Yes. I did.
I placed my hand into his, and warmth spread through me like wildfire. A sense of safety enveloped me, and I knew I’d made the right choice. I’d deal with the consequences later.
We rushed off campus, and he opened the passenger’s door of a sleek, black sports car. I climbed in and hooked my seat belt. The windows were tinted darker than the ones in the car Declan drove, and those ones were almost black.
Shoot! I’d have to make sure Declan didn’t show up at school for me. I pulled out my cell phone just as Trent slid in behind the steering wheel. He eyed my phone and raised a brow.
“Um, you can drive me home, right?” I asked.
“If you want me to, yes.”
“It’s either that or you have me back to the school by the final bell.” I pulled up Declan’s number, intent on texting him when I said, “That is the key to skipping school, isn’t it? Being back before anyone knows you’re gone?”
He whipped his head around, eyes wide. “For someone who’s never skipped school before, you seem to know a lot about it.” He started the car, and the engine purred to life.
I shrugged. “Just seems like common sense.”
Trent grabbed a pair of sunglasses from the visor, slipped them on, then drove—much too quickly—out of the parking lot. His crazy driving reminded me of Jaxon, and my stomach sank.
I texted Simon first.
Me: SOMETHING CAME UP AT HOME. HAD TO LEAVE. TALK LATER.
Then I texted Declan to let him know I was catching a ride home with a friend. I turned my phone off and shoved it into my backpack.
“Want to talk about the bad news you got?” he asked, his gaze never wavering from the road.
“My best friend just found out her parents are getting divorced. She’s a mess, and I can’t even be there to comfort her.” I turned to stare out the window. “I miss her.”
“I’m sorry.” Trent shifted, then accelerated as he navigated onto the Pacific Coast Highway.
“Where are we going?” I asked, determined not to focus on what I couldn’t control. At least, not right now. Later, I’d talk with Ellie and do what I could to make her feel better.
“Where do you want to go?” he asked.
“I don’t know. Where is there to go?”
He chuckled softly.
“What?” I asked, twisting in my seat to look at him.
His profile was breathtaking. Then again, everything about him stole my breath. But right now, speeding down the PCH, he seemed… relaxed.
“Nothing. It’s just, you tend to answer a question with another question. It’s… cute,” he said.
“Cute?” I scrunched up my face in disgust. “Yeah, that’s what every girl wants to hear.”
At that, he let out a deep, genuine laugh that reverberated through the tiny car. His fingers flexed against the gear shift seconds before he shifted into high and floored it. I pushed back against my seat, and I grabbed the door handle for safety as he took a tight curve way too fast.
“If I knew you were going to try to kill me, I would’ve stayed at school,” I said.
He slowed. “I’m not trying to kill you, Chloe.”
Seriously, the way he said my name… he could convince me to commit the most heinous crimes with that tone.
“Then slow down.” I gave him a dirty look.
Trent slowed even more, and I leaned over to glance at the speedometer. His scent surrounded me, and I couldn’t stop from closing my eyes and inhaling deeply. A distant memory creeped into my consciousness, a moment exactly like this. I kept my eyes closed, struggling to get the memory to fully form, but it was just out of my reach. Foggy. Distorted.
“Where are we going?” I whispered, although I had no idea why. But I knew his answer before he spoke. It’s a surprise.
“It’s a surprise,” he answered, his voice extremely close.
I’d had this conversation with Jaxon last week, but there was something different about having it with Trent. Knowledge clawed at me, scraping and scratching to be released, but I had no idea what I was supposed to know—other than what I was meant to say next.
“I don’t like surprises…” My eyes snapped open, and my gaze collided with Trent’s.
He’d removed his sunglasses, and he was staring at me, not the road. “It happened again, didn’t it?” he asked.
I nodded. My throat was dry. “Did you…?”
“Do you remember?” he asked.
“Remember what?”
Without answering, he pulled off the highway into a small, unofficial rest area. It looked more like a place people would pull off to make out, or do something illegal. He stopped and killed the engine. Then, he rested his arms on the steering wheel.
“Trent?” My voice trembled. “What’s happening to me? Why do I keep having these weird reactions when I’m with you? How do I know you? Better yet, why don’t I remember you?”
Did I, though? Did I truly know him? Or was this some sick joke or prank Jaxon was playing? But why would he do that? Why would Trent? If I didn’t get answers soon, I was going to snap.
He let his head fall forward, but he still didn’t speak. In fact, he didn’t even breathe. He was deathly still. Momentary fear stole my breath. Hesitantly, I placed my hand on his shoulder.
Finally, he turned his head to stare at me. His expression was conflicted, but it was his gaze that rendered me speechless—his eyes were downright tormented.
We sat in silence for too long before I couldn’t take it a second longer. “Trent? Please. You have to answer me. What is happening?”
“I don’t know.” His words were clipped.
I may not know him well, or for very long, but every instinct I had was screaming at me. “You’re lying.” I unhooked my seat belt.
“No.” He straightened. “I’m not. I don’t know how to answer you, Chloe, because I’ve never had to do this before.”
I opened my mouth to speak,
