The Road That Leads to Us (Us 1)

She screamed when I caught her around the waist and spun her around.

“Dean!” She laughed.

I carried her into the water and she kicked at the surface of it, spraying up water droplets all around us.

I was glad she was happy, for the moment at least.

And soon I’d have her away from this place.

From Liam.

From all the things that were dimming her light.

***

“You’re leaving?!” Liam thundered as I took Willow’s bag from her hands and started towards the garage. “You just got here!” He stormed after me. His shoes slapped harshly against the concrete of the garage.

I ignored him, for the moment at least.

I stepped outside through the open garage door and deposited Willow’s bag in the trunk. She already sat in the passenger seat, looking happier than she had since we got here. Her baseball cap sat backwards on her head and she blew a bubble. It popped loudly and Liam turned his glare to her.

“It’s time for us to go,” I finally responded to his previous question and slammed the trunk closed.

A muscle in his jaw ticked and his hands clenched at his sides.

I had to go around him to get in the car, and since he stood so close it meant our chests bumped.

His glare could’ve set the world on fire when I finally got in the car.

“Good seeing you Liam.” I smiled pleasantly up at him.

My mom always said to kill people with kindness.

He backed a step away, shaking his head. A normal person would’ve apologized, maybe even begged us to stay, but not Liam.

He watched with a stony expression as I backed out of the driveway.

He didn’t wave or acknowledge us in any way.

Willow looked back at him and her hands shook on her lap. I knew she was torn about her decision to leave, but it was for the best.

Liam needed to get his shit together and he couldn’t do that with us here.

As soon as the house was out of sight behind us Willow let out a sigh of relief and smiled over at me.

“Road trip round two?” She waggled her brows and slipped her sunglasses on.

I took her hand in mine, lifting it to my lips and pressing several light kisses to her knuckles.

“You okay?” I asked her.

She glanced out the side of the car at the passing scenery—thank God there were no cows she could count, only houses and palm trees.

“I will be,” she said softly.

I knew she would be, Willow never let anything get her down for long, but it was still good to hear.

Willow