“That’s it!” Clarissa declared, “I’m going to go find out what’s going on!”

Chapter Eleven

The roar of a motorcycle sounded in the distance, its soft purr turning into a growl as it quickly approached. Clarissa stopped mid-step and swallowed hard. Was it too much to hope for? She let out a sigh of relief when the bike came to an idling stop in the parking lot. She ran towards the door, but Lilac appeared next to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Now, he might not have been able to bail him out,” she said softly.

Clarissa pulled away from the older woman and sprinted towards the door. She was reaching for the knob when it swung inward forcing her to take to long backward strides to avoid being hit. Lobster came through first, his bald head glistening with sweat.

“Did..?” Clarissa asked, finally exhaling the breath she had inhaled when she heard the bike in the distance.

Lobster gave her a lopsided grin and stepped aside.

“Skull!” Clarissa said and threw herself into his arms.

He flashed her a grin and returned the embrace. Clarissa rested her head against his chest and allowed the tension she had been holding onto to flow away from her, but then she remembered why she had been so upset.

“What the hell did you do?” she demanded, “What the hell is going on? You tell me you’re going to meet up with me later and then I drive by and see you in handcuffs and being put into a police car? I want answers and I want them now! I can’t do this anymore, Skull! I can’t keep playing this on again and off again game! Either we’re on or we’re off! Either we’re together or I’ll walk out of here tonight and never look back! I swear it! I swear it on the safety of everything I hold dear to me, Skull!”

“Your lover’s spat can wait,” Hugo said standing up.

“Shut up!” Clarissa yelled at him, “No, I’ve waited long enough! You’ve had your chance to help! More than one for the sounds of it! No, we’re doing this here and now! You just go back to chain smoking and give me a damn minute!”

Hugo’s eyes grew wide and Clarissa’s hands shook. Would he try to make her leave? Hugo was a skyscraper of a man, compared to her small frame, but she squared her shoulders determined to hold her ground.

She didn’t allow herself to relax until she heard the others laughing.

“You’re right kid,” he said looking at Skull, “She’s fierier than she looks.”

Clarissa turned back to Skull and arched a brow, “So what’s it going to be?”

“We told you not to go,” Lobster chuckled.

Clarissa rolled her eyes and locked eyes with Skull. His brown eyes looked excited and it made her want to smile, but she refused to give in.

Skull leaned in and brushed his lips against hers, but she pushed him away.

“No,” she said, putting her hands firmly against his chest, “Skull, I’m serious, and kissing isn’t going to get you out of it!”

The guys laughed again and Clarissa flipped them a bird over her shoulder without looking back at them.

“We’ll talk, but first I need to go to St. Louis,” Skull said, “As soon as I can my bike out of the impound lot in the morning.”

“St. Louis?” Clarissa asked, throwing up her hands, “What the hell is in St. Louis?”

“You’re not going anywhere,” Hugo said.

“You’re not my father, Hugo,” Skull said, stepping past Clarissa, “I’ve told you that before and I talked to a guy while I was waiting for someone to show up. He went to school with Aaron and he said he saw him last weekend in St. Louis! I’ve gotta go! This is the closest things I’ve found to a real lead! I’m going, even if I have to walk there!”

“Who’s Aaron?” Clarissa asked, stepping in front of Skull, not willing to be ignored for a man that smelled like a stale ashtray.

“You’re not going! It’s crazy!” Hugo said, “You keep chasing after him, but he don’t want to be found, boy! So what, he’s thrown his life away? I’ve tried to help! Just like I’m trying to help you! You have a girl who thinks the world of you for some reason I can’t logic out, but she does and you want to run off again?”

“Who’s Aaron?” Clarissa asked again, her lips trembling.

“Tell him he’s crazy,” Hugo said, “Tell him it’s crazy to go off on a wild goose chase, girl! Tell ‘em!”

“Shut up!” Clarissa said again, “I’ll tell him what I damn well please, whose Aaron, Skull? I’ll drive you to St. Louis tomorrow, I’ll take the night off and everything. I’ll take you, just please tell me what’s going on! I can’t take this anymore! I love you, Skull!”

Tags: Sarah Adams Crushing on You Romance
Source: readsnovelonline.net