Chapter 32

Three hundred and thirty-five dollars and a handful of coins.

I had spent at least another hour scouring this fucking room, and I finally found their secret stash.

It made me bitter that these assholes were able to afford a recreational vehicle like this, and also have this kind of money hidden in their bedroom.

I can’t remember a time where I even had five dollars, let alone three hundred and thirty-five. Granted, Elijah always did his best to pick up odd jobs here and there when we found a place we wanted to stay in for a while, but his earnings were quickly spent on food that we didn’t have to catch with our own hands.

I shoved the money into my pocket, then looked around the room one more time, hoping for maybe a nice piece of jewelry or something, but there wasn’t any.

I should have ripped the rings off their fucking fingers.

With a frustrated sigh, I dropped down on the edge of the bed, propped my elbows onto my knees, and dropped my face into my hands.

Knowing that we still had a ways to go before we could surprise Mama and Papa should have made things easier on me. Hell, knowing that I had a guy like Elijah Young by my side every step of the way should have made it even better.

But nothing in this goddamn world would ever change my mind about getting my hug, and that’s what made me even more desperate to get to Mr. Mike’s house on time.

Elijah didn’t know it, but I hid it with the gift he gave me. It was the only place I knew it would be safe until the time came to use it, and it’s fucking gone.

Stolen by a reckless man for no reason other than he had more than likely gotten sick of having us around.

I let out a scream, muffled by my hands, as I dropped onto my back, then rested an arm across my eyes.

He didn’t know how much it meant to me, but when the time comes he will. He’ll never fucking forget it, and I’ll make damn sure he’ll never take something that isn’t his again.

“Did you fall asleep?”

A gasp escaped me as I sat up quickly, and then groaned when I saw Elijah standing in the doorway. I don’t know why I thought it could have been anyone other than him, though fear did strike me for the briefest of moments.

“No,” I replied softly as I tucked a stray hair behind my ear. “I found some money. We should be able to take the bus to Kingston.”

I got to my feet and started to make my way toward the door, but he didn’t budge. Instead, he tilted my chin up to face him with a quick flick of his wrist, then grinned when I gave him a curious look.

“Made you something, Mais.”

My cheeks burned crimson, causing him to chuckle and wrap his arms around me. He pulled me into his warm, loving embrace and rested his chin on the top of my head.

“They’re in the freezer. Just making sure that the grip stays, you know?” he said casually.

I nodded and attempted to pull away from him.

“But, I figure while we wait, we could probably get a power nap in. I don’t know about you, but I’m beat.”

I looked up at him, then tickled his ribcage. He chortled raucously and dropped his arms, giving me the moment I needed to slip by him.

“I’ll be back once I’ve bought our bus tickets,” I say to him as I start to walk toward the front of the camper. “But you get some sleep. I’ll be fine for a while.”

Elijah lurched forward in one movement, gripped me by the elbow, and gently led me back into the bedroom.

“Nap first, Maisie Girl. Bus tickets after.”

“Elijah, we don’t have enough—”

“Time?” he finished, cutting me off with a grin. “We’ve got all the time in the world. Relax, take a deep breath, and you’ll see it’s not ticking away as quickly as you think it is.”

I decided not to fight him any longer, because the truth was that I needed rest as much as he did.

If he felt that time was on our side, then I’d allow myself to believe it.

After all, Elijah hadn’t led me astray so far.

___

I laid in the bed, eyes wide open, listening to the sound of Elijah’s even breathing.

He fell asleep relatively quickly like I hoped he would, and even though my body was screaming for me to do the same, I couldn’t.

I had to find a way to get to a bus station, wherever one was, and back again before he woke up.

I began to chew the inside of my mouth, trying to think of how I would be able to slip out from beneath his arm without waking him up.

I turned my face to look at him, smiling at his peaceful state. The only time his mind never tried to betray him was when he slept.

Which reminds me.

I turned onto my side, then tensed slightly when Elijah’s grip around my waist tightened. His fear of losing me again was unfounded, since he had never lost me in the first place.

In a way, we were taken from each other. Made to go separate ways by the two people who should have loved us the most.

Closing my eyes for a moment, I told myself not to think about them.

Not yet.

Their time would come soon enough and then neither of us would have to think about them ever again.

And he won’t have to think of me anymore, either.