My mind was spinning with all the new information. Between what Bryce had told me and Cooper getting my bike fixed, and now, Marx arrested—it was all too much. I was practically seeing double as I stared blankly at Cooper.
“Why did you do that? A PI?”
“To protect you, Allie. He only got what he deserved.”
“This is too much,” I said. I turned and started walking away. I didn’t know where I was going, but I had to move. I had to get away to think and process everything that had just come to light.
“Allie, don’t go.”
I reeled around at his touch on my elbow and backed away. “What do you want now?”
“Come on, take me for a ride and I’ll tell you everything you want to know,” he said, holding out his hand to me.
“I’m not taking you anywhere. Thank you for this,” I gestured over at the new seat. “But, we’re done, Cooper. I just had a very enlightening conversation with Bryce. He told me everything.”
I paused, waiting for a reaction, but Cooper’s face remained as passive as ever.
“Ugh! I know, okay? I know about the deal you made with him to get me hired at Spotlight!”
“I see.”
“Seriously! That’s all you’re going to say? I see?”
I turned and paced a few steps away before going back to face him like a boomerang. “Cooper, you don’t get it. This is exactly the kind of thing I was talking about. You have been controlling me. Whenever I bring it up, you smoke screen me with sad stories about your fiancée and your dad and now your sister, and I’m sorry about all of those things. Really, I can’t even imagine. But this time, you can’t hide behind that. I deserve the truth, Cooper!”
As soon as my tirade left my mouth, I regretted it. I shouldn’t have brought up the people that Cooper had lost. It wasn’t fair. But then, nothing I’d said was a lie. He’d been using it as a way to avoid telling me the truth. Every time I questioned him, he threw up some new tragedy for me to process and by the time I was done, I’d forgotten the original reason I had been so angry with him.
“Allison, I’m not going to have this conversation with you out here on the sidewalk. Come on, we will go back to the office.”
He reached out for my arm and I jerked away violently. “No! I’m not going anywhere with you. Just leave me alone.”
I pushed past him and grabbed my helmet that was strapped onto the back rest. I revved the engine, secretly loving the smooth seat underneath me. It was a massive improvement from the patched together duct tape job I’d done.
Not that I was going to admit that to Cooper.
He stepped in front, blocking my path. “Allie, I’m going with you.”
I sighed. Of course he was. I was about to tell him off, but then thought better of it as a new thought crossed my mind and I had to bite back an evil grin.
Fine. If he was so insistent, I would give him
the ride of his life.
“Get on.”
Chapter Fourteen
Cooper seemed taken aback that I would bark an order at him, and I could practically see resistance rolling off him. I revved the engine, relishing in the purr of the motor as well as the look on Cooper’s face, the utter dismay at me being the one in control for once.
“Now or never,” I said.
He climbed on the back of the bike and we rocked slightly as his weight distributed. He wrapped his hands around my waist and even through my jacket, his touch sent flames of heat throughout my whole body. I tried to ignore the rampant sensations and ripped away from the curb, smiling like crazy at the sudden tightness to Cooper’s grip on my waist.
I flew through downtown, going as fast as I dared, holding back a laugh the entire time as Cooper dug his fingers in deeper to my sides, especially when turning around corners. I had never had a guy on the back of Cherry Bomb before. I was usually the one on the back. And I loved that it was Cooper and I could fuck with him and throw him off balance for once instead of always feeling like I was at his mercy.
Although…there were certain times when I didn’t mind being at his mercy.
I shook off the thought and tried to refocus on my anger and frustration.