Page 78 of Golden Touch
An emotion I can’t name flashes through her dark eyes. She doesn’t answer, though. Seconds tick by, and my heart starts to sag.
“Yes,” she whispers. “I suppose I do.”
CHAPTER 33
LIVIA
“Glad to hear that,” Nash whispers as my heart beats wildly inside my chest. “Don’t go, baby. I’ll do whatever it takes.”
Air squeezes out of my lungs, because he has no idea how hard that was for me to say. But Idotrust him. Against all reasonable odds, I finally met a man who’s worthy of my confidence.
I just hope that’s enough.
His thumb strokes my cheek. “Deep down, I think you’re sick of running.”
“OfcourseI am.” It comes out sounding more anguished than I intended. “I want my life back. I just don’t know how to get it. I trust that you’ll do your best. But what if he’ll never leave me alone? Even from prison, he could still…” My chest tightens.
“Baby,” he whispers. “The first step is just to let Benito form a plan. Listen to the man and see what he says. I’m going to make you a promise, okay? If things look hairy, I’ll drive you out of state myself.”
I swallow hard. “Hope I won’t have to take you up on it.”
The backseat door opposite Nash opens suddenly, and Connor climbs in next to Nash. “Is this where the party is?”
“We were just…” I press my lips together, when I realize I have no sensible way to finish that sentence. I’m not telling the whole brewery that Nash thwarted my getaway attempt and talked me into staying. It’s none of their business.
“I didn’t know you two were a thing,” he says with a chuckle. “Although, usually couples sit on the same seat when they’re getting it on in a vehicle.”
“We were justtalking,” I insist. “Jesus.”
Connor shrugs. “You gotta admit that’s a hot scene in Titanic when they steam up the car in the ship’s hold.God,I love that movie. And don’t you think there was room for Leo on that door?”
Nash and I exchange a puzzled glance. But this is how life works right now—tearing off in unexpected directions.
“Yeah, man,” Nash says slowly. “But maybe we should all get back to work?”
Connor shrugs. “Good talk. I thought we were keeping the loading dock door shut, though? You said we didn’t want anyone peeking into the building.”
“Right,” I say, dropping the keys into the cupholder and opening the driver’s door. “I’m going to shut the door. And, uh, put away a few of my belongings.”
From the backseat, Nash gives me a big smile. “I’ll drop by the office a little later. We’ll call Benito and do some planning.”
My stomach wobbles at this idea. But Nash promised me he’d do all he could. “All right,” I say firmly. “We’ll do that.”
Benito comes by an hour later to pick up the thumb drive. “You won’t regret this, Livia,” he says.
I wish I believed him.
That night, we eat my homemade soup for dinner. Nash puts on another movie, but I’m too distracted to pay attention to the story. My mind keeps inventing terrible scenarios. Like a standoff between the Vermont State Police and the entire motorcycle club. Or a gun battle, with me caught in the middle. Or…
“Baby?” Nash says. “You okay?”
“Fine.” My eyes focus on the screen for about three seconds before they drift away again.
Nash leans in and starts kissing my neck. Right around the time he puts his hand up my shirt, I finally forget about Razor.
“You’re…really…” It’s hard to speak between kisses. “A great…distraction,” I breathe.
“The best,” he says, unbuttoning his fly. “Let me introduce you to my magic distraction wand.”
