The Broker

14. In Any Case

November 23rd, 2019

Roanoke, Virginia

Franklin Road

The car ride back was filled with more silence than Amaraya ever experienced. The countryside had long disappeared behind them, and they had driven onto the highway already. She was sad to see it go. Kaden didn't speak to her, and didn't look at her. And even though Amaraya was more than happy with the arrangement, she still felt some tension between them. And it didn't sit well with her. Every once in a while, she would glance at him from the corner of her eye, and every time, his face was solid as rock and his eyes unmoving from the road.

Amaraya supposed that she should be grateful, for the time to think and not have to worry about conversing with Kaden. But she didn't feel grateful at all. Instead, Amaraya felt uneasy. After what Randy had said, about being patient with Kaden, Amaraya had been about to say something she would regret. And she was glad that Kaden had interrupted her before she could voice the horrid thought.

Randy had told her that Kaden has a good side. But Amaraya had never seen that side, save for the one time that he got shot right in front of her. And what she had been about to say, what she regretted to even think about, is that maybe she didn't want to see his good side. If that side even existed. She wasn't sure if she trusted Randy yet, or if his words were no more than wind in her ears.

Amaraya felt that if she saw Kaden's good nature, then it would change what she had believed her whole life. That killers were cold hearted and incapable of human emotions. That her parents' killer was just as heartless as all the others. She didn't want to think that the person who ruined her life was a human being. Amaraya knew that it was naive. She knew that it was wrong. But it was her reality, and she didn't want to let go of it just yet.

Kaden slowed down, and Amaraya lifted her eyes to look at the road. She had expected for them to arrive somewhere closer to home, but they weren't. "What happened?" She looked up, her eyes scanning the rows and rows of cars that jammed the highway, and the flickering of police lights in the distance.

Kaden rolled his window down, and poked his head out, straining to see. "I think it's a car accident." The people in front of them were climbing out of their vehicles, watching the scene unfold. Some were walking directly to the crashed cars, trying to get a better look of what was going on. The traffic didn't move an inch. "We're going to be here for a while. By the looks of it, it's pretty bad."

Amaraya leaned forward, trying to catch a glimpse of the accident site. Kaden unbuckled his seat belt, and put on a dark red cap that seemed to hide his eyes. "I'm going to go check it out."

Amaraya unbuckled her seatbelt after him. "I'm going with you." He shook his head. "I'm going with you." She said more sternly, and Kaden looked up at her.

"You aren't going anywhere. Stay in the car." Amaraya started opening the door, but Kaden grabbed her arm. "Do you remember what happened last time you didn't listen to me?"

Amaraya shook her hand away from his grip, and gave him a glare. "That's precisely why I'm going with you this time."

Kaden's eyes hardened to lead, and his fists clenched. He looked like he was on the verge of exploding with anger. "I don't want to hurt you, Amaraya."

Amaraya leaned closer, her eyes on fire. "Then don't." Their faces were inches away from each other, and she could practically feel his angry breath on her cheek. After a few seconds, Kaden broke eye contact, and his fists unclenched by his sides. He leaned away from her.

"Fine. But keep your head low." Kaden got out of the car, and Amaraya followed suit. He locked his car, and then they walked side by side through the rows of vehicles. Her limp hadn't gotten better, but it hadn't gotten worse, so Amaraya supposed that was a good thing. Better to walk with a limp than not to walk at all.