Page 88 of Ridin' Free
Nothing.
“Was hopin’ I’d catch you.”
I gasped, the sharp, audible sound piercing even to my own ears. Scorpion came out of the shadows, and my heart began to race as he came toward me. I knew I should run, but I could barely breathe. It was like his presence, his awareness of me, was debilitating—chipping away at the Phoenix in me, exposing the weakest version of Ali-Mae I ever was.
“It’s been a long time, Red. Can’t say I spent a lot of it thinkin’ of you while I was locked up, but seein’ you tonight brought it all back. Wild ride like you is hard to forget.”
He came to stand directly in front of me, but I didn’t look up at him. I refused to give him the satisfaction. I gritted my teeth, willing myself not to cower. I was better than that. I wasn’t his to beckon. Not anymore.
“What do you say we find a quiet spot and get reacquainted?”
“No,” I whispered pathetically. “Out me if you want, but I’m not climbin’ on your dick.”
He barked out a laugh, but the sound was off and void of any humor. Before I could make a move to step around him, he grabbed hold of my chin and jerked my head, forcing me to meet his gaze. His touch coupled with the sight of his face this close to mine was enough to make me sick—but it was the memories I’d locked away, now more vivid and abhorrent than I remembered, that made bile scale the back of my throat.
“What the fuck?”
I registered Benson’s voice only after he grasped hold of Scorpion’s shoulder and yanked him away from me. In the blink of an eye, he threw a punch and muttered, “Touch her again, and I’ll fuckin’ kill you.”
Scorpion, having lost his balance, stumbled a few steps before he caught himself and laughed. “Ah, shit.” He turned to face us, grinning in spite of his split lip as he asked, “This one’s yours, huh?” He wiped at his chin with the back of his palm, smearing a bit of blood onto his hand. He glanced at it but didn’t seem to care as he quirked an eyebrow at Ben and warned, “Best watch yourself. She’s wicked with a knife.”
My heart was hammering wildly in my chest when he looked at me and promised, “Don’t worry, Red. Your secret’s safe with me. I did my time. Got no intention of goin’ back.”
I watched him as he walked away, as out of breath as if I was the one sprinting in the opposite direction. He said exactly what I wanted—no, neededhim to say—and yet it wasn’t enough. I knew better than to trust the likes of him. Just because he wouldn’t go to the police didn’t mean he wouldn’t tell another Stallion.
“Hey, you okay? What was that about?” asked Ben.
I looked up at him, still short of breath, and I was pierced by a revelation so startling, I couldn’t speak. It was like his genuine concern for me turned my world upside down. Except, instead of everything toppling over in confusion, I saw things for what they were. I sawmethrough his eyes.
It was in that moment when I understood themonsterI wrestled all night wasn’t a monster at all. It wasme. It was my heart. Battered, bruised, and riddled with cracks—but unrelenting and fiercely determined to hang on to one thing and one thing only.
He was handsome and wild. Rugged but gentle. Honest and safe.
Benson was everything I didn’t know I wanted and leaving him was going to rip my heart out.
I thought, maybe, when the time came, the end of us would break me—but I’d been broken before. I knew how to put myself back together.
This was not going to be that.
I stood there, staring at the best man I’d ever known, aware this was the end. Not merely the end ofusbut the end ofme. The real me. The mehelet me be.
“Baby?”
He reached for me, but I was quick to step away.
I had to get out of there. I didn’t have a choice.
“I have to go,” I managed to whisper before I started across the parking lot.
I didn’t get far before he caught my elbow.
“Ali, wait?—”
Wrenching my arm loose, I caught his brown eyes and cried, “I’m not Ali, okay? Not anymore! I thought I could be but—” The knot lodged in my throat made it difficult to speak, but I choked out my next words the best I could. “Don’t follow me.”
He furrowed his brow in confusion, but when I turned for my Bronco and hurried across the lot, he didn’t trail after me. With each step I took, I felt my heart being torn from my chest. The pain was almost unbearable, and I still couldn’t fucking breathe.
I wanted him to ignore me. I wanted him to chase me. I wanted him to fight forhisAli-Mae—but the stupid bastard always listened.
