Banging Reaper (Pounding Hearts 1)

I smile towards Avery and not surprisingly get a very deep frown from her.

“Ethan is going to take me home,” Avery says as we look over to where Ethan is noticeably slouching down and away from the Officer.

“He's been sent to get medical attention and then straight home,” I say quietly and look to Miranda. She only gives me the briefest of nods before she turns and smiles goodbye to Avery. Miranda then straightens herself out and walks over to Dale.

“I, on the other hand, can give you a ride home. If you want it.”

I feel like I’m holding my breath as I watch her. I don’t know why she’d want to get in a car with me, but I really want her in my car. I have this insane need to keep her close and protect her. I have a feeling if I leave without her, she’ll probably run right back to that jackass, and if she does that I’ll have to kill him.

I really don’t want to have to kill him. I just avoided going to jail.

“I...” Avery says as if she means to reject my offer but then stops and chews on her lip.

I can see the hesitation clearly on her face. She glances around me to look at Ethan, but the officer seems to be losing his patience. He’s sharply commanding Ethan to leave the area or be arrested.

“It's okay,” I say quietly. “It’s no trouble at all. In fact, it would be my pleasure,” I assure her.

I bend down and pick up the small purse she left by her feet. I hold it out to her and she attempts a smile.

“Thank you,” she tells me and accepts the purse, immediately slinging it over her shoulder.

She casts one last glance towards Ethan as if she was hoping something changed, then she looks back to me with her shoulders slumping in acceptance, or maybe it’s defeat. “If you don’t mind, a ride would be great. Thanks.”

I grin, and it fucking hurts. My face is sore, but man am I fucking happy.

Dale walks over to me, catching the end of our conversation. He frowns and pokes me in the ribs. “And how will I be getting home then?”

Chapter Four

Avery

Chase. His name is Chase. At least that’s what everyone was calling him. It’s such a normal name for such a brutal guy.

It’s the strangest feeling walking out of the building beside Chase when I originally arrived with Ethan. For one, I think Chase has a couple of inches on Ethan, which just makes him feel insanely big.

Seriously, is he descended from giants? Vikings? Or was he grown in a lab?

For two, he’s been rather quiet but it’s not a comfortable quiet. It’s that kind of quiet that makes me feel incredibly self-conscious. I still don’t know why he’s even doing this. Maybe this is all just another jab at Ethan. Or maybe he expects a thank you fuck. I’m grateful that he’s willing to give me a ride home, I certainly don’t want to see Ethan’s face right now, but I’m not that grateful.

My head throbs and my eyes hurt. After everything that’s happened, I’m so done with tonight. So done with life in general. I just want to go home and crawl into my bed. I feel like I could sleep for a year.

“Which one is yours?” I ask as we walk into the back parking lot.

There’s a full moon out tonight which just figures. I wonder if it’s partly to blame for some of this evening’s madness. The parking lot is fully lit, and it’s easy to see that there're at least a dozen cars still parked. The cars range from dirty rust buckets to gleaming crotch rockets.

If I had to narrow his type down just by looks, I’d say Chase looks like a monster truck kind of guy.

“She’s just over here,” Chase says with a jerk of his chin and leads me over to a space in the very back corner.

“She?” I ask. Is there another girl or something? This night couldn’t possibly get any weirder.

Chase chuckles and leads me up to a black retro Impala parked in the very back spot, away from all the other cars.

“Yes, my baby,” he says and pats the car affectionately on the hood.

Muscle car would have definitely been my second guess.

I walk over to the passenger side, put my hand on the cool handle and wait for him to unlock the doors. Chase gives me a funny look which makes me feel even more self-conscious. What is it with him?