Page 32 of Shattered Soulmates

Chapter 13 –Landing on Her Feet

Marissa

Driving down the highway with a horrible headache isn’t a good idea. I decided to stop at the rest area and go inside for a meal and some pain reliever. As I slide into the booth, a waitress places a menu on the table in front of me. “Hey! I’m Trish. What do you want to drink?”

“Just bring me a glass of water, please,”I answer, glancing at the menu. “And, the breakfast special.”

She takes the menu. “Ok, honey. Be right back.”

Having been in contact with Remington, I plan to go to his place and hunker down until I can get in touch with Bradley, my attorney. I know there must be something he can do to reduce my charges and get me out of trouble. In the meantime, I need a place to stay, and I always land on my feet.

A couple of months ago, when headquarters was attacked, Remington Reems and his goons broke me and some other females out of jail, where I was held for tampering with mate bonds. This was around the time Miles and I first got back together, after I took him from Paisley. I snarl to myself. Paisley! Paisley! Paisley! I mock in my head, channeling Jan Brady’s repeated cries of "Marcia! Marcia! Marcia!" I sympathize with Jan at this moment because I’m utterly fed up with Paisley.

The waitress brings me a glass of water and sets it on the table. I lift the glass to take a drink and see our pack tracker with a few other enforcers entering the diner. I immediately dive under the table, thankful that I had the forethought to cover myself in “Scent-Off” when I got out of the car to come inside.

The waitress looks at me with curiosity, then turns back to the newcomers. She walks over to them, and I hear her speaking loudly. “Hello, darlings. Can I seat you?” I peek around the booth and watch as she guides them to the far side of the room and out of my sight. I take a few deep breaths, knowing they’re looking for me. As I frantically search for a way out, someone sits at the booth above me.

Huddled under the table, my heart races as I see it’s a biker who slides into the booth. His scuffed blackboots and ripped jeans barely contain a pair of muscular legs. My eyes scan appreciatively up to a muscular chest covered by a white t-shirt and a leather vest. The vest, or “cut,” is lined with images of howling wolves and a large patch that reads “Talons & Claws Motorcycle Club,” marking him as part of an infamous gang.

As he settles in, I panic, I tap his leg and hiss, “Hey! This is my booth!”

The biker looks down at me with a heavy glare. “Trish sent me,” he says quietly. “I’m here to help you.”

He rises from the booth, his muscular frame and the Talons & Claws cut blocking me from view. As he moves, he nearly carries me with him, pressing me close against his chest through the crowded diner out the back door.

Once outside, he stops next to a motorcycle. It isn’t running yet, but the sight of it excites me. He turns and bluntly says, “I need an ol’ lady.”

I eye his magnificent body and handsome face, noting the crew-cut black hair and green eyes; I smile appreciatively. The exhilaration and his dominating presence make me eager. I press against him, clearly wanting to be his ol’ lady. He nods as he mounts the bike and starts the engine.

He holds his hand out to me and grunts, “Car keys.” I pull them out of my pocket and hand them to him. He tosses them to a shifter standing in the shadows. “Get her car to the pack house.”

“Will do, boss.” The shifter murmurs and fades back into the shadows.

He gestures for me to climb on. I quickly jump onto the seat, wrapping my arms tightly around his waist. As the bike speeds off, the wind rushing through my hair, I hang onto him, feeling the adrenaline rush I crave.

See, I always land on my feet. My laughter echoes on the wind

Paisley

Having brushed my teeth and changed into my pajamas, I crawl into bed and pull the sheet up. This is the worst time of the day, when everything settles down and gets quiet. It’s when I miss Miles the most. After I tucked away the papers I had graded and Miles would come back from his shift perimeter checking, we would crawl into bed and curl up around each other. The nights that I thought he and I had forever.

Before my nightly crying jag begins, I hear a tapping at the window. I have a tiny cabin now and my bed sits right up against the wall under the window.Inconfusion, I pull back the curtain and am surprised to see Miles’ face staring back at me. “Can I talk to you for a moment, Paisley?” He asks, his voice muffled by the glass.

I unlock the latch and slide the window back. “What do you want, Miles?” I snap. My heart is aching to pull him to me for just a little while to ease the pain. But I know from experience that I can’t trust Miles. He’s an unfaithful cheater.

“I just want to talk, Paisley.” His eyes plead, but they don’t fool me. I know what Miles' charm does to me, and I’m not up for another ride going nowhere on his merry-go-round.

“I don’t think we have anything to talk about, Miles. We have said it all.”

“I disagree. I think you know how I feel about you, and I have been confused.I want the opportunity to share my side of the story, and to have another chance with you.” His hands reach for me through the window, but I recoil.

“Miles, you’re delusional if you think I’d trust you with my heart again,”I cry, tears beginning to drip down my cheeks.This sick emptiness in my heart and stomach begs to be filled by his touch.I hate to do this in front of him. I want nothing to do with him, but my body craveshim.“It’s time for you to leave,” I spit out, slamming the window shut and locking it again.

He persists, tapping on the window.“Please, Paisley.I’m so sorry for hurting you.I know it’s unforgivable, but I ache for us.”

Overcome by the effect of Miles’ words and the feelings he evokes, I roll over on my stomach and sob hysterically into my pillow.

I reach over and grab my cell phone from the side table, connecting it to my speaker, and I begin playing music as loud as possible.I live pretty far from other shifters, and even though we have superior hearing, I don’t think the sound disturbs anyone.

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