Bound by Obsession (Shadowed Souls #2)

13. Chapter Thirteen

“ A bsolutely not.”

“Oh, come on Peach, you have to! It’s truth or dare, not ‘truth or if you feel like it’ .” Garrett whines from the passenger seat, turned all the way round to face me. I cross my arms defiantly and shake my head.

“There’s no way I’m gonna sit here butt-naked for the entire journey. I’ll take a forfeit.” Garrett’s eyes darken and I gulp loudly, wondering if I should have just done the damn dare. Axel whistles low from the seat beside me.

“Alright, fine.” Garrett smirks. “Flash the next vehicle.” He points at my window. Rolling my eyes, figuring it’s not as bad as it could have been, I shift up onto my knees and lift my top, pushing my breasts against the cold glass. A truck passes, the driver’s eyes popping out of his skull as he hollers and beeps his horn. Cheers fill the SUV, the boy’s loud whooping drowning out my giggle as I re-adjust myself into my bra and settle back into the leather seat.

“Your turn, Garrett. Truth or dare.” He replies dare without hesitation, practically bouncing in his seat. Looking around the moving car and across the backseat to Dax, who shrugs uselessly at me, I see a Cheeto roll out from under Huxley’s driver’s seat. I managed to get him to have a handful for breakfast this morning, or so I’d thought. Maybe he just hid them all under his seat. Lifting it to inspect the orange cheesy stick, there’s enough hair and fluff stuck around to make it perfect.

“Eat this,” I lean forward to hand to Garrett. Without a second’s hesitation, he throws the chip into his mouth and swallows, making us all gag. “Ew!” I squeal, suddenly very aware I’ve had my tongue in that mouth multiple times and I don’t know what else he’s had in there. Garrett smiles widely at a shuddering Axel, possibly thinking the same, and winks back at me. It’s Dax’s turn to play next, to which he chooses truth.

“Pussy,” Garrett mutters. “Okay then. What’s your biggest regret in life?” Dax tilts his head to stare out the window, staying silent for so long I don’t think he’ll answer.

“Seeing the most important woman in my life in harm’s way, and doing nothing to stop it.” He finally says in a tiny voice. Axel’s concerned gaze catches mine in a side glance. Reaching over him to grip Dax’s bicep, I pull him over to rest his head in Axel’s lap. That way, I can stroke his hair and bend over to kiss his forehead. I only know a little of Dax’s past, the way his mother raised him to be both empathetic and strong, with a mention of various boyfriends in her life. Did someone hurt her, and worse, was a young Dax forced to watch? I swallow against the lump in my throat, not wanting the answers as much as I need to know them. Now isn’t the time. Dax is quiet but there’s so much torment behind his blue eyes. I’ll speak to him properly when we’re next in private.

For the time being, I settle for stroking his afro through my fingers, driving in silence until Garrett reaches over to turn up the radio. Dax’s eyes have fluttered shut, although I reckon he’s more in deep thought than sleeping, giving me a chance to study him up close. His square-shaped jaw chiseled from granite, the thick eyelashes fanning his cheeks, his skin is a smooth shade of mocha. I don’t drink coffee often but I’d take a Venti of Dax any day of the week. Axel catches me staring, his expression too knowing.

Refocusing on the landscape outside, I find we’ve entered a small town. Each building is a different color, signs hanging from each doorway to show a particular trade. The road is tarmacked in various places, only to patch up the potholes where and when needed. There’s a handful of people on each sidewalk and not many cars on the road, making our stark-white SUV stick out like a nun in a brothel. Heads turn as we pass, children staring at us like aliens.

“Last stop before we enter no man’s land,” Huxley announces, pulling into a gas station.

“Psst,” I whisper into Dax’s ear as his eyes fly open, arresting me in a cerulean prison I would gladly receive a life sentence for. A smile takes his face hostage, those full lips close enough to make me blush. The SUV pulls to a stop, breaking the moment between us as he sits up and winks at Axel. Now we’re both blushing, much to Dax’s amusement.

We all exit the car and stretch our legs, backs and necks. Axel takes up the position of filling up the SUV with gas, much to the female attendant’s delight. It helps that this state is unaffected by the winter and he’s shirtless. Rather, it’s balmy with only a slight breeze trailing by lazily.

I lean against the trunk to appreciate Axel’s broad chest and washboard abs too, remembering just how lickable every inch of him is, both what’s on show and what’s hidden in his sports shorts. His thick thighs are poking out of the bottom, well-defined calves flexing with each movement. Once finished, he heads inside the small shop to pay with Garrett right on his heels. I notice Huxley standing off to the side in the way he likes to distance himself, looking down the street. His blond hair is wisping around his face, but fails to hide the contemplative look pulling at the corners of his mouth.

“Hey,” I approach, tapping lightly on Huxley’s arm. “What’s wrong?” Twisting his head, I see the true weight of Huxley’s stress. It rings his eyes, ridding every trace of decent sleep we got last night. Snuggled in Huxley’s arms felt like home, even on the lumpy mattress and singular sheet we shared.

“Nothing,” he shakes his head and looks away from me again. There must be something truly fascinating about the view down the street, even if I can’t see it. “I just…Never mind. Don’t worry about it.”

“Talk to me,” I urge gently. Arms wind around my middle and I feel Dax’s hair tickling my neck. Whatever look he gives Huxley, causes the larger man to sigh. I ignore the rise of his wide shoulders, and how even with minimum food and exercise, he’s still a beast of muscle.

“I’m concerned about blindly following Nixon’s instructions,” he says sheepishly. Ducking his head, Huxley chooses not to watch the confusion pass over my face.

“You think Nixon would…trick me?” It’s my turn to frown, the words feeling bitter on my tongue. “I mean, I’ve been wondering what we’re going to find at this safe house but I have no reason to think it’ll be anything less than a fortress. Nixon has always kept me safe.”

“Mmm,” Huxley scratches his stubbed jaw, “but why? I’m not trying to be the bad guy here Aves, but you’re not…you’re not his daughter. You’re the product of his wife’s affair. If I was him, I don’t know if I’d be so,” Huxley struggles to find the right word, “accommodating.”

Ouch , I think to myself, but manage to withhold from flinching. I may not be genetically tied to Nixon but he’s been my rock for all these years. Someone I can always rely on to look out for my best interests, even when his decision to send me to Waversea seemed questionable. I have to trust him, otherwise the fragile foundation of who I’ve built myself up to be will slip out from beneath me.

“What are we talking about?” Garrett appears, his inked arms wrapped around two paper bags overflowing with snacks. I note an unhealthy amount of beef jerky poking free. Dax raises his head from my shoulder but doesn’t release me.

“Hux is expressing his concerns for our destination.”

“The safe house?” Axel steps into Garrett’s side. Now we’re a huddle, all crowded on the street and blocking out onlookers. Taking my hand, Axel presses on. “Why haven’t you said this earlier?”

“Yeah,” Garrett scoffs, “like before we sat in a car for three days.”

“I, um, well,” Huxley clears his throat. His brown eyes settle on me, a guilty shrug lifting his shoulders. “Nixon said that Wyatt would be joining us there. I didn’t want to pass up the chance to get to Wyatt, to bring him back into our dynamic. But now, the closer we get…” Huxley looks around nervously, keeping his voice low and rubbing his chest in a circular motion. “I’m worried it’s a trap.”

A heavy dose of reality hits us all at once. I wish the street was busier, if only to give me something to look at. A distraction. Instead, I’m left staring at the patchwork road, fixated on the unfurling of dread within. I trust Huxley implicitly, but he’s wrong this time. He has to be. It’s all that overthinking, causing him to see villains where there are none. Axel is first to break the silence, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm.

“Whatever we find and whatever happens, Avery’s safety is paramount.” I’m suddenly no longer a part of this conversation. Hell, I feel like I’m eavesdropping, despite being held there by Dax’s arms and Axel’s hand. A soft tumble of laughter escapes me.

“Guys, I assure you, it’ll be fine. We can trust Nixon. I’d bet my life on it.” The resulting glares I receive would be enough to make a lesser woman shrink away. Luckily, I’ve had years of therapy and self-defense lessons to stand tall, even when my chest is crushing inward. The safe house is in reach. Nixon will be there with Wyatt. We can finally get some answers, some clarity, and that isn’t worth walking away from now. For better or for worse, I need to know what’s at that safe house.