“Lead the way.” Rough calluses moved against my smooth skin before he laced our fingers together, stroking his thumb over the pad of my palm. The feel of the barely there touch sent tingles through my arm. He was staring at my mouth, and I bit my bottom lip. He took a step toward me, but I stepped back, needing a little space between us to breathe. Neither of us let go of each other’s hand, and I turned toward the door, dragging him behind me.
I smiled, knowing I was going to fix whatever was eating at him.
NINE
JAX
“Come on, let’s go.” Sid looked back at me, piercing hazel eyes searching mine. I was more than happy to follow. She was like a lifeline, dragging me toward the surface.
At this point, she could lead me off a cliff. I was that curious about what she had in mind. She looked at me with determined eyes, and the corner of her lips tilted up. She was definitely up to something. “Where are you bringing me? I’m in a shit mood, Sid.”
She didn’t slow down. If anything, she pulled harder, laughing. “I know. You were a sour ass for the entire class. Get over yourself for a minute, and trust me.” She gave my hand a firm squeeze.
“Fine, but don’t expect good company.” Grumbling under my breath, I followed as she led me out of the building but didn’t head to the parking lot where I expected. Instead, we cut across the soccer field and headed for an eight-foot-tall chain-link fence.
“I’m not sure if you looked at yourself lately.” I gesture to her already short skirt. “But I’m not sure hopping fences is the right idea.” I was a fucking idiot. If she wanted to climb this fence, my only response should’ve been thank you.
“Sounds like wishful thinking on your part.” She lifted the corner of the green chain-link closest to the pole. The end folded up like a flap that she easily climbed under.
I eyed it. “Bit small for me, don’t you think?”
“You can always try climbing.”
I groaned and crouched so low my knees felt like they were in my armpits as I shuffled through. I went to stand, only to be yanked back hard. My shirt caught on one of the sharp ends, pinning me in place. I tried to detach it, but it was just out of reach. “A little help here?”
Sidney was only a few feet ahead of me, hands on her hips. “I don’t know. I kinda like you tied up like that.”
I shot her a dark look. “That can be arranged, but for now, get me loose.”
She didn’t move, and I groaned. “Please.”
“Since you asked so nicely,” she said with a smirk. God, all the ways I could make her pay for that.
My thoughts were cut off when her hand slid down my back, leaving a trail of heat. With a few quick tugs, I was released and stood to my full height, shifting to stretch myself out. “Over. I definitely should’ve climbed over.”
“You think you’ll live?” She raised a brow.
I ran a finger over the hole in my shirt. “Whatever you have planned, it better be worth it.”
“Don’t you trust me?” she said, mischief in her voice.
I let out a quick laugh. “Not really.”
“Relax. I’ve got you.”
We walked a couple of blocks in silence until the pressure was creeping back in, pushing down. A bit of fresh air wasn’t doing anything for my mood.
Up ahead was an old junkyard. The sign on the front read, “You Ditch Them. We Wreck Them.” It looked dilapidated, even by junkyard standards. “What are we doing here, Sid?”
She ignored me, giving a familiar smile to the attendant. He stared at her, eyes traveling from her feet to her head as he reluctantly buzzed us in.
“You know you aren’t supposed to bring a guest. That isn’t part of the deal.” He eyed me like he was trying to size me up. Nice try. I had at least sixty pounds on this guy. Turning back to her, he went on in his high-pitched voice. “Fred’s not going to be happy about this.”
She put on a winning smile, and her hands clasped in a please gesture. “You aren’t going to tell him, are you?”
His eyes softened as if he couldn’t say no to this enchanting girl. I feel you, man. He waved us in, and even though I had no desire to be here, I found myself just as enthralled as he was.
We walked by tall piles of junk. Nothing looked salvageable. Again, I wondered how this place stayed open; it was small and nothing like the city-run operations.
As we rounded a corner, she gave me a shy grin. There was a sofa in the middle of a clearing overlooking more trash. I wouldn’t call it scenic, but at least it was interesting. “I can’t say anyone’s ever brought me to a junkyard before.”
She waved me over, taking out a clean blanket she had stashed in a plastic bin, and stretched it across the sofa. She pointed at the cushion.
“Sit.” Her tone gave no room for argument. Sitting down, I found it surprisingly comfortable. There was a little tarp overhead to protect it from the elements. She had a solid setup. “You come here a lot?”
“Enough.” She rolled out a cart full of glass vases, a pair of safety glasses, and a large wooden bat.
“Smashing things? Really, Sid?”
She raised a brow and set a vase on a long bar. “Got something better to do?”
The idea definitely held some appeal. “Nope.”
I swallowed hard and tracked each of her movements as Sid rolled her shirtsleeves, adjusting her skirt higher so she could separate her legs. She gave me a cocky grin, bringing her bat elbow-high, and she swung through with such force it disintegrated the glass in front of her. Her laughter overtook her and filtered into me until I couldn’t stop my own. I clapped while she mockingly bowed.
“Your turn.” At my skeptical look, she huffed out, “Trust me, it will help.”
“Sure it will.” I would rather watch, but she looked so fucking hopeful. I stood and grabbed the safety glasses and bat while she set everything up.
I swung through half-heartedly, barely playing along with her game.
“You call that a swing?” Her warm hands landed on my back, positioning herself directly between my legs, and she moved my fist down the bat. I didn’t need her help with my form, but I was sure as shit not going to stop her. Screw batting. This was what I needed right here.
She stepped away as if she could hear my thoughts. “Swing through. Don’t stop when you hit the vase.” Her bossy tone had me biting my bottom lip. I usually liked to be the one in charge, but her confidence was sexy as hell.
She walked around the cart, pulling out an enormous vase and setting it up before taking a seat on the sofa a safe distance away.
Something about her got to me, and I felt my walls lowering with the intensity of her attention. The last few days were rough. Rocky, my dickhead agent, was all over me about my image. I was still reeling after that last call. He was pissed about Sid and my little race in the halls. Said that I need to control my image better. When I refused, he laid the guilt on thick and went on and on about how it was important to build recognition for my brand and how I needed to be seen as a safe bet.
Frustration built in my chest, and I followed Sid’s directions, swinging through, and connected hard with the vase. All the pressure transferred from me to the shattering glass, and a smile lit up my face.