Page 73 of Flirting With Forever
Because if she didn’t do something about it, when would it end?
She couldn’t be a coward any longer. If she had any hope of living her life, of being her own person. If she wanted to have a family and settle down someday— It meant standing up to her father, her brothers—once and for all.
It meant reclaiming ownership of her life and making it clear should something happen to her—to Gage or any of them…
She wrapped an arm around her stomach and held tight, the other clenching over the steering wheel as she drove.
Her plan meant facing the fact that her very powerful family had ties to very unsavory people who might just make her disappear if they discovered she was a problem and decided she was too much of a liability.
It was a risk.
A huge risk.
A terrifying, she-really-could-die risk.
But she couldn’t go on living the way she had been. Years on the road. Never allowing herself to get close to anyone because she knew it would only hurt worse when she had to move on.
Giving her father control of her life because she lived in constant fear.
This was it.
If she had to choose between fighting or fleeing, she was going to go down swinging with every bit of fight she had left inside of her.
It was the only way of keeping Gage and their future—if they had one—safe. Of getting her so-called family out of her life.
Otherwise, she’d never be free or safe and would be forced into a marriage–of–control, according to Noah.
She couldn’t let that happen. She wouldn’t. She had to take control away from the people who weren’t in charge and be her own person.
So, she drove from the coast to a suburb of Cincinnati, every hour filled with her thoughts and self-talk to buck up her courage and practice the things she had to say to the man who didn’t see her as a daughter but as a commodity.
To think of Gage and how it felt to love him. To remind herself of why she braved this mess and potential danger. That it wasn’t only for herself but for him. For them.
She could only imagine how angry he’d felt waking up to find her gone. How he’d probably pace and tug at his hair at the fact she’d so willingly crossed the line with him and then disappeared.
Her man was all about control, but right now Gage couldn’t take that from her. This was her problem. Her issue that had to be fixed before anything else could happen between them.
She’d stop to rest and reach Chicago tomorrow morning. Then, she’d meet her father face-to-face and make it clear she was no longer running but standing her ground.
Sloane pulled off the road into a chain restaurant parking lot known to welcome overnight travelers. Before settling in, she carefully covered her windows using towels or clothes, to not only block out any wandering eyes but the cold. Carolina Cove evenings had grown cool in the last few weeks, but she’d say by morning there would be snow on the ground here.
She shivered as she climbed between the seats into the back and found the sweatshirt she’d taken from Gage. The front had UNCW in block stitching, but more than anything, it smelled like him, and right now, she needed him surrounding her like a hug.
Sloane put her coat on over top the sweatshirt and other clothes then settled in for the night. But despite how tired she was from driving and thinking and the emotional toll of what had taken place between her and Gage…
She squeezed her arms around herself a little more, snuggling tight against the seat back behind her and pretending it was Gage’s hard body. Then she closed her eyes and remembered every kiss and touch and whisper.
She wouldn’t allow herself to look at her phone while driving, but there had been a blaring lack of notifications. So she looked now and—nothing. Not a text. Not a phone call. Nothing from Gage.
But what had she expected when she’d left him—Mr. Control—without a word?
So this was what it felt like, Gage mused, staring up at the star-studded sky as he sprawled lengthwise across one of the benches along the boardwalk.
He’d always had that feeling of loss. People leave. Sometimes against their will—like when his parents were taken from him and his siblings. But other times? They leave because it’s just what people do.
They got tired of waiting for him to come home from work. To pay attention to them. To slow down on the hustle and grind and just be in the moment. He’d lost several girlfriends that way. They’d just…faded away. Some with a little more notice than others. One had left, and it had taken him a month to realize he hadn’t seen or heard from her, and…he’d felt nothing.
But Sloane was different. She probably had a list of reasons for leaving too, but he didn’t care. All he cared about was the pain shredding his insides and the fact that she’d crawled under his skin much deeper than he’d even been aware.
