Page 34 of Crash and Burn
“Why? You got what you wanted. You can leave me alone now,” she states.
“That’s part of what I wanted to talk to you about.” I sit next to her on her bed. “Thatwasall I wanted, but something’s changed. Marley, I haven’t been able to get you out of my head and that was before we had the best sex ever.”
“Yeah? Is that why you had Trix dancing on you last night?” There’s a bitterness to her tone.
“I won’t lie, I’ve tried to get you out of my head. My dick hasn’t gotten hard for anyone but you since you moved into the clubhouse. The more I’m around you, the more I wanna know everything about you. Even when you’re throwing your sass at me. I wanna know what makes you laugh.” I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and cup her face in my hand. “What makes you cry and everything in between.”
Her eyes flutter closed as she sighs. “The anniversary of my mother’s death is tomorrow and I almost forgot it. That’s why I was crying.”
“Fuck, Princess. I’m sorry.” I wrap my arm around her, pulling her into me.
She shrugs a shoulder. “It was two years ago, but I never got a chance to truly mourn her.”
“Why not?”
She moves out from under my arm, standing from the bed. “That’s, uh, something I’ve never told anyone but Blaze.”
“Does it have to do with the Cartel?”
She whips her head around, locking eyes with mine. “How . . .?”
“The only thing Bull told me was that the Cartel can’t find out you’re here.”
Her face softens. “The day after my mom passed away, I was kidnapped. The guy had some weird clown tattoo and kept me at some weird compound where a bunch of other guys came and went. Last September, I managed to escape. I ran and ran, until I got to Blaze’s. Now, I’m here.”
“Did you tell Blaze about the guy’s tattoo?”
“No,” she says, shaking her head. “Why does that matter?”
“The Torres Cartel, that’s their symbol.”
“Shit,” she mutters.
“What’s wrong?”
“My panic attack. That’s what caused it. I saw someone in the mall with the same tattoo.” She clenches her chest as her breathing changes. “Wh-what if they already kn-know I’m here?”
I jump from the bed, moving to her side quickly. I grab her hands. “Hey, hey. You gotta breathe, Princess. Look at me, look into my eyes.”
She lifts her eyes to mine. I move one of her hands to my chest, holding it there. With my other hand, I cup the side of her neck, caressing her cheek with my thumb.
“Take a deep breath,” I tell her, taking one with her. “Now let it out.”
We keep taking deep breaths together until she calms down.
“You know, I don’t even know your real name.” Her voice is soft.
“It’s Cameron. Cameron McCoy.”
