Exposed Exposed (Dom Nation #1) - E. Davies Page 0,20
let go of my hand, though. His grip grew so tight that my bones hurt.
Isaac was speaking to the driver, not us. Yet. “I think this is my taxi.” Then he swung his gaze back to stare me directly in the eye in a cold challenge.
A chill ran down my spine. I wasn’t going to get out of this by avoiding him—and I didn’t want the consequences to fall upon Slate for anything I might say.
But red-hot anger flooded me as I leaned forward. I swallowed every drop of rage into calm words. “No. It isn’t.”
I didn’t look away. His eyes grew darker, his brows furrowing as his nails dug into the rubber seal of the window.
The driver shrugged and rolled up the window, making him flinch and pull his hands back. “Night, buddy.”
Clearly he didn’t care about club drama. He had a fare, and that was what mattered to him.
The driver pulled away. “Address?”
I nudged Slate, who unfroze and mumbled an address for the driver.
Part of me expected Isaac to give chase. But of course he didn’t. He stood still, and I twisted around to watch him as we pulled away.
Until we rounded the corner, he didn’t move a muscle. He just stood there, framed by groups of men and utterly alone, his fists clenched.
Wrong. So wrong, the prickle on my neck told me.
Shit, I thought, finally letting out a breath and settling back into the seat as we drove through the silence. I think I’m wrapped into his life whether I like it or not.
5
Slate
A. Daddy. Invited. Himself. Home.
Oh my God, what do I do? I knew I should have vacuumed this week! Will Rex stay? I can lend him pajamas. Do Daddies wear pajamas?
I stared determinedly ahead, never releasing my grip on Rex’s hand as my thoughts raced. I might be terrified and clueless, but whatever he was selling, I was buying.
Anything to stop the fear from trailing up my spine and gripping my neck. Prickles along my scalp, the ghosts of fingernails.
He’s going to haunt me forever.
No. I wasn’t letting myself think about that man. I was thinking only about Rex. What Rex was planning for me. How I could charm Rex. Rex, Rex, Rex, I had to focus on him and him alone.
Or I might just lose it completely.
“It’s the next right,” I said, unnecessarily breaking the silence. I leaned forward, through the middle seats, watching the familiar streetscape change to square houses with perfectly manicured lawns and driveways.
Home, sweet home.
Nobody would ever guess by looking at my little square house with its tidy lawn and pale yellow shutters what had once unfolded within.
No. Think about Rex.
What I hoped would unfold again tonight.
“This house?” the driver asked.
“That’s the one.”
“Nice place,” Rex commented and unbuckled to get out.
I hesitated. Didn’t the driver need to be paid? We weren’t just ditching the guy, right?
Rex smiled slightly. “It’s on my account.”
Duh. People who went to the club all the time probably had direct lines to cars. Blushing at my ignorance, I stammered, “Th-Thanks.”
As I got to my feet and closed the taxi door, I took a deep breath. I felt discombobulated—like all the parts of me, past and present and future, were ajar and needed to be put back together. I hoped Rex couldn’t see that.
I wanted to be strong and independent, as cliched as it felt. Not a scatterbrained and scared little boy.
The taxi slowly pulled away from the curb, and I tilted my chin up like I was marching into battle. I stepped from the sidewalk through the little metal gate in the quite literal white picket fence.
Rex followed close behind, laying his hand next to mine on the gate. Heat flashed between us as if he’d touched me directly, and I yanked my hand back with the surprise. Damn it, why’d I have to do that? It had just been so sudden.
I just gulped and led the way to the porch, suddenly critiquing everything from the layout of my pathway to the hanging baskets along the porch railing.
Digging out my keys, trying not to squirm too much under my layers of leather and denim, I unlocked the door. “Come on inside,” I said and then kicked myself—as if Rex was a vampire who couldn’t pass my front door otherwise.
“Thank you,” Rex said graciously instead, a small smile playing around his lips. He rested just the tips of his fingers between my shoulder blades.