Lost in Distraction

Chapter Twelve



After a long night in Harrisburg where I made true on my promise to finish what we started in the car, we wake up refreshed for a big day of driving ahead of us. I’ve decided to take a detour and take Elle to Charleston, South Carolina. It’s so beautiful there and knowing that she’s never been there before makes it ever better. I love the idea of taking her to new places and being with her when she tries new things. I want to help her start a new, happier life, and maybe help erase some of her painful past.

We’re heading towards Richmond for our next overnight stop. We’ve got about 190 miles to travel today but we don’t have to rush. I’ve decided to let Elle drive for a bit, if only so that I have the opportunity to tease and tempt her like she subjected me to yesterday when I drove. All the little touches, flirty looks, and slight flashes of skin were driving me wild. She’s turning into a little firecracker and I love her even more for it, so now it’s going to be my turn to return the favor. Here’s hoping she doesn’t crash my car!

She jumps up and down when I ask her if she wants to drive my car today. All day yesterday she kept asking and I just couldn’t do it. This car is my other baby and I’m rather protective of her, but I finally decide I want to share her with Elle. I can see how much she loves the car, almost as much as I do. I want to show her how much I trust her, though it is nothing compared to the trust she has shown in me thus far.

It is tearing me up inside that I have to live a lie with her. She is my life now and I have told her more than once that I can’t live without her and to be honest, I don’t think either of us would ever be the same again if we had to be apart. I can’t live in a world where she is not in my life, it’s not even an option. She told me that she doesn’t want to go back to how she was before we met, alone and shut off from the world. She likes how alive and free she feels now that she’s with me.

Sitting down in the driver’s seat, the smile on Elle’s face is priceless. She’s glowing, her smile big enough to light up the world. She lets out a contented sigh when she turns the key and the car roars to life. I hear her giggle when she revs the engine and I can help but grin at her. She eases the car into gear and slowly pulls out of the hotel parking garage. Before too long, we’re on the highway heading south again.

By 2 p.m. we’re starving, so we follow some signs off the interstate to a roadside diner. We park up and just stare at the decrepit building in front of us. Elle looks over at me.

“You sure about this?” she asks me anxiously.

“Not really, but there isn’t much choice out here,” I reply with a laugh. “It’ll be fine darlin’.” I open my door and Elle soon follows. After locking up the car, we make our way inside.

It’s a typical roadside diner. A faded pink neon ‘open’ sign in the window, peeling red paint on the outside, and a front wall full of smeared windows and red leather booths that have seen better days. As we walk inside, there is noticeable lack of heating, but the aroma of coffee and fried food permeates the air and we’re so hungry that we don’t care. After taking our seats, we each order a turkey sandwich and a root beer from a waitress who does not seem happy to see us.

I look across the booth at Elle. “So, what do you think of our road trip so far?”

“It’s awesome,” she says with a grin. “Thank you so much for doing this. I think it’s just what we need.”

“Definitely. What could be better than spending time with my girl and going back to my home town?” I reply.

I’m continuing to battle my conscience as I shift unevenly between guilt and relief. Guilt that I’m still lying to her about how I came into her life and relief that she has no idea the danger she is in so can lead a relatively normal carefree life right now.

“Here you go, enjoy your meal,” the waitress grunts, putting our food on the table before stomping off.

“Thanks,” Elle says, smiling at the waitress who just nods in response before turning back towards the kitchen.

“Cheerful folk round here,” I muse, earning a giggle from Elle. I’d gladly spend a lifetime making her giggle like that.



After a surprisingly good lunch at the diner, Brax stands up from the booth, holding out his hand for mine before leading me towards the door and outside to the car. I look around and spot a black Honda parked over on the far side of the parking lot and feel myself tense up immediately. I look up at Brax and can tell that he’s seen the car too.

I remember a few months ago when I asked him about the black car hanging around my street. I didn’t tell him that I thought it was a rogue journalist because at that time, I still hadn’t told him about my parents or Brightlight. But now, considering we’re out in the middle of ‘Nowhereville’ Virginia and nobody is supposed to know where we are except Shay, I’m officially spooked.

I feel Brax’s hand move to the small of my back as he speeds up and directs me to the passenger side of the car.

“Get in the car and lock the doors, sweetheart,” he says sternly, the look on his face telling me that now is not the time to argue.

“Okay,” I say tentatively. I’ve never seen Brax act like this. It’s kinda hot, but scary too. He hasn’t taken his eyes off the black car and not once has he turned his back to it. He closes my door, waiting until he hears the locks click before heading in the direction of the Honda. He gets within thirty feet of the car before it revs up and takes off, leaving Brax standing in a cloud of dust. He tries to run after it, but has to turn back when the car disappears from sight. As he walks back towards me, he pulls his phone out of his pocket and starts texting. This whole situation is very strange to me. When he gets back in the car I’m going to find out what the hell is going on.

I unlock the doors when Brax reaches the car and as soon as he hops in, I hound him.

“What’s going on, Brax? Who was that?”

“I don’t know, hon, I really don’t. I’ve seen a similar car hanging around a couple of times since I moved in. Have you seen it recently?” Looking at his face, I can tell he’s genuinely concerned about this.

“Remember I told you that there had been a black car hanging around a bit and I thought it was strange?”

“Yeah” he says slowly, urging me to go on.

“Well, I’ve noticed it a couple more times in the past few weeks and once on Christmas Day when you were out getting beer.” I wince as he suddenly hits the steering wheel with both hands in frustration.

“Shit, Elle! You should’ve told me.” Why do I suddenly feel like I’ve done something wrong?

“Why, Brax? Why would I tell you? I don’t know who it is or what they want. It could just be a huge coincidence, don’t you think? I mean, no one knows where we are, right?” I’m starting to panic now, I can feel that old lump in my throat returning and fear closing in around me. Brax can see on my face that I’m losing it and puts his hand on my arm, keeping my gaze as he tries to calm me down

“Hon, it’s okay,” he says softly. “I’m sorry I got angry, you’re right, this could just be a big coincidence. But because of your money and your past, we can never be too careful. I’ve sent Shay a text and asked him to get his security contacts to check the number plate. He’ll let us know if we need to be worried, okay?” he looks really worried about me now.

He pulls me in for a hug and I wrap my arms around him, moving as close as I can, which is rather difficult given we’re in a Mustang with a stick shift in the way.

“I’ll always look after you darlin’, I’ll never let anyone hurt you,” he murmurs in my ear. What? Why would anyone hurt me? The only person in the world that has the power to hurt me right now is Brax. This is all bit weird. He’s just told me that he doesn’t know about this and I know he wouldn’t hold out on me, I’m sure he wouldn’t.

“I know you won’t. I just wish I knew what that man wants.” I’m exasperated now and I wish this person would just leave us alone.

Brax holding me has a calming effect. Once he’s assured that I’m okay, Brax starts the car and we start driving again.

After another couple of hours we finally reach Richmond, Virginia. Apart from the Coldplay CD playing in the background, we’ve both been quiet since we left the diner. I’m still reeling that we were followed from home and Brax has gone back to being very distracted and contemplative.

“I’ve never been to Richmond before,” he says, breaking the silence.

“Me either,” I reply. He knows I’ve never been to the East Coast before.

“I’m glad I get to come here with you first, then,” he says with a wink, slowing the car down before pulling over and parking. “We’re here.”

I look out the car window and see the most beautiful bed and breakfast I’ve ever seen. It’s a two-storied old house, painted a dark slate grey with the entire front full of windows. It looks romantic and homely, exactly what you’d imagine a traditional B&B to look like. I turn around and grin at Brax.

“It’s perfect,” I say excitedly, earning a huge smile from Brax.

“Glad you like it, baby, now let me get our bags and we’ll get checked in.” He turns the car off and opens his door. I’m glad we’ve finally stopped for the day. As much as I love Brax’s car, it is definitely nice to be able to walk around and stretch our legs.

I’ve never been one for road trips. Until now, the longest road trip I ever had was with my parents and Paige when I was thirteen and Paige was eight. Mum and Dad took us to the Grand Canyon—it took almost eight hours to get there, which we did all in one day. It was our last family holiday together before they died. I’m hoping that this trip with Brax will give me new holiday memories to replace the now painful ones from my past.

Once we’re settled in our room, I head into the bathroom to have a shower before we head out and find somewhere to eat. Brax is lying on the bed, playing with his phone and I wonder if he has heard anything back from Shay about that car. It has been bothering me ever since we saw it and the fact that someone may have followed us is unsettling. I’ll have to ask him after my shower.



I get a text from Shay confirming what I suspect, the number plate for the car at the diner was another stolen plate. I almost throw my phone against the wall when I read it.

Brax: What should our next move be? This is too much of a coincidence.

Shay: I’m with ya there. What do you want to do?

Brax: I’m not sure, if he found us there he can find us anywhere on this trip. I didn’t even tell Gibbons where I was going, and you’ve blocked my GPS.

Shay: Haha. Yup, he called me asking to look into it too. I just gave him some bullshit about not being able to do anything without the tracking device in front of me. He bought it, I think.

Brax: Good one. He sounded a bit suspicious on the phone yesterday. He doesn’t like not knowing where we are.

Shay: He asked me and I plead the fifth. He sounded pissed.

Brax: Any word on Brimstone or Evans?

Shay: Actually, yeah. Brimstone is stuck in LA and hasn’t moved for the last few weeks. Evans has been hanging around the New York area and the big boss man is still in ATL but did fly out to New York last week for a quick day trip.

Brax: Any idea why? He doesn’t go to New York unless it’s for business.

Shay: Yeah, well without raising any eyebrows I don’t know how to find out.

Brax: I can’t see the boss and Evans working together, Evans hates us all.

Shay: Yeah, but stranger things have happened.

From what I know of Evans, anything is possible.

Elle comes out of the bathroom wearing nothing but a lacy pink bra and matching panties. My breathing stops when I see her. Goddamn that is a fine sight to see! Putting my phone down, I shuffle down the bed and move towards her, the smile on my face and the growing hardness in my pants giving away my intentions. She giggles and tries to move past me to get to her bag, but I’m too quick and grab her around her waist, bringing her square between my legs. She leans into my arms, a soft moan escaping her lips as I touch my lips to hers. She’s the perfect distraction to take my mind off of everything running through my head.

I turn her over and lay her on the bed beside me as she starts to pull my shirt up, slipping her warm hands underneath and causing a shiver to run straight through me. She begins to drag her nails up my chest to my shoulders. Taking her lips again, I growl into her mouth as she digs her nails into my back and arches her body into mine. Wrapping her legs around mine, I slam my body down onto hers. She moves her mouth down my jaw and over my neck, peppering my skin with soft kisses and nipping my skin. She moves up and grazes the skin behind my ear with her teeth, knowing that it drives me crazy, then I hear her whisper the four words that always make me snap.

“I need you, Brax.”

Those four words are like an electric shock to my brain. Suddenly there are clothes flying off me and I rip open her robe as I start worshipping her body from head to toe, starting at her mouth and working my way down, nipping and sucking my way towards the place I really want to be. As I lick and taste my way down her beautiful body, I hear her moan a sound that reverberates through my body, lust streaming through me, bringing us close to climax. That is all the encouragement I need. I lap at her, increasing my pace as I feel her legs tighten around my legs, cocooning me as she moans, telling me how close she is. I speed up until I feel her body tighten around me like a vice, screaming out my name as she writhes around me. When she finally relaxes I roll over and collapse beside her, gently stroking her stomach as she comes back down to earth.

“I love it when you say my name like that,” I say huskily.

Without warning she rolls over on top of me, positioning her legs either side of my hips as she slowly inches her way down to take my deep inside her. Moving my hands to her hips, I look deep into her eyes and the look she gives me is all the encouragement I need and the fire in her eyes spurs me on as I push my hips up in rhythm with hers. Soon we are both in the moment, climaxing around each other, collapsing together. She lies down on top of me, totally spent, as we enjoy blissful silence. This is how making love is supposed to be, effortless and totally mind blowing.

Elle rolls off me and snuggles into my side as she starts to doze off. It has been a long day for both of us, but I know we have to get some food soon. I ease my arm out from underneath her and put some clothes on before stepping outside the door. I head downstairs and speak to the proprietor who recommends a local Chinese takeout before stepping outside to call through our dinner order. Purely out of habit I scan the street for the black car, but I can’t see anything untoward, until I look over to my car and see a white note stuck on the front window of the Mustang.

I rush down the steps, two at a time, until I reach my car. I grab the note with my heart pounding out of my chest. This is not good. I open it straight away, pulling out a page of lined paper that looks like it has been ripped out of a notebook of some kind. I hold my breath as I unfold it, reading the words I never wanted to read.

‘You can run but you can’t hide little one. I will finish what I started’.