A Heart's Desire

Chapter 15

"I'm sorry," she whispered again, tucking her legs up under her on the seat.

Kellan shook his head shooting her a glance. She looked like she was about to cry, and he immediately felt a twinge of remorse. She didn't ask for this. He had dragged her into his mess. It wasn't her fault she didn't know what to do in the situation at hand. If anything, it was good she didn't know. She wasn't tainted. That was his soul not hers.

He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair focusing back on the road. Eva shot him a glance noticing the white knuckled grip he had on the wheel and the tense posture of his body.

"Don't do that." It slipped out before she could stop it. Maybe she was overtired and she was slipping into dangerous waters, but she crossed her arms and turned to fully glare at him, uncaring.

"Don't do what." It wasn't even a question; he knew exactly what she was talking about and she reached out and poked him hard on the shoulder.

"Don't act all big and tough and start thinking about how you got me in this mess. I highly doubt you asked for all this to happen to you. It's not your fault."

He frowned then. "It kind of is. If I hadn't made you help me, then you'd still be running your bakery instead of riding in this death machine to God knows where."

"You did NOT make me do anything," she insisted, poking him again, "That was MY choice. You don't get to take that away from me."

He caught her eye and shrugged dismissively uncomfortable with where this conversation was going. "I'm taking everything away from you," he murmured.

Eva didn't know where the anger coursing through her veins was coming from. She took a deep breath and fell silent for a moment. Kellan relaxed a second later thankful she had dropped it. The countryside was flying by outside his window, and he glanced out at the corn fields a moment. They were just south of Wichita Kansas, and he was never so happy to see traffic picking up. Crossing state lines made him feel a little easier and the more he crossed the easier he breathed.

A few minutes later, her voice invaded the space around them, her words heavy. "In the few days I've known you, you've made me feel more alive than I ever have."

She was staring at him in a knowing way that made his skin prickle with anticipation or fear or both, he wasn't sure. "And I know, you know it."

She smiled then; her voice soft. "You're a smart man, Kellan. So don't play dumb, and don't sit there and shut me out like an idiot."

Kellan frowned. They were really about to have this conversation and he was frustrated that she was too blind to see the reality of the situation. "Eva, I think you're an amazing woman," he tried to be gentle, "But in case you hadn't noticed, I've got a lot of people that want me dead."

She tried to interrupt him, but he held up his hand. "Even if I could," he continued resigned, "Which I can't. I'm not good for you."

Eva caught his hand in hers and held it even when he resisted her. "Eva," he was almost pleading, shocked at the strangled tone of his own voice, "Please."

"Please what," she asked, raising her eyebrows, "Please leave you alone to be miserable? Please leave you alone to die?"

He shook his head tiredly, giving up and locking his fingers with hers. "You're killing me woman."

She smiled then, leaning her head back against the seat, closing her eyes. "Not if I can help it. We're going to clear your name, Kellan. And we are in this together. So, stop feeling sorry for me. I'm well aware of the consequences of my actions. And I don't regret them one bit."

He believed her. She didn't feel an ounce of remorse for helping him even though he had turned her life upside down and inside out in the span of a few days. And a teeny tiny part of him that he thought long dead grew a little bit and for the first time in a while, he felt a little bit hopeful.

And that was what scared him more than anything else. Because in his world, hope was dangerous. Hope was blinding, leading one to believe things weren't as bad as they seemed, when reality was not so kind. For her sake, if nothing else, he hoped that wasn't true. He gripped her hand a tad tighter, feeling her squeeze right back, her fingers small and delicate in his grasp. He really hoped that just this once, things would turn out the way he hoped. He glanced at Eva again, seeing the tired look on her face. Her eyelids were drooping, and her hair was stuck to her forehead, the curls shiny in the light. They were dirty and sweaty, but he didn't dare stop until he could find somewhere remote enough, they wouldn't be recognized; no matter how much he wanted a shower.

From Wichita, he turned north and back east. He wanted to make it through Topeka before daylight. The miles droned on as the sun fell and every single bone in Kellan's body ached. His shoulder felt like it was on fire from holding its single position all day long. Despite what he knew Eva thought, he had a specific destination in mind. One that he didn't think Sullivan knew about. It was someplace they could both lay low and get the help they both needed.

It was around midnight when Eva woke up, her head hurting from where it had been resting against the window. She blinked like an owl several times, getting her bearings. "Where are we?"

Kellan jumped. "Shit, I thought you were still asleep."

Evan yawned. "I wish."

"We're almost to Topeka," he answered her earlier question. "I'm fixing to stop and get gas again. Are you hungry? I'll grab some food."

Right on cue Eva's stomach growled and she nodded. "I'm starved."

He chuckled. "Me too."

......
Well well well look who's back?! Not sure what took me so long to update this book, but here we are. Hopefully this is satisfactory!

Let me know in the comments. I appreciate every comment and vote. Thank you guys!

Sincerely,
Scarlett McLeod