Before I turn to retrieve my bike, I notice the torn fabric on her jacket sleeve, and my teeth click with how hard I clench them. Did she actually jump out of that speeding car?
So fucking reckless.
"Did you hurt yourself pulling off this little revenge stunt?"
I squeeze my eyes shut and blow a hot breath through my nose. I could've said that better, butgoddamn.
I didn't see this coming, but I should've. Knowing her history. Her trauma. Seeing the rage she kept bound inside of her freed after what I did to her.
It was in her eyes when she pointed the gun at me. Her darknesssolike ours. But she hasn't had years to learn to temper that side of herself. She's only just discovering the full spectrum of it.
Aurora looks down at the sleeve of her jacket, her upper lip curling as she sucks in a breath, like she's only now feeling the pain.
I need to get her to a first aid kit, or a doctor. "How bad is it?"
This time as I take a step forward, she takes two steps back.
"I'm fine," she grits out, trying to cover the wobble in her voice. "It's just a scrape."
It better be. But if she won't show me then I have no choice but to believe her.
I release my fists, trying to remember how I felt when I realized how badly I'd messed up.
Even if she won't admit it out loud, I can tell she knows this went too far.
"We need to get out of here," I decide, and stalk toward my bike. "The police will be sending more units, and they're going to be on us any minute."
I curse as I lift my bike from the ground and see the chewed left side of its body, all fucked up from scraping over the road.
Breathe, man. Breathe.
As I wheel her around, I frown at the empty spot where Aurora was and find the shadow of her storming down the bypass on foot.
"Stubborn fucking woman," I snarl under my breath, kicking the ignition into gear before speeding alongside her. "Get on."
"No."
"Aurora, get on the bike."
"I saidno."
Heat flares in my chest, and for one fleeting second, I consider dragging her ass onto the seat with me, but I think better of it.
I can't believe I'm fucking saying this right now, but I push the words out anyway, because even though she took this athousand leagues too far, I can own up to this mistake. I did swear there weren't any other devices she needed to know about.
"Look, I'm sorry." The words scrape from my throat.
Her jaw tightens.
"I should've told you."
She winces as if my apology physically stings. Why isn't she saying anything?
Am I right back to not existing? Just like that?
"Aurora, would youpleaseget on the bike?"
She picks up her pace, rushing down the road, trying to get away from me even though I'm on a damn motorcycle and she has no chance of outrunning me.
