Thin Love (Thin Love, #1)(58)

Kona caught up to her easily, a few strides and his long legs had him in front of her, holding up his hands. “You’re not walking away like a coward.” Keira darted to the left, but Kona followed and easily lifted her over his shoulder. “We’re going to finish this shit, Wildcat.”

“Put me down you freaking prick! Right the hell now!”

The crowd had followed them out of the lobby, had descended on Kona’s Camaro, but Keira was too angry to be embarrassed. Her blood boiled, resentment cresting until it vibrated into her hands, until that rage had her pounding her fists against Kona’s back.

He kept walking, waving random gawkers away from his car and before Keira realized what was happening, Kona had her in the passenger’s seat and buckled. She breathed, hard exhales she knew wouldn’t calm her and she unbuckled her seatbelt, opened the door and was ready to run, but Kona slammed his door and threw her heavy bag onto her lap before he reached over her and jerked her door closed.

Kona sped out of the parking lot and down the street before Keira could attempt another escape. He ignored the speed limit, didn’t seem to care that he slipped through one speed trap after another.

“Let me out.” Keira braced herself against the door when Kona turned sharp, tires squealing. “Let me out of the car right now.”

“I’m not yours?” She glanced at him, but didn’t quite meet his eyes, her attention was too focused on his white knuckles gripping the steering wheel and the jerks he made against the gear shift. “That’s what you think?”

Kona left campus proper and took three side streets through the city, heading toward the interstate and away from New Orleans, still speeding, still seemingly careless that the ramps were curved and steep, that traffic was getting heavier.

“Slow down, Kona.” He took an exit, flew past it too quickly for Keira to notice where he was going and didn’t pump his brakes once as they soared through four green lights. Keira’s heart pounded, her fingers hurt from the hold she kept on the small space between the door and window and her temper cooled, replaced by quickly rising fear. She didn’t want to die in the middle of nowhere because Kona decided driving like a maniac was the only way to get Keira to finish their fight. “I’m serious. Slow. Down.”

“Hanging out? What the hell does that even mean?” He punched the dashboard, rattling the stereo beneath it.

“Kona, stop the car! Stop!”

Her shout distracted him, had him taking his eyes off the road to stare at her and the median to their right came up too fast. Kona tried to right the wheels, tried swerving back onto the road, but he acted too slowly, reaction dulled by diversion and the Camaro shifted hard, then Keira’s head slammed against the window.

“Oh my God.” Kona reached for her, keeping barely a finger on the steering wheel. “Oh God. Keira… baby…”

Dazed, with a swift throb pounding next to her temple, Keira shook her head, trying to get her dizzy, unfocused vision to clear. Her tears came quick and she didn’t know if it was the slap of pain that had her weepy or the bright spark of anger that made her eyes wet.

Traffic moved around them as Kona pulled off the median and down a side street, and the horns sounding around them only made Keira’s head throb harder. She touched her head, grateful no blood darkened her fingertips.

There was a click of Kona’s seatbelt unfastening and then he was around the car, opening Keira’s door. “Let me see,” he said, pulling on her knees so that she faced him.

“Quit it. Just don’t touch me.” She didn’t want his comfort or concern. She wanted his guilt, wanted him to feel like the * he was.

Keira’s immediate thought was to get out of the car and as far away from Kona as she could manage. She had no idea where they were; New Orleans was a second home, a place she’d only just started to get familiar with, but she guessed she could find a cab, maybe get Leann to pick her up if she figured out which exit they’d taken.

“You can’t leave.” His voice was low, cautious and when Keira pushed him out of her way in her weak attempt to leave the car, it became desperate. “I have to take you to the hospital.”

“Leann can take me.” She managed two steps before dizziness rushed in her head and she leaned against the car.

“Let me help you.” Kona stood behind her, not touching, not doing anything more than leaning next to her with his large arm stretched over the hood. “Please let me help you.” His voice cracked, elevated and Keira finally looked at him, stepping back when she noticed his black eyes shining like glass. “I’m sorry. I’m so f*cking sorry.” She let him move the hair from her forehead, let him shift her head to examine what was fast becoming a nice little knot. Against her face, she felt the tremors in his fingers. Kona cussed, under his breath, soft oaths he seemed to use to curse himself and then he kissed Keira’s forehead, rested his brow on her shoulder. “What are you doing to me?” He looked up at her. “I’m not right, not about you. I don’t know who I am when I’m with you. It scares the shit out of me.”

“Then maybe this isn’t going to work.” It was something she’d thought about, something she tried not to examine for too long. It had been two short weeks of Keira and Kona playing like a couple. Two weeks that had her laughing more, smiling easier. But in the back of her mind had been the reality of their lives, the people they were when they weren’t around each other. The nagging voice that sounded suspiciously like her mother, whispered that this was pretend, that one day soon the differences between them, the quick anger and easy tempers, would lead to destruction. “I don’t know if I can handle this, Kona.” She waved between them.