Page 27 of Ride Hard
“It’s just atattoo.”
“It’s not just a tattoo. It’s a brand like you’re a piece oflivestock.”
“So you care about me and my tricycle now?” He snatched his hand back and glared, his thundercloud personality raining all over theplace.
“Get over yourself,” I hissed. “Can’t somebody say something nice to you?” I pushed my sunglasses back up my nose and sank back into the seat. “God forbid someone might actuallycare.”
“You? Care about me?” he scoffed, leaning his elbow against the window, his right hand taking thewheel.
“Is it such a foreignconcept?”
“With the way you’ve been acting since I picked you up? Yeah, itis.”
“It’s nothingpersonal.”
“That’s not going to change mymind.”
I eyed him, my mind going to dirty places for no other reason than I still remembered seeing his ass thatmorning.
“Do you want me to change my mind?” I asked, my voicelow.
“Sloane.” His tone had softenedconsiderably.
“Chaser.”
Who’d flipped the switch? The heat was well and trulyon.
Other than the first night we’d spent together, he’d made sure I got the first shower, got the first meal, and I got the bed while he slept on either the floor or a chair. He tensed every time I stared at him too long, and he bit my head off when my words got too close forcomfort.
Was Chaser finally cracking? Did I want himto?
Ten minutes of uneasy silence went by, and finally, Chaser turned off the road, and we came to an abrupt halt beside a gas pump at a gas station. The lot beside us was empty, as was the road behind us until a lone truck rumbled by, but after that, we were aloneagain.
“I need to take a piss,” I said, mainly wanting to get away from him for a few blessed minutes. My bladder was perfectlyfine.
“Then go,” heretorted.
Following the sign painted on the side of the building, I cursed when I realized the door to the restroom was locked. A sign riveted onto the brick wall said Key for Paying CustomersOnly.
Storming inside, I asked the attendant for the key and pointed to Chaser, who paced outside. “He’s paying for some gas once he’s done wearing a hole in thepavement.”
“Well…” The man eyed me and reluctantly handed me the key. “Allright.”
Glancing through the window, I saw Chaser’s back was turned. He was scanning the road, watching cars swish past. Looking at the key in my hand, I knew this was my chance. I might have five, maybe six, minutes before he came looking. If I was going, it had to benow.
Pushing out the side door, I saw the sign hanging over the restroom. Approaching, my boots crunched on the gravel underfoot, and the key felt like it weighed a milliontons.
All I had to do was climb the chain-link fence, cross the empty lot, and disappear into the ravine. A short climb up the other side and I would lose him in the outskirts of whatever city glittered upthere.
I hesitated. Why was I so confused? Surely a glimpse of his ass hadn’t put this much doubt intome.
A gunshot rang out across the open lot, and the wall splintered beside my head. Letting out a scream, I dropped to my knees and scurried behind the brick fence separating the side door from the open spacebeyond.
Flinging my arms over my head, my heart jackhammered as I heard the sound of boots thundering towardme.
“She’s there!” an unfamiliar voiceshouted.
Glancing up, I caught sight of Chaser peering around the corner, and my eyeswidened.
