Slingshot by K.L. Savage

Apparently, I need to get on my own cell phone plan because my Papa has blocked Noah’s phone number from my phone remotely. It’s been one day since the entire debacle, and I didn’t think it would be possible to be angrier at Papa, but it is. I am. He is acting completely childish.

And if I have to sneak out to see Noah like a rebellious teenager, then I will. I don’t know how I’ll get past the guards, but I’ll figure it out.

I step out of the shower and wrap a towel around me when there’s a soft tap on my bedroom door. It must be Nora because Papa doesn’t know how to knock.

“Yeah?” I call out as I towel-dry my hair.

“It’s me,” Nora confirms what I already knew.

I allow her in, and she shuts the door, locks it, and wiggles her brows. “Tell me how much you love me.”

“You know I do,” I say flatly. I’m trying to be positive, but I miss Noah too much.

She tosses me a phone, and it lands on the bed. “It’s prepaid,” she whispers. “His number is on it. And I’m planning a girl’s night tonight, and I think it’s the perfect excuse for you to come with… and I don’t know,” she sighs dramatically and glances away. “Maybe you could accidentally bump into him?”

“Dio Mio. You’re a genius. Thank you, Nora. Thank you so much.” I wrap my arms around her and give her a tight hug.

“Okay, can’t breathe.”

“Sorry.” I pull away from her, still smiling.

“Us girls have to stick together. He’s still sleeping in the guest room, and he’ll stay there until he gets his act together.” She harumphs and crosses her arms. “He thinks he’s more stubborn than me. Well, he is in a for a rude awakening.”

“I’m not trying to come between you and him, Nora. Don’t let my problems interfere with your relationship. He loves you.”

“And he’s unreasonable. I disagree with what he’s doing and how he’s treating you, Natalia. He expects me to agree with him, but that’s what good girls do—”

I shiver when she says that, thinking about Noah whispering the endearment in my ear. I nearly sink to my knees at the memory for him, but I remember my place, and it isn’t where he is.

“—and you know what, I’m not that good, and he is going to have to get over it. So get ready, look hot, and honestly, I don’t expect to see you back for a while.” She blows me a kiss before leaving me alone with a phone that has a direct link to Noah.

If he answers.

I sit on the edge of the bed and bring up the only number on the phone. I snicker when I see a taco and slingshot emoji where his name should be. My thumb hovers over the video chat button, and a hummingbird flaps its wings inside my chest as I stare at the phone.

I miss him like the desert misses rain in the summer, but what if he doesn’t feel the same? Only one way to find out. I click the button, cross my legs, lean back to get comfortable, and debate if I want to take my towel off.

Then I think better of it. I better not. What if he’s with people? I reposition myself by leaning against my side and propping my elbow onto the bed, then rest my chin against my hand. Yeah, that’s good. It’s nice and casual. Looks like I’m not trying too hard.

“Dad, if this is you, you’re a fucking dead man.”

I round my eyes at the harshness of his tone and yelp when I see the camera isn’t pointed at me but at the ceiling.

“Fucking answer, old man,” he growls.

“Noah, it’s me, it’s me.” I make sure my voice is low so no one can hear me. Damn, I need my headphones.

“Good Girl? Oh, fuck, baby. I’m sorry. I miss you so much. I’ve been dying to see you and talk to you. When I call your phone, it goes to voicemail.”

“Papa.” I don’t need to explain any further. I jump to the top of my bed, open the drawer, and snag my wireless earbuds and connect. I smile and reach my fingers toward the screen. “Hey, you.”

He holds his phone above him as he lays on the bed. I recognize the blankets behind him and the pillows. The navy blue blanket he’s lying on has his blue irises swirling as bright as the waves in the ocean reflecting on a sunny summer day.

“Are you in the taco truck?”

He gives me a goofy grin and if I’m not mistaken his cheeks turn a pretty shade of pink. I love that about him. Slingshot is funny, serious, kind, and lovable, yet blushes. I don’t know how I got so lucky with a man like him. A woman is stupid not to snag him up, but I’m happy no one did because now he’s all mine.

“Yeah, I am. It smells like you in here, and I miss you like crazy, Good Girl.”

I drop my cheek against the bed and prop the phone on the mattress. “I miss hearing that.”

“I miss everything about you. It’s been a rough twenty-four hours. I need you here, or I just need to be with you.”

“What happened? Does it have to do with your dad?”

The sigh on the other end of the phone causes static. “Yeah, unfortunately. And your dad. I’m literally the epitome of daddy issues right now.”

I try not to laugh, but I can’t help it. It’s true.

“Don’t laugh. I’m going to skin that ass when I see you next.”

“Mmm, promise?”

He growls. “Natalia, you do not want to tempt me right now.”

Oh, but I do.

“Tell me about your dad then,” I say.

“Wait a minute.” He narrows his eyes. “Are you in a towel?”

“Don’t change the subject.”

“Be a good girl and let me see you.”

“After you tell me about your dad.”

He flops onto the blankets again, scratches the middle of his chest, then tucks his arm behind his head. “Well, you know how I said my mom died of cancer?”

“Yeah,” I answer sadly.

“Well, my dad went off the fucking deep end. I got emancipated at sixteen, and I haven’t heard from him since. Until today.”

“No! What did he want? Are you okay?” I sit up, and the cold ends of my hair have goosebumps pebbling down my arms.

He looks away from the screen. “No. He’s an asshole. He didn’t come for me; he came for Maizey.”

“Maizey? The little one? Reaper’s daughter, right?”

“She’s my half-sister, Natalia. I know you don’t know about that yet, but long story short, Maizey and a bunch of other kids were getting ready to be trafficked. They were in New Orleans. We saved them, and there were three kids we couldn’t find homes for. Micah, Delaney, and Maizey.” He counts on three fingers. “Reaper and Sarah loved Maizey right away. They adopted her. And now, my asshole dad is back, and he said things that made me realize it was him that sold her and now he wants to do it again.”

“Oh my god, Noah. What are you going to do? She isn’t going to him, right?”

“No, god, no. Reaper would never allow it and I wouldn’t either. Reaper is torn. He wants to take his family to Alaska for a trip to get them away because they deserve it. They have been through so much. They deserve peace, but he doesn’t want to go if it means he doesn’t deal with my father on his own. Reaper wants blood.”

“So what’s he going to do?”

“I don’t know. Everything is a mess.”

“And I’m not helping, right?” I draw my circles on the top of my white comforter.

“Hey, no. Look at me.”

I can’t bring myself to.

“Look at me, now.” He orders in that tone that I can’t ignore.

I lift my eyes to the screen, and every inch of me tingles when the stern look on his face reminds me of the night we had together.

“Good girl. Now, I don’t want you to think for one second this is on you. What’s happening isn’t on you. It’s on your dad. He’s making this complicated when it doesn’t need to be. It wouldn’t be. Nothing is complicated with how I feel about you, Natalia. It’s the only thing I know right now. It’s the only thing that feels settled like it isn’t going anywhere.”

“I feel that way too.”

“Good, then you know that while everything around us is messy and completely fucked up, what we have isn’t.”

“I can’t be away from you like this, Noah. It’s torture.”

“I know, Good Girl. I’m trying to figure out how to get to you without getting shot again. Eventually, my luck is going to run out.”

“Don’t joke like that. It isn’t funny. That scared the hell out of me, Noah.”

“I’m okay. It’s just a scratch. You’ll kiss it and make it better, right?” He flips to the opposite side and shows me the deep cut.

“Aw, baby. You know I will.” I smooch the camera like the lovestruck fool that I am. “Which reminds me…Nora and the girls are going out tonight.”

He rolls to his back and lifts a thick black brow. “Is that so?”

“I’ll be going with them so maybe if I run into you…” I stop talking when I notice him getting up and gathering his belongings. “What are you doing?”

“I’m coming to see you. I’m not doing this anymore. It’s only been a day, but that’s long enough for me, and with everything going on right now, I really need to see you, Natalia.” He places the phone against the wall so he doesn’t have to hold it, and he leans against the edge of the cooler, hanging his head. “I don’t like my dad, but he’s still my fucking dad, so yeah, I’m a little messed up about what will happen to him, and I want to be with you.”

Noah wears his heart on his sleeve, out in the open where anyone and anything can harm it, and he decides to trust me with the most important part of him.

For a man like him, strong and powerful, to just up and give his heart to me without hesitation speaks volumes.

Blares it.

Screams it.

And I’m listening.

I’ll hold it, cherish it, and love it. If anyone dares tries to rip it from me, I’ll kill them.

It’s a quick and easy fix.

“I want you to be here too, but Papa has extra guards now. Especially to stop you, Noah.”

He rolls his eyes and curls his fingers to make a fist. “Mateo is ridiculous. I understand him being mad about seeing us, but he’s punishing us for loving one another. That’s fucked up.”

“I know,” I agree, sadness coating my words. “It’s why I want to see you tonight. Will you meet me?”

“Good Girl, you know you don’t even have to ask. I’m already planning on it. Like I’d ever miss an opportunity to see you.” He smirks. “Don’t wear panties. You know how much I fucking love that.”

“Noah…” I flush a pink fever in my cheeks and giggle because I know how much he loves it.

A loud bang startles me, and Noah turns his head to the back doors of the truck. “What?” he yells.

“The guys are here to paint this thing,”

I can’t tell who’s talking to him. They’re too far away.

“Fuck, alright,” Noah answers him, then brings his attention back to me. “I got to go, Good Girl. You better send me all the details for tonight, okay?”

“I will when I know them. I promise.”

“I can’t wait to see you, and I fucking love you, Natalia. We’ll figure this out.”

“I love you too, and I know we will. Send me a picture of the truck when it’s done.”

“Who else am I going to celebrate with? Come on, of course, I am. I’ll be sending you progress pictures too.” He kisses his fingers and touches them to the phone. “I got to go. Love you, Good Girl. And remember,” he brings the phone close to his mouth and whispers, “No fucking panties.” With those final words, he hangs up, leaving me smiling from ear to ear.

I take the wireless bud out of my ear and place it back in its case, and fall to my back, holding the phone to my chest, and just…smile.

He loves me.

Everything will work out. I have to believe that because if I don’t, I won’t be okay.

This has to work.

It has to.