“Hello.”
“You need a ride somewhere?” he asked, yet again flashing that smile of his.
I shook my head and glanced down the road in the direction of The Hut. I was happy to walk because walking bought me some more time before I had to talk to Drew about the gun, the lies, and explain the weird feeling that had followed me home.
“Nope. I’m good walking.”
“Now there’s something we can agree on.” He whistled like I was a nice round of meat to throw on the pit. I’d always thought of him as sweet and charming, and always quick with compliments. Now, I realized I felt nothing but annoyed as the spark of rage petered out and died, abandoning me. Jacob had actually done me a favor when he hadn’t called after I’d dropped out of college and moved back to Babylon.
“Were you always this much of an ass?”
“I think so. I don’t recollect much of high school, though.You are the highlight reel.”
“Well, doesn’t that just say it all?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean you never really were present. I was naïve and stupid. You were a drunken idiot who made promises he couldn’t keep.”
“Is that what you’re mad about?” he asked, interest piqued. I continued walking, but he slammed on his brakes and climbed out of his truck to keep pace with me. I had to stop myself from growling under my breath.
“I’m not mad. I’m just surprised and a little disgusted. I was walking home, and—”
“Ayda, your home is clear on the other side of town. You been smoking something you shouldn’t? And where can I get some?”
“I live with my boyfriend. I moved in with him after my house burned down.”
“Jeez, and he makes you walk home?” The judgment in his tone grated on my nerves. He probably thought he was being smart or witty, but he wasn’t. This false concern just made me want to get away from him that little bit faster as the stirring of all the bad memories from our breakup rose to the surface.
“I’m not going to even acknowledge that,” I said, mentally cheering when I heard the growl of aHarleyin the distance. I turned and started toward the shape that was still only a mirage on the horizon, but a salvation from this trip down memory lane I’d been forced to take.
“A, I’m serious,” Jacob said, reaching for my arm to stop my progress. “You shouldn’t be walking home out here in the middle of nowhere. That’s how horror movies start.”
“Horror movies start with damsels. I’m not a damsel. I don’t need saving, and I can look after myself.” I pulled my arm from his grip as the bike’s engine slowed and Deeks’ bike rolled to a stop in front of me.
I could have kissed Deeks for coming. I knew now I should have waited for him because Drew would never have left me alone at the diner without a way to get home.
“Problems?” Deeks asked gruffly, addressing me but staring at Jacob like he was shit stuck to the bottom of his shoe.
“Not anymore,” I said, pulling Autumn’s helmet from where it was strapped to the back of the bike and swinging my leg over the back.
“Thisyour boyfriend?” Jacob mocked in a tone neither Deeks nor I appreciated.
Before Deeks could answer for me, I tapped him on the side out of Jacob’s line of sight and smiled sweetly at Jacob. “Why such a surprise? He’s more of a man than you’ll ever be.”
I could feel Deeks’ laughter as I pushed the helmet down over my head and then wrapped my arms around his waist. I was pretty sure he would give me a hard time once he found out who had been following me down the hard shoulder of the highway, but I would take the criticism. The look on Jacob’s face gave me too much satisfaction to not allow myself to enjoy the moment.
Shifting into gear, Deeks spun the back of the bike before taking off toward The Hut, and I didn’t so much as glance back. I just let the wind rush around me, closed my eyes and left Deeks in control for five minutes before he lectured me, too. There was no escaping his knowledge of me being armed,considering my gun was pressed against his back, and he’d found me marching down the road away from a guy who seemed all too familiar with me.
When Deeks finally rolled to a stop in his usual spot, he waited just long enough for me to get my helmet off before he started with the questions.
“Who was that?”
“That was Jacob,” I said, swinging off the bike and busying my hands by replacing the helmet. “He pulled over when he saw me walking home. Before you ask, he was my high school boyfriend, and no, I didn’t know he was back in Babylon.”
“Little defensive there, aren’t ya? I wasn’t judging you, sugar, just worried. Looked like you weren’t too happy about him touching you.”
“I wasn’t, but I had it under control.”
