I clamp my thighs together, trying to numb the dull ache at my center.
“Are you going to hurt me?” I ask in a shaky tone.
I meant for it to sound more confident than it did. I watch as his lips curve up on one side and he tucks a small strand of my hair behind my ear. He leans into me, placing a hand on my lower back. I can smell his smokey cedar scent all around me, consuming me with every second that passes. His lips graze the side of my cheek, and a soft, breathy moan escapes my lips.
He breathes lightly against my ear and whispers, “Don't worry baby, you'll learn to love the pain.”
A loud horn blares and I jump, causing Miles to squeeze me closer to him. I look over his shoulder and freeze as all the blood drains from my face. A 1970s Mulsanne Blue Chevy Camaro with black pinstripes down the center of it rushes down the road, nearly taking out the driver's side of Miles' Jeep.
It can't be.I killed him.
I stood there and watched as the blood poured from his head. I didn't stop until I knew there was no going back. Until I knew he couldn't hurt me anymore. I can hear Miles yelling, trying to get my attention, but I can't make out what he's saying. I'm too frozen, the world around me blurring together.
He's shaking me now, and I finally break free of the haze of confusion as I see my dad's car turn the corner.
“Maddie! Baby, please look at me.”
My gaze slowly travels up until I meet Miles’ worried eyes. He cups my face, which only causes the tears rimming my lashes to slip out and glide down my cheeks and onto his fingers. He looksat me with concern and I can see the moment his eyes shift from worrisome to murderous, as if the sight of my uneasiness makes him want to kill someone.
“Are you okay?” His hold on my face is gentle yet firm, but I don’t miss the soft stroke of his thumb as he holds me in place, his gaze never shifting from mine. “Where did you just go?”
I don’t want to tell him about my past. He has no business knowing that. It might put him more at risk, but how do I just make up something on the spot like that? From his perspective, the only thing that happened was a car honking and suddenly I’m a sobbing mess. It wouldn’t make sense. I have no choice but to tell him, at least a small part of it.
“That car that just drove by. It was the same one my father had. Same make and model, the same color, right down to the black pinstripes down the center. But my father isn’t alive, and that’s not a very common car.”
I can see the tension in his face soften a little, and I hope my confession was enough for him to stop asking questions. He nods, pulling me back into his hold, and kisses the top of my head. I can’t imagine being able to stomach telling him more than I already have. Admitting my father being dead is already way too much.
If he starts asking why…
“I’m so sorry, Maddie.”
He holds me a little while longer, but I pull away and wipe at my tears. I want to forget everything that just happened.
Miles walks over to the passenger side of his Jeep and opens the door for me and I quickly get in, buckling myself immediately. I watch him as he makes his way over to the driver's side, removing the sunglasses from the top of his head and placing them on his chiseled face. It's amazing how easily I can be turned on by the tiniest things he does.
He hops inside and buckles himself in his seat. Looking over at me, he cups my cheek, and by pure instinct, I lean into it.
“You ready to go?”
I take a deep breath and nod my head. I have no idea where we’re going, and although I haven’t known Miles for very long, I feel like I can trust him. I know I’m safe with him.
We’ve been drivingfor at least an hour now. We didn’t talk the entire drive, and honestly, I’m grateful for it. I needed the space to process, and Miles’ taste in music isn’t bad as I found myself slightly bobbing my head to the music, looking over to the dash to save the song titles for later.
Some of the band names were a little concerning and had me questioning what all Miles was into, likeBad OmensandIce Nine Kills, but others were just…odd. What kind of band names themselvesBlack Veil Brides? I had to look that one up on my phone and was shocked when I noticed the singer looked so much like Miles. They could easily be related. Despite the odd name, I love their music. I downloaded almost every band that played onto my Spotify.
A few songs later, Miles pulls onto a dirt road that’s nestled between a bunch of trees.
Where the hell are we?
The road is narrow and well hidden—you wouldn’t even be able to tell it was a road if you didn’t know it was here. Looking around, all I can see are trees for miles. Flashbacks of that night start flooding my mind and I grip the door of the Jeep for stability, my knuckles turning stark white in seconds. Pinchingmy eyes shut, I force the images of my father's lifeless body out of my mind. I don’t even notice when Miles stops driving.
“Mads. We’re here.”
I’m not sure if Miles notices my panic, but if he does, he doesn’t bring it up. Instead, he gets out of the Jeep and walks around to the passenger side to open my door, offering me his hand to help me out. I take it, hoping he doesn’t feel me shaking as I hop out of the car.
Looking off in the distance, a faint shimmer of light glows, and I can’t help but wonder what it is. Miles and I walk hand in hand in the direction of the light. Past the line of trees is a small round lake, completely blanketed in the shade of the trees surrounding it. Off to the left is a large wall of rocks, complete with a waterfall running down the center.
It’s absolutely mesmerizing.
