The Runaway

Chapter 43 - Finale

They had driven for hours and Violet was beginning to feel more comfortable with Aiden in the car. They had already cracked countless jokes and got annoyed at each other a couple of times. 

"Stop being a baby," Aiden told her. "We're almost at our next stop." 

They were continuing their previous journey in motel hopping and finding secret places to hide. 

"I am just tired of being around you this entire time," Violet fired back. 

He laughed and muttered, "Nah. you love me." 

She rolled her eyes and looked out the window. "Do not." 

"Do too." 

Suddenly, she felt a tightness in her chest. Why was he flirting with her after everything that happened? 

He noticed a shift in her emotions and spoke up. "Hey, what's on your mind?"

She shook it off and brushed off his look of worry. "Nothing." 

Out of nowhere, he turned the wheel harshly to the right, creating a screeching noise in the road and sending them to a halt at the side of the road as Colton's van continued to fire off.

"What the hell, Aiden?" Violet yelled. "What are you doing?" 

He turned off the car and gazed at her intensely. "Tell me what's up."

"You're crazy." She took his phone and to text Colton. 

"Relax sweetheart, we'll catch up with them later." Aiden said while snatching his phone back. "For now, I want to talk to you." 

She rolled her eyes again and glared at him like he was an idiot. "Are you an idiot?" she said. "We have no time to waste."

He suddenly grabbed her left hand and intertwined her fingers with his and watched her freeze. 

"What..are you doing?" she whispered. She yanked her hand away and looked at her feet. "Stop doing this to me." 

"Doing what?"

His voice was so alluring, she could listen to him to talk all day. "Playing with my emotions," she mumbled, embarrassingly admitting to her feelings.

His eyebrows raised in surprise. "I am?" 

She nodded. 

"I like you, Violet." He laughed. "Like a lot. I think it's pretty obvious."

Her stomach tightened and her heart began to race. "You can't be serious," she said feeling disappointed but happy all at once. "Last time we-" They kissed and he only cared about Ace and Colton's feelings. "Things didn't go well last time."

He sighed and set his hands down in his lap. "I'm sorry about what I did. I shouldn't have let my ex get in the way of us or Colton." He chuckled lightly. "I realized I felt obligated to care for her after all we've been through but I stopped loving her a long time ago." He paused before continuing. "As for Colton, I think I deserve something he doesn't have for once. He's always been a leader and everyone falls in love with him all the time." He gave her a smile. "For once I want to be the one that gets the girl."

Her annoyed expression softened at his confession and she wanted to melt in her seat right then and there. She wanted to grab him and take in his essence. He was such a sweet guy who respected her and believed in her ability to look after herself. "I like you too." She smiled. "Like a lot. I think it's pretty obvious." 

He laughed and grabbed her hand once again. "Not really, I thought I was competing against Colt for a bit." 

She looked him in the eyes and smiled at the face she admired so much. It was weird to mention other names around each other but she needed to clear the air. "Colton is family to me. That's all." It was true now that she had realized it. He always treated her like a little sister, acting like she was helpless and needed his rescue. Truthfully, she never needed his help but was thankful for the efforts.