Page 45 of Crash into me

“A friend from high school. He helps us out during races.”

He’s shirtless, and his muscles flex as he stretches.

I move my feet off the blanket and dig my toes into the warming sand. My heart is racing violently. “Why did you come back?”

His eyes tell me everything, the betrayal of weeks of me lying to him. “Last night I figured it out.” He sighs. “The moment you said the butterflies were gone … I knew.”

“Oh,” I mouth.

He brings his long legs inward, resting his chin on his knees. “I know about the deal you made with that piece of shit too.”

“How?”

He lets out a brief, humorless laugh. “I called my grandma. She’s been acting so fucking weird and I told her you remember me.”

A stretch of silence passes us, until I speak. “So, what do we do now?” I ask.

“We,” he begins, standing and walking to the shore, “do nothing.”

The way he says it sounds off. “What do you mean?” I follow after him.

“I mean, I have it handled.” His face is set in a dark, deep scowl.

I shake my head, running my hand through my salt drenched hair. I probably look ridiculous right now. “How do you have it handled, Foster?” My tone is accusing, and a worried bubble rises in my throat.

“I got some money.” He shrugs, but it’s not a fluid movement. His shoulders are tense, and his jaw twitches. He’s nervous.

“How much money?” I wonder.

He looks away, his eyes roaming the sparkling water. “Enough to cover the treatments.”

I nod, my lips in a tight, worried line. “How did you get a lot?”

“I made a deal with the Keeper,” he replies.

The way he says it sends shivers up my spine. “Who’s the Keeper?”

He turns to face me. “Remember when you came to the house, and I showed up all beat up?”

“Because you owed someone money from leaving that race with me?” I ask, guilt streaming through me. But that was his decision that first bike night to leave; I didn’t ask him to. “Was that the Keeper?”

He laughs, but there’s no humor to it. One single shake of his head sends a cold sweat all over my skin. “That bet holder is a rabbit compared to the lion the Keeper is.”

I can’t speak for a moment. One minute we’re in a bad situation, the next … it’s even worse. “How much did you get, Foster?”

“Enough that I’ve signed away my life for a few years to pay him back.” He throws his head between his hands.

“Why would you do that?”

His black hair dances above his brow as he tilts his head. “You were living in that house, under that roof for me. For Sophie! I couldn’t let you.” He begins to pace. “At first, I thought you really forgot me. I thought you would never remember.”

“But we’re together again.” I grab his shoulders, trying to ground him back to reality. “This changes nothing.”

“It changes everything, baby girl.” His knuckles brush my cheek longingly. He pauses, looking at me for one final moment before he crushes my soul. “That’s why we can’t be together anymore.”

My body stiffens, and a whirl of emotions fills my bones. “It’s us against the world, baby. You can’t do this.”

“Right now, it’s us against the Keeper.” He’s self-destructing to keep me safe. “I can’t have that for your life, Sky. I just got you safe.” This is coming out of nowhere. “You have to act like you don’t remember me,” he adds.