My Wolf’s Bane(20)

He reached over and flipped the switch, unlocking the door. He froze, his arm touching mine, and stared at me. He inhaled quickly twice.

This time, he couldn’t act like it was my imagination. “You just sniffed me.” I gave him a look of loathing before flinging open the door and stomping to my car.

Another crappy day. Life just had to get better.

I took extra time driving around the neighborhood to burn off my rage. When I parked in front of my house, I noticed a red Jeep approaching.

What the hell was Zack doing at my house?





CHAPTER SEVEN

I hadn't noticed Zack in the rearview mirror following me, but I hadn't looked either. What was with the guy? He never hid his dislike for me, yet everywhere I went, there he was.

He parked along the curb and skulked around to the passenger side of his car. Scrambling out of my Taurus, I slammed the door.

“What are you doing at my house? Stalking me?” I asked.

Opening the passenger side of the Jeep, he reached in and pulled out my backpack, then stomped over and tossed it at my feet.

“Please stop making me come to your rescue.” He turned and thundered back to his car.

I’d been rude to him when he’d gone out of his way to make sure I didn’t get in trouble for not doing my homework. I felt small. “Sorry. Thank you!”

Without turning around or acknowledging my existence, he climbed into his Jeep and turned it around. I felt like a super-dork as I watched him speed away.

About a block down, a yellow Corvette pulled away from the curb after the Jeep. That was the second time I’d seen that car follow Zack. It couldn’t be a coincidence. Maybe he owed money to the mob and that’s why his job was so important to him. Or drug dealers? Whoever it was, they’d had plenty of chances to hurt Zack and he was still alive. He wasn’t in any immediate danger, right?

After picking up my backpack, I trudged inside. The scent of garlic and herbs met me at the door.

“Who was that outside?” my mom asked, snuggling with my dad. “Didn’t sound like Daniel.”

“Just a guy from school.”

“How was your day?” Dad asked.

A yucky feeling sat in the pit of my stomach, but I faked a smile. “Great.”

I ran upstairs to get started on my homework and later, returned for dinner — tofu chicken with gravy, mashed potatoes and steamed asparagus.

“Mom, this is so good.” I wolfed down the last of it, sighing as I set my fork down.

“Glad you liked it.” She took a sip of water, her gaze darting to my dad, then back to me. “Your dad’s got several more jobs lined up and they all want him to start right away.”

Right away? My breath caught in my lungs.

“The first job’s in Arizona, then Montana,” he explained. “New Mexico will take longer, so we’ll do that last and stay a while.”

I’d miss finals and prom. Not that the latter mattered much since I no longer had a date.

“New Mexico would be semi-permanent?” I asked through the buzzing in my ears.

“Yes,” Dad said.

“Or you and I can go straight to New Mexico and get settled in.” My mom smiled angelically, like she hadn’t just squashed all my hopes and dreams.

“My birthday is in six days.” I took a quick sip of my grape juice. “I’ll be eighteen.”

She let out a quick laugh. “I’m well aware of that. I’ve been bugging you for weeks to tell me what you want for your birthday.”

“I know what I want.” My foot tapped against the floor as I imagined their reaction to my request.

Dad smiled hesitantly and my mom looked guarded. “What’s that, sweetie?” she asked.

“I want you to leave me here. Go do the jobs, then come back.”

He shook his head. “No. Not an option.”

“I don’t want to move again. Dragging me around so I can’t even graduate — it’s not right.”

Mom reached across the table and held my hand, speaking softly. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. We don’t have a choice.”

I took a deep breath and returned her hand squeeze. “You may not have a choice, but I do. Legally, in a few days, you can’t make me go. I’m staying.”

Dad narrowed his eyes. “Excuse me?”

I took a deep breath, hoping to steady my heart pounding against my ribs. “The longest I’ve been away from you guys is overnight for a sleepover.” I paused to chew my lip nervously. “Since you won’t buy me a new car...”

They sighed in unison.

“Instead, I want to stay here and finish school. You can go without me and treat it like a second honeymoon or something. Or a working vacation. Whatever.”