She nods, flashing me a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes. “Yeah. We’re all good. Just shaken up.”
Over her shoulder, my eyes meet Cain’s. “I’m taking her.”
There’s no room for argument in my tone.
We’re leaving. Simple as that.
Cain nods, then crosses the room to sit with his wife, pulling her close.
I carry Indy out, her arms looped around my neck. Her breathing starts to even, the tension slowly draining as I hold her close.
Gently, I settle her onto the passenger seat, buckling her in. I keep my hand on her thigh, needing the contact to soothe my racing heart.
I lean in, kissing her softly. My grip on her thigh tightens, and she trembles beneath my touch.
“Where do you want to go?” I ask softly. “Home?”
She hesitates. “No. Not yet. Somewhere quiet. Away from people.”
I nod. “Okay. I know a spot.”
The drive to the overlook is guided by the sunset, hues of orange and pink fading into darkness. Both of us are quiet, but my hand never unwraps from Indy’s, my thumb brushing over her knuckles in a way I hope is soothing.
GPS leads us to an off-road trail, quiet and isolated, and at the top of the mountain is an overlook. I’d been here once or twice while in high school, usually when I needed a break from the noise of my life and ended up driving for longer than I’d planned.
At the top, I reverse into a spot near the edge and kill the engine, letting the night surround us. We sit in silence, listening to the wind as it whistles through the trees.
For the first time, I watch Indy exhale.
Hopping out, I round the truck and help her out, leading her to the tailgate where the city sparkles below us in twinkling lights. We both sit side by side, and she leans her head against my shoulder, still lingering in a state of shock.
“You’re safe,” I whisper into her hair, kissing her gently. My chest tightens, wishing I could carry the weight of everything she’s feeling.
“I know,” she answers, voice vacant. “But can I go back to the bar and not be on constant high alert? The drive-by.This.”
“You don’t have to.”
“I know, but I love my job. The people. But… I thought the drive-by was a one-off. Now it just feels like ‘fool me once, shame on me, fool me twice…’” Her words trail off.
“I’ll never let anything happen to you, Indy. If you want to keep working there, I’ll come with you every shift if it makes you feel safe. If you want to quit your job, I’ll be there to support you until you find another that feels right. Or don’t find a job—I’ll happily support you while you chase whatever dreams you want to fulfill.”
She nods quietly, my words hanging heavy between us.
God, if there was something I could do to convince her to never step foot in that bar again, I would.
“I should have reached for the gun,” she mutters, gaze pinned on something in the distance.
“What?”
“The gun. We have one under the bar. I should have reached for it. I could have protected myself better.Protected Rosie.But I froze.”
“That’s a natural response. Don't blame yourself for not springing into action. You’re not a trained professional, Indy. How you reacted is exactly how most people would have.”
She exhales. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”
“We don’t have to.”
“I just want to forget.” Her fingers fist my shirt, pulling me closer. “Distract me, Gareth. Please.”
