Page 51 of Claymore
I approached her, lifting her chin slightly, kissing her softly. I relished in how she tasted, in how quickly she made me feel better even after the shit day I had.
“Get some sleep, Ella,” I whispered.
“I’ve been trying tostayasleep. I talked Ripper’s ear off for a while until he fell asleep mid-conversation. When I came back in here to try to get some rest, I tossed and turned for hours. If I’m honest, what I need right now is some fresh air.”
“Do you want to go for a walk?”
“More like a ride. I’m tired of sitting around here feeling sorry for myself. I’d do anything, give anything to feel just a little bit normal again,” she muttered.
“I’ve got an idea. Meet me downstairs in five minutes. I’ll go get washed up,” I said and she nodded.
She practically leaped out of bed toward the bathroom to clean up and get changed. I wandered off downstairs to do the same, and before I knew it, we were both putting our boots back on in the foyer. Ella wore a long-sleeve red Henley shirt with three buttons on the front and a pair of jeans that hugged her curves perfectly.
I slipped my jacket off my shoulders, holding it open so she could slide her arms inside. The leather glistened as I’d freshly wiped it down, cleaning it well after my run-in with the Lions.
“You’re going to freeze out there. Mascid may be desert, but it still gets pretty cold at night.”
“That doesn’t matter to me as long as you’re warm,” I said with a smirk.
She zipped it up tightly, glancing down at the Rebels patch etched into the sleeve.
“You ready for a little adventure?”
“For once, I actually think I am.”
Chapter Twelve
Ella
All of the long, mindless hours spent staring at the four walls of the clubhouse guest room only made me more anxious. The more time I had to myself, the more I felt like I was scrambling to feel okay again. Memories flooded back in an instant as I’d relayed so much information to Ripper, trying to kill time until Claymore returned. I came down hard on myself, tearing into the woman I am trying to determine how I’d become so helpless. I was at my boiling point now. I toyed with the idea of trying to fix this on my own, to stop relying on everyone else to help me.
The crippling fear I’d harbored over the years made me weak. I paled in comparison to Ray’s reckless behavior, because even in the midst of his madness, he was still far stronger than I would ever be. I wrapped my arms around Claymore’s chest, hearing his bike engine whir as we sped down empty streets, the wind rustling against my clothes. I relished in the warmth of his jacket, how even with my helmet on and the wind blustering, it still smelled like him.
Claymore stopped at a local gas station with a bright neon twenty-four-seven-hour sign illuminating the convenience store window. I furrowed my brow at him while he shut his engine off.
“Need gas?”
“No, but we need snacks for what we’re about to do,” he said, smiling at me.
“And what exactly are we going to do?”
“Now that is a surprise. Come on.”
He stretched out his hand, and I took it, feeling the warmth of his skin lull me while we wandered off inside. The little bell rang loudly overhead, and my eyes immediately trailed off to the isle of sweet, chocolate snacks.
“Get whatever you want. Think about what would really hit the spot if you were heading to the movies.”
“Oh? Are we heading to the movies? Are you actually taking me out on a conventional date, Claymore?” I teased.
“Nah, there is nothing conventional about our little adventure tonight, that’s for sure.”
He winked at me, and I blew a little air out my nose, beaming. I strolled down the aisles, picking up a pack of chocolate sandwich cookies and a bar of solid milk chocolate for the road. Claymore grabbed a bag of plain potato chips from the top shelf. I took in how the strands of his lengthy blonde hair fell into his face, how mesmerizing it was just looking at him.
For a moment, I’d forgotten all of the troubles lingering in the back of my mind. All I wanted to do right then was believe that we were just two normal people, heading off for a date that would leave me with butterflies fluttering around in my stomach.
Claymore took my snacks up to the counter, adding at the last minute two bottles of soda pop and a bottle of water before he swiped his card. The cashier bagged our snacks, handing them over with the receipt.
When we stepped back out into the open air, a strange feeling washed over me. I glanced over my shoulder, listening to the crickets chirp and the soft rustling of the trees blowing in the wind.
