His tawny gaze darted over her shoulder to watch the passing fields. “Are you comin’ to watch ball practice after school?”
“Yeah. I’ll be there, like I always am.”
“Cool. Big game this weekend.” He turned back to the front, stretching his neck to watch the road, she guessed.
What is going on?
Angel placed a hand on his shoulder, meaning to get him to relax, but he jerked away from her touch, hissing in a breath.
She snatched her hand away, her eyes levering wide. “You’re hurt?”
“I hurt myself climbing your tree this mornin’. I shouldn’t have done it. Sorry about that, by the way.”
The bus pulled over, letting a few more students on, before pitching forward as it took off again.
“Let me see.” She lifted the bottom of his shirt several inches before he tugged it out of her grip, snapping at her that he was fine.
She bit down on her lip, covering her mouth with a hand. She’d seen enough to know he wasn’t fine at all. Angry red lashes that had turned into purple bruises, some of them deep enough to have scabbed over.
Legal stuff, huh? More like illegal.
“What really happened?” Her voice quivered, moisture gathering in her eyes because she’d already guessed the truth.
“Just leave it, Angel,” he spat out the words, cutting her as deeply as he had been.
She loved this boy with all her heart. She wanted to help him and he wasn’t having any of it.
“No. I can’t.”
“Yes. You can.” His jaw clenched around the words.
“Don’t push me away. There’s no way I can stand by, knowing you’re hurting like this.”
“You can’t help me. There’s nothing anyone can do.”
“Bullshit!” She twisted in the seat, leaning close so she could whisper-yell. “I can tell daddy and he can call the sheriff. You could come and live with us, we have plenty of spare rooms in that big old house. I can take care of you, and your daddy will be arrested. Probably your mama, too. Don’t try and tell me she doesn’t know what’s going on. What kind of mama allows someone to hurt her baby? I don’t care if it is your pa.”
“My father is a lawyer. Don’t you think he’d be able to find a way out of trouble? Who’s gonna believe my word over his? He’s friends with the sheriff. If I say anything, my life will get worse, not better.” His eyes held a desperation that tore through her heart. “I’ll become the sob story that no one can look in the eye, but everyone is happy to gossip about. The kids at school will make fun, or worse, not talk to me at all.” He rested his palm over her clenched fist. “Come on, Angel, you can’t fix this. Okay?”
She pushed up her glasses. “No. Not even close.”
Angel spun away from him and focused on her hands fisted in her lap. She swiped angry tears away with her fingers, knowing some of his points were valid. If she could get proof that it was his father who’d done this, then the sheriff would have to take notice, and Aiden had a chance to get away.
“Your pa knows.”
Her eyes jerked back to his and her lips parted to speak, but she couldn’t sort through the mix of hope, betrayal, and defeat she was feeling, to form any words. If her daddy knew, why hadn’t he done anything about it?
“He came to get me. Fixed me up. I’ve been recovering in his office and going home at night pretending I was fine, until I could go to bed. He phoned the school for me, too. Got that all squared away, somehow. If my father knew, he’d be causing all sorts of dramas for your pa. He’d try to, anyways. Your daddy has more power in this town than my father, and that drives him crazy. But it’s not enough for people to believe such a serious accusation.”
She turned away, wanting to cover her ears. Fields gave way to suburbia as the bus trudged on to school, stopping more frequently now. Angel stared at the houses thinking everything looked the same, but her stomach sank down to her knees with a feeling that nothing would be the same ever again. She could taste it on her tongue, like sour milk. She wanted to spit it out. She wanted to march right up to Mr. Thomas and spit and hiss, and kick his shins for what he’d done. What a brute of a man.
For the first time in her life, she thought she might be capable of hatred.
Chapter 5
Aiden flicked a loose piece of grass off his baseball shirt, and cautiously rolled his shoulders. His back throbbed like a thumb after a hammering, but he was happy. Ball practice was awesome. The guys were more than ready to face off against their rival team that weekend. His teammate’s mama had dropped him and Angel a few blocks away, and now they strolled home, hands clasped.
“Did you see that catch?”
“Yeah. I also saw how you couldn’t get up for two minutes after you landed. Why didn’t you sit this one out?”
“Because I don’t wanna make anyone suspicious, and I don’t want to give my father the satisfaction of making me miss out on the good stuff.”
She nodded. “Yeah, I appreciate that. But shouldn’t you rest up before Saturday? How’re you going to slide into home base if you’ve opened up all your cuts again?”
“I’ll take an ice bath.”
Angel pouted her cute mouth and looked up at him with those emerald eyes darkened by concern. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and laid a firm kiss on her lips.
“I’ll be fine.”
“I wish I could believe you.”
Dropping his bag, he moved in front of her, blocking her way. He took her face into his hands. “I’ll be fine.”
Again, his lips captured hers, lingering for a good long taste this time. Angel’s hand landed on his chest and smoothed their way to his neck, leaving a path of heat in their wake. Damn, this girl was his drug. He’d endure anything as long as he didn’t have to be apart from her. He shifted his grip to her waist and angled his head for a deeper kiss. He had to taste her fully, licking into her mouth. Aiden was careful not to push her. He wanted to pull her body into his and obliterate the space between them. But they were on the street, and if either of their father’s saw, there’d be hell to pay. He pulled back, gently setting her away, and smirking at the way she swayed on her feet when he let her go to pick up his bag.
Grabbing her hand, he continued walking, rounding the corner of their street. As always, his eyes found the big, beautiful, antebellum masterpiece that had been in Angel’s family for generations. Its blue shutters stood out against the white walls, proud columns marking its entrance. Grand oak trees protected the street in a canopy of green, as they walked closer to the bend that would reveal his modest, plantation-plain style home.
Angel’s feet slowed to a stop, her arm tugging his behind him. He looked back in question. He didn’t think her ivory skin could get any paler, but she was whiter than his uniform. Her eyes held a disbelief and panic that had his head whipping around to see what was going on.
“No. Mother fucker. No.” He dropped Angel’s hand and sprinted towards his house.
Two bulky removal guys carried his desk into the back of their truck. Another two followed with his bed. Aiden forgot about the pain in his back as a surge of rage-fueled adrenaline took over. He stopped across the street, raking his fingers through his hair and pulling hard at the roots. They’d cleaned out most of the furniture already.
“Fuck!” He squatted down, gripping his head, eyes fixed on his uncertain future, and the worst hell on Earth packed into the back of that truck.
He searched for his father’s car, not finding any sign of it. The asshole was probably screwing over his employees’ 401K retirement plans.
Angel stepped into his view, clutching at his shirt. “We can run away. Daddy will understand.” She yanked on the material, sobbing. “You can borrow Daddy’s bike. Let’s go.”
They ran back to Angel’s place. She darted up the stairs to grab a backpack and some clothes, while he raided the cupboards for food. His hands shook so badly that he smashed a jar of jelly, the red mush on the floor demonstrating th
e state of his heart.
“Fuck!”
He zipped his bag and rubbed a hand over his face as Angel came back down. “Where are we going to go? Have you got enough money for a bus fare? Is there even a bus out of town at this time of day?”
“I’ve got it all planned. We can hide out at Saunders’ Hardware. You know he has an apartment above the store. I know where he keeps the key. We can’t use the bus, that’ll be the first place they’ll look. It’s too late to ride anywhere, but we’ll have to leave early in the morning and take the back roads to the next county. We’ll hitch a ride as soon as we can. I found Daddy’s emergency stash. That should get us food for a while until we can get work. I have some savings, too.”
“Are you sure about this, Angel? You don’t have to leave everything for me.”
“You stupid boy. You are everything. Don’t you know that by now?”
Adrenaline punched into his system at hearing her words, and he shuffled his weight, not knowing how to let it seep in deep where he needed it. Love wasn’t a familiar term. He knew he loved her. He’d hoped she felt the same. But, belief and acceptance didn’t come easily for his battered heart.
Her eyes moved around the room, taking it all in through a sheen of tears. “Let’s go before someone finds us.”
Aiden swallowed past the guilt lodged in his throat, feeling like a selfish asshole for letting her do this, but unable to contemplate a life without her. He gathered her in his arms, absorbing her strength, knowing he’d never be man enough to deserve the sacrifice she was making for him.
As her body dissolved into grief in his embrace, he let himself go there with her, sliding his back down the kitchen cupboard until they joined the jelly puddle on the floor.
Of all the pain his father had inflicted over the years… this was the worst. He’d outdone himself. What kind of assholes were his grandparents to have raised such a heartless bastard? Old money from New Hampshire, that much he knew. They had a lot to answer for.
He pulled Angel against him, breathing her in and shutting his eyes. The asshole gene had to stop with his father. Aiden was going to do everything to become man enough to repay her loyalty and love. He’d get them safely away. Somehow.
Gravel sprayed behind their tires as they rode into the alleyway the next block over from the hardware store. Out of breath, Angel hopped off the bike, her thighs burning from the long ride. Her eyes darted everywhere, hoping not to see any familiar faces. They’d taken the most convoluted path they could, making it to the center of town by late afternoon. Most people had gone home for the day, with only a few stragglers moving about.
“Here, behind the dumpster. This is a good place to hide the bikes.”
Aiden waved Angel over into the god-awful cloud of stench wafting from the giant metal trash can. She held her breath, shoving her bike behind his, before she jogged to the end of the alleyway and back to clean air.
She sucked in a cleansing breath. “Well, that was foul. There’s something brewing in there and it ain’t sweet tea.”
“I think there’s a family of feral cats using it as a latrine.” Aiden pinched his nose. Not that it would help. “Okay, what’s the plan?”
“I’ll distract him while you…” Angel’s finger landed on his chest. “…get the key. It hangs on a nail underneath the counter next to the register. Look for a red keyring in the shape of an apple. You can’t miss it.”
She spun around and poked her head into the street. They had to move fast to catch Mr. Saunders before he locked up for the night. “Okay, the coast is clear.” She casually walked up the street and into the store, spotting Mr. Saunders’ head behind the counter. Aiden ducked into the shelves, silently moving his way to the back of the store, while she headed up the middle aisle.
“Hi, Mr. Saunders. How’re ya doin’?” Pasting on a smile, she rested her hands on the countertop to stop them from trembling.
“Well, if it isn’t Angel Murphy. you’re lookin’ more like your mama every time I see ya. I’m doin’ fine. How can I help you?”
She always expected him to talk with an Irish accent, he looked so much like a leprechaun. Especially now that his hair was turning white at the front, and he was so short that she had no trouble looking him in the eye.
Pursing her lips half in thought and half to stop the giggle, she tapped a finger on her bottom lip. “I need a new adjustable wrench for my daddy. He broke his favorite one and he’s been a bear with a sore head ever since. Do you know what brand he uses?”
“Oh, yeah. I make sure to keep his preferred tools in stock. They make ‘em tough, but your daddy puts his tools through their paces with those vehicles he builds. I got ‘em right over here.”
He tottered off, explaining the difference between a few brands to no one in particular. Angel waited until she saw Aiden duck behind the register, before she followed Mr. Saunders.
“This here is the one your daddy likes to use.” He held the shiny tool, wearing a triumphant smile.
“Yeah, that looks familiar. Could you keep it aside for me? I’d like to give it to him as an early Father’s Day present.”
“Absolutely. No problem. Do you want me to organize gift wrapping for you? I don’t normally do that sort of thing, but I can make an exception for you and your daddy.”
“That’s mighty generous of you, Mr. Saunders, but I can do that myself. Thank you so much for your help, I appreciate it.” More than you know.
“All right, young lady. Pleasure doin’ business with ya. I’ll see you soon.”
No, you won’t. Her throat burned with the need to cry. She nodded and walked out, ordering her legs not to run and her tears to back down. God, she’d just lied to one of the sweetest, most honorable men she knew. Her eyes checked the sky for storm clouds as she stepped onto the street, expecting a bolt of lightning to strike her down. She saw nothing but the oncoming dusk, and Aiden holding the side door to the apartment open in the alleyway.
Ducking in after him, she locked the door behind her and tiptoed up the dark staircase to their hideaway.
One big room was broken into four parts. The kitchen and bathroom occupied the two back corners, and the dining and living area sat across the front, looking out at the street. The apartment was only half as deep as the store below. She guessed there must be a storeroom behind the back wall, built over the back half of the store.
“Hello, 1970’s. The Brady Bunch called, they want their set back.” Aiden shielded his face with his hands.
She couldn’t stop the giggle. The orange and brown color scheme was kind of offensive. And… shag pile. Really?
“Decorating is not his strong suit, that’s for sure. I don’t see a bed. That must be a foldout sofa. We have to be thankful we have a place to bunk down until we can figure out how to get away.”
“I know, and I am, so thankful. I was just trying to lighten the mood.” He came over to her, encircling her in his arms. “You’re so amazing. I can’t believe that you would drop everything to be with me. I’m still in shock that this is happening.”
“Me, too.”
His intense gaze roved across her face. She was covered in a sheen of sweat and dried tears, and was probably the color of a beetroot. She got the impression that she could be covered in grease, and he’d still find her beautiful. He locked her in his arms like he wanted to hold her forever. They’d been forced into this situation, but the thought of them running away together was becoming more and more appealing. Sharing meals, sharing a home, sharing a bed… She guessed Aiden’s mind had gone there, too, because he tilted his hips back, discretely adjusting his stance to hide his body’s response to the possibilities.
He cleared his throat. “We need to get cleaned up.”
She almost pulled him closer, but through the dividing wall came a banging and scraping, like Mr. Saunders was moving stuff around.
“Sh. Did you hear that?”
Aiden’s arms went stiff around her. She felt his heartbeat thundering
through his chest and into hers.
“We can’t run the water until we know he’s gone home.” Aiden’s breath puffed over her ear as he whispered the words, and she nodded in assent.
It had been a risk, to involve Mr. Saunders. As soon as the call to search went out, he’d be able to tell people that he’d seen them. They would have to search the apartment. Angel just hoped they could get away before that happened. The prickling along her skin told her they didn’t have a chance. She burrowed into Aiden’s chest willing her fears away, and taking as much time in his arms as she could.
They waited an hour for Mr. Saunders to pack up and leave, watching through the curtains as his car disappeared down the street, before they took turns in the shower. They figured if they used the light from the open bathroom, they could see enough without alerting anyone on the street of their presence. From her seat at the table, Angel eyed Aiden in the kitchen, gathering ingredients for their dinner. His body was almost completely engulfed by one of her father’s T-shirts, his school shorts hidden under its length, making it look more like a dress. Aiden was tall, much taller than her, but her father was a giant. He could always tuck it in, she figured. It was better than wearing his uniform. People would be looking for that.
“I got the peanut butter, but I smashed the jelly jar. Sorry.” He sent her a sheepish smile.
“That’s okay. Peanut butter is delicious on its own.”
The truth was, she wasn’t all that hungry. Her attention was half on the door, waiting for Mr. Thomas to barge in. Deep in the pit of her gut, she knew it was going to happen. If not here, then somewhere down the road. He would find them. The man would track his son to the end of the Earth.
“Here ya go.” The plate clattered on the wooden table and Aiden took a seat beside her. “How mad do you think your daddy will be when he figures out we’ve disappeared together?”
Picking bits off the crust, she rubbed them between her fingers, making a pile of crumbs. “Spitting mad, but not at us. He’ll see the removal truck and figure out that we had no choice.” She brushed the crumbs off her fingers and leaned back in the chair. “I don’t get it. Why didn’t they tell you about the move? It’s like they’re runnin’ from something.”
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