Traffic

Part 11

Thomas handed the man his credit card and then grabbed his jacket from the back of the chair slipping it over his shoulder and then looked at me as if expecting me to do the exact same. And that's when I realized, I really didn't have a choice in the matter.

"Excuse me, can I have another beer for the road?" I look back at Thomas. Yeah, I know I'll need it. He hands me the bottle as I pop it and chug following Thomas out the door. "How far is this god damn hotel?"

"A couple of blocks."

"Great." I mumbled angrily to myself.

"You know, it would be a lot nicer if you quit complaining." Thomas stopped and turned to me with his nose pink from the cold and his skin pallor. "Just saying."

My eyes closed frustrated and aching. "And I wouldn't have anything to complain about if you didn't drug me at the bar."

"I saved your life."

"And I told you to leave me the hell alone."

He licked his lips out of habit and kept walking forcing me to almost jog to keep up.

"Slow down." I protested as he stopped dead in his tracks and his eyes sat there stuck on someone as he grabbed my hand and pulled me into the alley pushing me against the wall and between him.

His cologne smelled fresh as crisp as he peered over the wall. His v-neck t-shirt fitting loosely on his body. "What the hell?"

"If you value your life, shut up." I listened but I felt odd with how close we were. I was oddly comfortable. The smell of his cologne was strong with cinnamon like fresh made rolls and his heat generated off keeping me warmer than my jacket alone.

"Who is it?"

He didn't want to risk answering as he peered over the corner and flashed back holding me ever so closer to the wall. The muscles were tense in his chest and his arms and then they relaxed and his head bowed down with a sigh of relief. Laying my hand on his chest I gently pushed him off of me and stepped out onto the street as Thomas stayed in the shadowed alley way a bit longer.

"We need to get to the hotel. It's only a few blocks."

"Do you want a cab?"

He let out a deep chuckled and then walked past me onto the open streets.

"Who was there watching us?"

Thomas kept his hands tucked in his pockets as I struggled to keep up almost having to jog since was about a foot taller. "No one."

His smile grew as he walked down the street leaving me behind. I was deviating whether to run the completely opposite direction. I would be free. Move to some place in Montana. The middle of complete no where and then just have them try to find me.

"Kelsey?" Thomas turned to me when I noticed I was already my route for  escape. "Don't go. Don't try to run."

My head turned back to him to see his lips soft. Not stern as if he's asking me not to, not forcing me.

"How do I know you aren't going to just take me back to them? How can I trust you when you took me on the first place?"

There was no true reason for the question besides that fact that with all of this I wanted just one answer.

He paused fully thinking about his answer. "Because if they kill you, I'm basically as good as dead."

My cheeks grew warm and roses and the corners of my mouth stretched ever so slightly. I broke our stare by looking back down the street and at my old matted boots that have been through everything with me. "Where's the hotel?"

He cocked his head straight and then turned to go walk as I did a light jog to catch up and we kept walking for about another two miles when I started to slow down and my head grew foggy. It was already  dark outside when I felt my knee tuck from under me and Thomas heard the shuffle pivoting to catch me right in time.

"I'll carry you the rest of the way."

"I can walk."

He didn't give me much of an option. His arm folded under the back of my knee as he lifted me up bridal style. The shaking of everything had me grab the back of his neck for stability. "You're going to carry me for a mile?"

Thomas nods as his arm adjust around my lower back until my head is on his chest relaxing. "What is your dad going to do to you? When he finds out and everything?"

"Its for me to worry about. If something were to happen to me, you would--"

"Most likely die too.I can't take care of myself." Thomas was almost at the hotel and had been carrying me for a mile without even slowing down or getting tired. "Apparently, I can't even get in a cab with the right person."

He laughed which helped lighten the dark and heavy mood even if it was only for a second. Then his face sunk. "You wouldn't be stuck in all of this if it weren't for me."

"That doesn't mean you have to die."

He was silent the rest of the walk. The only noises came from his feet, his breath, and the pounding of his heart as I rested my head on his chest. Warmth washed over my body which lead me to falling asleep from all the smooth patterns and the relaxing of his heart.