Stolen Ch. 14

Ren sat up and reached for his own jeans. "I know what I said and I meant what I said. And don't you ever compare me to Hawk again!" Ren told her as he got to his feet.

Sky backed away out of reach as she regarded him cautiously. He picked up his shirt and shook it before pulling it on.

"If you cared about me in the least you wouldn't keep me against my will! And Hawk would never have said what he did unless that is what he believed you would do!" Sky accused.

"Right! I have had enough! You shut up about the shit Hawk told you here and now! Do not mention it ever again!" Ren roared angrily as he took a step towards her.

Sky back-pedalled hastily and eyed him fearfully. When he advanced with a hard look on his face she turned and ran for the opening of the shed.

Ren caught Sky before she made it halfway to outside the shed. She struggled as he turned her around in his arms to face him.

"I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!" Sky sobbed as she continued to struggle ineffectively.

"Shut the hell up!" Ren roared and Sky froze in his grasp. Slowly she lifted her eyes to look at his face and saw the rage in his eyes.

"I am going to let you go. You are going to go back and sit on the sleeping bag," Ren told her in a barely controlled tone and released her.

Fearing the anger in his eyes Sky backed away several steps then turned and hurried to do as he had ordered. She kept flicking nervous glances his way as he paced between the vehicle and the outside sunlight.

After several minutes Ren walked over to where Sky sat watching nervously and squatted so that he was on eye level with her.

"How do I convince you I am not the bad guy here? What do I have to do to make you believe me when I say I won't hurt you?" Ren asked tightly. He feared what her answer would be.

"I just want to go home." Sky said as tears welled in her eyes.

Her voice sounded so broken hearted to Ren's ears as he closed his eyes and lowered his head. There was nothing for it he realised as something twisted painfully in his chest.

* * * * *

Sky stood numbly as she watched the bus pull to a halt at the small depot. She waited until the door opened and passengers got off; the driver followed and moved to remove baggage. When the driver went to climb back aboard she stepped up to him.

"Excuse me. Is this the bus to northern New South Wales?" She asked.

"It sure is," the driver said.

Sky pulled her new ticket from her pocket and handed it to him.

"Do you have any luggage?" He asked as he glanced at the ticket and handed it back to her.

"None other than this," Sky said holding up a green bag that contained food and drink.

"Well climb aboard," The driver said and Sky was quick to do as he said.

She walked down the bus until she found a spare seat amongst the sleeping passengers and she sat down. She turned her head to look out the window as the bus began to move slowly from the curb. A motorbike stood away from the buildings, its rider a motionless silhouette in the dark. Sky raised one hand to the glass of the window as if to wave but ended up pressing her face against the cold glass instead. She watched the bike and its rider until they disappeared behind the bus. As Sky turned away from the window she realised she may never meet a man quite like him again, and at the moment she wasn't sure if that was a good thing or bad.