My pulse quickened as I digested his words. “You could never be anything but the man I deserve, Sid,” I answered firmly.
He smiled patiently. “Maybe that’s true. My point, babe, is that you helped me. More than you’ll ever know. I’m fucking thrilled to return the favor. We’ll help each other. We both have our darkness. We’ll just pull each other toward the light.”
I swallowed hard and managed to rasp out a quiet, “Yeah.”
His tone grew thoughtful, almost hesitant as he glanced at me before his eyes returned to the road. “We should talk about your folks, babe.”
“My folks?” I asked, confused.
“Honey, you’re one of the smartest women I’ve ever known. You can stitch together a song like no one else I’ve ever heard. But you don’t connect the pieces between your parents being completely aloof and your hesitancy with intimacy—of any kind.” He looked over at me again, a warm look that could only be described as love clear across his handsome face. “I can see by that shocked look on your face that the connection hadn’t occurred to you, sweetheart. I’m here to help you through that. But maybe not when we’re in the middle of a high-speed chase, yeah?”
“Yeah,” I managed.
Was he right? Hell, he might just be. Damn.
“It’s not like your parents are much better,” I commented, staring absently out the window as the traffic slowed around us.
Cade and Sid’s parents still lived somewhere in Texas. I’d never met them. All I knew was that there was a reason both boys had left the house as soon as possible, Sid for the Marines and Cade to whatever adventure would have him.
“Yeah, but I genuinely don’t give a damn. Cade and I let that shit go a long time ago. You haven’t. But you will.” His boyish grin melted my heart as he clasped my hand briefly before hitting the mute button on the phone.
“Back online, Dec.”
“Roger that.”
I looked out the window, feeling a weight lift from my shoulders. Despite the imminent danger behind us, I saw nothing but hope up ahead.
“I’m getting off,” Sid said, and I knew he was talking to Declan. “This traffic is bumper to bumper—I feel like a sitting fucking duck.”
“You’ve got an access road up ahead—take that, Theo will follow.”
“Roger,” Sid replied, glancing in his rearview as he edged toward the off ramp.
“You armed?” Declan asked.
“You seriously asking?” Sid retorted.
Dec chuckled. “Fair enough.”
“I can shoot. Give me a gun,” I broke in.
Sid looked over at me in surprise.
“Travis taught me.” I shrugged.
Sid grinned. “You’re just full of surprises today, aren’t you? I don’t think it’ll come to that, baby, but good to know you can back me up.” He winked.
I was coming up with a clever reply when we were hit from behind, the impact loud and jarring.
I bit back a scream, determined to hold it together as Sid swore quietly.
“Patch Theo in,” he ordered brusquely.
“Masters.” Theo’s voice came on the line a moment later, any trace of his typical jovial nature replaced with authoritative calm.
“We’ve got contact. Time for those offensive driving skills to come in handy.”
“Excellent,” Theo replied, and I swore it sounded like he was enjoying himself. “Pick up speed and take a hard left when I tell you.”
“Roger,” Sid replied, gunning the engine as I clenched my hands into fists in my lap. “Hang on, babe,” he ordered as we sped down the access road.
“Now,” Theo ordered a moment later.
Sid cranked the wheel left, sending us into an aggressive turn. I had no idea he could drive like this.
I tilted my head back to look as Theo’s red Charger hit the left rear bumper of the black BMW, and with a loud eruption of glass and metal sent it into a spin before it flipped over entirely.
“Holy shit,” I exclaimed. Sid sped us away from the scene and Theo soon appeared behind us in the side mirror.
“You good?” Dec’s voice came over the line.
“We’re good,” Sid confirmed, glancing briefly over at me.
“We’re good,” I repeated shakily.
“Richards is on cleanup duty,” Dec added. I made a mental note to ask who Richards was when my brain didn’t feel like split pea soup.
It was a moment later that Theo’s voice came back over the line. “So what do we think, guys—lunch?”
CHAPTER 12
Once Sid and Theo were satisfied that we didn’t have another tail, we headed to Talon. Travis met us in the lot, grabbing me in a tight hug before I was even all the way out of the truck.