Edgerunners2077

V: 21

[Trigger Warning: Graphic Language]

Somewhere in the Badlands, Outskirts of Night City 

We dropped the kids off with River and said our goodbyes. We can't stay in the area with a big Militech truck calling attention to the delicate situation at hand. If Militech is funding Scavenger operations, then the last thing we need is evidence of us fucking that up for them. Now we gotta find a place to ditch the damn thing!

The drive was silent, though I could feel the heat from his gaze from the passenger seat. David didn't like River, not one bit. Not the fact that he used to be a cop or that he resides in Red Peaks. It was because of the unspoken sexual tension between River and I. 

Was I attracted to River? Sure. He was a great guy deep down, not like the twisted sell-outs who wear the badge for corporate gain. Not to mention, he's handsome too. But I hadn't time to explore those options with River, and well, David still had Lucy. I'm all for polyamory, consensually, of course, but David didn't give off those vibes. He was possessive, I noted. The way his eyes bore into the back of my neck when I greeted River with a hug still gives me chills. Makes me feel as if I can't give another man my attention when he's around, innocent intentions or not, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. 

We drive into the vast Rocky Ridge plains, mountains to the east, and plains to the west. The sun was beginning to set, the warm orangey tendrils melting into violets and pinks, cooling off the sky. The light breeze from before was picking up, dust from the dirt roads blowing about as we were driving further into nowhere. 

Perhaps we'll abandon the vehicle near a landfill or even an old fill station, but yet we keep driving. David is holding the wheel hostage, and the gas pedal smothered under his foot. His eyes were locked on the road, and even as the sky darkened, he didn't slow down. Instead, we kept going further and further into the desert and away from the city. 

"David, we can stop now. There's no way they'll connect the truck with the trailer park way out here." I say, gently placing a hand on his arm. He nudges it away almost instantly and continues to hold down the gas. 

"We have to make sure," He replies under breath, holding his concentration to the road. 

"What are you trying to do? Drive until we run out of gas?" I curse. "Fuck, don't you know anything about the Badlands? The Wraiths? The Dust Storms? The Bandits? We're both injured, jackass. We need to ditch the van so we can find a way back in town so we can both see a Ripper." 

"Did you fuck him?" 

I blink, three time exact. "What?!" I answer incredulously. 

"Did. You. Fuck. Him?" David repeats slowly, emphasis on the attitude. 

My heart is thumping right out of my chest. I was right. He was jealous. The question now is, why? "No. Not like it's any of your business, you gonk." 

David swallows hard, but a sign of relief washes over him. "Well, he wants to fuck you that's for sure. Asshole couldn't keep his eyes off you. Had his hand right on your ass when you decided to fucking hug him." 

Shit, really? Was I so comfortable with River that I barely even noticed? Was that little pat on the ass such a big fucking deal? "Why does that matter? If I fucked him or not that's my business. Not yours. Who I do or do not fuck has nothing to do with you."

"The hell it does!" The truck squeals to a hard stop. His hands are tightly bound to the wheel, as if they had been super glued there with hatred. His head whips around and his brown eyes are burning with a fire I've never seen before. Jealously, Anger, Betrayal, and something else. He was hurt. I hurt him somewhere along the way, and I barely even noticed.