Forever Luminescent

Chapter 13

WHEN RONAN PULLED UP to the locale in his battered truck deep in the night, Gwenn almost knelt to the ground and kissed the pavement. He didn't even wait for her to open the door to the passenger side. Instead he jumped out and raced towards her, eyebrows furrowing.

"Are you alright?" he asked. His eyes inspected every inch of her, down to the heels she wore, as if expecting her to have an injury or some sort of mishap. She reached for him for stability, and he tightened his hands around hers.

"I cannot be here another second," she let out, almost like it pained her to speak. She chastised herself mentally for acting so melodramatic, but Wolf's words repeated in her head like an agonizing loop. He knew. "Please, can you take me somewhere else quickly?"

Ronan didn't even answer and led her to the passenger side. Her limbs shook as he helped her climb into her seat. He ran to the other side, his engine sputtering as they made their exit.

She ran her hands from her forehead to her hair, threading her fingers into her locks and messing it up. Her thoughts were so clouded she forgot she drove herself to the gala.

"My car." She winced at the realization.

"I'll have Arthur drive it back," Ronan said, not an ounce of hesitation in his words as he wove back into Lockfell.

She didn't bother to question the logistics and closed her mouth, staring off into the clear night. Her vision blurred with unwanted tears, but she kept them at bay. The vibrations of her phone buzzed over her lap. Her mother sent thousands of messages about her whereabouts followed by a string of calls she never answered. She sent a message that something came up, then shut her phone off.

They drove into a dirt path, the headlights illuminating their way. Grass blades protruded the soil at both sides, reaching for the stars like it was their life's purpose. Ronan skidded to a halt when the abandoned basketball court came to view. Its raggedy appearance calmed her down. A warmth settled into her chest as the truck fell into silence.

Her lips parted, but nothing came out. Ronan didn't wait for her to say anything and jumped out into the dark night. Blinking back, she followed his lead, struggling to walk in a straight line with her thin heels on uneven ground.

"Ronan?" she asked. He climbed onto the trunk, using the tire like a stepping stool, and bent forward towards a corner. It took her several seconds to realize he was looking inside a duffle bag.

He pulled out a white comforter, letting it pile behind him. Another beige comforter followed from the bag. He laid the second one over the trunk until it covered most of the area. Then he bunched the white comforter in a corner before turning to her.

"You coming?"

She unfroze from her position, walking up to the closest tire. He met her on top and reached for her arms. A tiny grunt escaped her as she struggled to lift her leg from the restrictions from her dress.

"I can't," she said, laughing at the stupidity. Ronan joined in and knelt to reach for her body.

"Come on," he stretched the last word, his grin wide. The uncomfortable cold chill settling inside her chest melted away. She hiked her skirt higher up her thighs and placed one high-heeled foot over the tire. After taking impulse, Ronan caught her by the waist as she squealed, and they went tumbling down inside the trunk in a heap of giggles.

She turned over, a hand over her stomach, and chuckled as she faced the millions of stars twinkling above them. Ronan stayed on his side, his eyes studying her face.

Minutes of silence followed, and she cherished the calmness after the dizzying evening at the gala. Wolf's words came back to her, and she winced at the way he circled her like she were his prey. She had no idea what else would have happened had she stayed in that venue.