest like a heavy stone. I swallow hard, vowing to do everything in my power to keep her safe. Our love can withstand anything as long as we stay together.

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