For half a second, I consider jumping out the back door, but Nate is standing there, smirking.
“Assholes,” I mumble. “Come on, Hails. Better get this over with.”
As I get off the bus, Chase casually grabs my arm, but I feel the slight pressure telling me not to make a scene.
“Get in the car willingly, Willow,” he says through gritted teeth.
I sigh. “Looks like we have to reschedule, Hails. My presence has been requested.”
She gives me a small smile, but her eyes ask if I’m okay. I give her a nod.
“Okay. Sounds good.” She goes to take a step away, but Nate wraps his arm around her shoulders.
“Where are you going, Comet?” he asks.
“Comet? Really?” She wrinkles her nose in distaste.
He shrugs. “Yeah. Like Hailee’s Comet. I thought it suited you. Come on, you can come too.”
She tries to pull out of his grasp. “I don’t want to go.”
“Well,” Chase says, staring at me. “That choice has been taken from you. In the car. Both of you, before I cause a scene.”
She shrugs out of Nate’s hold only to walk over to me and grab my arm, much like I did with hers at school.
“Fine, but I want it noted that I am going under duress.” Her eyes narrow at Chase and Nate.
“Duly noted,” Chase replies, trying not to smile.
Once in the back of the SUV, Nate climbs in the passenger side while Chase gets in the driver’s seat.
“No guards to escort us today?” I ask sarcastically.
“Just because you can’t see them doesn’t mean they aren’t there.” Chase eyes me in the mirror. “Lose the sass.”
“Never,” I promise.
I don’t miss the heat flare in his eye.
He says he hates my sass, but it exhilarates him as much as it does me when he goes all alpha on me.
Like the cat and the mouse. Always running in circles to outmaneuver one another.
He focuses his eyes on the street and away we go.
It isn’t long before I realize where he is taking us.
“If you wanted me to come to your house, all you had to do was ask. You didn’t need to put on this dog and pony show.” I take a deep breath and hold it in.
“You ran before I could have the chance,” is his only reply.
Once we pull up outside the house, I glance over and notice Hailee nervously bouncing her leg.
I wait for the boys to get out before I turn to her. “Are you okay?”
“What?” She looks at me. “Oh, yeah. I’ve just heard stories about what happens if a Rockford catches you on their land. I’ve always been careful to avoid it. Well, besides that one time I came with you.”
I pat her leg. “They won’t hurt you. Even if they tried, I’d cut their balls off and feed it to them.”
