Page 58 of Off-Limits Bad Boy
“Alright. Give me ten minutes to get ready.”
“I'll be there,” he says.
“Okay.” We end the call and a bolt of pure adrenaline sears through my being.
I have ten minutes to get ready. Ten minutes until Kade is here, close enough to touch; his scent, voice, and touch filling my world.
But was he right about her just lying if she did this?
What if this just leaves us with more questions than answers?
I rush around and get ready, my heart jackhammering in my chest every second of the way.
The quiet roar of Kade's engine warns me he’s here before he even parks. I see him through the window, his jaw set, eyes serious. I’m excited, scared, and unsure all at once as I leave my place, locking up and making my way to his car quickly.
He leans over and opens the door for me, and I slide into the passenger seat.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” I ask, I don’t want to force him, but I realize I didn’t really ask what he wanted. And I feel bad for that.
He nods, his expression determined. “Let's see what we can find out.”
His answer doesn't inspire confidence - he clearly thinks she’s not going to be honest, even if we call her out with proof. But he’s still here, going with me to do this, and that’s important to me.
We're on the road the second my seatbelt clicks into place, the city lights streaking past us like shooting stars. I try to focus on anything else but what lies ahead, but my mind is a tornado of doubt and what-ifs.
“Gosh, when did our lives become some trashy, reality show?” I say with a chuckle.
“I don’t know, but I didn't sign a consent form.” He jokes right back.
I gasp. “Me, either!”
The back and forth makes me feel better, makes this moment between us feel more normal.
I watch the tendons in his forearm flex with each turn of the wheel, wondering why even that is sexy to me. The man gets me all fired up inside, but now really isn’t the time to be thinking about that. But if I think about what might happen next, I’ll explode from the pressure.
The silence stretches between us. I reach out and lace my fingers with his, to reassure both of us that whatever happens, we'll face it together.
“It doesn't make sense,” he says suddenly, breaking the stillness. His voice is low, almost as if he’s not talking to me. “Stella wouldn't do this. It's too cruel, even for her.”
“Or maybe you don't know her anymore,” I say in a gentle tone. “People change, Kade.”
I mean, the people we knew as teens have all changed so much. We’ve changed so much. Why would it be impossible to believe that she has become bitter and angry toward him? Or that she’s a stranger now, at the very least.
“Maybe,” he says. The word sounds like he’s letting go of something, maybe a piece of the past that no longer fits into the puzzle of his present.
The drive feels like it’s going on forever, but I know that’s just anxiety playing tricks on my mind.
“Whatever happens...” I say, unsure where I’m going with this line of conversation.
“We'll handle it.” Kade seems to know exactly what I’m thinking as he finishes the statement. And knowing that we’re on the same page and hearing him say those words... it’s all the reassurance I need.
The hotel lobby buzzes with people going about their business, and we slip past everyone to the elevators. He presses the button with more force than needed, and I sense that he’s as stressed as I am, even though he doesn't otherwise show it.
The elevator dings open, and we step inside. Silver walls encase us, and as we rise, so does the tension in my neck and I rub the spot with one hand, hoping to relieve some of the pressure. It doesn't work.
“Room 306,” Kade says.
I nod in response.