Wadding her empty sack, she gave him a direct look. “Rudeness hurts with words; meanness uses actions. One can heal; the other leaves scars.”

Getting up from her seat, Ginny went to the trash can to throw the sacks away. “Marty, I’ll take a jumbo to go,” she yelled out as she sat again. “I need to make up for lost time without having you close by.”

The only response from Asswipe was a snort from the vicinity of the grill.

Ginny smiled sunnily, inviting him to smile back. Reaper felt as if every ounce of oxygen had been sucked out the restaurant with that one smile.

Staring down at his hands, he saw they were shaking. He pressed them down on the counter to stop the telltale movement.

Precipitously, Reaper rose. “Cancel the order. Let’s go.” Managing to get the words out with the last bit of air in his lungs, he grabbed for his wallet in his back pocket, took out his cash, and strode toward the cash register, uncaring if Ginny followed him or not. Slapping some money on the counter, he was out the door before Marty could reach for it.

“I told him to keep the change,” Ginny said when she joined him.

He stood frozen, staring ahead, blanking, concentrating on getting his aching lungs to work.

“Wow. Those windows on that truck are tinted so dark, I can’t believe they can see to drive.”

He blinked at the truck that was driving by them. The tint didn’t look that dark.

“It’s getting warmer, don’t you think?”

To him, it felt the same as when they had gone into the restaurant.

“Won’t be long before spring is here. I can practically smell it in the air. Can’t you?”

Taking a deep breath of air, Reaper felt the oxygen flow into his lungs.

“All … I … can smell … is hamburgers,” he gasped out.

“You sure you don’t want me to get the jumbo sack to go?”

Shaking his head, Reaper wordlessly walked to the car, then got inside after Ginny electronically opened the door.

Ginny waited until she was in the flow of traffic before speaking. “Did I do something wrong?” She meekly looked at him through lowered lashes.

“No. I was full.”

Turning the radio on, he ignored her until they arrived at an apartment complex.

Taking his duffle bag, he followed her into the lobby then the elevator. Viper had rented the apartment next to Ginny’s during the duration of her contract to the band for use by The Last Riders.

When Ginny would have paused at the one he and Nickel would be staying in, he motioned her forward. “I want to check yours out. Stand in the doorway where I can see you,” he ordered her as she opened the door.

Stepping inside the apartment, Reaper prowled around. It was homey with decorative pillows on the overstuffed grey couch, while classy at the same time.

Going to a door, he opened it to find a closet. Moving to the kitchen, he gave it a perfunctory look, seeing there wasn’t a place for anyone to lie in wait. Going to a square hallway, he saw three doors. One was a bathroom. He took longer there, checking out the linen closet and the shower before going to the room across the hall. He was able ignore the headrush he received at the scent that hit him when he entered. Reaper didn’t have to be told that it was her bedroom; he could fucking smell her in there. It was like walking into a room filled with springtime.

Making quick work, he checked out two closets and a private bath before kneeling to look under her bed. Going to the window, he noticed the curtain provided adequate protection from prying eyes.

Leaving the bedroom, he made sure Ginny was staying put as he went into the guest room. Reaper gave it the same attention that he had given hers before going back to where she stood.

“Let me have your phone.”

Obediently, Ginny took her cell out of her purse, watching as he keyed a number at the top of the favorite contacts.

“Text me at least an hour before deciding to go out. I need to know where you want to go. Do not open your door before texting me, even if it’s Nickel. I’ll give you the go-ahead before you open your door if someone is coming over or knocks. If you hear anything you can’t place, lock yourself in your bedroom, then your bathroom. Keep all your windows locked. Don’t open them for any reason. Lock the door behind me.”

“Yes, sir.”

Walking past her, Reaper couldn’t avoid making eye contact, expecting to see sarcasm. What he found had him moving faster to get more distance between them.

“Lock the door.”

“Goodnight, Gavin.”

He rudely closed the door himself, waiting only long enough for the three locks to click in place before going to the apartment Viper had rented.

Tags: Jamie Begley Road to Salvation A Last Rider's Trilogy Romance
Source: readsnovelonline.net