“I didn’t say that, you did, and I know that look. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s wrong.” Sean is taking back roads and racing insanely fast towards the beach. I glance over at him.
“I did a lot more for a lot less. That doesn’t bother you?” I watch him for a moment, wondering what he must think of me. I lower my lashes and stare at my hands in my lap. Sean reaches over and takes my hand.
“You are worth more than anything I own, anything I have. I’m glad you didn’t let me send you away that first night. I’m glad you left the room and played the piano with me. Avery, I’d give up everything for you. A woman like you comes along once a century, and you’re mine.”
I look at the gashes on the back of his hand and mentally list everything he lost because of me. If I hadn’t entered his life, his mother would be alive, and his home would be more than ashes, smoke, and rubble. I can’t say what needs to happen, but I already know. I offer a weak smile and squeeze his hand gently.
“I love you, Sean.”
“I love you, too. We’ll get through this, Avery.”
CHAPTER 6
We drive on in silence, each of us lost in our thoughts until we come to the causeway that leads to Oak Island. It’s a wide-open road surrounded by sand dunes and beach grass. There are scattered deer among the low trees, feeding along the road. Sean floors it, and we fly over the first bridge so fast that my stomach is in my spine.
I shriek and look for the ‘oh shit’ strap, but there isn’t one. Sean grins and glances over at me.
“You like that?”
Before I can say no, he floors it, and we dart away even faster. My knees are coming up, and I’m ready to curl into a ball and scream my head off. But Sean slows down before it gets that bad.
“What’s with you?” He sounds perplexed. I want to slap him. I can barely breathe.
“I hate bridges and you were driving 200 miles per hour over one!”
“You’re afraid of bridges? Is it because of trolls?”
A hysterical high-pitched laugh escapes my throat, and I look over at him.
“Trolls?”
“I thought you’d have a colorful answer. Sorry. Didn’t mean to make you freak out. Well, not that much.” He winks at me, then pulls into a parking lot. He rolls to a stop and grins. “Perfect.”
Sean drives the car up next to a group of kids. They can’t be more than sixteen and, from the looks of it, they’re really bored. They all watch as we get out of the car. A kid with a beanie on his shaggy hair stands up. He might be a little stoned.
“Gnarly ride, man. Is that, like, a real Maz?”
Okay, he’s super stoned. Another guy with a skateboard stands up and hands his friend a log of cured meat. It looks like a Christmas sausage from Hickory Farms. The stoner bites off a piece and chews it like a goat.
“Yeah, it is.” Sean nods and tosses the keys at the kid.
It makes the guy drop his meat log and cover his face. He screams as he does it while his friend laughs like it was the funniest thing ever. The keys peg him in the head and fall to the ground.
“What the hell, dude?” He drops his hands from his face, glaring at Sean.
“Do you like the car?” Sean is too Sean-ish to deal with them. His tone is beyond exasperated.
“Fuck yeah.” Both guys reply in unison.
“I’ll let you take it for a drive if you agree to do me one little favor.” Sean looks at the four kids, scanning their eyes for signs of coherency. The chick sitting on the curb doesn’t look up, but I can tell she’s having a WTF moment. The guys are too pumped to notice how weird this is.
“Sure, man. Whatever you want.”
“Good. Take the car some place with no cameras, beat the shit out of it, and leave it there. No cops and you can’t get caught." Sean points at the girl on the curb. "I strongly suggest that girl drives, since she’s the only one of you that's still sober.”
Everyone in the little group turns and looks at the girl. She has long blue hair tucked beneath a black barrette. She's suddenly staring at her feet so intently her gaze could burn holes straight through them. Sean’s right, she’s not stoned, just pretending to be.
“Why would you think--” Sean cuts her off.
“Seriously? Are you going to let one of them drive? You’ll end up falling off the bridge. I'd find that an unpleasant experience.” She looks up and smiles.
“Hey, don’t I know you?”
“It’s unlikely.” Sean’s voice is flat.
The girl’s gaze drifts over Sean’s abs peeking through the bottom of his tiny tee and then over to me. She frowns and looks at the car.