Page 22 of Finding Hayes
Before I knew what was happening, he moved forward, throwing me over his shoulder, fireman-style, as he marched toward his truck. I pounded my fists against his lower back.
“Stop fighting me. You’re acting like a child.” He tossed me into his truck and bent down to meet my gaze. “This ends here.”
“What ends here?” I said, my breaths coming hard now because I was fuming.
“This. This anger. I don’t know what the fuck I did to you, Sav. But you left me and cut me out of your life. So stop acting like I’m the enemy and let me drive you to your goddamn appointment.” He grabbed my purse, opened it up, and pulled out my phone. Of course, he didn’t ask first, because Hayes just did whatever the hell he wanted to do. He typed something into it and then turned the screen, holding it right in front of my face. “I have unblocked my number from your phone. Do not block me while you’re here. You roll into a ditch, you call me, and I’ll come. Do you understand?”
I nodded because I didn’t have any fight left in me. I was cold and wet and tired.
He tugged my seat belt across my body and snapped it into place before slamming the door and storming around to the driver’s side.
We didn’t speak as we drove to River’s office, and he cranked the heat in the truck.
“You can drop me off, and I’ll find a ride home,” I said, keeping my voice low.
He came to a stop in front of River’s law office and backed into a parking spot right in front. He turned to face me. “I’m coming in with you, and then I’ll take you home.”
I shook my head. “Why are you being so nice to me?”
“Why wouldn’t I?” he hissed.
I can think of a few reasons, but it doesn’t seem like the time or the place.
He climbed out of the truck and hurried around to the passenger side, but I was already out of the truck. I tossed my hands in the air like I was doing some sort of gymnast dismount, and he rolled his eyes.
He always was chivalrous.
Until he wasn’t.
My phone vibrated, and I pulled it out of my back pocket and narrowed my gaze when I saw the text.
Scotty
Hey, babe. Drinks tonight? The band is playing at Whiskey Falls, and I can bring you up on stage if you want.
I sighed and glanced over my shoulder to see Hayes reading the text.
“Nosy much?”
“Whatever. You’re short. You make it easy.” He brushed past me. “I can’t believe you’re starting things back up with that dude. For the record, he isn’t playing at Whiskey Falls. It’s karaoke night. It’s anyone’s stage.” He raised a brow as he held the door open, and I stepped inside.
“Perhaps I should perform there tonight. I never did get a chance to sing that song the way I should have.”
He cleared his throat, but it sounded like he was covering achuckle, which made me laugh.
I didn’t know how it was possible to know someone the way I knew this man and then find out you didn’t know him at all.
Why was he so familiar? So easy? This connection was something that was just a part of us.
Or maybe this is what sociopathic serial killers do?
They spend years pretending to be someone they’re not, only to get their prey to fall under their spell, and then they slowly suck the life from them.
Hayes Woodson would never suck the life from me again.
Been there. Done that.
“Hello, Hayes,” Cassie said. I recognized her right away as she used to take riding lessons from Abe out on his ranch. She turned toward me and then gasped. She threw her arms around me. “Oh, my gosh, Savannah, it’s so good to see you. I didn’t know you were coming in today.”
