Nope. This is a completely different feeling. “Angel, you’re buckled in, right?” I don’t take my eyes off the road.
“Of course, I am. Why? What’s wrong?” Her voice is groggy. My girl, when she’s tired, she’ll fall asleep anywhere.
“Just making sure. I have that feeling.” We talked about my past in the Marines, how it makes your senses sharper. Hell, all of us guys are that way. Once I told her about everything that’s happened with Taylor and Kellie, her eyes were as wide as saucers. She understood my need to keep her close at all times. We weren’t in Alabama when shit was going down with Cam and Easton. It burned a whole in our guts the entire time too. That’s why when they decided to move to Virginia, we were all gung ho.
“You want me to call Travis?” she suggests.
“Not right now, but keep your phone beside you.” I haven’t told Giana there’s a car coming up behind us, heavy on the petal too. Too heavy with the winding curve of a road that leads to my place. I know it’s not the neighbors who live in the area either. None of them would be as stupid to drive like this person is. My gut is telling me exactly what my mind is playing over and over in my head too.
“Wow, do you see that person behind us? Are they trying to get around or something?” Giana’s head is moving from the passenger mirror to looking over her shoulder.
“Yeah, I have a feeling we both know who it is.” When Bridger and Slade left, I let Giana know who we were dealing with. To say she was shocked was an understatement, but my angel took it in stride, grabbed my hand and said, “We’re in this together.” And that was that.
“I have no doubt. Go ahead and call Travis to at least put him on the line,” I tell her, my eyes never leaving the road in front of us.
“So much for getting home and piling into bed,” Giana laughs.
“Oh, we’ll be doing that. It just may be during the day instead of at night.” She takes her phone out, dials Travis’s number.
“Hey, G, everything okay?” We can hear rustling in the background. He must be getting out of bed so as to not wake Raelynn.
“Hey, well, about that. It seems we might need some backup. Drake is driving, but we’re being followed, and the driver is, well, a wee bit cuckoo for cocoa puffs.” I hear Travis laugh.
“I don’t doubt that for a bit. Okay, I’m heading that way. I’ll bring backup too. Who knows what all is involved? You good, Drake?” he asks.
“Oh yeah, nothing like living on the edge, man.”
“Jesus, keeping you guys out of trouble is not easy.” Travis may sound like it’s another job, but deep down he’s always in the thick of it with us.
“As if you weren’t once a part of it with us.”
“True enough. Alright, I’m walking out the door. Raelynn is up now and will be around if Giana needs her. I tried to be quiet, but that woman, she feels when I get up,” he says.
“Sounds good.”
“Thanks, Travis. See you soon.” Giana hangs up the phone. She’s holding in her nervous energy. That says something about the strength she exudes.
I look in my rearview mirror. The white four-door sedan has gotten closer to us, swerving to try and get around us. When they do that, I slow down and move a different way. It pisses the driver off more each time. I take my foot off the gas this time. I want this to end, and knowing Travis, he’s only a few minutes away. His and Raelynn’s place isn’t too far from here. The driver takes that time to speed up, goes around me. I slam my foot on the break as the car gets in front of me and slows down.
“Looks like Travis will be here in the nick of time.” Giana points out his red and blue lights flashing in the distance.
“I’m not so sure it’ll do any good.” When the driver slammed on the brakes, it made the car fishtail. I skid my own vehicle to a stop, unbuckle my seatbelt.
“What are you doing? No fucking way. You are not getting out of this vehicle, Drake Martinez. If you go, I’m going with you.” Damn, do I love this woman. My hand cups the nape of her neck, and I kiss her quickly before saying,