Noah (The Mitchell/Healy Family #1)(16)
Author: Jennifer Foor

I held the keys behind my back, still not convinced. This situation wasn’t going to end well, and as depressed as I was, I certainly didn’t want life to end this suddenly. “What if I drove?”

Again, he laughed at me. “Women don’t drive my truck. It’s a rule.”

When he stepped toward me again, I panicked and dropped the keys down the front of my t-shirt. I have absolutely no explanation for it.

“Do you think that will keep me from gettin’ them?” He continued laughing at me.

“You can try, but you will be ball-less when I’m through with you,” I promised.

He finally crossed his arms. “So you’re tellin’ me that I’m supposed to trust someone that I don’t even know with my baby?”

“Oh my god. You did not just say that.” I rolled my eyes. “Men are all the same. It’s like you were all made from the same broken mold.” I laughed. “It’s a truck. It doesn’t live and breathe. It’s not a damn person.”

“You’re brutal, woman. Just give me my keys and this broken man will be out of your face forever.”

I turned to reach in my car and grab my purse. He stayed where he was standing, and it was good he did. My key ring was equipped with a bottle of mace and I wasn’t afraid to finally be able to use it.

I started walking toward the front of the building. The sound of his boots behind me let me know he was following.

When I got to his truck I used the pad and opened the door. Without looking back at his expression, I climbed in. “What the f**k? Are you tryin’ to steal my vehicle right in front of me?”

“I’m tired and we’re not getting anywhere arguing. I want to get home. Get in. When I get to my house, I’ll give you directions.”

He walked around the other side of the truck and climbed in. “This is criminal. You can’t do what you’re doin’.”

“That’s funny, because I AM doing it.” I started to back out of the parking spot. “Buckle your seatbelt. I haven’t driven something this big before.”

The truck filled with his laughter. “I get that all the time.”

I scrunched up my face. “Eww, please don’t talk bullshit to me while I’m trying to focus on the road.”

“Bullshit?”

“Yeah,” I replied. “Every man thinks he’s got the biggest thickest cock. I’m so tired of hearing it. The truth is that none of you have anything to brag about. In my experience it’s the ones that talk that are the smallest.”

He continued laughing. “Darlin’, you just keep thinkin’ that.”

I kept focused on the road instead of telling him that the size of his junk meant nothing to me. The sooner I pulled up in my boyfriend’s driveway the sooner we could part ways.

I would have liked to be able to bid him goodbye and finally feel the comfort of being home. It would have been great to hug my boyfriend and cuddle up next to him in bed after such a horrible day.

In just a few seconds all of that changed. In fact, everything changed.

If I hadn’t wanted just one more look at the gorgeous man next to me I never would have seen it. That one peek ruined everything.

We were driving past this parking lot where a grocery store sat towards the back. Now, normally one wouldn’t notice two cars pulled next to each other, not unless one of those cars had about five grand in aftermarket parts and was painted a neon green. Nobody else in town owned a vehicle like Rex’s. I veered off the road and into the parking lot, causing the strangers weight to shift and fall against me. He sat up quickly. “What the hell are you doin’? Are you crazy?”

I couldn’t answer him, because I recognized the car sitting next to my boyfriend’s. It was my best friend Kim’s car.

I pulled up around the back of the building and hopped out without explaining. At that point I didn’t care if he pulled away and left me there. The last thing I wanted to have to talk about was finding the two people closest to me together. Sneaking up on them was definitely a mistake I wish I could have taken back.

I knew it before I even got close enough. Not only were my fears becoming a reality, but the car shaking let me know that things between them had gone even further than just talking behind my back.

I pulled the door open and watched two wide-eyed people in the back seat peering at me. “Shalan? Oh my god. Please just listen to –.”

I couldn’t look at Kim, and I definitely didn’t want to see Rex. They were naked and it took them a second to climb out of the back decent. Rex came to my side first, while Kim continued to cry, as if I could feel bad for what she’d done.

“You’re a skanky bitch!” I yelled. “I’m going to kill you.”

“Baby, calm down. It meant nothing. She means nothing to me.” His excuse was worthless, just like he was.

“You didn’t say that five minutes ago, Rex.” Kim didn’t seem happy with his choice of words. “Shalan, he came on to me.”

He started walking toward me. “Get the f**k out of my face, Rex. I’m done with you and your lies. While the two of you were f**king each other, I was dealing with the anniversary of my momma’s death. You two common bastards didn’t even remember. How could you do this to me? How could you do it on this day?” I looked toward Rex. “Do you have no compassion at all?”

He came toward me and I backed up. “Don’t you dare. So help me God, I will hurt you. You stay away from me, you hear? Both of you, stay away from me.”

Kim rushed over towards her car and then climbed in it, apparently afraid I was coming after her. I laughed and turned my attention to Rex again. “We’re done. For real this time.”

“Baby –“

I shoved him away from me and he came back for more.

I have no idea what made me do it except for feeling completely insane, but I jumped into his car, locked the door and started the engine. While he banged on the window, I hit the gas and drove away.

He followed behind me, screaming and flailing his hands around. As pissed and hurt as I felt, it was an amazing feeling to have him by the balls. When I knew he wasn’t following me anymore, I slowed down. Then I did something even more stupid than stealing the car.

I pulled over and drove it face first into a pond.

My head hit the steering wheel and as the pain became noticeable, I saw headlights heading down the road behind me. Knowing he’d probably jumped into Kim’s car, I climbed out, trudging through the muddy water to get to the patch of woods on the other side where I could hide.