“That doesn’t mean we don’t need to watch you. You’re a loose cannon right now. We don’t blame you, you’re new, but we have to be careful.”
“Fine, I’ll go back to sleep. Does that count as good?”
“Absolutely.”
I closed my eyes and thought about Mary Anne. Those were the only positive thoughts I could muster.
Chapter Twelve
Mary Anne
I woke up with a start. I blinked a few times, trying to remember where I was. I couldn’t ever remember sleeping so deeply. It took effort to pull myself back from it. The sun had all but set. Had the day disappeared that quickly?
“Hey, Firefly.” Hunter said with way too much cheerfulness.
“Hi.” I rubbed my eyes.
“Have a good nap?”
“Kind of. Where are we now?”
“Outside Chattanooga. We’re going to be stopping for the night soon.”
“Oh. I didn’t realize we were stopping.” I looked out the window, noticing there was no snow on the ground. We were definitely further south.
“I have to meet up with some associates.”
“Associates?” I arched an eyebrow. “Dire associates?”
“They are not Dire, but I trust them.”
“Okay.”
“I need you to go along with everything I say.” He put a hand on my leg. “Can I count on you to do that?”
“Uh, that kind of depends on what I’m supposed to be going along with.”
“They need to think you are already my mate.”
“Why?”
“It’s important.”
“Aren’t you going to tell me more?” I already knew the answer, but I had to ask.
“It’s not something for you to worry about. It’s better this way.”
“Come on. Stop leaving me in the dark.”
“I’ll explain everything later, but I need you to go along with things. Please just agree.”
“I don’t exactly have another choice, do I?”
“You’re not going to get far running if that’s what you’re getting at.”
“I wasn’t planning to run.”
“You thought about it.”
“Get out of my head, Hunter!”
“I’m not in your head, but I know that you don’t want to leave Gage or break your promise to me. I’m glad I’m part of the equation keeping you here.”
“I wasn’t thinking about running. It was a fleeting thing.”
“Still a thought.”
“Drop it.”
He slowed the truck and turned off at an exit. “You’ve been a great passenger.”
“I slept almost the whole way.”
“You slept at my side. I enjoyed that.”
“In other words you prefer it to me actually talking.” I swallowed hard. I hadn’t had water in hours, and I was getting thirsty.
“Hey, I never said that. I love your voice.”
“My voice or the dream girl’s voice?”
“It’s the same voice.”
“No it’s not.” I leaned my head back against the bench. Despite all the sleep, I was still physically exhausted.
“It is.” He waited at a red light before turning left onto an empty country road.
I looked out at the barren landscape. “Couldn’t we have picked an exit that actually had stuff?”
“Like I said before we have to meet up with some associates. This is where the associates live.”
“Got it.” My stomach growled.
“And we’ll get food too.”
“It’s fine.”
“I’m not going to leave you hungry. It’s my job to take care of you.”
“What I really want is coffee. You don’t think they have Starbucks around here, do you?” It would serve the dual purposes of waking me up and giving me something to drink.
He laughed. “Where isn’t there a Starbucks?”
“Some places.”
“I’ll find you coffee too.”
“Thanks.”
“It’s my pleasure.” He took my hand. “I’m ready to get settled down again so we can spend quality time together.”
“Quality time?” I raised an eyebrow. “Meaning sex?”
“Sex could be part of it, but some time when things aren’t so crazy. We’re due some relaxation.”
“Do you ever relax?”
“Not often, but I bet it would be easier with you. You already put me in a good mood.”
“But you’re still hurt somehow.”
“I’m going to be fine as long as I have you.”
“Yeah…” I still didn’t know how I was supposed to help him with anything, let alone aid in his recovery from changing Gage.