Bad Boys Can't Date Persephone: Part 7

Can they get away?

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6

“No.” Hayden’s face paled. “No, not now.”

“Is that your family?”

“That’s my dad. He only uses those cars when he’s brought reinforcements with him.”

That didn’t sound good. “Reinforcements like your brothers?” Surely he wouldn’t make Perry and Zach force Hayden to come back with him?

“No, like bodyguards. Quick, inside!”

We ran in and shut the door. Going through to the sitting-room, Hayden turned off the TV while I grabbed my phone and my bag. I’d had over forty missed calls, and there were about as many texts waiting to be read.

“He can’t know,” Hayden whispered, gazing out the window. “Mr King said he’d never tell my family where I was. So did the Reyes’s.”

“What about your workplace? They’d have records of your address, right?”

He shot me one glance that said everything.

“Hayden, if they park in front of the shed with the motorbike, it’s over.”

Alarm flickered in his eyes just for a second, then was replaced by a fierce determination. “Let’s get out of here.”

The helmet still lay on the floor close to the front door. Hayden grabbed it and held it out to me, followed by a thick black fleece. “You’ll need this too.”

“What about you?”

“I’ve got my jacket. I’ll be fine. Ready to run?”

Adrenaline, fear and excitement swirled inside me. “You bet.”

He grasped my hand, opened the front door and we ran, racing out of the house and towards the shed. Hayden threw open the door and got on the motorbike; I put the helmet on, climbed on behind him and held onto his waist for dear life.

Hayden reversed out of the shed and swerved until we were facing the open road. The cars had almost reached the house; Hayden moved out of the little driveway and onto the road. I gripped his waist tightly as we shot down the road, leaving the black cars far behind us.

We turned corners and wove between cars, fields passing on either side of us like flying birds. The wind blew my hair so that it streamed behind me. I felt as if we were flying.

We could have been going anywhere, and at that moment I didn’t care. I trusted him.

I liked him. I’d fallen in like with the bad boy.

Eventually, he turned off the main road and went down a smaller road; the stones rattled as we went over them, and I found myself clutching him tighter and clenching my teeth.

The road broadened into a small car park, surrounded by trees. Hayden didn’t stop there, though; instead, he took us down a tiny winding path between the trees.

As the motorbike came to a halt, I drew in a breath at the scene before us. A cliff edge curved over the sea, with metal railings protecting us from the drop.

I dismounted and took off the helmet. “What did we do? Seriously, Hayden!” I laughed wildly, shaking my head. “What did we just do? That was brilliant!”

He leaned the motorbike against a nearby tree, grinning. “Yeah. It was.”

We walked over to the railings and leaned on them, watching the sun sparkle on the surface of the sea. White-capped waves moved towards a beach in the distance, and the water alternated between two shades of turquoise and azure.

“Can I see you again?” he asked.

I kept my breathing slow and steady, even as my chest began to tingle on the inside.

The wind blew that sweet and spicy scent towards me. I knew that I knew it, but what was it called?

“Yes – because I’d like to see you.”

My heart fluttered wildly as he smiled at me.

“Just so you know, I don’t believe in kissing on the first date. Mum and Dad did instil some good values in me and my brothers.”

I gazed out over the sea. Could those colours be any more stunning? “Well, as far as first dates go, this one was pretty eventful.”

“I’ll make sure the next one’s just as good.”

Pomegranates. The word came into my memory like a flash. Hayden smelled of pomegranates.

But we had to come back to reality. My parents would be even more worried by now, and Hayden’s family were still looking for him.

I opened my back and took out my phone. “Ready?”

“Yeah.”

I looked at the screen. “Yes! Signal’s back.” Opening my contacts, I scrolled through them until I found Dad’s information. I braced myself and pressed the green call button.

He answered within seconds. “Flora, are you all right? Where have you been? Your mother and I have been so…”

I put him on speakerphone. “I know, Dad. I’m sorry, I really am, please let me explain.”

“You’ve never done anything like this before, so I’m guessing you must have a very good reason for not contacting us. Flora, if you’re in any danger, please tell me now.”

The wind was playing with my hair. It was a tangled mess, and I honestly didn’t care.

“I couldn’t get in touch, and…” I gazed at the dark, silent figure beside me. “I’m not in danger, but Hayden Ashcroft might be. His family is in the area.”

“How do you know Hayden?”

I swallowed. Here came the hard part. “When it was raining badly, he gave me a lift from the bus station. All the buses from there were cancelled, and I didn’t know what else to do. There was no shelter.”

“Go on.”

Another voice appeared in the background. “Is that Flora? Is she all right?”

“She’s fine,” Dad said soothingly, “but there’s a complication.”

“What kind of complication?” Mum cried. “I just want to know my daughter’s all right!”

“She is. Do you remember me telling you about Hayden Ashcroft?”

Mum fell silent. Then she said: “How did Flora get mixed up in that?”

“Dad, please,” I said. “His father is in the area, and he’s got bodyguards with him. We don’t know if he is here for Hayden, but the cars got close to the house, so we got away on his motorbike.”

“All right. Where are you now?”

Hayden gestured for me to give him the phone. “Sir, we’re at the coastal walk overlooking the sea. It’s down the little path from the car park.”

“Both of you stay there. We’ll come and get you.”

“Thank you.” Hayden hung up and sighed loudly, brushing his hair away from his forehead. “At least they took it well.”

“Dad did. I’m not sure how well Mum will.” I watched the waves move and crash against a rock that jutted out of the surf. “We’ll have to explain everything fully in the car.”

If we were even allowed to speak, that is.

***

I couldn’t remember ever being hugged so tightly by either of my parents.

“You’re safe,” Mum kept whispering. “You’re safe, you’re safe.”

On our way back to Topaz Coast, both Hayden and I kept a lookout for any black cars following us. There weren’t any.

Hayden sat in the front with Dad while Mum and I sat in the back, gripping each other’s hands.

Dad drove us to the law enforcement headquarters, then took us to his office and made everyone cups of tea before asking us to tell what happened.

“We weren’t expecting the wards to activate,” Hayden said. “If I’d known they would, I’d have driven her straight home.”

“Driving on a motorbike in rain like that is risky,” Dad replied firmly. “But what I don’t understand is why neither of you tried to contact us…”

“I did.” Taking out my phone, I went to my social pages and practically thrust the phone under Mum’s nose. “I tried sending messages and leaving a post, but they wouldn’t go through. There was no phone signal, and we couldn’t send any emails either.”

Mum studied the screen, then nodded. “She’s telling the truth, Zane. It says Unable to send message.”

Dad frowned. “Hmm. We must have overlooked that when setting the instructions for the wards. There’s no point in having something there to protect you if you can’t contact anyone and ask for help.”

“Do you think Hayden’s father was there for him, Dad?” I asked.

“You said he brought bodyguards, plural, so yes, he probably was. He usually travels with just the one.” Dad fixed Hayden with a solemn gaze. “Do you want me to set up an official magical restraining order against your father?”

Hayden nodded without hesitation. “Yes.”

“Then I’ll get right on that.”

“But just on him – not on Mum or my brothers. And…” Hayden hesitated, a look of sadness in his eyes. “If any of them want to talk to me over the phone about…about things, I’ll think about it. That includes Dad; I’m willing to give him a chance.”

My throat ached. He was open to the possibility of a proper relationship with his family. I hoped his family would take that chance.

“Speaking of giving chances…” Hayden cleared his throat and looked at both my parents. “I know this is going to sound strange and possibly a little insane, but…I’d like to ask permission to date your daughter.”

I couldn’t breathe.

“No,” Mum said firmly, shaking her head. “You’re eighteen; she’s not.”

“You wouldn’t have a problem with that if he was in sixth form with me.”

Mum stared at me in surprise. And well she might! When was the last time I’d spoken to her like that?

“Seriously, Mum. Would you have a problem with us going out if he went to sixth form with me? And I’ll be eighteen too, in a couple of weeks!”

“She has a point,” Dad remarked. He looked at me, then at Mum. “Frankly, Laurel, if the boys at sixth form are anything to go by, Flora could do a lot worse. In fact, I think there’s no-one better. Besides, it would be rather strange if you let Mina date, but not your own daughter.”

I gazed pleadingly at my mother, who sighed and nodded. “All right. If Flora thinks you’re good enough for her, Hayden, then I’ll trust her. But you’d better be worthy of our trust and hers.”

My lips broke into a wide smile. I wanted to throw my arms around Mum’s neck and hug her, but this probably wasn’t the right time.

“There’s one more thing that doesn’t quite make sense.” The frown was back on Dad’s face. “How did the two of you manage to get out of the shield?”

Hayden’s eyes twinkled mischievously as he glanced at me. “Well, Mr King, I think Flora should tell that part of the story.”