Lead Me Home (Fight for Me #3)(46)

Nikki stumbled away. Confused and somehow hurt. “Just go. I need to go check on my sister, anyway. I promised her I’d take her to the movies today.”

Ollie wavered, unsure before they heard Sydney’s shouted words filter through with a laugh. “We are three. Forever and ever. You and me.”

“Hey, what about me?” Rex’s voice echoed.

Sydney laughed. So carefree. “No way.”

Ollie gave a last fleeting glance at where Nikki stood trembling against the wall before he relented and headed for the door. “Comin’. Nikki is headin’ home.”

He was leaving her.

Was it stupid that hurt her, too?

“What?” This from Sydney. Nikki could hear her friend’s footsteps growing closer while the guys clanged down the steps.

“Where are you?” Sydney called.

Nikki eased out of the room. Trying to play off whatever had just happened between her and Ollie. It felt so different. So wrong and so right, and Nikki was sure she’d never been so unsure of anything in her whole life.

“Come with us?” Sydney asked, stretching out her hand, head angling, knowing something wasn’t right.

“I think I’d better go check on my sister.”

“I’ll go with you.”

“No.”

She squeezed Nikki’s hand. “We are three. Forever and ever, you and me.”

Swallowing hard, she let Sydney guide her out through the motes that floated in the dusky air. The steps creaked and groaned beneath them as they headed down the flight of stairs.

Nikki could feel it, though there was nothing she could do.

The wood giving, splintering beneath her foot.

Nikki screamed as the plank busted, and her leg wedged through the hole.

Sharp arrows of wood cut into her skin. Pain and fear turned her stomach again.

“Oh my God, Nikki!” Sydney cried, and footsteps were bounding again, and Ollie was right there.

His face was twisted in shock and concern.

She didn’t want to find comfort in it.

She didn’t want to feel as if he made her feel everything would be all right.

But she did.

His touch was gentle as he eased her leg from the hole, careful to wind her ankle and foot free so she wouldn’t get any new gouges.

She definitely didn’t want the tears that broke free when Ollie pulled her into his arms, but a sob of relief broke free when he held her close and whispered, “I’ve got you. I won’t ever let anything bad happen to you. I promise.”

She wound her arms around his neck and buried her face under his jaw. His scent was all around her as she clung tight.

She couldn’t make out all the words people were shouting around her.

Because Ollie had her.

And that meant everything in her world was right.





15





Ollie





My phone buzzed in my pocket. I wasn’t sure why my damned heart went haywire because of it. Maybe it was because I was praying it was Nikki. Hoping she’d just text to shoot the shit, tell me how her day was going, or maybe ask me about mine.

Hell, I’d settle for a text just to remind me I was an asshole again.

Anything would be better than the two of us acting like the other didn’t exist.

Two days of tiptoeing around my house.

We’d been walking on eggshells since I’d brought her there in the first place, just waiting for something to crack.

Come loose.

But now . . . now it was different. A boundary had been crossed. A dam busted. It left me walking through a fucking flood of need.

I was up to my goddamned eyes with it.

Twice, I’d passed her in the hall, and it’d taken every fucking thing I had not to grab her and press her delicate, delicious body up against the wall.

Needing to devour that mouth.

Desperate to take it further.

To slide my hands up her skirt and slip my fingers into her heat.

I’d felt it. How fucking bad she’d wanted me. It was almost as potent as the anger she felt for me.

The fear.

At least she hadn’t taken off.

Sucking in a breath, I pulled out my phone and squinted at the text on the screen.

Sage: Got a call. Think I have something you might be interested in.





Sage was one of the guys at the shop I’d invested in where I had all my cars restored.

Disappointment was probably not the reaction he was going for, but I deflated with a heavy exhale as I tapped out a response.

Me: What you got?





Sage: ’55 Bel Air. Seller is bringing it by in about 15. Thought you might want dibs.





His offering almost brought on a smile.

Me: Yup. I’ll be there.





Sage: Cool.





Tucking my phone into my back pocket, I grabbed my keys and headed out the door, going straight for the elevator and riding it down into the basement. I hopped onto one of my bikes, figuring the fresh air would do me some good. Rid me of some of the anxiety and need bottled in my limbs.

Kicking it over, the engine roared to life. Metal vibrated beneath my hands. I took it to the road. Heavy on the throttle. Weaving through cars as I let the heat blast at my face and beat some of the bullshit away.