Page 51 of Without Bound
“Nah. It’s okay. I’m sure we’re all riding down to the same floor,” Cole tries, but I squeeze his hand and yank him back until his back meets my chest.
“Nix wants me to make sure you get home okay,” Bishop says, his intense gaze focused back on me.
“Cole’s already taking care of that. I’ll be just fine. You can stay.”
His head moves slowly from left to right. “I promised him thatIwould get you home safe and I never break a promise.”
“Well then I’ll guess you’ll be seeing me safely to Cole’s apartment because that’s where I’m going.” I lift my chin in a challenge, daring him to follow knowing what’s going to happen when we get there.
His nostrils flare and I hear his knuckles crack when he rolls his fists tight. The lift is silent and I feel like it’s the calm before the storm. He stands staring at us, his back to the doors, and I circle around Cole to stand in front of him.
I turn and look up, dragging his attention down to me. “Did you drive?”
“No. I was planning to get a ride home since I was drinking.”
“Well good thing I didn’t drink.”
That crooked grin appears again and I tell myself,yeah tonight is happening, and it’s happening with Cole.
“You didn’t drink because you’re only nineteen,” Bishop snaps.
“He knows how old I am. It doesn’t bother him,” I say, snidely.
I don’t turn around, but I can hear his thick breaths as he fumes.
Cole’s eyes flick to Bishops with worry written all over his face. When they return to me, he says, “You know, we can always meet up another time if it’s a problem.”
“No,” I rush out. “There’s no problem. Just a guy who thinks I’m not able to handle things on my own.”
I play with the buttons of his shirt, lightly scraping my nails down his stomach, and he visibly shivers under my touch. The elevator reaches the floor for the connected garage and I link my hand with his.
“I’m parked down here.” I pull him behind me but hear a second set of feet keeping pace with us.
I keep my attention focused on finding my car and completely off of the stewing giant behind me. When I see my little blue carsitting at the end of the row, I tap the auto start and the lights come alive.
“Nice car,” Cole says with a whistle.
“Thanks. Phoenix bought it for me. It was a gift.”
“A graduation gift. Graduation from high school,” a grumpy voice calls out, his voice echoing in the concrete building.
“Will you stop? We already established that he knows my age. Why are you so fucking hung up on that?” We reach my car and I unlock the doors, and pull the passenger side open. “Get in Cole. Let’s go.”
Cole holds the door, looking from me to Bishop…me…Bishop. “I don’t know–” he starts.
“Don’t worry about the old grumpy man. He’s just sad because he’s going home alone tonight.” I round my car, sliding into the driver's seat without giving Bishop a second look.
Cole hesitantly follows suit and I quickly lock the doors, throwing my car into reverse before peeling out, my tires squealing as they go.
“Where do you live?” I ask him.
He’s quiet for a moment. “The Atrium. Are you sure everything is okay there? It seems like there’s more to the story.”
I look in my rearview mirror and see Bishop standing with his arms across his chest. “Nah. He just likes to treat me like a child. It’s fine. Tell me where to turn.”
He gives me directions and it doesn’t take long for us to arrive at his place.
“Where should I park?” I ask him.
