Objective (Bloodlines #2)(62)

“Oh,” I answer indifferently.

“Cane,” she reaches out covering my hand with hers. “It was...I was, am, different. It all changed me. I’m sorry if you don’t want to acknowledge that but it’s the truth.”

“I know and I’m sorry.” Neither of us want to get any closer to the elephant in the room than we already have. Tomorrow all the fun ends. The trip ends. We head home together for the first time in almost two years. It’s a death sentence for her and a lifetime of torture for me. There is no way I will come away from this unscathed. I expect that, much like her, I will be changed. Hard and unyielding. Our happy mirage of love and life hangs by a thread, delicately holding on through our sick game of unwillingness to face the truth. I flip my hand palm-up under hers and grasp it roughly. I never want to let go. She squeezes back and drowns herself in the rest of her beer.



The Starlite Drive-in movie theatre was playing 2-Guns. We pulled in and set up shop. Mags begged me to get a large popcorn and a water and of course I’d caved. How could I not when she’d gushed that the whole drive in experience was ‘magical’. Neither of us had never been to a drive-in before and although it’s not stadium seating, reclining chairs and surround sound there was something awesome about watching a movie out under the stars with a crackling radio frequency blaring the audio. I spread out a spare blanket from the hotel room and we sat snuggled together. Every once in a while she’d readjust herself and nuzzle into me more and I’m not going to lie - I loved every second of it. Her smell, her feel, the way her long silky hair brushed against my skin. It was magical. It was the kind of date night, bar moment aside, that you never wanted to end. Almost six years after meeting, dating, living together and losing each other she still made me feel like home. I’d lied to her earlier about truth and family. She was my family. She did always support and love me and she always made me feel like I had a reason to be. It was only without her that my world disintegrated. She was my glue, my reason for staying good. My reason for constantly striving to be a better man, a decent man. When she vanished, so did my moral compass. I was truly lost without her.



She lets out a long yawn that reminds me of a sound a kitten would make and leans against me. “We’re almost back I think. Tired?” I ask quietly as I drive us back to the hotel.

“Yeah,” she breathes. Her hand slides up my shirt, her fingers grazing my skin gently. I don’t know how to make this moment last an eternity but I’d do anything asked of me to make it happen. I park in the lot and get her door for her. She smiles up at me, silently thanking me for thinking of her and takes my hand so I can lead us to our room for the night.

“I’m not too tired, you know,” she murmurs bumping my side playfully. I give her my best shocked expression as the key card slides into the slot and beeps our entrance. There is no way we will be just sleeping tonight.





Chapter 19





“Before you embark of a journey of revenge, dig two graves.”- Confucius


She’s got her bag packed and one strap over her shoulder and she’s scanning the room looking for things she may have missed. I stuff the last of my clothes into my pack and zip it shut roughly. Our morning thus far has been tense and quiet, the pressure of our bubble weighing heavily on us both. She shrugs finally and sighs. “It’s not like I really need to remember anything,” she mumbles to herself. My chest constricts painfully at her quiet words.

“Mags...”

“Don’t, Cane.” She holds up a hand to stop me. “You did what you promised and the last four days have been amazing. Besides a couple of bruises and whatnot, it was pretty much just how a road trip would have been before. I love you, you know? So, thank you.” Her words cut deep. So straight forward and unemotional. It kills me. I want to know how she shuts down so well, how she keeps all the feelings at bay. We exit the room and head to the front desk to check out. I can’t find the right words, so I just say nothing at all. We are walking in deafening silence towards the car when I just can’t take it anymore. I am not going to do this. I cannot do this.

I stop and pull her to me before we reach the car. “Run away with me,” I murmur, holding her to me tightly. The mood this morning has been thick and tense. We both know what’s coming.

“Cane,” she says, voice full of emotion.

“We could disappear, Magnolia,” I say seriously. She shakes her head just barely and the warmth in her face disappears. Something darker creeps over her features. Her eyes are stormy, hard and determined.

“I can’t,” she chokes out, flustered. “I’m sorry but I...I can’t, Cane.” She pushes away from me and folds into the car, silent tears streaming down her cheeks.

“Why?!” I bark at her, confused as hell.

“Don’t,” she begs. “Leave it, Cane. You’ll never understand.”

“Explain it then. Baby, I can understand anything you tell me,” I plead.

“Not this.” She shakes her head solemnly. “This is mine. You’d never understand how it drives me. How I have to do this.” She tries to explain. How what drives her? The Mags I knew would have said yes. This new version of her frustrates me and tests my patience. I need her. Doesn’t she see that? Doesn’t she want me the way she did before? She can’t be so broken now that she wants to die. I growl at her, thoroughly f*cking mad, and slam her door shut. From the corner of my eye I see her jump when it closes but I stalk around the hood of the car and get into the driver’s seat without apologizing. I crank the key in the ignition, throw it into drive and peel away from the hotel leaving a black streak of burnt rubber behind on the pavement behind.