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Kai’s deep voice joined my screams. Both of us must have looked like lunatics racing down the road, seatbelts ignored, and liquor on my lips. We both yelled and screamed.
“Faster!” I said, gripping onto the railing.
“As you order, M’lady,” he said. The jeep sped up, and my body turned with the car as we rounded the corner.
I threw my head back, laughing. My throat was raw from screaming, but not a care of the world was left on my shoulders.
Chapter 24
Kai
We sat on the hood of my jeep watching the setting sun. Audry leaned her head onto my shoulder, and suddenly, all was right in the world.
The sound of her laughter would be branded on my eardrum from now till the end of time. I never wanted to forget the sweet melody of it, or the large smile that spread across her face. A dimple divot on her left cheek became visible as she shouted and screamed, and I’d watched all the bad leave with the wind.
I glanced at her as she watched the waves, wanting that smile back. Her eyes were affixed to the tide rolling in and out over the hot sand. The salty air of the beach filled my nostrils, mixing with the floral scent of her shampoo. This girl had a hold over me. A hold that I refused to let her give up. I needed her by my side, and I was getting a sense she needed me by hers.
But, I couldn’t rush it. It had to be on her terms. I had to follow her lead.
As the sun dipped lower on the horizon, long shadows danced along the beach. “Let’s get you home,” I whispered as her eyes fluttered closed.
“A few more minutes?” she begged.
I nodded, rolling my arm around her. I kissed the top of her head, breathing in her scent once more. I would stay as long as she wanted.
I stared up at Logan as he walked my way before dramatically throwing himself on the chair next to me. I continued sanding the wooden planks for the house, unbothered by his intrusion, but concerned about why.
He sighed loudly, adjusting in the lawn chair.
“Can I help you?” I asked, tossing the sander aside.
Logan leaned forward, looking back and forth. Carson was painting inside, while Liam was somewhere. Who knew, really?
“What do you think about this plan?” he asked.
“I think it’s a gamble.” I hid a slew of curses behind the statement. I hated standing against Liam, but his plan was stupid.
“A ‘worth it’ gamble?” he asked, making air quotes with his fingers.
“What’s this about?” I asked, eyeing him closely.
He twisted his hands, cracking his knuckles. A nervous energy radiated off of him as the silence grew. He opened his mouth, only to shut it again.
Finally, he leaned forward and pressed his index finger into the wood. “Why now?”
“What do you mean?”
“Why get outnow? Why not back in high school? We had the opportunity after—” He clamped his mouth shut, his eyes widening.
“After what happened with Angel,” I finished for him. My lips curved into a frown, and my heart fell into the pit of my stomach.
“We could’ve run, but we didn’t. So why now?”
I took a deep breath, not wanting to think of Angel. There was an unspoken agreement between all of us, including Carson, to not talk about Angel. Recently, she was being brought up too many times.
“We were young, and we were stupid,” I said, reaching for the sander again. My skin crawled as I remembered Angel’s dead eyes boring holes into my soul.
Logan stared at me, honesty and concern dripping from his expression. His shoulders hunched, and his hands nervously picked at one another.
