Fake Love - Jaxson Kidman Page 0,71

the rock.

I looked at the side of the building and saw a window.

Talon gave me a little room and I wound up and threw the rock.

It smacked the side of the building.

“Do it again,” Talon said.

He gave me another rock.

I missed again.

Then I missed two more times.

And I was pissed.

Talon put another rock in my hand. “We can stay here all night, darling. I’m fine with that.”

“Shut up, Talon,” I said.

I threw the rock and watched it sail through the air.

It hit the window… and the window shattered.

I looked at Talon and smiled.

A split second later, an alarm went off.

That’s when Talon smiled at me.

“I guess we better run,” Talon said.

“Fuck,” I said.

I didn’t even think for a second about an alarm system.

Of course there was an alarm system.

Talon started to run.

Without grabbing for my hand.

He took off.

Ditching me.

I gasped.

The two seconds I stood in place and watched him run, he obviously started to disappear into the night.

I started to run too.

We kept our distance from the shop.

Xavier wasn’t all that far away from the shop.

Or better yet… the police.

The alarm was squealing, looking for attention.

And I wasn’t sure what would be worse - having the police catch me or having Xavier catch me.

I didn’t have time to debate it.

I just ran.

As fast as I could.

Talon was faster.

Running toward Tank Two.

I looked around more than I should have, fearing Xavier or the police magically appearing.

Then again, Tank Two wasn’t some small vehicle that blended in with anything.

Talon got behind the wheel of Tank Two.

I had no choice but to get into the passenger seat.

“Go!” I screamed at him.

“No shit, darling,” Talon said.

He slammed on the gas pedal.

The tires dug at the pavement as we took off.

Talon drove really fast.

Faster than I had ever driven since the accident.

My hands gripped the edges of the seat.

I couldn’t catch my breath a few times.

But we needed to get away.

Talon stopped Tank Two right in the middle of the road.

He got out and I did the same.

We met at the front of Tank Two.

I wanted to hit him.

“That’ll keep things busy,” he said.

“I can’t believe I just did that.”

Talon touched my arms. “Maybe you should try believing in yourself, Winter. What the fuck is wrong with you? You remember everything yet you act like this.”

“Fuck off,” I said.

“Trust yourself,” he said. “Believe in yourself and what you’re doing.”

I thought I heard a police siren in the distance.

“I need to get home,” I said. “I can’t get caught. Where should I drive you?”

“Want to fool around in your bed again?” Talon asked.

“No,” I said.

“Then I’m fine here. I’ll walk. I know how to make myself disappear.”

“Are you sure?” I asked.

Talon winked at me and backed away.

I wasn’t going to stick around and waste time.

I hurried back to Tank Two and slowly started to drive.

Talon just walked the side of the road. Like a typical Troc.

And I was a typical Bump, driving away in my expensive vehicle to go to my expensive house.

My heart refused to calm down.

I kept thinking someone was going to catch me.

But I managed to get back to my mother’s beach house.

I parked Tank Two and hurried into the house. Then through the house.

I spotted my mother in the kitchen.

“You have company,” she said.

“What?” I asked.

“Out back.”

My mother shrugged her shoulders and walked away.

I gritted my teeth and hurried to the door and rushed out to the deck.

I pictured Xavier waiting. With Easton and Noah.

But they weren’t waiting for me.

It was Gia.

I ran toward her and felt like I could burst into tears.

“Gia,” I said. “I know you’re pissed at me…”

“Winter…”

“No,” I said. “I have to tell you something.”

I’m going to do this. She deserves to know. She’s my best friend, right? I can’t do this anymore. I have to tell her…

“Come for a walk,” I said.

I grabbed her hand and walked down to the beach.

I needed distance from everything but Gia.

“Winter, I need-”

“Just don’t talk,” I said to Gia. “Okay? I totally get why you’re pissed at me. Talon keeps showing up. I keep telling you nothing is happening. It looks bad on my part. And it looks like I’m ditching you for a guy. Not just a guy but a Troc.”

“Winter…”

“No,” I said. “I swear to you that I’m not fucking Talon. I’m not interested in him. I promise. It’s something else going on. He and I have an arrangement.”

“What kind of arrangement?”

“I pay him.”

“You pay Talon?” Gia asked. “For what? Or don’t I want to know?”

“It’s not that,” I